| Dphariss |
| (.300 member) |
| 02/04/09 05:33 PM |
|
Re: 1840's Harkom
|
Quote:
Mike, I feel a long post coming on, but for those who want to read it a lot of shooting will be reviewed. I’ll second what Dary has said completely. I am very familiar with Pyordex in ML S.G.s but will not use it in old pitted barrels for the reason Daryl describes. Pyrodex is a good powder, but not for old pitted barrels in my strong opinion.
If you have no alternative to Pyrodex, you may be able to improve your cleaning procedure. Using a bronze bore brush with the patch over it, instead of a jag, is useful. Perhaps you can clean in usual fashion, using hot or boiling water to open the metal pores a bit, then rinse, and then rinse again with a mild solution of sodium carbonate (washing soda) or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to hopefully neutralize the Pyrodex fouling still hiding in the pits and mini-cracks. Then rinse thoroughly again, dry well, and oil. I prefer non-petroleum products in MLs, to avoid killing primers. Others may be able to add to these thoughts.
Remember that soda can cause corrosion too and it won't necessarily neutralize the problem.
There is no safe way to shoot perchlorate powders.
New guns used with it generally develope pits pretty rapidly.
Use a magnifier, they start out microscopic. The stuff kinda like dissolves the steel leaving tiny (for awhile) craters under magnification.
In the US BP can be obtained can be a PITA in some areas.
In old guns one shooting session can result in a year of after rust and cleaning when chlorate powders are used.
Hot water and lots of it is the only answer. The stuff must be washed away.
Dan