Practical corosivity of BP

[Tb54]

i know BP is corrosive. The sulfer in it becomes sulfuric acid when moistened by humidity, or liquid, and the caps used to be made with mercury fulminate, I don’t know about now. Practically speaking, we clean our rifles immediately after a target shooting session, then foul them before hunting season, and leave them fouled all season, before cleaning them again. The riflemen of yesteryear probly left them fouled longer between cleanings than we do. A used muzzleloader found loaded at the pawn shop ( and it’s amazing how many I’ve seen) probly have been left fouled for quite a while. Long enough that whatever damage could be done probly has been done.

Practically speaking, how often can a BP rifle be left uncleaned withought doing damage to its accuracy? The compliment question would be, how forgiving is the patch/ball combination of a bbl not perfect anymore?

 

[Black Hand]

i know BP is corrosive. The sulfer in it becomes sulfuric acid when moistened by humidity, or liquid, and the caps used to be made with mercury fulminate, I don’t know about now. Practically speaking, we clean our rifles immediately after a target shooting session, then foul them before hunting season, and leave them fouled all season, before cleaning them again. The riflemen of yesteryear probly left them fouled longer between cleanings than we do. A used muzzleloader found loaded at the pawn shop ( and it’s amazing how many I’ve seen) probly have been left fouled for quite a while. Long enough that whatever damage could be done probly has been done.

Practically speaking, how often can a BP rifle be left uncleaned withought doing damage to its accuracy? The compliment question would be, how forgiving is the patch/ball combination of a bbl not perfect anymore?

I fear this potential for damage is vastly overestimated.
I don't clean immediately after shooting - I've forgotten to clean for up to a week with no ill effects (Brit Smoothy has similar & more experience)
I do not foul before hunting - a load goes into a clean barrel. If you need a fouling shot to shoot accurately, you need to work on your load.
The effect on accuracy will differ on the amount and where the damage might be - may have no effect at all (what I've read suggests damage at the crown or the last 6 inches of the barrel has more of an effect on accuracy).
Sulfur mixed with water/humidity/liquid does not become sulfuric acid, it becomes wet sulfur.
Mercury fulminate is no longer used in caps, due to its corrosive and somewhat unstable nature, not to mention mercury being toxic.
There is NO SUCH THING as a perfect barrel...

 

[Britsmoothy]

It's salts that do harm but it ain't as bad as most think. It's controllable.
The old fulminate cap did more harm!
No idea really regards your question buddy.
No suitable lubrication, damp environment, several years maybe, don't know. Sometimes would pull brown rust patches out of my CVA rifle after months but it still shot the same.

 

[Grenadier1758]

It's the fouling that is corrosive, not the powder be it black or the substitutes. If you intend to leave your gun loaded for the entire hunting season, it would be best to start the season with load in a clean barrel. Wipe bore with alcohol before loading. After the ball is loaded, wipe the bore with a slightly damp lubricant and you should be able to carry your rifle all season.

 

[rdlowe]

After the ball is loaded, wipe the bore with a slightly damp lubricant and you should be able to carry your rifle all season.

I've seen people mention this but I don't understand the purpose.

 

[Black Hand]

It's the fouling that is corrosive, not the powder be it black or the substitutes. If you intend to leave your gun loaded for the entire hunting season, it would be best to start the season with load in a clean barrel. Wipe bore with alcohol before loading. After the ball is loaded, wipe the bore with a slightly damp lubricant and you should be able to carry your rifle all season.

If your patch is lubed, what's the point? A certain amount of lube should be transferred to the bore during loading...

 

[tenngun]

A barrel is the best part of $200, then fit plug, sights, tendons polish or finish, represents a bit of work. I’ll keep my barrel clean thank you.

 

[Le Loup]

i know BP is corrosive. The sulfer in it becomes sulfuric acid when moistened by humidity, or liquid, and the caps used to be made with mercury fulminate, I don’t know about now. Practically speaking, we clean our rifles immediately after a target shooting session, then foul them before hunting season, and leave them fouled all season, before cleaning them again. The riflemen of yesteryear probly left them fouled longer between cleanings than we do. A used muzzleloader found loaded at the pawn shop ( and it’s amazing how many I’ve seen) probly have been left fouled for quite a while. Long enough that whatever damage could be done probly has been done.

Practically speaking, how often can a BP rifle be left uncleaned withought doing damage to its accuracy? The compliment question would be, how forgiving is the patch/ball combination of a bbl not perfect anymore?

Personally I don't think it is worth the risk of damage, & I clean my gun after each use. I do not foul before hunting, as I stalk in close & accuracy over distance is not a problem.
Keith.

 

[George]

i know BP is corrosive. The sulfer in it becomes sulfuric acid when moistened by humidity, or liquid,...

Not so. Sulfur mixed with water makes wet sulfur. No reaction takes place. No acid.

Spence

 

[Felix the Cat]

The real killer of old guns, as has been pointed out, was percussion caps.. Not just the mercury fulminate, but also the potassium chlorate that was often added to improve the performance. The mercury attacks the grain boundaries in the steel and the chlorate a very strong corrosive.

As pointed out, genuine Black Powder is relatively benign, provided no moisture is present. Potassium nitrate is however slightly hygroscopic and will produce an acid residue. What are really corrosive are some of the BP substitutes such as Pyrodex which allegedly contain perchlorates. These will cause serious rusting if not cleaned out quickly.

