Hi all. I recently bought a lyman gpr. I've only had the opurtunity to take it out a couple of times for shooting. Anyway to the point. It seems after every 2-3 shots the ball gets hard to ram down the barrel. I can't tell you the patch size,but it's a .50 rifle using .490 swaged balls. If i can get past the first 6 inches or so down the barrel it loads fine. Is this a case of 'braking in the barrel',or does it sound like something's wrong? Should i have to swab the barrell that often? I'm using 80 grains of fff goex. I tried using a smaller load of 60 grains,to reduce fouling,but it doesn't seem tomatter. I'm sorry if my post is a bit jumbled ,or hard to understand. If anyone has any advice i'd be gratefull.
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Hard to load prb
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Depending on the kind of bore lube you're using, and the kind of patch lube, and if you're shooting in a dry or low humidity situation, you may have to wipe between shots, or every other one or two.KidMaverick said:
Petroleum based bore lubes will actually promote BP fouling so if you're using petroleum based lubes, I'd suggest you use steaming hot soapy water and get it all leached out of the bore and start again.
If you're shooting in a dry or low humidity environment the fouling starts to firm up very quicky making subsequent shots difficult to load so you need a wetter shooting[url] patch...in[/url] these conditions, I use "Hoppes No9 Plus BP Solvent & Patch Lube" on my patches...it's a thick liquid and even under those dry conditions let's me shoot 50 shot range sessions without wiping between shots at all, using Goex 3F.
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That sounds like a fouling problem alright. What lube are you using? When I used to use Hoppe's black powder lube and solvent, I could shoot all day without swabbing, as each load cleaned fouling from the last. I use Ballistol now and it keeps fouling away pretty well too.
Might be barrel related, but I think I'd try different lubes before worrying too much.
Might be barrel related, but I think I'd try different lubes before worrying too much.
Thanks guys. I'm using Natural lube 1000 bore butter as lube.I've tried lubing my own dry patches and prelubed patches with the same results. I clean and swab with T/C Number 13 bore cleaner. I was shooting in 70-80 degree temps with little (for MO.) humidity. Maybe i need to find some of that Hoppes.
Just thought of somethin. The powder i was using is about 10 years old. Would that have anything to do with it? Just tossing thoughts around.
Just thought of somethin. The powder i was using is about 10 years old. Would that have anything to do with it? Just tossing thoughts around.
No, the powder wouldn't cause that...you hit the nail on the head when you said NL1000 and low humidity.KidMaverick said:
NL1000 is also my normal lube both in the bore and on patches, but I couldn't shoot range sessions year round when the humidity dropped in the winter time...Hoppes solved that...I dump a bag of patches into a ziploc (even if they already have NL1000 on them) and then squirt a few lines of Hoppe's in on them...squish them around until they're all saturated and fire away...it makes for an enjoyable range session for me...the Hoppes doesn't affect the powder and I've experimented using them glistening wet with Hoppes and the shot still fires right off...and you'll be shocked at how clean your bore is after an entire range session too
:thumbsup:
Blizzard of '93
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I always hunt with a fouled barrel (fire a fouling shot, dry patch and reload) so when plinking or range shooting I dry patch after every shot. Never have any problen w/fouling or difficult loading. Use Go-Jo hand cleaner as lube and a felt overpowder was. Works 4 me.
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Spit is wet, cheap ,easy to carry, and flint .only sometimes runs out, when a stone in your mouth will help renew the supply.Round balls flint and spit forever. :winking:Will a beeswax-olive oil mix do the same thing?
paulvallandigham
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it depends on the relative humidity. If it is dry, I use more spit. If it is cold and humid out, I use less, and just dampen the patch. You should clean the barrel between shots, running a spit patch down, if you don't have a cleaning compound, then a dry patch to make sure the barrel is thoroughly dry for the next powder charge you pour down it.
Sorry I could not give you a definite rule, but the relative humidity does seem to make a difference in how wet the patch should be. Only use spit patches when you expect to shoot the round quickly. You don't want the spit patch to dry in your barrel in a tree stand and leave you a ring of rust where the ball seats. Always use a artificial lubricant for your patches when you are going to be waiting for hours, or even days before the shot is fired.
Sorry I could not give you a definite rule, but the relative humidity does seem to make a difference in how wet the patch should be. Only use spit patches when you expect to shoot the round quickly. You don't want the spit patch to dry in your barrel in a tree stand and leave you a ring of rust where the ball seats. Always use a artificial lubricant for your patches when you are going to be waiting for hours, or even days before the shot is fired.
CrackStock
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If you want another method, you might try some Murphy's Oil Soap greatly thinned with alcohol. There are times when I use a mix that is heavily comprised of alcohol. Adjust to conditions.
I used a little pharmaceutical spray pump to spritz some onto the patch. Not wet -- just damp enough to make loading easier. I use petroleum preservatives in my bores because it did not give any hint of rust and I clean the oil out with alcohol soaked patches before firing. The charges do not get fouled and I do not see any more fouling when shooting a lot than I see from my BB friends at the range or had when I was a disciple of the Tao of skillet seasoning. :grin:
(C'mon guys, I have a wager on this one -- don't let me down) :haha:
CS
I used a little pharmaceutical spray pump to spritz some onto the patch. Not wet -- just damp enough to make loading easier. I use petroleum preservatives in my bores because it did not give any hint of rust and I clean the oil out with alcohol soaked patches before firing. The charges do not get fouled and I do not see any more fouling when shooting a lot than I see from my BB friends at the range or had when I was a disciple of the Tao of skillet seasoning. :grin:
(C'mon guys, I have a wager on this one -- don't let me down) :haha:
CS
Blizzard of '93
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I'll have to uphold ya on that one. Although I don't use what you do in my bores I never could figger any difference with 'seasoning' a barrel. I ain't gonna cook w/it anyhow - hopefully shoot something to cook.
CrackStock
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I have some Lehigh Valley to try and I have used a lot of other lube concoctions, but just mentioned this one because t is cheap, simple and effective.
I was also tweaking a couple of friends and they got me back by not responding -- so I am losing a bet.
:haha:
CS
I was also tweaking a couple of friends and they got me back by not responding -- so I am losing a bet.
:haha:
CS
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