RE: Crud ring question
 

See what I mean; I don't think Maryland is quite as dry as Arizona.

RE: Crud ring question
 

To throw into the mix, I can say that I shoot 777 FFg from early spring till early winter in northern Michigan (weather permitting of course). Go through about 3-4 lbs ( 777 loose) a season and use CCI 209's and Rem 209-4's in my inlines and CCI & Rem #11 caps on my sidelocks.

I normally notice the crud ring on charges usually over 60 gr loose. As many post,No Big Deal as I swab between all shots anyway. It progressively gets worse with larger charges in my guns,regardless of the primer type or gun.

What I have definately noticed...is that on cold, clear..or hot DRY days, the crud ring is harder and therefore more tenacious.
On warm/hot ..or cold, damp HUMID days, the crud ring is there, but not as hard to remove with the damp patch (home brew) and normal short (pumping) strokes of the rod.
If I was shooting in Mesa Ariz ( hot,dry) I surely could understand objections to a crud ring akin to a T7 Life Saver stuck in the breech of me barrel.;)

RE: Crud ring question
 

There may be something to that. Cause the whole problem seems that a 209 pushes the load off and creates an air gap. And makes a higher pressure spike in dry air? Maybe.