Should I shoot my gun?

[RiverRoost]

Did a pretty detailed cleaning in my mind of running 3 soaked patches of Shooters Choice solvent which eats away plastic fouling, gun powder, etc, let soak for about 15 minutes then ran a wet wire brush through there several times and let sit for a few more minutes then dry patches it until patches came out dry and clean. Should I ahoot a dove load first to "foul" the barre and burn off any remaining solvent or go straight on hunting with my turkey loads?

I've patterned my shell and choke combo plenty of times so this was just a preseason cleaning.

[mtns2hunt]

Did a pretty detailed cleaning in my mind of running 3 soaked patches of Shooters Choice solvent which eats away plastic fouling, gun powder, etc, let soak for about 15 minutes then ran a wet wire brush through there several times and let sit for a few more minutes then dry patches it until patches came out dry and clean. Should I ahoot a dove load first to "foul" the barre and burn off any remaining solvent or go straight on hunting with my turkey loads?

I've patterned my shell and choke combo plenty of times so this was just a preseason cleaning.

If you have patterned plenty of times. Does it shoot a better pattern with a fouled barrel? If so I would shoot a fouling shot. If not I would not. Personally my barrel is always clean I only use fouling shots in my muzzle loader.

[RiverRoost]

I've usually shot a fouling shot before I do my first test pattern with this gun and never felt like burning an extra Nitro to check it on the true first shot out to see how it does compared to after a fouling shot so I don't know exactly what it will do clean vs a foul shot. Just kinda curious to what the majority have seen.

[LaLongbeard]

I've usually shot a fouling shot before I do my first test pattern with this gun

You answered your own question if you don't know what it does clean your first shot at a Gobbler is not the time to find out.
I polish my barrel with scotch brite and bore polish compound then clean with denatured alcohol I don't think it could get cleaner than that the alcohol removes all traces of oil which only gum up in the gunpowder. I know from shooting  the same gun for 20 some years that the first shot with a clean barell is the best pattern so that's how I start. I clean the barell with alcohol after each kill and back to zero. As long as you keep it dry you don't need oil in a barell while hunting, oil it before storing it and it will be fine

[RiverRoost]

I forgot I've used alcohol before in the end. Guess I need to go back tonight and run several patches of alcohol through it as they will be run behind the dry patches I ran last night.

[KyScott]

Did a pretty detailed cleaning in my mind of running 3 soaked patches of Shooters Choice solvent which eats away plastic fouling, gun powder, etc, let soak for about 15 minutes then ran a wet wire brush through there several times and let sit for a few more minutes then dry patches it until patches came out dry and clean. Should I ahoot a dove load first to "foul" the barre and burn off any remaining solvent or go straight on hunting with my turkey loads?

I've patterned my shell and choke combo plenty of times so this was just a preseason cleaning.

If you have patterned plenty of times. Does it shoot a better pattern with a fouled barrel? If so I would shoot a fouling shot. If not I would not. Personally my barrel is always clean I only use fouling shots in my muzzle loader.

I agree with RiverRoost

[CrustyRusty]

I wonder how much of a difference it will even make and how much an impact it will have on a turkey. I usually clean thoroughly before and after season and subsequently run a bore snake through my barrel after shots during the season. Never had a problem killing a bird.

[RiverRoost]

I wonder how much of a difference it will even make and how much an impact it will have on a turkey. I usually clean thoroughly before and after season and subsequently run a bore snake through my barrel after shots during the season. Never had a problem killing a bird.

I'm with you on that. I don't clean it during the season or after killing a bird and know regardless of how it shoots with or without a fouling shot per say that it will flatten a gobbler either way. Just curious for pattern sake