# My gun shoots HORRIBLE when I clean the barrel.



## NYH1 (Oct 24, 2009)

I shot my 11-87 Sportsman Deer 12 ga. (2-7x33mm Leupold Shotgun Scope) last Saturday. I shot 4 to 6 inch groups at 100 yards with 4 different brand of slugs (SST, Core-Lokt Bonded, Accutips, Fusion). I shot a awesome 3 shot 2 1/2 inch group at 100 yards with Federal's Barnes Expander Tipped Slugs. I was also switching back and forth between my 2 different slug barrels. 

Today I completely cleaned my whole gun. I bought 4 boxes of the Federal slugs and went back to the range to set my zero at 100 yards. First I shot 5 shots at 50 yards and only hit the target ONCE! I couldn't beleive it. The target is about 15 inches wide and 2 feet tall. I took my barrel off and put it back together. I shot again. I hit the target 2 out of 5 times at 50 yards, about a 15 inch group. I shot out to 100 yards and didn't even hit the target.

I had a box of 2 3/4" Remington Buckhammer slugs. I shot about a 3 inch group at 50 yards with them. Every time I clean the barrel, I can't get it to group until it gets really dirty.

I'm going to try some more Buckhammers and see if it will hold a sub 4 inch group at 100 yards. I it can't do that, it's no good to me. I'll hunt in the rifle part of the state (half hour north) and I'll part this gun out over the winter. I'm pi$$ed. This is getting way to expensive. I had the same problems with it in 2007. I didn't even both messing with it last year.

Will the Buckhammers load up the rifling in my barrel? If so, what's the best way to clean it?


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## jburlingham (Oct 24, 2009)

If per chance you have a rifled slug barrel, then it sounds like the rifling is heavily worn, the dirt / fouling is filing up the lands and groves creating a tighter fit in the barrel hence better accuracy dirty.


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## NYH1 (Oct 24, 2009)

Yes the barrel is rifled. There is no way it is warn out. The gun is 3 years old and has had about 50 rounds fired through it. I bought it brand new in 2007 and had the same problem with it then. I sent my scope back to Leupold because I could hear a clicking sound when I shook it back and forth. They fixed it. Or at least it doesn't make the clicking sound anymore. I couldn't use this gun that season because of this. It doesn't look like I'll be able to use it this season either. 

I kind of think it might be a scope problem again. But I shot the Buckhammers after I shot the Federal's. The Buckhammers recoil harder and I shot the best group with them. I'm thinking about sending the gun back to Remington and the scope back to Leupold. The problem with that though is if I don't know the exact problem, chances are they would find anything either. And I have a month until the season opens. 

Between the cost of the gun, the scope, the scope rings and all the wasted ammo, I have about $1500 invested in this set up over the 3 years and it's yet to be brought into the woods.


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## swift4me (Oct 25, 2009)

*If it was mine...*

I'd borrow a scope from a smith otr a buddy and mount that up, and shoot the gun dirty again and see what happens. That way you might find out that it is the scope. Leupold generally turns repairs around VERY quickly and always for free, so there is no harm in doing that either. 

If you figure out that the scope is OK, and it just shoots better dirty, I'd shoot it dirty.

My most accurate Model 70's have been heavily copper fouled by previous owners. Both guns are consitently under an inch for three shots.

I can feel your pain.

Just a thought.

Pete


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## wigglesworth (Oct 25, 2009)

If your leaving oil in the barrel, it will take several shots to get the bore "fouled" again. Clean it with windex next time and see if that doesnt fix what ails ya.


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## dingeryote (Oct 25, 2009)

nh1,

Any time you take the barrel off and re-mount it, you will have changed it's "Seat" on the frame, and will affect consistency to some degree, but not THAT much!!

Plastic fouling from Sabots is funny shtuff... I have seen where switching from one to the other will result in wonky patterns untill the new slug fouls the bore sufficiently to be consistent.

It's one of the reasons I prefer to NOT run Sabot slugs, and stick with full dia. Brenneke Gold's, or the remmie Buckhammer. Both fully obturate and engrave in the bore, and there is no slippage between the sabot and projectile robbing consistency and stability. No need to rely on projectile expansion on impact either... if a .72" dia. hole clean through a critter dosn't put them down, it's time to run for the truck.

I'm gonna say it's mounts, or scope related without looking, and add that possibly your barrel was not fully seated after reassembly.

Double check the mounts/rings again..

+1 on trying another scope to remove that variable first.

Remmie has about a 30 day turnaround on repairs(They farm out repairs) at BEST, so start looking for a 'smith that does authorized repairs near you.

To add to the panic, everybody and thier brother is dropping thier stuff off for repairs at the same time you will be.
Be REAL nice to the 'Smith cuz he's up to his ears right now, and every one of 'em wants thiers done yesterday.

Best of luck to ya!
Dingeryote


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## olyman (Oct 25, 2009)

when i used to slug hunt a bunch!! i tried all available at that time. i finally went to handloading Brennecke slugs---herters had them at the time. the rest shot all over the place, but not the brens--they were accurate!!! this thru a slug barrel, as rifled ones were just coming out at the time--hastings--tells ya how long ago i hunted--:greenchainsaw:


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## cjk (Oct 26, 2009)

Stop cleaning it? 

OR

Trade it in on a Berreta. 

I got suckered into the sabot slugs too. Waste of money. Learned my lesson. 

I have an 870 smoothbore that shoots a foot to the left. Bought a rifled barrel for it and it wont group for crap. 

The gun started having issues ejecting 3" shells and that was enough to make me look for a replacement. 

Bought a used Berreta al391 smoothbore. Cheap $2 a box federal slugs will touch holes at 50yds. Its killed a lot of deer. 

I was so impressed I got the wife a 20ga of the same model. It shoots just as well with the cheapest Winchester slugs.


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## CLEARVIEW TREE (Nov 8, 2009)

i'd bet some money that your barrel is extremely worn and everytime you clean it, it opens up a little and the id is a different size. see when your barrel is dirty it's actually a little tighter. buy you a new barrel, after you let a gunsmith tell you so, good luck


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## dutch552 (Nov 8, 2009)

Is your scope mounted to a cantilever slug barrel or is it mounted to the receiver of the shotgun itself?


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## discounthunter (Nov 9, 2009)

i would also recemend not waiting til a week before season to site in your rifle.


the best advise i got was a long time ago was, when sighting in ,once you are zeroed in with a specific round,stop. dont clean the rifle or otherwise adjust anything unless you plan on going back to square one. a rifle with several to 15-20-rounds through it will be fine for hunting season,clean it after season .


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