My first jezail

[RDGAC]

Interesting development. Whilst prepping for a try at the Coca-Cola method, I put the barrel muzzle-downwards so as to unscrew the tang. In doing so, I inadvertently deposited a small heap of dirt on the floor. Realising that this looked surprisingly like the stuff that keeps coming out on the end of my tools, I hastened to pour some more onto a handy sheet of card.

Thus, for the first time, I can see exactly what it is I'm fighting - what's causing this jam in the barrel. A predominantly greyish-white, fairly coarse powder, with many varied grains of all shapes, sizes and colours, this stuff appears to be responsive more to percussive action than any attempt at cutting. My hope is that, if this stuff is just highly compacted powder, it might be possible simply to break it up and then pour the whole shebang out.

However, my key question is this: what is it? Powder fouling? The remains of a lead ball? Some odd sort of corrosion? Any and all answers will be considered. Unless they suggest it's a mango.

Thanks lads!

Meredydd