Ruger m77 barrel problem?

[matts318]

I have a ruger m77 stainless and synthetic stock, earlier I figured I would clean one of my other rifles and check a few others, well I picked up my ruger and figured I would run a patch threw it and the barrel felt rough. The gun had been cleaned before I put it up last and I alway run a patch with some oil on it before I put them up. I looked down the barrel and there are all these spots on it, and in one spot it looks like a peice of metal is peeling back and it goes around about 1/4 the way around the inside of the barrel. None of the patches came back with rust on them.

WTF guys??? Anybody have any ideas as to what could have happened and if my barrel is ruined? I always take care of my guns and clean after every time at the range and run an oiled patch down the barrel before put them up.

 

[DrMike]

Matt,

That is a puzzler. Do you have a gunsmith with a bore scope that can take a close-up look? Before doing too much, I would want to take a closer look. As an aside, what solvent do you use to clean? There are some that will stain stainless quite badly. If you are using one of those that are known to do this, I suppose it is possible that you are seeing a build-up of the solvent. Does JB Paste or JBs Bore Bright remove any of the spots?

 

[blacktailhunter]

What type of cleaning rod are you using? That almost sounds like a case of a multi-piece or stainless rod touching the barrel when cleaning. Just a thought.

 

[old #7]

Bore scope will tell you.
Maybe it is a shaving from an aluminum cleaning rod.

 

[matts318]

I dont think it was a stain, it was rough when going threw the barrel with patches, I put 5 threw it and it was still rough and in there, so I came inside and asked you guys and let some solvent sit in it for a little and then pushed a patch threw and most of it came out all of a sudden, I can still see little spots inside though. It just looked like stuff was growing in there, but most of it came out so I hope it is ok.

I cant remember the brand but I have 2 different coated cleaning rods and both are one piece, I use shooters choice bore cleaner and shooters choice copper cleaner after that, all patches and no brush unless I get like 15-20 patches and still getting dirty patches. After drying the bore I put some rem oil on a patch and run it threw.

If im cleaning my rifles wrong please tell me, I have read a lot of different articles on cleaning rifles and all have very different procedures from not cleaning for about 700 rounds to cleaning after every group and how they do it. I have never been able to get clean patches after less than 10 patches like all the reloading manuals I have say should happen, and getting the copper out is always a pain "use lots of patches usually"

 

[DrMike]

Any good copper solvent will work just fine. Use as directed. The only change I would suggest is that after running the rem oil through, run a couple of dry patches. There will be enough oil to displace moisture and to keep the bore shiny. What I find interesting is that you were seeing areas of build up. That requires quite a bit of material to see with the unaided eye looking through the bore. It sounds as if you have a rough spot in the bore and that you are collecting copper wash on that spot, except you see no evidence of copper after cleaning. I still believe it would be valuable to use a bore scope to inspect the spots more closely.

 

[Big Squeeze]

I`d venture a guess here, that just maybe you didn`t clean the bore out well enough after the last time you fired it. And as a result, the residue caked up inside the bore leading to the spotting, which caused you to feel some type of obstruction when cleaning it.

I`ve never had that problem in 40+ years of shooting.

Use a good solvent, a bronze (not steel) brush, patches of course, some JB Bore Compound (won`t harm the bore; been using it for 40 years), and then followed up with some of that newer to market JB Bore Brite. I added the JB Bore Brite a couple of years ago after I first discovered it.

Use a bore light after that and you`ll see a,,,,,,,,,,,SHINE! SHINE! SHINE!...Assuming your bore is in good shape, you`ll see a perfect mirror shine.

 

[old #7]

Any good copper solvent will work just fine. Use as directed. The only change I would suggest is that after running the rem oil through, run a couple of dry patches. There will be enough oil to displace moisture and to keep the bore shiny. What I find interesting is that you were seeing areas of build up. That requires quite a bit of material to see with the unaided eye looking through the bore. It sounds as if you have a rough spot in the bore and that you are collecting copper wash on that spot, except you see no evidence of copper after cleaning. I still believe it would be valuable to use a bore scope to inspect the spots more closely.

+1
the spots you were seeing could have been copper.

 

[cloverleaf]

I Would use "wipe out" on that bore a few times and see how much copper you get out ogf it. Maybe bore paste after that- although Ive never used it myself. CLLet us know how it works out. CL

 

[matts318]

thanks guys, I clean that gun after about 15 shots, accuracy fades fast in it after about 12 shots so copper usually is not to bad but it seems to be cleaning really fast each time, I wonder if there is still stuff in there even if the patches come out clean.

 

[FOTIS]

Clean it well with LB bore compound.

If problem persists send it to Ruger.....

 

[matts318]

well just finished giving it a good cleaning, brushed the bore and then used the copper remover and a few patches later everything was coming out clean. I just have no idea what the heck was in the bore, it took several patches just to get it starting to come out, but its all nice and shiny now so I think it will be ok. I have some left over ammo that shoots 3/4 to 1 inch groups consistently so I can check it with that. Wish I could go out and shoot it but I need a new scope and thats gonna be a couple paychecks later.

 

[old #7]

thanks guys, I clean that gun after about 15 shots, accuracy fades fast in it after about 12 shots so copper usually is not to bad but it seems to be cleaning really fast each time, I wonder if there is still stuff in there even if the patches come out clean.

Your accuracy fades fast after 12 rounds? How fast is fast. Sounds like you have a very rough barrel.