Extreme copper fouling

DiscoSteve said:
Update: I shot about 15 more rounds through it this weekend. Cleaned in between each of the first 5 shots. Then shot 3 shot strings and cleaned (used some old accubonds and swift A-frames I had lying around). I got some thorroclean and thorroflush, and they seem to work very well, and don't smell at all. Also proshot copper solvent IV seems to work well on the copper if you let it sit for a while. Still waiting on the kroil and JB paste.
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DiscoSteve said:
I found it takes about 3 "cycles" of the thorroclean to get close to bare metal. I define a "cycle" as a few wet patches of thorroflush, followed by a nylon brush coated in thorroclean for 20 strokes down the barrel, followed by more patches soaked with thorroflush until they come out clean. It takes a while.
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DiscoSteve said:
The attached pictures are about as clean as I can get it, and the next one is after ONE shot! I looked down all my other barrels, and there's nothing even close to this amount of copper fouling. Could it be from this rough spot on the throat?
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Ok, so you cleaned to bare metal and then started the 5 shot, 3 shot group thing? (This is same barrel you sent borescope pics to me?)
For the Thorroclean system, ditch the nylon brushes and use a bronze brush. You only need one 20-25 stroke session with a bronze brush per every 150-200rnd count on the barrel. If you were doing three 20 pass sessions with a nylon brush and Thorroclean each 5 rnds then you are spinning your wheels with those daggum nylon brushes. You shouldn't need any other cleaning products other than Thorroclean and bronze brush. (I would only use a nylon brush to wrap a patch around and use Thorroclean on a lightly fouled barrel)

You will get less copper next time if you coat the bare clean bore with the graphite.
 
Thanks @BFD. The thorroclean instructions recommended a nylon brush, but I'll try a bronze brush next time. I was just trying to follow some semblance of a barrel break in procedure by cleaning every 5 rounds. No, this is not the same rifle I sent you borescope videos of. That was my CA MPR 308, this is a new 30-06 I just decided to look down the barrel of for, as you say, shiggles. And all 15 shots (HHTs, AHs, 180 and 165 accubonds, and swift A frames) went into 2" at 100 yards. That's better than my 308 referenced above with many 3 shot groups using the same ammo!!

I ordered a 32 oz tub of graphite powder from amazon (for $16), and it showed up today. The top had somehow come off in the box, so I really, really, really regret opening it in the kitchen. Maybe now less dirt will stick to my kitchen counter and floors?!
 
DiscoSteve said:
Thanks @BFD. The thorroclean instructions recommended a nylon brush, but I'll try a bronze brush next time. I was just trying to follow some semblance of a barrel break in procedure by cleaning every 5 rounds. No, this is not the same rifle I sent you borescope videos of. That was my CA MPR 308, this is a new 30-06 I just decided to look down the barrel of for, as you say, shiggles. And all 15 shots (HHTs, AHs, 180 and 165 accubonds, and swift A frames) went into 2" at 100 yards. That's better than my 308 referenced above with many 3 shot groups using the same ammo!!

I ordered a 32 oz tub of graphite powder from amazon (for $16), and it showed up today. The top had somehow come off in the box, so I really, really, really regret opening it in the kitchen. Maybe now less dirt will stick to my kitchen counter and floors?!
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Oh dear Lord, the dry powdered graphite is messy as all get out! I laugh with you!
A bronze brush makes short work, but the nylon brushes don't get compressed by being patched and put through the bore. Not the blue Iosso brushes anyways. When I talked to the owner of IOSSO she didn't knock the bronze brush, admitted they make quicker work, but also pushed their blue nylon brushes of course.
 
Reemtyj said:
Disco-Steve ( must be an 80’s thing) thank you for reassuring me NOT to buy a bore scope! Well done
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It's a Simpson's thing. His real name is Stuart Discotheque. I had that user name like 20 years ago, and it's just kind of persisted....

