barrel pitting, what to do??
01-03-2008, 01:20 PM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 119
barrel pitting, what to do??
i own a omega z5 that is just over a year old. this past muzzeloader season i shot it, swabbed it and reloaded it for the season. my first shot on a clean barrel is always of. and it stayed that way as i never got a shot the rest of the season. now that the season is over i shot it and cleaned it today and noticed that the barrel right were the load is, is starting to pit, not horribly but yet it is. i shoot triple 7 loose. wondering what i should do know. is it safe to shoot??
01-03-2008, 01:32 PM
#2
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
RE: barrel pitting, what to do??
brad_vanderband1
Just take the breech plug out and push the load out the rear... Then clean the gun really well. You will probably hav to use some JB's bore paste as well shine the barrel up again...
Just take the breech plug out and push the load out the rear... Then clean the gun really well. You will probably hav to use some JB's bore paste as well shine the barrel up again...
01-03-2008, 02:37 PM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: River Ridge, LA (Suburb of New Orleans)
Posts: 10,917
RE: barrel pitting, what to do??
Last question first -
- sure, minor pitting like that is not going to weaken the barrel in any significant way. I would however make sure to clean up the pitted area real well, with JB past as sabotloader suggests, or any other mildabrasive such as toothpaste or that fine cleanser made for stainless steel or aluminum.
Now, back to the original problem. In my view, this business of fouling a bore - then swabbing - then loading and leaving the load in for more than a day is just asking for trouble. Swabbing after one shot may prepare the barrel for the next shot but in no way cleans the acidic fouling out of the bore. That tiny bit of fouling left in the corners of the rifling grooves has already attracted some moisture by the time you putthe second load in. The corrosion clock is ticking. Sure, you're good for a day or two, maybe even three or four with a stainless barrel. But anything longer than that is surely working evil on the bore. Each time you do it the evil has a greater chance to grow because there are already very tiny pits there from the last time you did it.
My advice is to never leave a load in a barrel for longer than36 hours unless the barrel was squeaky clean when loaded. I have no qualms, and have never had a bit of a problemwith leaving a squeaky clean barrel loaded for months at a time. That's why I sight in so that my first shot from a clean barrel hits at the point of aim, and always hunt with a clean barrel. A second shot from the fouled barrel may be an inch or two or threeoff point of aim. That's OK. The first shot is what counts anyway.
Is it safe to shoot?
Now, back to the original problem. In my view, this business of fouling a bore - then swabbing - then loading and leaving the load in for more than a day is just asking for trouble. Swabbing after one shot may prepare the barrel for the next shot but in no way cleans the acidic fouling out of the bore. That tiny bit of fouling left in the corners of the rifling grooves has already attracted some moisture by the time you putthe second load in. The corrosion clock is ticking. Sure, you're good for a day or two, maybe even three or four with a stainless barrel. But anything longer than that is surely working evil on the bore. Each time you do it the evil has a greater chance to grow because there are already very tiny pits there from the last time you did it.
My advice is to never leave a load in a barrel for longer than36 hours unless the barrel was squeaky clean when loaded. I have no qualms, and have never had a bit of a problemwith leaving a squeaky clean barrel loaded for months at a time. That's why I sight in so that my first shot from a clean barrel hits at the point of aim, and always hunt with a clean barrel. A second shot from the fouled barrel may be an inch or two or threeoff point of aim. That's OK. The first shot is what counts anyway.
01-03-2008, 02:40 PM
#5
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,175
RE: barrel pitting, what to do??
Before you do anything else, read your owner's manual, paying particular attention to the parts printed in red ink. Then go on to the instructions on how to pull a load and then cleaning it.
Always unload the gun after each day of hunting or shooting. Not only for safety reasons but leaving the gun loaded for weeks at a time, especially with a fouled barrel, will cause rust and pitting. Sometimes it'll rust overnight.
