patch hard to remove in ss sidekick

[jimmyjam101]

I recently purchased a ss sidekick in .50 cal.  after firing the rifle once with aprox 90 gr. of 777 behind a 300 gr saboted bullet(term?) I pushed a dry patch down the barrel and could not get it to come back out. I mean the cleaning rod and patch was freakin stuck. After pulling the breech plug, and pushing it all the way out I looked down the barrel and noticed heavy fouling of some sort. I ran a brush through the barrel and re attached the breech plug. patch went in and came out fine. reloaded, shot, and dang it patch and rod hung again. this time I worked the patch up and down with forceful short strokes til it free'd up. patch was really cruddy. second patch went in and out with ease. Is this normal for this gun? bullets loaded and seated against the powder just fine as far as I can tell, but this is very frustrating. I really think I must be doing something wrong here. can someone help me? Oh yeah I get the same results wether I am using the stock breech plug with a 209 or the .25 acp plug.  My brothers cva hawken never has this problem.

thanks for any assistance,
frustrated beginner...Jimmyjam

[jimmyjam101]

ok after a little reading I stumbled onto a post that is similar to mine. I am inking that I am experiencing 'the dreaded crud ring'. But I am getting it after a single shot ,and with both styles of breach plug. My only guess at this point is that I need to try some diffrent powders.

[mangulator]

jimmyjam101, try changing up your primers or change to another powder. This is a common problem with other muzzleloaders to, when individuals use Triple 7.

[Keith Lewis]

Yep; you have the "Tripple Seven Crud ring". I have tried everything I can dream up to make 777 shoot in my stainless Omega. No luck to date. I have not tried all the primers that are available but the .25ACP conversion with winchester small rifle primers did not fix it. It got a little better but was still there. Two options. Try either APP powder or Black Mag'3. I have great luck with Black Mag'3 in my Omega but the barrel is very long and BM3 takes a long barrel to function to the best of its capability. Goex Pinnacle is another possiblility. Second option is to not use dry patches. Use one with water/alcohol mix of some kind and go in short back and forth strokes until you get past the ring. You might try the Tripple Seven 209 primers if you can find them. I just got some but the weather has been too hot in Arizona to shoot much yet.

[jimmyjam101]

ok tried app somethng gold formula and crud ring go bye bye.

now I can get the scope sighted!lol

[hunterwinco]

Are you using the rod that came with your sidekick?  If you ARE, note the bevel or wedge shape of the tip.  I don't know what yours is like but mine is beveled and when you go to pull that patch back up it will "wedge" the patch in unreal tight!  I use APP with great result, so Ive never seen a crud ring!-lol  I wouldn't think you would have a crud ring after ONE SHOT that would bind up the rod.


"that's just my opinion...I could be wrong"!  -- dennis miller

[savageT]

jimmyjam...........  I would not recommend ever putting a dry patch through a dirty barrel........ALWAYS use a spit patch or one lubed with something like windex/alcohol or one of the patch lubes.  Now after using a spit patch and getting it BACK out, then try the dry patch between shots.
Cecil from Precision Bullets always recommends using a spit patch followed by a dry patch between loads.  Hope that becomes second nature for everything you shoot in a front stuffer.
Jim

[jimmyjam101]

I had the same results with using a spit patch. Tried shockeys gold from app and problem solved. reliability is great thus far, time will tell.