This post will be the last in reference to the rusting experiment I conducted. I really feel the metal composition of the blade might not have made this a fair and true test, but it is all I had to work with.

Today I noted the following. Triple Se7en 2f & 3f developed a "stain" for lack of a better word. A very dark black in color stain that would not come off with Birchwood Casey #77 Black Powder cleaner. They are not rusted, mind you, but stained and I believe it is a permanent stain.

Goex in all cases, 2f,3f, & 4f all rusted. Surprising, Swiss and KIK did not rust. This was totally unexpected. I seriously figured to see them rust as Goex did. I can not explain why they did not.

Pyrodex RS & P showed the greatest degree of rusting and metal damage over all of all the powders. There is metal damage there.

Black Mag 3 which I suspected might be stained or rusting was not. The simple cleaner took the powder residue off and removed the coloration that I saw at the one point. It cleaned up perfect. APP never showed any sign of anything in all this time.

As for the degree of cleaning needed to take the metal back to bare, some of the samples really needed to be scrubbed on. Especially the black powders.



over all it was an interesting test, but as I said.. an actual barrel would be a far better judge of the powders abilities and corrosive properties. I want to thank all of you that offered suggestions and comments to make this a better test. It made it actually fun to see what results were going to occur. Perhaps down the road I will get my hands on a rifle or get tired of one I have and test some more. Until that time.. clean your rifles and then you have nothing to worry about...

*** a note. Could the stains that people notice in the barrels near the breech be something that Triple Se7en powder might have caused? There is no damage, but that is one stubborn stain. Just a though to explain some of the posts that commented in that direction.