Wierd Fouling in New Englander

[sundog]

I have been cleaning my BP rifles for many years, usually water with a we bit of detergent does the trick, Every so often I will use Bore Shine too. I am not a novice.
Last Sunday I went to a gun show and low and behold there was a TC New Englander for $200 bucks.
Looked Great, well the darn thing started singing to me , calling my name, ah you know how it is. I looked it over real good, dropped my bore light down the barrel and the bore looked pritty good, no pits anyway but it did have long streaks in it.
I figured as long as there were no pits and no evidence of corrosion that it would clean right up to a mirror finish with a wee bit of elbow grease.
So it followed me home and I almost sneaked it past SWMBO. So close but I got caught. "Not another rifle !" she said. "Oh no honey its a shotgun" says I. My love responded with a "Hummmm" which sounded kinda like a growl.
Ok so its home and I try to clean it in the usual way warm water and a drop of dawn detergent.
The patches have only a minimal ammount of grey on them, patch after patch. then went for the big gun Butches Bore Shine. The Bore shine gave me a few darker patches then it was back to the traces of grey. What the heck is goin on ? The bore light still shows te streaks in the barrel. In an acto of desperation I ran a Hoppes #9 for smokless powder soaked patch down and it came out BLACK. I continued to use Hoppes and gradually the patches got lighter and lighter but it aint clean yet. The bore streaks have faded quite a bit but they are not gone. I must add that I have used a wire brush quite a few times during the cleaning process.
What gives ? I cant figure it out. Did someone use smokless powder in this gun ? or is it lead fouling from loose shot or some residual of a petrolium based oil or lube or maby plastic wads melted in the bore or I dont know. This has really got me. Anyone have any ideas ?

 

[Swampman]

It may be plastic fouling from shot cups. They make solvents for removing it, but I'm guessing you may have something around the house that will cut it. I'd try WD-40.

It isn't going to hurt anything.

Sometimes I patch with Mother's Chrome Polish, Brasso, or even a ball of 0000 steel wool.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

It may be lead, or as Mark Lewis said, it may be plastic. Whatever it is I would spare no effort to get it out since rust grows under fouling. I'd dip a bronze bore brush in Hoppe's and spin the rod in a hand drill while working it up and down. Rotating the brush across the streaks seems much more effective than working lengthwise. You might also try a new brush, they don't last very long before a 12 gauge brush becomes a 16 gauge. That's why I have shotguns in 12, 14, 16, 20 & 28 gauge, to save money on bore brushes. :haha:

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Whatever it is, it sure is LAYERED on there. I have had times when I've to alternate between fouling removers and then those for lead or plastics.

I'd also try to 'polish' the barrel with some J&B Bore Compound. It is medium that will not scratch the barrel, and is made of diatomaceous earth with ground glass. Such a cleaner blacken patches with nano-microscopic metal particles as they clean off the offending surface contaminents and polish the barrel. It will NEVER remove enough metal to affect barrel life.

Oh, and next time you buy a new toy ... even if it takes a few weeks :v ... try what my brother does and take it apart in pieces to bring it into the house. Much better response from the spouse with "Oh look honey, I bought a used barrel for $40. I'm gonna make one up for you someday!" :surrender:

 

[Flintlock58]

I think it is from plastic wads also. Previous owner most likely never got the barrel properly cleaned after several shoots. I have had this happen in a Pedersoli double looking at different loading media. I also used JB paste.

 

[CZMark]

JB will do the job if your streaks are from lead. If the streaks are plastic, the easiest method is a good soak with WD40 followed by a brush with the rod chucked in a drill motor.

 

[Bob Gular]

Flint62Smoothie said "Oh look honey, I bought a used barrel for $40.I'm gonna make one up for you someday". Bad,bad move. SWMBOs have a lie detection gene that we don't posess, and if triggered, can lead to an apocolyptic situation. I simply leave home with an empty gun case in hand, and have never been questioned on my return. On topic, J-B or Butch's plus patience will do the trick.

 

[Stumpkiller]

JB Paste and tight patches would be the place to start. I like "Shooter's Choice Bore Cleaner" to remove lead, plastic (or copper) fouling. That's the general purpose one, they make lead & copper specific varieties, too.

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

I could sneak a modern gun past my then wife but she knew ALL of my muzzleloaders so the "saturation point" did not work on her with my BP guns!
If it is lead a good tight patch soaked with Balistol will clean it out, Can't help you with plastic!

 

[paulvallandigham]

Shooter's Choice Bore Cleaner is what you want to remove all plastic. It also takes out copper, and other minerals, like lead. If you already have some acetone in your garage for cleaning paint brushes, you can use that to remove about anything from the bore, including plastic. Hoppes #9 Lead Solvent, a traditional Modern Gun Barrel Cleaner, will take out lead streaks.

I have not tried to use WD40, or Ballistol to remove plastic, but If You already have these compounds, give them a try.

From what you described, I believe, as others here have stated, that you are dealing with plastic residue left from using plastic shotcups in the barrel, and then not cleaning the barrel properly. At least you are doing the right thing, by going after this stuff as quickly as possible.

I don't know what condition that barrel will be in when you finally get it cleaned down to bare metal. You have been lucky so far that pits have not begun to appear in the barrel, so keep your fingers crossed.

Years ago, I was trying to help a gunsmith who had moved from his house and basement into on-street store location in a small town. I suggested that we have a gun inspection day, where he would advertise that my local gun club would be on hand to do safety inspections and then clean the guns(for a small fee) on some Saturday in late August, or Early September, before hunting season began in November.

He expressed HORROR at the idea. He told me that if shooters actually cleaned their guns, about 90% of his gunsmithing business would cease! It was their failure to clean their guns that lead, eventually, to worn out and broken internal parts!

I was trying to get his gun store better advertised, and all he was thinking about was how much gunsmithing work he might lose. We obviously were not on the same wave-length. But, his comment re-inforced my father's comments about how important it was to clean your gun thoroughly after every shoot.

 

[ssettle]

I've dealt with grey streaks before in my Sharps 45/70. It was caused by leading and I'll bet thats what you have. Use a bore brush and elbow grease and it will come out.SS

 

[pichou]

Bad,bad move. SWMBOs have a lie detection gene that we don't posess, and if triggered, can lead to an apocolyptic situation.

Called a BS Meter ( :bull: )

Moms ( :nono: ) and GF's ( :shake: ) have it too.

 

[ohio ramrod]

Actually my lol cann't tell a long riflr from a shotgun or hawkin. Neither can she count. If she realised how many muzzle loaders I have she would probably start having a garage sale. My garage ,her money!

 

[cowpoke1955]

I've been married to my boss for almost 34 years. She bought me half of my rifles and gave her blessing on the other half. Now that I'm retired, she asked that I keep it down to one per year. Since I'm now looking at custom pieces, I don't mind :rotf:

 

[MSW]

as regards the oobleck- it's most probably melted plastic, and the bore paste recommendation is a good one, IMHO.

the best BS detector i ever witnessed was a first lieutenant i met in XVIII Abn Corps. she could deny a plea for a three day pass before the private even made it through the door. terrified of heights and flying, she had nearly fifty jumps when i knew her- got sick on all of them, but she really wanted those Master wings... one of the bravest people i've ever met.

 

[brubincam]

-----I shot some hot lead bullits in my Rossi 44 mag--leaded bore up pretty bad---cleaned the rifling up very easy with green scotch brite pads---cut to size and push through the barrel on cleaning jag--worked for me-----