In high humidity, the charge can soak up moisture. Even if you'd gotten an opportunity at an animal, there was a good chance the powder wouldn't ignite and you'dnot gotten a shot off. So, the only smart move is to fire the gun or pull the charge andevery time you quit for the day.
I hate to sound so severe like this, but you made several basic muzzleloadingrule violations you desperatelyneed to correct.
Always unload the gun after each day of hunting or shooting. Not only for safety reasons but leaving the gun loaded for weeks at a time, especially with a fouled barrel, will cause rust and pitting. Sometimes it'll rust overnight.
In high humidity, the charge can soak up moisture. Even if you'd gotten an opportunity at an animal, there was a good chance the powder wouldn't ignite and you'dnot gotten a shot off. So, the only smart move is to fire the gun or pull the charge andevery time you quit for the day.
I hate to sound so severe like this, but you made several basic muzzleloadingrule violations you desperatelyneed to correct.
01-03-2008, 02:57 PM
#6
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,585
RE: barrel pitting, what to do??
When you get it cleaned up well remember that you have to keep those pits cleaned out good every time you clean the gun or they will get bigger. 777 is more corrosive than a lot of people like to admit; when I did my testing Pyrodex showed up the most corrosive with black and 777 next,the APP showed up best but I ran into some bad cans of it. Lee
01-03-2008, 03:14 PM
#7
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
RE: barrel pitting, what to do??
brad_vanderband1
Brad, going back and re-reading you post I now notice you said that the pitting was occuring:
That area you are talking about is where the infamous T7 "crud ring" is deposited. From that statement are you saying the rest of the barrel is fine?
I am now of the belief that if you have cleaned your barrel well, you may not need to use the JB's - your barrel probably cleaned up just fine. If you still have some fouling in the "crud ring" area - hot water (boiling)and a good soap scrubbing will take care of the whole thing.
I have posted this routine several times but I will add it here again...
Brad, going back and re-reading you post I now notice you said that the pitting was occuring:
cleaned it today and noticed that the barrel right were the load is,
I am now of the belief that if you have cleaned your barrel well, you may not need to use the JB's - your barrel probably cleaned up just fine. If you still have some fouling in the "crud ring" area - hot water (boiling)and a good soap scrubbing will take care of the whole thing.
I have posted this routine several times but I will add it here again...
this is my opinion and what I practice with all of ML guns, inlines or sidehammer.
T7 is far less corrosive than any of the Pyro's or real BP + it is much slower to corrode when it does... if it does...
First I will tell you that I am very proud of my ML's and the condition they are in at any time you might pickone up... but..... I do not strip clean or thouroghly clean then every time time I shoot them + plus they could be loaded for weeks at a time.
T7 is the only powder I shoot and is the only powder that I would consider doing this with.
Just prior to the season, I will take the gun out that I think I might use for the up-coming season. I will test fire it 3-5 times to check POI. I believe all of my guns fire more accurately on a fouled barrel, at least a semi fouled barrel - I will explain this...
After the gun has been test fired - I will patch the barrel with 3 damp regular windex patches (both sides) then 2 dry patches, and finish with a Slip 2000 (lightly oiled) patch - the wipe the barrel again with 2 dry patches. The barrel is not "clean" - it is semi clean and it is very lightly lubricated. I beleive the windex nuetralizes T7 perfectly and the light coating of oil also protects the barrel in the rotten northern Idaho weather.
I have used this same routine for at least seven years now shooting T7 and I do believe it is very effective for me. Any barrel can rust in the bore if the bore is not protected. T7 in my mind is not anywhere close to as corrosive as some would have you believe.
These are my results - you might find it different - but for me it works great
mike
T7 is far less corrosive than any of the Pyro's or real BP + it is much slower to corrode when it does... if it does...
First I will tell you that I am very proud of my ML's and the condition they are in at any time you might pickone up... but..... I do not strip clean or thouroghly clean then every time time I shoot them + plus they could be loaded for weeks at a time.
