Hi Drabant
It's good you check the barrels on these old muskets. Once in a great while one turns up to still have a load in the barrel.
You want to locate a metal or wood rod about 6 inches (15cm) longer than the barrel. Run the rod down the barrel to feel if it is soft (like paper, cloth, etc.)
If you push the rod further, and feels like something hard before reaching the end of the barrel, it could be a lead ball, indicating there is still a load in the barrel. The way they loaded many of their muskets back then was powder, ball (with no patching), and a wad of tow or flax pushed down on top of the ball to keep the ball seated on top of the powder. You can also use a piece of thin wire or a pipe cleaner and run it into the vent hole to determine if there's any evidence of black powder.
It could be just wads of paper, sand, or something that some kids did playing with it. But it could just as easily be a load still in the barrel.
Sent you a PM for further assistance.
Here is a load I pulled out of one of my Tanchika muskets one time.
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