Hi - I wonder if this is a common problem?

My cousin bought a new break-open CVA - and after the shot - we noticed that the next time we seated a powerbelt - it stopped short - almost a full inch. We could not budge the bullet further down - and ended up opening it up and pushing the bullet back out. We cleaned the bore out (from the breech) and this time it seated OK. But again on the next shot - same problem. It seems unreasonable to have to clean the barrel after every shot - we were kind of hoping that after a few shots - it would be easier - but not so.

I'm no expert on Blackpowder - but I've had a Thompson for 4 years - and I don't have these problems - I use a Saboted .44 however - not powerbelts. Has anyone else had similar intances? Is it the barrel? or possibly a Powerbelt issue? Maybe its fairly normal - I just didn't think it should be.

Thanks

FH

what powder???? triple seven??? sounds like a crud ring....ive read about it.....never had one.....or shot triple 7...someone else may know......i couldnt load a secondpowderbelt in my TC to save my life so i dont use them anymore.......i just got a REALLY tight bore on my gun........found that with MANY other bullets..........

Thanks - Yes - triple7 - 50grain pellets (first time I tried these too).

FH

I've read about the problem. You're probably using 209 primers. They make special primers for blackpowder that are supposed to less powerful and don't create the crud ring. try using them to see if the problems reoccur.

Are these the old green packaged Powerbelts? What weight is on the package? If it is, they are a little wider than the regular Powerbelts. The regular ones have weights of 245/295/345/405s.

Put Bore Butter/Wonderlube 1000in the bottom cup/hollow base of the plastic sabot if your Powerbelt package is the wider, green one. Swab after every 2nd shot with both sides ofa wet patch (Windex)& brass bore brush. Follow with both sides of a dry patch.That should help.

They were green - yes

They came in the "kit" from CVA with the gun he purchased. If they are a bit oversized - that would explain alot. We planned to try some different sizes too - but its encouraging to think it could be the bullet.

Thanks
FH

The bullet might be part of the problem; however, the biggest part is the Triple Seven which is so bad making the crud ring in my Omega I finally quit trying to use the stuff. I switched to Black Mag'3 and all the crud ring and difficulty loading multiple shots without a swab between went away. Goex Pinnacle and American Pioneer are other synthetics that give similar low fouling results. These last two ascorbic acid based powders are very coarse and you should buy the fffg version not the ffg. Black Mag'3 only comes fffg and is perfect the way it is in my rifle. With the Triple Seven it is important to use fffg if possible and low power primers like the new Remington Kleenbore.

Depending on what projectile you shoot, sometimes it is necessary to swab the barrel between EACH shot. I know that really stinks but if you want to shoot a certain projectile then you have to play by their rules. I am not sure about the Powerbelt issue Triple Se7en is talking about, but he sure knows his projectiles...

To change this problem, sometimes just changing powders will allow you numerous shots. With Pinnacle Powder I was able to shoot 12 T/C mag express 240 grain XTP's without swabbing. Normally I might make three shots before needing to swab. I think I could have done more, but ran out of the projectiles, so I swabbed the barrel before shooting a different projectile.. Triple Se7en and Pyrodex seem to be the worst powders for having to swab. Triple Se7en because of the harder fowling it produces and Pyrodex because of the massive amounts of fowling it produces...
Goex is another one, but all us Goex shooters know that the powder fowls out bad... We just like the smoke and the stink..

I think the loose T7 fouls less and the cost is a lot less also. I do patch between shots because I find I get my best accuracy that way. You will see the "witness mark" move up if you don't clean between shots because the fouling reduces the volume in the bottom of the barrel forcing the powder up more. Not an inch after one shot though.

T7 is my sabot powder and I love it so much I put up with the swabbing between shots. There for I never get a crud ring or have to use a brush at the range.

T7 FFF is cleaner than FF I have also found.

Thanks everyone - its all food for thought - and gives us a good idea what to try next.

FH