Coppering

[baltz526]

Which jacket is the lowest coppering at high velocity. .308" 165gr-168gr 3300fps. I ask because the 300 Ackley stainless match 1-12" twist just took a couple hours to get the copper out. I had shot a few weights and brands so I am not sure which did the most coppering. The barrel actually had a tight spot about 4" in from throat. An issue I have never seen before. Kind of like a ring of copper powder fouling. I had thought the scope died accuracy went bad so fast.

 

[Guy Miner]

The worst copper fouling I've ever experienced was with 100 gr Barnes @ 3340 fps via my .25-06 in a new Remington factory barrel. Took me quite a bit of effort to remove the copper - and I'd chalk that up to the combination of a rough factory barrel, combined with pushing a solid copper bullet fast.

The best? Hmmm... I've had great results with low fouling from Nosler, Sierra and Berger.

Best thing I know for reducing copper fouling is to start with a really smooth, nice barrel. My Krieger barrels have done really well, going hundreds of rounds without needing a cleaning and still holding match-grade accuracy.

Are you working with a new barrel?

I ask, because often during chambering, somewhat rough marks, perpendicular to the bore, are left. The bullets slam right into those on firing, and those marks can literally scrape jacket material right off the bullet and foul the bore. A good break-in will burnish those marks smooth. Or you can try some of the Tubbs Final Finish bullets.

Regards, Guy

 

[Thebear_78]

I would go with the tubbs final finish. I did it with my 300 rum and it cleans up like a dream now. Rarely takes more than 2-3 patches to get clean.


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[Anonymous]

Not sure what you're shooting, but Barnes are by far the worst I've experienced for leaving copper.

If the barrel is a little rough, you might shoot some moly coated bullets until it wears in. Moly can have it's own set of challenges but it's easier to deal with than copper fouling.

 

[Thebear_78]

The original x bullet were famous for fouling, the TSX and TTSX don't foul any worse than conventional bullets in my experience.


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[DrMike]

Guy is correct that a good barrel shows far less copper wash than a rough throat. Some of my rifles have hardly a trace of copper, even with the old X-bullets. Other barrels require extensive cleaning to get the copper out. One of my older .280s fouled with copper regardless of what bullet I fired until the tool marks on the throat were smoothed out by time. It is a fine rifle now, but it took well over 250 rounds before it began to smooth out.

 

[baltz526]

This barrel I believe is an Old Pacnor Stainless match. Unknown round count. Rifling and throat look pretty fresh so I doubt it has a lot down it. I picked up a box of Berger VLD hunting in 168gr to try.

 

[Kodiak]

A few years back, I got a 2nd hand USRA model 70 from a neighbor. The first 8-10" past the throat looked like a gravel road. He said it wouldn't group. After 2 days of soaking, scrubbing, etc. it came clean. Shoots good now. I like Sweet's 7.62 as a cleaner, YMMV.

 

[Tjay]

I have used ultra bore coating in several rifles and they now clean in a patch or two.

 

[Vince]

I like Wipeout and JB's Bore Paste to clean copper and smooth out a barrel.

Vince

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[Guy Miner]

I have used ultra bore coating in several rifles and they now clean in a patch or two.

I need to try that stuff. Keep hearing good things about it.

Guy

 

[Silent Sam]

I agree with all the above... Fire lapping will work but it will stretch your throat and I believe it generally tapers the bore as most of the polishing is at the chamber end. I think that is a good thing. JB will give you more control on where you remove the material and how much. You've got to get the copper out first regardless. I have wanted to try Wipe-Out but have never found any locally and don't want to pay for shipping. (I'm cheap) Sweet's works but is harsh and you can't leave it the bore too long. All the barrels I have fire lapped shot better and cleaned up much easier. I used Tubb's.

 

[PJGunner]

One of my favorite rifles is a Winchester M70 Featherweight 7x57 that literally had a bore that made the Rocky mountains look like level ground. :roll: Get the bore totally free of copper fouling and within one box of ammo it would be totally fouled again and would require another 6 to 8 hour cleaning session with that stinky Sweet's 7.62. Got mad and bought a cheap fire lapping kit off Midway. Instead of using copper bullets I cast up a few bullets and and impregnated them with the grit. Instead of ten shot with each grit I did five with a finished of ten shot, lead bullets impregnated with the JB bore paste. The bore still copper fouls to some degree but I can do a full day's shoot at the range and it no longer fouls out so bad that accuracy goes downhill.
Paul B.

 

[baltz526]

I use Sweets 7.62. My guess is with the 90gr case capacity of the Ackley, bullets where not spinning the first few inches of barrel.

 

[skidmark]

I still can not believe how well wipe out works
Every time I have used it the patch comes out dark blue and it's all gone

 

[Silent Sam]

After a box of ammo? Heck I've had barrels that started shooting crappy after three shots because they were fouled. And that wasn't with old Barnes bullets either. Got to get some Wipe-Out. I hear nothing but good about it.

 

[Bbear]

The Barnes 100 grains were the worst in 2 of my rifles - 25-06 and a 300 WM I tried them in. Cleaned them both out with Gunslick's Foaming Bore cleaner to get them clean.
Changed to some Nos 110 AB's in the 25 and sold the 300 (replaced it with a 264 WM). The AB's seem to be doing their job and not coppering quite as badly - 100 rounds down the barrel and still no signs of copper.

 

[tim629]

I just finished cleaning my rifles for the winter.

may pull one out for coyotes if I start hearing them and we get some nice weather but now that deer season is over it was time to clean.

338-06 took one round of wipe-out, I did give it a second over night just to be sure and get the carbon cut too. that was using a few hornady ftx bullets over the summer then probably a dozen barnes ttsx, so i'd say not bad

280ai was mostly some hornady v-max, a few accubonds, then under 10 aussie copper projectile bullets (good performance on deer on the one that I tried) and it took 3 overnights to get the patches to come out clean, but I'm not sure how much of that has to do with a dirty barrel that I should have maybe cleaned earlier on. still never lost accuracy though

i think all in, as long as you aren't loosing accuracy go with the one you like the best and get some wipe-out makes cleaning a breeze

 

[JD338]

I use Sweets 7.62 to get the copper fouling out. I shoot Nosler bullets and don't get excessive fouling.

JD338

 

[SJB358]

I am a BTE and CU2 user. Once in awhile I'll scrub a bore with Iosso and Kroil if it feels rough but most of the time I just run a few wet patches of BTE to knock the carbon out and keep shooting. The cut rifled barrels I have seem to shoot much better with the copper left in place.