So what exactly was I cleaning out of my barrel?

[Jenrick]

So I had a chance to take my new to me 2 band enfield to the range today. After I got done shooting, when I went to clean I saw something I hand't seen before. I had shot about 6 rounds with pyrodex, and about 10 with Goex. I wet patched 2 or 3 patches in between and everything came out carbon black as usual. When it came time to clean, as I flushed the barrel I got a liquid about the color of Windex. When I patched the bore I had a patch that was a deep blue green. I don't ever recall having similar colored fouling in my percussion revolver. It did wash/patch clean, so it was something dissolve-able at least.

If I was shooting a rifle that used copper washed or coated bullets, I'd suspect copper fouling. Any ideas on what exactly I was patching out of the barrel?

-Jenrick

 

[AlexanderA]

That's residue from the percussion cap. It will corrode the bore if you don't get it out with hot, soapy water.

 

[DownInTheDark]

I have gotten that color before. Im guessing it has to do with the pyrodex and cleaning agent.

 

[Dog Soldier]

AlexA has answered your question.

 

[whughett]

Thousands of rounds thru cap and ball revolvers with black powder and have never see any color other than black. But then I only use Dawn and hot water with an occasional wipe of Ballistol/Water mix. I'm with post #3. Whats the cleaning agent you used? As to residue from caps, how many people snap a cap to clear the nipples of oil, always thought they were non corrosive same as modern primers.

 

[rodwha]

Thousands of rounds thru cap and ball revolvers with black powder and have never see any color other than black. But then I only use Dawn and hot water with an occasional wipe of Ballistol/Water mix. I'm with post #3. Whats the cleaning agent you used? As to residue from caps, how many people snap a cap to clear the nipples of oil, always thought they were non corrosive same as modern primers.

The modern caps aren't corrosive from what I've read. That was a concern long ago.

I don't "bust a cap" to clear the channel of my guns. Caps have been hard to find all too often. I've not had an issue yet but I also use an alcohol patch (both sides) after anything liquidy goes down the bore/chamber and give it a moment to evaporate.

 

[Oohrah!]

Caps have been hard to find all too often.

I see you're in Texas. Cabela's always has #10 Remington caps in stock. They even had them on sale last month for $5.99/100.

 

[midland man]

hmmm I was under the impression that caps were not corrosive,so are they or are they not??

 

[J-Bar]

hmmm I was under the impression that caps were not corrosive,so are they or are they not??

From the back of a Remington No. 10 cap package:

"Remington new hotter percussion caps feature improved ignition with all powders designed for percussion guns. The are non-corrosive and non-mercuric..."

From a tin of CCI No. 11 caps:

"Non-corrosive/Non-mercuric"

From a tin of CCI No. 11 Magnum caps:

"Non-corrosive"

...so the manufacturers think they are non-corrosive. I sometimes practice a cowboy action draw and fire in my garage by popping caps on my percussion revolvers with a timer. I always wipe the cap crud out of the chambers and barrels when I'm done. Not too worried about corrosion, but that stuff builds up in there, and I don't need any misfires at the match.

 

[Jenrick]

So after shooting just Goex yesterday I definitely still had blue green in the barrel. I'm leaning towards AlexanderA's thought on it being the caps. My revolver used #10's IIRC, and this of course uses musket caps. Could just be a difference in the priming mixture.

-Jenrick

 

[sharps59]

PERSONALLY I WOULD PULL THE BREACH PLUG. W all the black powder shooting I do I've never had that in my musket.

 

[rsrocket1]

...so the manufacturers think they are non-corrosive. I sometimes practice a cowboy action draw and fire in my garage by popping caps on my percussion revolvers with a timer. I always wipe the cap crud out of the chambers and barrels when I'm done. Not too worried about corrosion, but that stuff builds up in there, and I don't need any misfires at the match.

While modern primers are non-corrosive, they are not non-toxic. The primary compound in them is lead styphnate.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_styphnate "As with other lead-containing compounds, lead styphnate is toxic owing to heavy metal poisoning."

That cloud that comes out of the barrel in your garage is full of lead. I shot a dozen rounds of primer-only hot glue cast bullets in my garage and had a lot of fun doing it until I read what was in the primer compound. It's no worse than shooting in a poorly ventilated indoor shooting range, but I don't do that either.

 

[4v50 Gary]

I suspect the previous owner fired some copper jacketed bullets (not lead minie balls). It doesn't seem feasible to me that percussion caps can leave sfficient copper in the barrel for that much discoloration. I've seen the same blue stuff with barrels that fired copper jacketed bullets though.