What's up with all this copper fouling?

[tominboise]

I have been shooting my bolt guns quite a bit lately, getting ready for hunting season.  All of them - Win M70's, Tikka and Sako - copper foul bad enough to require Barnes CR-10, after 15-25 rounds.  Is this a typical experience?  I usually take 4 rifles and alternate 3 shot groups to avoid barrel heating.  Do you guys see a fair amount of fouling after so few rounds?  I shoot handloads, usually with Hornady or Nosler bullets.  The calibers are 22-250, 6.5 swede, .270 WCF, 7mm RM, 30-06, so no unbelted wondermags or anything.

[Sean]

What kind of bullets? Fairly new rifles or are they "experienced"? Have you tried any of the bore polishers/treatments like JB Non-Embedding Bore Paste and Bore Bright, or IOSSO? I like the JB it is a mild vegetable abrasive that cleans and smooths the barrel. Benchrest shooters use it. Sean

[tominboise]

Nosler partitions & hornady interlocks,
New (<100 rounds) and experienced (>300 rounds) both,
All have been polished with JB, and some with Flitz

[Sean]

Not the answer I was expecting on the bullets. I don't know what to tell you, other than the obvious that your bores may be a little rough still. If after you clean them with the CR-10 they take some time to settle back in and shoot good then I think I would leave them at least lightly fouled until after your seasons are over.

I know that doesn't really answer your questions. I have an Encore rifle barrel in 22-250 that fouls badly in as little as 5 shots, and a Savage in 30-06 that grabs copper like there is no tomorrow. I have been toying with getting one of G. David Tubbs Final Finish kits. They come as either pre-treated bullets of a specific caliber or as just the abrasives to treat your own bullets. The idea is like the pressure lapping kits. You shoot progressively finer grades of abrasive down the bore to smooth it up. It is something to think about. Sean

[Lee D.]

Is the fouling effecting your accuracy?  If not why bother?  I find that I shoot several hundred rounds from my hunting rifles before I see any "real"  accuracy change.  Then I clean them.

[Dave in WV]

First, if you have a stainless barrel it will be rougher. I have two stainless rifles. One is a Ruger 77 MKII .243 and a Win M70 Stainless Classic 30-06. After 20 rounds it takes 3 patches soaked with Sweet's 7.62 solvent to get the copper out. I let the Sweet's work for 10 min. or less for each time. I use JB bore paste also. Dave

[Zachary]

Tom,

I have the same problem you have.  I own a variety of makes and models, and copper fouling is always present, even after less than 20 shots or so.

Now, the copper fouling is not THAT bad because I usually clean the barrel after 3 shots.  Still, I like to see a shiny silver finish inside the barrel - not a gold color.

That notwithstanding, I wouldn't really worry about it.  I think it has something to do with the barrels being a little "rough" since they are relatively new.  Then again, I have also seen older barrels still have this problem.

I use the Barnes cleaner and it works great, but don't leave it in there for more than 15 minutes.

Zachary

[MF]

I have been shooting 180 Nosler partitions out of my 300 wby and have significant copper fouling. I was told that the open base(non-jacketed) of the partition bullet causes the bullet to obturate? leading to excessive fouling. Anybody have any thoughts on this?

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

I would think your Weatherby problems are from high velocity and all that fire from a ton of powder going off.

Seems like with that big cannon---that 200gn or 220 grainers would be much more effective killers---while not being quite so hard on your barrel.