Terrible crud/ fouling

[Nordnecker]

I hadn't shot my .54 smoothbore since finishing it last spring. Until now, I had only shot 3f goex in all of my guns. I wanted to try 2f and had bought some a while back.
So yesterday evening I thought I'd do some experimenting.
I swabbed the bore with a patch just to remove any oil, etc. I didn't notice any rust or oil on the patch and loaded with 50 gr of 2f, a hard thin overshot card, a comparable amount of #6 shot, and 2 more overshot cards.
The load seemed a little light. It sounded like a thud instead of a crack. So, I loaded 60 gr 2f and everything else the same. I could feel a bit of resistance when pressing the cards down the barrel. I had cut some slits in the cards to relieve air pressure. It sounded a lot better with this amount of powder.
I've had fouling problems when shooting shot before, so I decided to swab the bore and push the fowling down. I don't remember if it was dry or lubed, but it was full of black crud and unburned powder.
I decided to shoot a .530 patched ball next. Patch was lubed with bear grease and was shot with 55 gr 2f. When I tried to load this again, it was super tight. I Had a hard time starting the ball and had to ram the range rod to get the ball to seat. I could feel a crud ring about 6 inches from the breech. I shot this out and tried to swab the bore again. The patch got stuck in the crud ring and I had to put the rod in a vice to pull it out. I decided to quit after that.
So, 4 shots and it was over. No way I could trust this to go out in the field.
Pics of patches and crud won't load right now. I really wanted work on a combo for shot but the fouling has shut me down for now.

[rich pierce]

Sounds like things are too tight and maybe you’re not using sloppy wet patches. Your ball/patch combo may be too tight.

I’ve gone to using a much smaller jag and 2 patches. It works much better. For a .54 try a .50 jag and 2 patches sopping wet to wipe.

Of course when wiping a stubborn situation I “sneak up” on the breech with the wet patches. Slide the ramrod in till I feel the crud then short up and down strokes till it’s easy. Then half an inch more. Finally to the breech. It will never get stuck doing it this way.

Are you lubing your cushion wads or loading dry? Try lubing them with olive oil. Dry loads are going to develop crud rings.

[Daryl]

I use saliva on the cushion wad. If using thin card wads, there is nothing to hold lube and with such "dry" loads, you will have excessive fouling.

Rich's suggestions on sneaking up on the fouling ring with the wet patch, are precious information.

[smokinbuck]

I have several smoothbores, one original in particular a 20 GA double. My grandson shoots trap with it and doesn't use cushion wads, just over powder and over shot cards. A damp patch between birds and he can shoot all day.

[hanshi]

For any crud buildup - unusual in my guns - I push a wet patch down the bore and leave it at the crud ring for a couple of minutes.  The wet patch disolves/softens the fouling making it easy to wipe out with the next dry patch.  I use a thin, well lubed patch with the .600" ball in my 20ga.  The load is only fairly tight so it goes down without much protest.  While not as tight as the rifle loads it still cleans out the fouling with each load.  I don't use a "damp" patch; I use a wet, not drippy, patch for the ball.

[MuskratMike]

Crud buildup? Soak a cleaning patch in Simple Green. Rub it over the crud ring several times. Wait a couple of minutes then attach a bronze brush to your cleaning rod. A couple of swipes is all it should take. Follow up with another wet patch with simple green. Problem should be resolved, you can't let the wet patch soak too long in fact the longer the better.

[smylee grouch]

I would just use a damp patch. If you feel the need to scrub I would use an undersized jag and piece of green scotch pad. I don't like bronze brushes. A stiff nylon brush might be ok

[Nordnecker]

Thanks everyone. I've read here so many times that wiping between shots isn't necessary if the patch is tight and thick that I thought I was doing the right thing. I haven't had this problem in any of my rifles. It never occured to me that I'd have to cary soaking wet cleaning patches with me while hunting with a smoothbore.
The gun patterned well with the 2f but it seems a lot dirtier than 3f.
Cleanup was not a problem after soaking.

[alacran]

I load exactly as you describe with the exception that I use an 1/8 th inch thick over powder card. That is a "b" card. The b card is hard and stiff and pushes fowling down on your powder. it also dislodges some of the leadding. I wouldn't think of only using an overshot card over the powder, too flimsy powder will just burn around it. I only use one "a" card over the shot. sometimes leaves. the "A"card is only meant to keep your shot in place.

[Waksupi]

Vic Starr always recommended to pucker up and spit before you put down the over shot card to clear fouling for the next shot.

[smokinbuck]

~most of the trap shooters at Friendship carry a spray bottle of water and wet the barrel after they drop the shot and before putting down the over shot card.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I had an interesting phenomenon occur on our trail yesterday.  I took a newbie out for his first experience with muzzle loading rifles.  I gave him my Chambers Virginia .50 cal rifle to shoot.  this rifle has a wonderful bore...slick as can be, and has always been a winner for me.  He and I were both shooting .50 cal rifles, with the same ball (.495" pure lead) same patch and lube (.017" denim with LehighValley Lube) with saturated wet patches.  About twenty or so shots into the trail my apprentice said, " I can't believe how easily these load.  The guys on U tube have all kinds of trouble, have to clean continuously, and have a heck of a time getting their ramrods to push the ball down."  I took his rifle and loaded it - he had done all the loading with his rifle to this point.  About 14" down the bore, I came to a tight CRUD RING.  I forced the ball through it, only to come to another one about 6" further down.  I fired it off, and then handed him the rifle to load.  He poured in the powder, took a pre-cut circular patch from the tin, with his thumb and forefinger, but he was wearing cotton gloves.  He was effectively removing almost all of the lube from the patches with his gloved fingers.  Damp patches don't get ALL of the fouling, even with a fairly tight combination like this.  I took one of his patches and loaded it with spit...LVL tastes aweful - and again loaded his rifle, and that removed the crud.  We finished the trail without incident, once I gave him a little more advice on handling the patches.
The lesson learned was this:  we could have used saliva for lube - it was only -6C...just a bit below freezing, and cut the patch on the muzzle, and that would have avoided the problem.
Anyway, that was my first and only experience with CRUD RING.

[Nordnecker]

You guys have given me a lot to think about. I've never had any trouble loading, shooting, or cleaning my RIFLES. But the smoothbores have given me trouble consistently. I see where I've been trying to load too dry and without the right wads. I want to keep things as simple as possible.

[MuskratMike]

K.I.S.S. Works for a lot of life smooth bores included.