Extreme copper fouling

[DiscoSteve]

Soooo..... I got out my borescope to look down my 308, and I figured, "What the heck, let me look down my brand new 30-06 tube." I kinda wish I wouldn't had after seeing what was in there.....

This is a 30-06 x-caliber 5R 1-8" twist barrel. It has 7 (yes, seven) 154 HHTs down the tube. I did not clean in between any of the shots. This picture was taken after I "cleaned" it. Anyone ever see this much copper fouling after less than 10 shots? I've spent the last hour scrubbing with a brass brush and barnes copper remover, butch's bore shine, hoppes and wipe-out, and I put the bore scope back in and it looks about the same.

 

[jrebel]

This is the reason why I don't want a bore scope....LOL All except one of my rifles if easy to clean after shooting hammers. I assume it has a tighter bore than the others, but I imagine if I looked....it would look like that. I use sweets to clean my barrels of copper and it works pretty good. When the rags stop turning bluish green....it is clean. I will say the barrel that gets the most copper residue is one of my best shooting rifles. It will also go 40 ish round prior to cleaning and has never shown signs of diminished accuracy.

 

[MeatBuck]

I’m also afraid of what mine looks like. Been three years since last “cleaning”.
Ran a snake through it the other day and big white dust cloud billowed out the muzzle. Til then it shot as good as when I did load development. Hopefully i didn’t knock the accuracy out of it.

 

[DiscoSteve]

Here's a video. The first half of the barrel (toward the chamber) looks pretty good. The copper fouling starts about halfway down and tapers off toward the muzzle.

 

[aratliff]

No expert here, and I understand about not wanting a bore scope!
Yes, I have seen copper fouling that bad in a tube of my own. Assume it is just because it is new.
Is your muzzle threaded? If so, you can get a muzzle jimmy (PVA has them) which allows you to soak the bore with full solvent rather than small amount transferred from the patch. Has worked well for me and requires minimal, if any, effort scrubbing after an overnight soak.

 

[gltaylor]

Can honestly say I haven't seen that much fouling since I shot Barnes bullets!
Never seen any with Hammers (both old barrels and new).
I typically shoot break-in with cheaper bullets, then scrub to clean steel bore. Afterwards, usually clean about every 50 or so rounds.
That's a new one on me, and yes, I use a bore scope???

 

[Koda]

Was it cleaned before firing?

Dont scrub copper solvent, let it soak 20min or more.

 

[gltaylor]

For reference, first photo is of 30 Sherman Mag. Worst hint of copper fouling I've had (my fault.
Second and beyond, the 6.5 Sherman Max at around 460 rounds. No fouling, most of bore still quite good. Some really stout fire-cracking and roughness starting at the throat. Still shoots fine so far!

 

[Muddyboots]

JB has always been my friend for copper fouling.

 

[HARPERC]

For reference, first photo is of 30 Sherman Mag. Worst hint of copper fouling I've had (my fault.
Second and beyond, the 6.5 Sherman Max at around 460 rounds. No fouling, most of bore still quite good. Some really stout fire-cracking and roughness starting at the throat. Still shoots fine so far!

We should take up a collection to get @Farleg a bore scope. It would be interesting to see his RUM!

 

[Muddyboots]

We should take up a collection to get @Farleg a bore scope. It would be interesting to see his RUM!

OMG! Please no! Probably give nightmares to most of us!!!

 

[OutdoorEdventure]

How’s it shoot?

 

[gltaylor]

OMG! Please no! Probably give nightmares to most of us!!!

No...no...no, please no

Farleg's barrel will probably go in the Guiness record book. Smooth pipes that shoot minute of Wallaby!

 

[ButterBean]

I Love This Place

 

[Farleg]

We should take up a collection to get @Farleg a bore scope. It would be interesting to see his RUM!

OMG! Please no! Probably give nightmares to most of us!!!

Gday Carl & muddy
Well I don’t own a bore scope & don’t want one as I have looked through one in my rum many years ago & it was about the ugliest crocodile skin I ever did see lol so I never wanted one after that as way to scary

The interesting one will be my 6.5 barrel
So before I clean I’ll get it organised & will do my rum also as a comparison I have a basic twin of that sako75 barrel so I don’t want to really know but in sake of science let’s see

GL Yep minute of wallaby is all I need & it’s definitely not a bughole barrel like it once was far from it
I’ll also give warning on when this is about to happen so you can disappear for a while lol


Disco I’ve got no idea on what’s causing that I’m leaning to a rough barrel before the first shot
So overtime you’ll smooth it out with lots of letting it sit with solvent some scrubbing then I’d lap it some once you get that stuff out but only if it doesn’t shoot as if it shoots I have found better off leaving alone but still a cleaning schedule say ever 100 will just keep it on the mark just depends what your mark is

Cheers

 

[DiscoSteve]

Was it cleaned before firing?

Dont scrub copper solvent, let it soak 20min or more.

I didn't clean it before firing. Just picked it up from the gunsmith and went shooting.

I did 2 small ladders with the 154s and IMR4166 and staball 6.5. All shot about MOA. I had to take my scope off it and send it in for repairs, and I just got it put back together. Maybe I'll just shoot some cheap factory ammo for the first 50 or so shots to break it in and then come back to the hammers. Haven't had to do that with any of my other rifles though.....

Anyone have any experience with Tubbs bullets?

 

[Koda]

I didn't clean it before firing. Just picked it up from the gunsmith and went shooting.

Then its probably the bullets he used to test fire it. I wouldnt stress on this, just clean it to bare metal and keep it clean thereafter.

 

[Koda]

Anyone have any experience with Tubbs bullets?

IMO i wouldnt on a new barrel. Save the lapping buets for old worn out rifles you want to give a little more life to.

 

[DiscoSteve]

IMO i wouldnt on a new barrel. Save the lapping buets for old worn out rifles you want to give a little more life to.

Thanks for the advice. I'm struggling getting it to bare metal! I've let it soak with wipeout In the barrel thrice for several hours.

I assume the gunsmith test fired it? I actually didn't ask him. I'll ask him and see if he did and how many times with what ammo.

 

[Koda]

I'm struggling getting it to bare metal! I've let it soak with wipeout In the barrel thrice for several hours.

Might be worth trying a different brand of copper solvent.
Might be stubborn too... i have a new bbl, only seen Hammers but checked the bore and found some copper buildup halfway down. Soaking didnt get it out, so i soaked it again but instread of a patch I scrubbed it with a bristle brush, dry patch, wet patch and let soak, one more scrub and the next dry patch came out clean. Borescope showed perfect bare metal.