T7 is the only powder I shoot and is the only powder that I would consider doing this with.
Just prior to the season, I will take the gun out that I think I might use for the up-coming season. I will test fire it 3-5 times to check POI. I believe all of my guns fire more accurately on a fouled barrel, at least a semi fouled barrel - I will explain this...
After the gun has been test fired - I will patch the barrel with 3 damp regular windex patches (both sides) then 2 dry patches, and finish with a Slip 2000 (lightly oiled) patch - the wipe the barrel again with 2 dry patches. The barrel is not "clean" - it is semi clean and it is very lightly lubricated. I beleive the windex nuetralizes T7 perfectly and the light coating of oil also protects the barrel in the rotten northern Idaho weather.
I have used this same routine for at least seven years now shooting T7 and I do believe it is very effective for me. Any barrel can rust in the bore if the bore is not protected. T7 in my mind is not anywhere close to as corrosive as some would have you believe.
These are my results - you might find it different - but for me it works great
mike
01-03-2008, 09:42 PM
#8
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 119
RE: barrel pitting, what to do??
sabotloader
My methods of cleaning use boiling water filling the barrel, then running my brush through the barrel several strokes, dump the water out and repeat several times and till the barrel is scorching hot. then i run cleaning patches through until sparking clean. then run a few dry patches through, then run one with a lube in it. that said, my foul shot is roughly 4 inches of from the rest. i remeber people talking on hear that they leave there gun loaded most of the season with out problems. so i shot it once swapped it twice and then ran 2 dry patches through it as i do every shot. then i reloaded it and it stayed that way for the rest of the season. i never meant to leave it loaded for more than a week but that is what happened. and to those who say it will build moisture in and not go off or hang fire, i believed it but i have never had a problem and didnt with this load when i shot it off. the rest of the barrel is clean as a whistle no pitting nothing. its only right in the chamber.
My methods of cleaning use boiling water filling the barrel, then running my brush through the barrel several strokes, dump the water out and repeat several times and till the barrel is scorching hot. then i run cleaning patches through until sparking clean. then run a few dry patches through, then run one with a lube in it. that said, my foul shot is roughly 4 inches of from the rest. i remeber people talking on hear that they leave there gun loaded most of the season with out problems. so i shot it once swapped it twice and then ran 2 dry patches through it as i do every shot. then i reloaded it and it stayed that way for the rest of the season. i never meant to leave it loaded for more than a week but that is what happened. and to those who say it will build moisture in and not go off or hang fire, i believed it but i have never had a problem and didnt with this load when i shot it off. the rest of the barrel is clean as a whistle no pitting nothing. its only right in the chamber.
01-04-2008, 11:25 AM
#9
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
RE: barrel pitting, what to do??
brad_vanderband1
Brad do you use breech plug grease or teflon tape on you BP... if grease are you using a grease that also has a metal in it like aluminum or brass...
Back when I was using grease - I noticed that I got a stain in the area of the breech as I shot the grease into the pours of the bore... wasn't a problem but it looked odd. I then tried some anti-seize with an aluminum in it... that was even worse for leaving a marked ring around the breech bore.
Brad do you use breech plug grease or teflon tape on you BP... if grease are you using a grease that also has a metal in it like aluminum or brass...
Back when I was using grease - I noticed that I got a stain in the area of the breech as I shot the grease into the pours of the bore... wasn't a problem but it looked odd. I then tried some anti-seize with an aluminum in it... that was even worse for leaving a marked ring around the breech bore.
01-05-2008, 07:38 AM
#10
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 119
RE: barrel pitting, what to do??
i have CVA Anti-seize stick and CVA SLick Breech Plug NIpple grease. neither of them say anything about having brass or aluminum in them. one of them needs to hit the trash cause i hate it but dont remember which one it is till after i use it! but i have been using these for the past year and have never noticed anything like this yet.