black crud ring?

[Big John]

A friend has a .62ga. smoothy, with 80gr. of Shutzen powder it leaves a black ring inside the barrel near the touchhole, any ideas why?

 

[Zonie]

I hope you don't mind that I moved your post from the Builders bench but your question fits better into General Muzzleloading.

The reason the crud ring forms has been debated for years.
It is fouling from the Black Powder that some suspect is caused by powder that was contaminated by the patch lube. Others have noticed the same ring even though they lubed their patch with spit.

I have noticed that the synthetic black powder substitutes will form the same kind of ring so it seems to me to be the 'nature of the beast' and is not caused by any error on your friends part.

Wiping the bore with a moistened patch every so often will remove it so that it doesn't hamper continued shooting, but if you suspect it is present while loading, make an extra effort to seat the patch/ball on the powder.

The crud ring will be formed above the powder and will try to stop the patch/ball from getting all of the way down to the charge.

Seating the patch/ball hard against the powder will not cause any harm (or explosion) but failing to seat the ball directly on the powder can cause a ringed barrel which is dangerous.

zonie

 

[Blizzard of '93]

i've noticed Pyrodex is worse than black for 'crud ring'. I dry patch after each shot and have to be careful not to get rod hung up, I gradually in-out the jag until it bottoms. when cleaning up I always dry patch couple times to get the worse fouling out before I soak with hot windsheild washer fluid for cleaning.

 

[Many Klatch]

I notice that the appearance of the crud ring in the barrel seems to be related to the humidity. I haven't figured it out exactly, but it seems to be worse when the humidity is high.

Many Klatch

 

[Big John]

No problem moving the thread Zonie, I guessed at where it should go. I'm trying to help a friend as I said, thanks, Master Blaster