209X50 Test - Expected the worst but...

[Two Bears]

OK, Just finished a test on a 209X50 barrel for corrosion using real black Goex FFFg.

The rifle was clean, then loaded and shot once then reloaded with 85 grains of Goex FFFg in 1st week of November , left that way all fall, winter, spring and summer in my garage.
Today I took the Encore apart and really expected the worst (corrosion) but the barrel was perfect ! No rust, No pitting, No nothing. The breach plug came out as easy as I put it in back in November ( I use white lithieum grease for the breach plug). Keep in mind that I live in So Minnesota and it gets pretty humid here and one would have thought that the humidity would have been an excelerator for rust along with the "corrosive" nature of black powder.
I was really amazed.
 The Hornady XTP 300 grain bullet came out looking as new on the top exposed part but all of the remaining bullet in the sabot was stained black and I even tried to remove the black stain but to no avail, even with hard scrubbing with alcohol it stayed black.

I don't normally do such things but wanted to do it to see what corrosion if any would occure.
I also have done this same test on a stainless Knight Bighorn several years ago and had the same results, then I used Pyrodex granular.
 RS.

I don't recommend doing this yourself but I won't fret when I don't get the rifle cleaned right away anymore.

[Busta]

You must have a golden horse shoe, rabbits foot, er something! Especially with the Pyrodex.

[Two Bears]

Thats funny !
I truely expected to get a rusted pitted barrel out of the deal, but supprisingly it is just fine.
I always thoutgh that the black powder was so corrosive, but am not sure if the BP is as corrosive to the modern steel and bluing ?
Anyway no golden horse shoe here (I wish) maybe just lucky, but 2 tests (one blued and one stainless, different powders) and the same results.

Happy with the results though

[toytruck]

Your lucky like Busta said.  I think too much of my pocketbook to try it myself!!

[simonkenton]

You are a maniac, Two Bears, risking your two rifles in this way.
You are a scientist, sir, mankind salutes you for performing this test.

I am amazed that you didn't have a ruined bore on both rifles.

[Semisane]

Naw, he just screwed up and forgot to clean them - then called it an "experiment".   

[DennyRoark]

I ruined my first T/C Hawken in a similar "experiment" by accident, not design.  Pyrodex RS, and it only took a month!

[simonkenton]

I did a deliberate experiment along these lines.
A few years back, Black Mag3 had just come out. The manufacturer billed it as "non corrosive."
I noticed that Cabelas did not bill it as "non corrosive."
Nevertheless, I bought a pound from Cabelas, with hazmat fee it was around fifty bucks!

I wanted to try it in my cap and ball pistols, call me a wimp, I am just tired of cleaning these pistols.




My Hawken is lots easier to clean.
So, I loaded and fired one cylinder  of my .44 with the BlackMag3.
Thank God, I did run a patch or two down the barrel after firing. Otherwise, I did not clean the pistol
Then, I let the gun set in a drawer.

Oops, I was a sloppy scientist! I meant to let it set for 2 weeks, but I let it set for 8  weeks.
This is in the North Carolina mountains, very, very humid.
I pulled the pistol from the drawer, the hammer and cylinder were covered with red rust! The barrel was ok.
Boy did I feel sick, this is a $350 Uberti Cattleman.
I spent 2 hours cleaning my poor pistol up, had to take it all apart, that hammer was a mess.
I did get it cleaned up pretty well, and it shoots fine  now.

Gee, I wonder why Cabelas quit carrying BlackMag3.

[coop2564]

A couple of yrs ago my neighbor shot a doe the last day of season in LA using Pyrodex pellets. Got home after taking care of the doe he was too tired to clean it so put in closet and was going to clean the next morning well fast forward to two days before the next yrs ML season and he goes to get his gun which was a traditions lightning and it was nothing but a rust bucket, bolt was frozen and barrel had pitts bigger than the moon.

[simonkenton]

Well, y'all are pointing up one of the reasons I shoot a Savage.
I shot a massive 8 pointer in Dec. 2007, and still have not cleaned the rifle.
Bore is clean as a whistle.

[yooper77]

The jobs not done until all the firearms are cleaned.

I always clean my game, and clean my firearms, before I take a shower and settle down for a rest.

It’s truly sad to hear how some firearms and game are left to rust/rot.

Some people get lucky and hopefully learn what not to do in the future.

yooper77

[Capt Gary]

Cleaning and caring for your firearm is all part of it. If I didn't respect my weapon and take care of it, I'd take up another sport.
To me the equipment I use is a large part of the game.

[Two Bears]

The jobs not done until all the firearms are cleaned.

I always clean my game, and clean my firearms, before I take a shower and settle down for a rest.

It’s truly sad to hear how some firearms and game are left to rust/rot.

Some people get lucky and hopefully learn what not to do in the future.

yooper77

Cleaning and caring for your firearm is all part of it. If I didn't respect my weapon and take care of it, I'd take up another sport.
To me the equipment I use is a large part of the game.

Come on guy's I didn't say " Oh crap I left my gun dirty for most of the year cuz I just forgot" What I said was I just finished a test and had no issues from it. (Just  test, this is only a test)

Well, y'all are pointing up one of the reasons I shoot a Savage.
I shot a massive 8 pointer in Dec. 2007, and still have not cleaned the rifle.
Bore is clean as a whistle.

I see no benefit to changing to a savage because it can shoot smokeless powder, My Encore and other muzzleloaders are doing exactly what I need of them including excellent accuracy while shooting real black powder, and clean up is just as easy.

[UtahRob]

You must have a golden horse shoe, rabbits foot, er something! Especially with the Pyrodex.

AND TOO MUCH MONEY  If you did that on purpose !!

[simonkenton]

I see no benefit to changing to a savage because it can shoot smokeless powder, My Encore and other muzzleloaders are doing exactly what I need of them including excellent accuracy while shooting real black powder, and clean up is just as easy.

I didn't make fun of you for having an Encore.
I didn't say only a Savage would make you happy.
I said that I am happy with the Savage.