Cholla Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 I cleaned a rifle I recently picked up and it literally looks like mulch inside the action. I can not fathom what this might be. I know some use grits and cream of wheat for blackpowder filler. This looks like mulch for a Barbie Dream House. I would assume any filler would go out the muzzle, not back into the gun action. >>>I think I may have figured it out. It has been recommended that I use a push stick to shove the cartridges in. Depending on what was used, I could see a soft wood or plant stem peeling against the loading gate opening. If that was done for an extended period, I can see it filling the action with the fibers I found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 Wow! what sort of rifle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholla Posted March 9, 2021 Author Share Posted March 9, 2021 Perdersoli Lightning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frontier Lone Rider Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 Was that Popeye's rifle, it looks like spinach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yusta B. Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 Termites ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 Somebody dropped it into a cow pie and only wiped down the outside???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrel Cody Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 7 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said: Somebody dropped it into a cow pie and only wiped down the outside???? Musta been @Tequila Shooter lookin' for shotshell wads... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 Have you asked the seller about what it might be? How/where had it been stored? Send to a lab for analysis? Smell? Taste? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholla Posted March 9, 2021 Author Share Posted March 9, 2021 It's nice to know everyone else is mystified as well. It was so packed in that as I slowly stripped the action down I was uncovering springs and other pieces. I also found strips of what looked like copper foil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Hanger #3720LR Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 I would ask the same questions as Palewolf. My first impression is the rifle was stored muzzle up and no cover. This appears to be dust, dirt, yard clippings that have fallen down the barrel in to the receiver. Maybe mice making a nest some where above the barrel. As long as it has not gotten wet and rusted in the rifle, it should clean up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 What was the bore like? And the outside of the rifle, for that matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholla Posted March 9, 2021 Author Share Posted March 9, 2021 Just now, Cliff Hanger #3720LR said: I would ask the same questions as Palewolf. My first impression is the rifle was stored muzzle up and no cover. This appears to be dust, dirt, yard clippings that have fallen down the barrel in to the receiver. Maybe mice making a nest some where above the barrel. As long as it has not gotten wet and rusted in the rifle, it should clean up. It cleaned up great but it took totally dismantling the action and soaking everything in Dawn and hot water. I doubt I will ever know the true source. As I understand it, the pard I got it from bought it from a very ill (terminal) shooter to help him out. I got a good deal so I'm not complaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholla Posted March 9, 2021 Author Share Posted March 9, 2021 2 minutes ago, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said: What was the bore like? And the outside of the rifle, for that matter. The bore looks like new. All the parts look perfect except for some bluing wear. I learned every wrong way to assemble a Lightning but it cycles like a champ now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singin' Sue 71615 Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 Don't laugh...but, insect? Maybe a mud-dauber nest.... Moths? Really looks like decayed moths once I enlarged it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 Thinking you might have nailed it, Sue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 Do you have a copy of Roger Rapids guide to Lightening Rifles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholla Posted March 9, 2021 Author Share Posted March 9, 2021 When I was soaking the parts, the pieces softened and looked very much like fibrous plant matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholla Posted March 9, 2021 Author Share Posted March 9, 2021 1 minute ago, Sedalia Dave said: Do you have a copy of Roger Rapids guide to Lightening Rifles? Yes. And I still assembled it wrong multiple times. I am impressed with Perdersoli quality. Everything is very well finished inside with no machining marks that I could see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 Maybe the original owner used dry grass clippings and toothpaste as an action tune-up compound. Does it smell minty? Try rinsing some of that sludge to see if there is hay or straw strands in it. I could imagine dust and barn chaff combining to fill up the action if it had been a "barn gun." good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 How did it feel cycling the action before and after? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazy Eeyour Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 Could jt be Rig Grease? + dust and other? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keystone, SASS # 47578 Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 Maybe it was used as a tomato stake, as was recommended by some folks here on the wire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rainmaker, SASS #11631 Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 Kinda reminds me of the old "sawdust trick" folks used in a worn out rear axle to keep it quiet enough to sell. Strange all is perfect after cleaning it all out. Funny stuff! Good luck with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholla Posted March 9, 2021 Author Share Posted March 9, 2021 All the debris went out in the trash so I won't be doing an investigation. The action was sticky before and slick now. >>>I think I may have figured it out. It has been recommended that I use a push stick to shove the cartridges in. Depending on what was used, I could see a soft wood or plant stem peeling against the loading gate opening. If that was done for an extended period, I can see it filling the action with the fibers I found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Rich Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 8 hours ago, Tyrel Cody said: Musta been @Tequila Shooter lookin' for shotshell wads... That rite there was my 1st thought. kR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not Dead Ed Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 8 hours ago, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said: Have you asked the seller about what it might be? How/where had it been stored? Send to a lab for analysis? Smell? Taste? Ewwww, for goodness sake don’t taste it!!!! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not Dead Ed Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 6 minutes ago, Cholla said: All the debris went out in the trash so I won't be doing an investigation. The action was sticky before and slick now. >>>I think I may have figured it out. It has been recommended that I use a push stick to shove the cartridges in. Depending on what was used, I could see a soft wood or plant stem peeling against the loading gate opening. If that was done for an extended period, I can see it filling the action with the fibers I found. Sufferin’ Sassafras sticks Cholla! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646 Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 Aliens? Imis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go West Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 There are a lot of people who don't know how to take apart a Lightning and put it back together. I'm sure a lot of them spray it down and call it good. Lightnings love to be clean however, with some wanting this more than others. Your guess about a push stick having pieces scraped off is as logical as any and I bet the gun wasn't disassembled and cleaned either. I took the bristles off a toothbrush and wrapped the handle with leather to make a "period correct" push stick for the wife years ago. After getting another Lightning, I made another but didn't bother with the leather wrap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc roy l. pain Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 1 hour ago, Go West said: There are a lot of people who don't know how to take apart a Lightning and put it back together. I'm sure a lot of them spray it down and call it good. Lightnings love to be clean however, with some wanting this more than others. Your guess about a push stick having pieces scraped off is as logical as any and I bet the gun wasn't disassembled and cleaned either. Though I don’t know the exact composition of what was in your rifle, Go West hit the nail on the head. Sometimes a lightning can be intimidating to take apart and put back together. Because of this, many shooters just spray down and blow with compressed air or just hose down and think they get em clean. Over time it keeps building up into the condition that you found. The Pedersoli’s are nice rifles and will run but, they must be kept clean to function properly and a tear down is part of that cleaning process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyesa Horg Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 Seems like an awful lot of crud to have come from a push stick. He must have gone thru a lot of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypress Sun Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 That rifle is obviously from Colorado. It's the last place the cops would look for contraband. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 Are you implying that Cholla bought a reproduction of an 1890ish old west Hooka. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go West Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 I was going to suggest pot like CS did, but I do know that guns with blowby can accumulate an enormous amount of crud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypress Sun Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 19 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said: Are you implying that Cholla bought a reproduction of an 1890ish old west Hooka. Guaranteed to blow your mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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