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BP fouling, with humidity over 30% will cause rust - which in turn will cause some pitting, fine pits to coarse, depending on how badly the item is allowed to rust. That is why you have to clean it out after using it - cleaned, dried and it's done - no rust, no pits.

I know little about it, but I know this - BP fouling below 30% humidity is inert - INERT. Add some moisture and it will cause rust - oxidation, not pits until oxidation has been left for a long period of time- then fine shallow pitting. The phony powders with chlorates cause sharp-edged, undercut and "V" shaped deep pitting - without additional moisture & will do this under under an oiled surface.

I've seen it myself - guy even claimed to clean the guns twice a day apart after using - all the time. I watched him clean his barrels in hunting camp (he was a client - 2 seasons I was there) and he did it right, taking the barrel off and flushing water in and out, then drying and oiling, then washing again the next day even though not used. He always had trouble loading. No wonder - pits. In a 2 year period, he ruined both barrels for his custom English rifle - that Taylor built him. The chlorates actually ate into and almost through the side of the cast breech plug. We have the plug - the fellow used both Pyrodex and T-7 - whatever was handy.

2 TC barrels same guy decided needed re-bluing, sent to a commercial barrel bluing guy with tanks & Brownells bluing supplies, and when they came back, plugs removed (or the first time for degreasing and lbluding) he noticed both tubes were pitted one end to the other, but mostly breech to about 5" from the muzzles. Were they pitted before? Who knows, millions of barrels have been blued with bluing salts and not hurt in the slightest - they are boiled in fresh water to stop the process, even old barrels (and actions) with some pitting - without inceasing the pitting.

He thought to try to sue the gun smith, but I told him it might have something to do with the crap he was shooting. What the outcome was, I don't know. Both those barrels are in Taylor's rafters for show - sharp edged craters of pits that will cut skin if drug across the edges. I'd not seen pits like that until I saw a barrel in which the guy thought soaking it with clorox would remove copper. Yeah- similar caverns of pits- sharp edged, looking just like the phony powder pits.

The results looked very similar - and to the 2 Muzzle Loading GM barrels he ruined with that powder.

I have nothing to gain or lose whether or not you use those powders. I shudder to think of someone using them in a valuable antique and be severally disappointed as a result.

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Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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