Lever Gun Question

[THBailey]

I have a Marlin 1889 chambered for 32/20. I have been using a light load of Unique with reasonable success. I want to put together some black powder loads for the gun just for grins. When I shoot the holy black in single shots and muzzle loaders I run a patch or two down the bore frequently, usually after each shot. Not to practical with the lever repeater. How do you keep fouling under control in one of these guns?

[country gent]

Find the compression that makes the powder burn the best, as you work up in compression you will see fouling drop. A good BP lube like SPG or emmerts improved can make a big difference. Also a bullet that carries enough lube for the barrel length. If more lube is needed a felt impregnated with the lube can add some extra to help. The primer can make a big difference, experiment with different primers. While a crimp can damage the softer bullet used in BP loads a good neck pull /crimp can help.

I have shot a BPCR silhouette string only blow tubing. Although I do clean between strings. This with the bigger rounds. In my 44-40 the charge is topped with a .030 rubber fiber wad then the lubed bullet. I use 2f olde ensforde in it. The bullet is seated with a mid tension on the bullet And the bell removed with a crimp die. Under most days I can shoot a full tube ( 15 rounds) with out 2 much trouble. Extreme hot dry days may have some fouling issues.

If possible also watch your cadence, barrel heat from temp or fast firing is a big contributor to fouling problems. Keeping the barrel cool helps a lot

[Knarley]

After following the Country Gent's suggestions, if at a cowboy match, run a damp patch between stages.
I do that for sure with the double barrel, that way the hulls shuck better.

[Walks]

When I shot BP in My Cowboy Shooting Days;

I always ran a patch down the bore after every stage. So after 8,9,10 rds.

[Dan Cash]

Blow tube when practical. A pull through brush with damp patch when possible. High quality BP bullet lube always.

[BrentD]

It is, of course, easy to pull the bolt on a Marlin and clean from the breech. That's what makes them better than Winchesters. :), and that is what you want to do for final cleaning.

Between banks or between animals or when hunting, I use a pocket sized rig that is made with a length of weed-eater line that has had one end melted into a ball. I slide a brass washer down to that ball and then a foam earplug (for my .38 -you may nee something a bit smaller, maybe). I then spear a patch with the sharpened opposite end of the line and feed the line through from the breech and pull it out the muzzle, taking all of the fouling out the front, not the back and down into the action.

Takes just a few seconds if you have it set up right.

[Lead pot]

I'm with Brent on the Marlins. I let the 99 Savages digest smokeless. :)

I use a bore snake between shooting strings. I just dip it in water twirl it around to shake off the excess water and pull it from the breach to the muzzle. When I get home I drop the lever pull the bolt and clean it. I have the round bolts and square bolt Marlins.

[MT Chambers]

If I'm using black in serious hunting conditions I always load duplex, 10% 4227 and 90 % real BP, you can shoot all day without cleaning....def. clean gun after that to protect metal from corr. or rust.

[DAVIDMAGNUM]

https://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,54292.0.html
While the information that the link leads to is about the 44WCF the techniques would be the same. While the author was alive we communicated through the internet. John Kort helped me turn my Uberti Winchester into my favorite rifle and Swiss 2F into my favorite gun powder. Load development is needed just like with smokeless powder. It is just done a little differently. Starting with a very slightly compressed powder charge try different loads of the same powder with a little more powder and compression. The bullet stays seated to the same depth. As the powder charge is increased the compression increases. When the most accurate load is found that should also be the "cleanest".
Shooting Lever Action Silhouette matches I have run 120+ rounds through the rifle with only occasional blowing through the bore. When done, 200 meter accuracy was still there and the bore looked like I fired a fouling shot.
If our ancestors could do it 140 years ago we can do it today.

[beltfed]

ONe thing about the 32-20- it is a thin case. Be carefull about how much
compression you use. You may get to the point of swelling up the case
and have tight rounds in chamber.
beltfed/arnie

[Dan Cash]

ONe thing about the 32-20- it is a thin case. Be carefull about how much
compression you use. You may get to the point of swelling up the case
and have tight rounds in chamber.
beltfed/arnie

If cases swell due to powder compression, charge cases and compress the charge prior to resizing. When you resize, all will be well.