I have always found that if you squirt a good water displacer such as WD40 down a BP fouled bore, it can be left for several weeks before having to clean it. If however you have used old percussion caps or Pyrodex, I would wash out with hot water and washing soda (sodium carbonate) that day..!

 

[Carbon 6]

When sulfur is BURNED It produces sulfur dioxide. The sequential oxidation of sulfur dioxide followed by its hydration is how sulfuric acid is produced.

Potassium perchlorate which is in virtually every other BP sub ever made. When burned the chlorate degrades to chorine. Chlorine pits and corrodes stainless steel and will corrode and rust regular steel because Chlorine removes the protective oxide layer that forms on steels. I suspect this is why so many people get flash rusting or rust after a few days. Either all the chlorine wasn't removed or it was in your water.

Real Black Powder is the least corrosive powder I have ever used. Its ingredients are also "organic" unless synthesized.

I have gotten into the habit of cleaning my gun as quick as possible. I carry everything I need to clean in my bag. It saves a lot of headaches.

Kept unfired and dry a gun with real BP can stay loaded for months or longer.

 

[Grenadier1758]

If your patch is lubed, what's the point? A certain amount of lube should be transferred to the bore during loading...

Its the engineer in me. The extra lube is just that, a bit of extra lube that is formulated for corrosion resistance (for example Barricade) to provide a little more protection. Your choice.

 

[Juice Jaws]

I feel a lot depends where you live. Where I live in Calif. it is dry. Most of the time I clean my guns the same day I shoot them. But once in a blue moon for what ever reason it might be one or two days before they are clean. And they are fine, the fouling is dry and nothing but a hard crust. Its the dampness and moisture that draws the salt out.

 

[tenngun]

A barrel is the best part of $200 then fit a plug, under lugs, sights, prep work for finish or in white, lots of work. It’s more fun then work but it’s still a time investment. I think I will be oc about cleaning.
I dry a barrel before hunting, then after loading run a greased patch down the bore. Should I shoot I reload, but empty the gunbefore going home and clean. No bed till dishes are done dogs fed and guns clean.

 

[Okie Hog]

The residues from firing black powder and Pyrodex are the most corrosive. Both contain sulfur. The residue of sulfur can be very corrosive in high humidity.

All black powder substitutes except for Black Horn 209 contain potassium perchlorate. The residues left by potassium perchlorate contribute little to the corrosiveness of those powders that contain same.

My rifles are loaded in a squeaky clean barrel. They are sighted to put the first round from a clean barrel on target. Any rifle that puts projectiles from clean and dirty barrels to different points of impact goes away.

 

[Carbon 6]

Black Horn 209 ?

Their website question and answer page says,

1. Will Blackhorn 209 work in my muzzleloading rifle?
Blackhorn 209 was specifically designed for modern in-line muzzleloaders with sealed ignition systems using standard 209 shotshell primers. Check with your rifle’s manufacturer for compatibility.

2. Will Blackhorn work with a #11 percussion or musket cap primer?
NO. #11 percussion caps, or musket caps do not have sufficient strength to ignite Blackhorn 209.

14. Can I use Blackhorn 209 in a cap & ball revolver?
NO. #11 percussion caps, or musket caps do not have sufficient strength to ignite Blackhorn 209.

15. Can I use Blackhorn 209 in my muzzle loading shotgun?
This is not recommended.

I do not know of any production sidelock muzzleloader gun manufacturer or barrel manufacturer that will warrant the use Blackhorn 209. Do you?

 

[necchi]

Practically speaking, we clean our rifles immediately after a target shooting session, then foul them before hunting season, and leave them fouled all season, before cleaning them again.

Nope, shooting a fouled bore while target shooting for 10 ring and X lends consistency to the bore condition for multiple shots needed in a scoring event. That "style" or "technique" is specific for target shooting.
While accuracy is still a large part of ethical hunting, the parameters are a little different. I will shoot for the day squirrel hunting with a fouled bore,, but I've never gone a for a days long or season long load for Whitetail with a fouled bore. (and I've kept deer season loads in a rifle for months that fire accurately when needed).

The riflemen of yesteryear probly left them fouled longer between cleanings than we do.

I pretty sure they took better daily care then we do, they needed that tool to function properly every day, every week, year after year.

Practically speaking, how often can a BP rifle be left uncleaned without doing damage to its accuracy?

Just once can cause damage.

 

[Dave Orchard]

Pyrodex is the real "corrosive" fouler. )-:
Triple 7 seems ok and isn't as hard on brass cases as BP corrosion-wise. But I had some really bad luck with Pyrodex corroding under a layer of RIG grease in a Sharp's barrel years ago.
Stick to black/clean with water/don't use detergent....
Dave

 

[Carbon 6]

Just once can cause damage.

:thumbs up:

 

[Stony Broke]

Black powder in itself is not corrosive, but it is hydroscopic...it absorbs moisture and holds it against the surface of the metal underneath the fouling. It is best to remove the fouling as soon as possible after firing the black powder. I know guys that will leave their rifles fouled for days at a time...but these guys are not the winners at the shooting matches or anything like that. If you are going to shoot black...accept the fact that fouling needs to be removed asap ! I come home from a match and spend a couple hours doing all the cleanup necessary.