Question about a ring around the barrel.

[user 54092]

Allow me to start with a word of background, the rifle was bought new and has been exhibiting what I'm about to say since day 1.

I'm the kind of guy who likes to swab his barrel between shots. What became immediately apparent is that there is a spot in the barrel where the resistance to the patch increases then abates as the point is passed. As if a ring has formed within the barrel. If I swab a clean barrel it isn't there, only after shooting. I have a therory but would like to hear what others may think, I've always used olive oil as a lube. The last is what my theory is based on. I'd have to chew leaf to get enough spit, and I gave that up years ago.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Some of us call it the 'crud ring', that area or distance down the barrel where 'hot' BP fouling builds up and starts to deposit or adhere to the bore walls. I had a 42" smoothie barrel that was notorious for it, but it never affected the loading or shooting ... it was just something I observed.

The effect can differ due to different granulation of BP, lube, patch and pacing/frequency of shooting et al, if occur at all ...

 

[maillemaker]

I see this particularly with my M1842 .69 smoothbore. There is a point in the barrel where you get some crud buildup and you can feel it when swabbing the bore in between relays. Does not seem to affect accuracy.

 

[BoomStick]

I get a little extra crud buildup in a spot in the barrel where there's a couple pits in the grooves. Lands are fine, so no cut patches or problems with accuracy, but fouling clings to the pits. After 10 or so shots it gets harder to load, but cleans up with a swab or two.

 

[user 54092]

Always good to hear a problem is common place and of no consequence.

I theorized the oil on my patch started cooking upon firing and the ring represented the point at which it went from cooking to burning.

 

[Phil Coffins]

As the others have said and you may want to change lube. I have recently tryed the Dawn soap mixed with water and found it to work better than I expected. What ever it leaves in the barrel isn’t a ring of anything I can feel when loading.

 

[M. De Land]

Allow me to start with a word of background, the rifle was bought new and has been exhibiting what I'm about to say since day 1.

I'm the kind of guy who likes to swab his barrel between shots. What became immediately apparent is that there is a spot in the barrel where the resistance to the patch increases then abates as the point is passed. As if a ring has formed within the barrel. If I swab a clean barrel it isn't there, only after shooting. I have a therory but would like to hear what others may think, I've always used olive oil as a lube. The last is what my theory is based on. I'd have to chew leaf to get enough spit, and I gave that up years ago.

Well it could actually be a ringed barrel (enlarged) from a short start or conical sliding up bore off the powder charge. I did this very thing with a TC .50cal about 8 inches in from the muzzle. I was hunting with a Maxie ball and carried the loaded gun all day under my arm muzzle tilted downward to keep the rain out. The maxi worked forward and when I shot it out it ringed the bore.
I didn't even know I had done it until the next range session when I couldn't even keep the shots on the target from a previously very accurate barrel at 100 yards.
I could actually see the enlargement rng on the exterior of the barrel when looking down it in good sun light !

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Well it could actually be a ringed barrel (enlarged) from a short start or conical sliding up bore off the powder charge.

What you propose is true and can happed, however …

If you read the OP’s complaint carefully, he said it was both a brand new barrel and that it disappears after being cleaned; it only appears after being shot.

 

[SDSmlf]

As the others have said and you may want to change lube.

Not so sure it’s the lube. Shooting 45 caliber paperpatched (no lube) 400 grain conicals with a dry felt (Durofelt) over 80 to 90 grains of 3F Swiss I get ‘crud ring’ near where the base of the bullet sits on the powder that I can feel with the tight patch and jag. Doesn’t impact accuracy and it wipes away with one pass of an alcohol or moose milk solvent dampened patch. There is also a crud ring with other powders.

 

[M. De Land]

What you propose is true and can happed, however …

If you read the OP’s complaint carefully, he said it was both a brand new barrel and that it disappears after being cleaned; it only appears after being shot.

But before that part he said when loading it became immediately apparent that a tight spot was passed in the bore. I'm sure he is assuming this is only a rough spot in the bore from reaming or rifling that is hooking fouling but it could also be a pressure ring enlargement causing the trouble when the patched ball engages the off side of the ring after passing the swelled area. Hopefully this is not the trouble but it should be checked.

 

[user 54092]

I'm sorry, a tad confusing I'll clarify, no ring present until after a round goes downrange. I'm also using a patched ball. Ring goes away with swabbing.
The patch I was referring to was the swab patch not the patched ball.

 

[SDSmlf]

I'm sorry, a tad confusing I'll clarify, no ring present until after a round goes downrange. I'm also using a patched ball. Ring goes away with swabbing.
The patch I was referring to was the swab patch not the patched ball.

Could you share the caliber, powder and charge?

 

[user 54092]

50 cal, any charge (to be more precise I've only fired 60 and 70 grains through it, 4f).

 

[BoomStick]

If using 4F as the main charge, I would start there and try 3F or 2F. The finer powder may be creating the crud ring, it burns faster than larger granulations and builds pressure more quickly.
Maybe someone with more expertise will say that much 4F could be unsafe, but as a general practice it isn't used for the main charge.

 

[user 34300]

Sounds like a rough spot catching fouling. Polish the bore with Semichrome, flitz or JB.

DO NOT SHOOT 4F in a 50 cal rifle.

 

[waksupi]

If you get a ring well up the bore in a smooth bore, that is telling you to increase your load a bit.

 

[user 54092]

Did I say 4f? Oops meant 3f.

 

[user 54092]

Not smooth and I'd say it's about mid point in the barrel length.

 

[BoomStick]

If you get a ring well up the bore in a smooth bore, that is telling you to increase your load a bit.

That's one I had not heard yet. Increase both powder and shot?

 

[BoomStick]

Not smooth and I'd say it's about mid point in the barrel length.

After trying a different lube, if it persists (and no harm in trying this as well as changing lube) running JB bore paste or similar could smooth out a rough spot.