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Questions after range day

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Joined
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Location
St Albans, WV 25177, USA
I had a couple of things happen today that I wanted to get your ideas on...
 

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How many shots? Looks like normal use maybe with a little humidity added.
I usually wipe after 5 shots to maintain consistency . This also coincides with shot count per target at matches.
 
Thanks guys. I had never seen the red stuff in the pan. I thought the wet stuff was because of temperature in the 30's.
I was cleaning between every shot and wondering about the thick chunky stuff on my patches. Ordering a brass cleaning brush.
Using a brush will flake that fouling down into your breach and can lead to misfires. Just use a damp patch on a jag. You want to capture it on the patch and drag it out of the bore. Brushes are notorious for getting stuck in the bore.
 
Thanks guys. I had never seen the red stuff in the pan. I thought the wet stuff was because of temperature in the 30's.
I was cleaning between every shot and wondering about the thick chunky stuff on my patches. Ordering a brass cleaning brush.

Using a brush will flake that fouling down into your breach and can lead to misfires. Just use a damp patch on a jag. You want to capture it on the patch and drag it out of the bore. Brushes are notorious for getting stuck in the bore.
We used to have a fine gentleman here who made fantastic Bucks County guns. @Flehto I think, but could be wrong.... Anyway, rather than damp wipe and risk dampening his charge for the next shot, he would use a brush,,,,, but with the gun hung/held muzzle down, so this amazing thing called gravity removed the debris that the brush broke loose for him.
 
After experience and reading from knowledgeable folks here, I got rid of my brushes. I use a wet (not damp) patches when needed. Run a dry patch or two and have never had damp powder issues. If you use brushes enough, eventually you'll be on the forum asking about how to extract a stuck one.
Or he'll pay attention to the posts that tell one how not to get it stuck in the 1st place.
 
Using a brush will flake that fouling down into your breach and can lead to misfires. Just use a damp patch on a jag. You want to capture it on the patch and drag it out of the bore. Brushes are notorious for getting stuck in the bore.
I think stuck bore brushes are a direct result of poor breech plug fitting and vent liners that protrude into the bore.
An other reason is wood loading rods with jags that are not pinned.
I use brass bore brushes regularly to get into the groove corners where the patch doesn't always reach.
Never have stuck one yet.
 
I think most brushes get stuck because the bristles are angled toward the muzzle as it's pushed down the barrel. At the breech the bristles are now fighting to be reversed in the barrel which can be troublesome especially with a newer brush. Sometimes twisting the rod clockwise will get it to break loose. I have read about folks using a brush that's smaller than bore size like using a 40 or even 36 cal brush on a 50 barrel. I've don't have any of those problems as I have a hooked breech and my rifles get flushed in a bucket of water at the end of the day.
 
Well, there you have it ⬆️ folks.....
I guess your sidelocks better not either. Other wise it's now officially sure to get stuck, then your next 3 generations of offspring will have webbed fingers and toes, your garden won't grow, your bird dog will loose it's sense of smell and become gun-shy, and there will be national memorial statues of you all over the country and pictures in schools showing the guy who tried a brush in his sidelock and ruined America and his family lineage.
 
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The only "brush" I use is one that is meant only for cleaning the face of the breech plug. And it only gets used once in a while if I see crud still on the breech after cleaning. Which isn't often.
 
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