[madc0w2000]

I have a TC stainless steel Black Diamond 50 cal. I use 50gr pyrodex pellets and I have noticed that after about 2 shots, I need to strip it down and run a patch through it, or I cannot get a bullet seated properly because of the fowling. I have a Winchester X-150 and I don't ever remember I had to clean it after a couple of firings. Should I use loose powder instead of pellets, would that help on the fowling and what brand is better.

Thank you for your help.

[yhtomit]

It isn't sporting -- you should set the birds free and give them a slight head-start before you fire.

timothy

p.s. Sorry, my ignorance outweighs my inner smart-aleck, or I'd tell you an answer of the sort you seek ;)

[Mark whiz]

Some rifles are just more susceptible to powder build up than others - a lot depends on the consistency of the bore inself - i.e. how accurate was the machining of the bore.

Loose powder might help some and switching to 777 powder should be of some benefit as well. American Pioneer powder (the old Clean Shot) definitely shoots a lot cleaner, but can be susceptible to moisture in the air if you aren't careful and it is not as powerful, so a tad more powder is required.

As a matter of practice, I always run a spit patch between each shot to keep the fouling manageable and the groupings consistent.

[arcticap]

madc0w2000,

yhtomit is busting on you because of your spelling of the word fouling. Fowling relates to birds/fowl. :rolleyes:

How much powder are you loading?
Pyrodex pellets produce slightly more velocity than loose powder, but people often load more than they really need for target practice. So using a lesser amount of Pyrodex P may help. But maybe not by much.
I've been using APP fffg and the fouling is soft enough to swab without breaking down the entire gun. It recoils as much as I want to handle using about 100 grains for a hunting load, and I could use even less for target shooting.
777 pellets may also cause hard loading depending on how hot the primers are (more crude ring), and 777 pellets produce slightly less velocity then loose 777 powder. But it also produces more felt recoil than other powders.
One other reason for the quick fouling may be due to the shallow rifling in your barrel. If the rifling was cut deeper, the rifling grooves might not get clogged with fouling as quickly.
If you swab with a powder solvent that doesn't interfere with ignition, maybe you won't feel the need to break your gun down just to swab.
A smaller than bore diameter cleaning jag might help you get a tight enough patch into the bore to clean effectively. I use a Kleenbore .40 caliber brass jag and large patches cut from old t-shirts.
Of course, I have a patch pulling worm just in case the patch slips off inside of the barrel, but that's pretty rare once I learned what size to cut the patches.
It should only take a few passes with a cleaning patch with some solvent to clean the barrel & breech area. And Hoppe's Number 9 Black Powder Solvent & Patch Lube claims to not interfere with ignition if any residue gets left behind. But one should probably swab with a dry patch anyway.

[yhtomit]

"yhtomit is busting on you because of your spelling of the word fouling. Fowling relates to birds/fowl."

Hey, I just spotted a bad gun pun and chose not to resist it. No offense intended. :)

I am amazed by the dedication of all the blackpowder shooters -- but well enough aware of my limitations (cleverness, patience, coordination, etc) to know that I am unlikely to take part unless someone else builds, loads and primes the gun.

timothy

[K.A.T.]

You must be shooting sabots.You can run a bronze brush down inbetween shots,and clean it out.If you run a dry patch it will get stuck where the powder ignited.I use the power belt bullet,problem solved,sometimes the old maxi-ball,problem solved again.:)

[1911 guy]

As much as half the volume of the charge can stay in the barrel as fouling after firing, so reducing your charge will also reduce the amount of fouling. Unless you have a ridiculously long barrel, you're not burning 100 grains of FFg in the bore, anyway. I've seen guys at the range load 150gr in their hi-tech inlines and leave the grass smoking with burning powder after every shot. More isn't always better.

Switch to loose powder and work up a load that's most accurate in your rifle. Start with one grain for every .01" of bore diameter, a .50 cal starting load will be 50gr. Max loads are usually 1.75 times the start loads. Check your owners manual.

Switch to FFFg powder unless it's larger than .50 cal. The smaller granulation burns faster, giving you more pressure and velocity with a smaller charge, therefore less fouling. Over .50 cal gets counter productive with smaller granulation. Max loads are usually reduced by 10 grains from FFg loads. Again, check your owners manual.

Small bores foul faster than large bores and I squirrel hunt with a .36 flintlock. I can't go more than three shots with 40gr FFFg and I'll be unable to seat a ball. A spit patch between shots solves this problem. After I load and prime, I stick a patch in my mouth. After firing, this goes down the barrel on the jag. I can shoot all day like this and never have a fouling problem. This might be an answer if you like the powder and charge you're using.

Charge volumes will vary from what I've posted if you're using conicals and/or sabots. FFFg may also be unsuitable for heavier projectiles in calibers over .40 cal.

[Omnivore]

I guess it depends a lot on the gun...

You don't say what projectile you're using, which can make all the difference. I can shoot all day without cleaning my Lyman .50. When I first got the rifle I used some sabots that were given to me. I wasn't using TC Bore Butter or anything-- just BP solvent, and I had to clean after each shot or two.

Now I use Bore Butter after cleaning, when the barrel is still very hot from the hot water. I use heavily lubed, patched balls or Bore Buttered TC conicals, and I never have to clean between shots, even when using 110 gr charges of Pyrodex RS. The first loading is easier, and all subsequent loadings go down about the same, whether the second shot or the 30th. Keep 'er gooped up nicely and she'll be more happy with you. All the fouling in the world won't be a problem if its nice and sloppy instead of hard.

Never use petroleum based cleaning solvents or lubes. Ever.

I haven't used a sabot for two years, partly because I had a bad experience with them and partly because they're illegal for hunting here now anyway (and if I wanted a 45 cal projectile I'd use a .45 bore instead of a .50).

Different ball/patch combinations will fit differently, and different rifles have different bore/grove differentials. The TC conicals practically fall down the bore of my Lyman, so a little fouling is almost a good thing. The Minnie ball is supposed to expand into the rifling upon firing, and should be very easy to load in its unexpanded, original state.

Try something different-- with the right combination all your problems should go away.