thats odd or is it normal

[bigtim6656]

I went out the other day. A few days ago i prepped my triumph I thought it was unloaded but was unsure. Ofcourse loading it over another load would be bad i would think . So i held it barrel down and removed the breech plug. I could not see in it so i figured it was loaded so i put the plug back in. It would not turn but it would go in all the way in just not turn. I wondered what to do. I figured unload it swap it out as it had sit for a about a week and 5 days. It was a pain in the butt to push out i got it out and the poweder was in 2 large pieces with some loose. It felt like a pellets but it was loose when it went in. I figured it had got wet from moisture. I felt it and it seemed dry but real hard i did get it to bust up. Is this normal for leaving it loaded a long time.
Also when i looked down the barrel it looked like it had been shot and put up dirty
I got real worried about rust. so i ran a dry patch down the barrel and I think it was unshot powder as it was just powder. Would this be a issue with moisture and rust? I cleaned it real well no rust from what i could see. Got three clean patches. I then rubbed alcohol and reloaded it. When i reloaded it i ran a slightly wet alcohol patch to clean any powder out there was some but not as much as before.

[MountainDevil54]

normal. Its a SOB getting those loose powder "pellets" out of a sidelock!

[Nimrodder]

Its a Triumph.

[sabotloader]

bigtim6656

For me I would say pretty much normal. It is fairly easy to compress T7 into a block.

In fact i have even collected the block + the loose that comes out -reloaded it and shot it - just to see it shot pretty good but I know it was missing some grains.

I also agree that it does feel dry - I have kinda blaimed it on the membrane around each grain of powder. I think that membrane gets to be a little tacky under compression.

Mind you I am just guessing... but I have run into your description several times through the years.... Oh! one other thing i have noticed... it only takes a very light touch to break up the whole block...

[TNHagies]

Originally Posted by sabotloader

bigtim6656

For me I would say pretty much normal. It is fairly easy to compress T7 into a block.

In fact i have even collected the block + the loose that comes out -reloaded it and shot it - just to see it shot pretty good but I know it was missing some grains.

I also agree that it does feel dry - I have kinda blaimed it on the membrane around each grain of powder. I think that membrane gets to be a little tacky under compression.

Mind you I am just guessing... but I have run into your description several times through the years.... Oh! one other thing i have noticed... it only takes a very light touch to break up the whole block...

I second this. I thought humidity played a part in it but seeing that Mike has the same results as I do down here in the high humidity, I guess it's just normal across the board.

[Roger46982]

Mark your ramrod, then you will know if it is loaded or not.

[Chasam60]

If I leave mine loaded I attach a strip of orange marking tape to the trigger guard.

Charlie

[UncleNorby]

When I push out a load of loose Pyrodex, it normally comes out in one big "pellet". Normal as far as I can tell.

[bigtim6656]

thanks guys. Orange tape sounds like a good idea. Plus marking the ram rod. glad to see it was not a issue

[aharley1]

I never put mine up loaded.