So what was up with our forefathers? Tougher than us?

[Andy]

This is off topic maybe, but I shot my Citori skeet gun a few weeks back with brush loads and my God the lead fouling nearly killed me getting it out. Payne Gallway brushing, Shooters Choice solvent, Barnes solvent, then a Chore Boy around a brass brush on a drill. Then repeat above several times. I am not a "soak it and leave it until tomorrow" type of guy, way too hyper. Did our forefathers just leave lead in there forever?? I am perplexed how people 100 years ago got lead out without our current tools since I know they didn't use plastic wads. I think I'm done with brush wads, not worth it but I had to experiment. I assume it was powder more than lead that lead to so much pitting see in older guns (no pun intended). Thoughts? I find cleaning guns therapeutic but this was just BULLSH*T FYI it was Herco in a 20g Rio hull/Rio primer and BP brush wad.