A bit of a long story.

I've always had problems with my 32-40's and hard crusty fouling forming after a couple of targets with IMR-4227.  Today I had it to the extreme.  I'd put my 20x STS onto my C. Sharps 1885 in 32-40 and took it out this morning to get some sight settings and try some different bullets.  I got it on paper at 50 & 100m, then shot a couple of targets at 200m.  Maybe 30-35 shots in all.  I was getting decent results with the Saeco #732 and 14.4gr of IMR-4227.   Seven of ten shots into 0.5" high by 1.2" wide.   Then I switched to the bullet I really wanted to test, the Hoch 322205.  I fired a shot, adjusted the sights and put 2 into the 25 ring 1/2" apart.  Then a cease fire was called.  I put the rifle in the case and waited.  Ten minutes later we were back to shooting.   I couldn't find my first shot.  It turns out it was on my next target to the right!!   Thinking I'd shot at the wrong target I took another shot and the same thing happened.  Way to the right.  After a few more shots it was obvious the thing had turned into a shotgun.  I pushed a few patches through the bore, some dry, and some with Ballistol as that was all I had with me.  Now the shots impacted the correct target but scattered all over the place.  I've got the rifle at home now and the bore is filled with hard powder fouling from chamber to muzzle, a little lead too.  I can only think that the rifle sitting in the case for 10 minutes allowed the powder fouling to harden.  It wasn't hot today.  Mid to upper 70's and a little humid.

Not sure how to solve that but I'm going to play around with it tomorrow.   

Has anyone else had this happen?  I've definitely had lots of problems with this dirty 4227, but never this bad. 

Chris.

Agree that it sounds like a lube problem. I have never experienced issues of that nature, after untold thousands of shots with 4227 and using Javelina Schuetzen lube. Most times after a day's shooting I ask myself if the cleaning protocols I find myself doing are truly necessary.

I have loved a load of 14.1-14.4 gr. 4227 in my old .32-40 for decades. I'm like Gnoahhh in wondering if cleaning it is just a waste of time. Current lube is Alberta, replacing homemade.
Beside the lube, perhaps you might like to tighten screws- particulaly the tang sight and rear stock. Just a thought.

It's Alberta Schuetzen lube, but it's pretty old.  I don't remember when I bought it but it was a number of years ago back when SchuetzenDave used to shoot silhouette with us.   It's always been stored in a freezer bag.  I believe Dave told me if stored properly it'll last ten years.  It actually might be 10 years old   

The only other lube I have on had is DGL so I decided to give that a try this morning.  It definitely worked quite a bit better so I guess that points to my lube is past it's best before date.

I do have some suspicions about this lot of 4227.  It burns so dirty that you can't see down the bore after a shot. It's just a black cloud of soot all down the bore.  I even tried some magnum primers too just to see if it would give a better burn.  Nothing changed but the velocity went up.  My Swiss 1.5 probably burns cleaner than this stuff.   

I see that CPA has some Javelina lube.  I'll order some and give that a try. 

Chris.

Javelina Schuetzen is/was made by one of our own right here. It's why this site has that distinctive odor of beeswax and Alox when you log on. Darned if I can remember his name/handle and I see the old sticky advertising his wares has disappeared. Perhaps I'm mis-speaking and he no longer does it? Someone help an old shooter out!

Luckily I have what should be a lifetime supply for my now-abbreviated lifetime. Good thing too because in addition to its sterling application as a bullet lube, it also works a treat as a salve for calloused arthritic trigger fingers, for plugging ears in lieu of ear muffs, condiment for hot dogs (and hopefully German sausages at the Schuetzenfests), and sun screen for bald heads and bare arms. The only improvement I could suggest would be addition of wild mint to give it the aroma of mint juleps frying on the veranda at Churchill Downs on Derby Day.

That's interesting to hear.   In all of my 32-40's, with the 4227 I've got, I bring the gun home and clean the bore until the patches come out nearly white.  Then I always find that a dry patch feels tighter at the chamber end for maybe 5-6 inches.  This takes some scrubbing to get out.  Sometimes with just several dry Butches patches, but sometimes it needs a little JB bore paste to get back to normal. 

This is the first time that accuracy really went crazy though. 

Chris.

Thanks Joe.  So your patches don't feel tighter ahead of the chamber after you finish running your hoppes and cotton patches through?

gunlaker wrote yesterday at 9:27pm:


Yes, I've always noticed that. Can't explain it other that that is when we are starting a patch. New patch or old it is compressed as it goes down the bore. Push a patch down the bore from the muzzle and see if it feels tight when it gets near the chamber. 
Like Biggi would say, "I'm all puzzled up"...