Disco Stu

Stuart Discothèque,[1] generally known as Disco Stu, is the owner of Stu's Disco. He is a disco aficionado and is usually featured wearing a rhinestone-encrusted leisure suit. He often refers to himself in the third person (putting a big emphasis on "Stu" and then pausing before saying anything...
simpsonswiki.com simpsonswiki.com
 
Sr Chief said:
I have a savage 223 barrel around here somewhere that looks like a washboard and copperfouls in 2 shots. Shot minute of mountain. Its a 20 vartarg now and shoots under .1
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Gday sir chief
That 223 barrel is on the way here then 😜😎
8845E3EB-44BC-4E72-949D-0504ABD2802B.jpeg
Cheers
 
BFD said:
Thorroclean kit followed by dry graphite in the barrel. Repeat every 20rnds and the copper fouling will subside.
You can get the PVA "Plug" and fill the bore with Hoppes Black Copper Solvent an let sit overnight. Won't harm barrels like that absolute Satan's spit Wipeout products.

A barrel that coppers like that wasn't hand lapped very good at all.
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Just tried the Thoroclean system for the first time in my .308 Win barrel that had quite a bit of carbon build up in the throat even after trying several different cleaners. Used the Dewey brushes and the results were incredible (after a BUNCH of other cleaners)!!!!

I agree that the nylon brushes aren't very effective.

Haven't had any trouble with copper build up with this gun yet. Started with Barnes and now using Hammers.

Thanks to everyone that contributed to this thread! This place and the people are awesome!!!!!
 
Nicoli7153 said:
Just tried the Thoroclean system for the first time in my .308 Win barrel that had quite a bit of carbon build up in the throat even after trying several different cleaners. Used the Dewey brushes and the results were incredible (after a BUNCH of other cleaners)!!!!

I agree that the nylon brushes aren't very effective.

Haven't had any trouble with copper build up with this gun yet. Started with Barnes and now using Hammers.

Thanks to everyone that contributed to this thread! This place and the people are awesome!!!!!
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Good to hear. I am currently phasing out all other cleaners in favor of Thorroclean except, GunScrubber, for really serious cleaning needs with the ARs.
 
DiscoSteve said:
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.
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Does it have a muzzle break on it? If so you might be getting false reading from the blue in the holes getting on your patch. Take the break off and patch it .
 
Sr Chief said:
After trying about everything out there (a list longer than I care to type out) I found Flitz liquid to be the fastest thourough cleaner I've used but It always took a bit of scrubbing. Decided to try to make it better. Added 1/3 tube of Iosso paste to an 8oz bottle of flitz and mixed well. Decided to try it it on my 9.3 after 25 rounds of Hammers. As you can see, Hammer dont copper foul in my bores. One pic is before, one is after first dry patch out, and a third is after a thorough patch out. Also a pic of the first dry patch out. All I used was the mix, an Iosso nylon brush and 4 patches. I used 25 brush strokes. Works well for me. Bore pics are 2" in front of the throat
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I've read that Flitz is too high a grit and might polish a barrel to a point it is more susceptible to coppering. I've heard from numerous smiths, barrel makers that one does not want to polish a bore to much.
 
BFD said:
I've read that Flitz is too high a grit and might polish a barrel to a point it is more susceptible to coppering. I've heard from numerous smiths, barrel makers that one does not want to polish a bore to much.
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So you don't want it too rough, or else it copper fouls too much. You want it smooth. But not too smooth, or else it copper fouls too much. Got it ;) Clear as mud to me!

I will say that thorroclean seems to work the best for me. Thanks @BFD for suggesting it. Glad @Nicoli7153 found it helpful as well. I've never tried flitz or iosso (although maybe the thorroclean is an iosso suspension?).
 
DiscoSteve said:
So you don't want it too rough, or else it copper fouls too much. You want it smooth. But not too smooth, or else it copper fouls too much. Got it ;) Clear as mud to me!

I will say that thorroclean seems to work the best for me. Thanks @BFD for suggesting it. Glad @Nicoli7153 found it helpful as well. I've never tried flitz or iosso (although maybe the thorroclean is an iosso suspension?).
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I know, hell of a thing to keep straight ain't it! :LOL:
Yes, Iosso made Thorroclean for Bullet Central. Iosso says to replicate Thorroclean, one uses the Iosso paste with an oil (They promote their triple action oil, but any oil for suspending the paste will work I'm told by Iosso)
 
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