Why is my Redhawk copper fouling?

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Lee Q. Loader

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This is my barrel after 35 rounds. I was shooting a pretty stout load, 23.5 gr of 300 mp with a speer 240 JSP.
When I bought it from a friend it was badly fouled. I cleaned it and shot good groups with this load. The barrel was sparkling clean before this session.
This much copper fouling so quickly isn't normal, is it?
Gun is a Redhawk 5.5" barrel 44 mag. 20200229_145609.jpg
 
Worry about fouling if it affects the function or accuracy. To be honest with you, what you have pictured there is nothing. How does the redhawk shoot?
 
I’m with the others, no concern at all. Maybe run some fmj rounds through it at the end of your range session to get rid of any unwanted fouling
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I do that after shooting 100-150 rounds of lead. It seems work for me.
 
That hikok45 guy said he does that. After lead rounds he shots some FMJ and doesn’t have leading issue. Interesting. I’m worried about lead fouling for some reason lol
 
So this is normal? Ok, how often do you think I should use the copper remover? I believe it was still shooting well when I finished shooting.
 
Obturation said:
Worry about fouling if it affects the function or accuracy. To be honest with you, what you have pictured there is nothing. How does the redhawk shoot?
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It shoots really well now that I've cleaned it and when I'm not flinching;). The recoil is substantial to me, but not painful.
This revolver is something I've wanted for a long time, so maybe I'm being overly concerned.
 
Wish I had pictures of the cupro nickel fouling I cleaned from my 303 British barrels. The stuff that did it was Iraqi 303 ball. That stuff left lumps in the barrel that only got larger as more rounds went over it. It took weeks to remove. Your fouling, looks about normal.
 
Lee Q. Loader said:
So this is normal? Ok, how often do you think I should use the copper remover? I believe it was still shooting well when I finished shooting.
Click to expand...
If you see areas in the bore where there appears to be rough spots or where the rifling looks unusual or covered up, that would be extreme. No use in cleaning it to brand new if you'll be shooting it again soon. Main concern is that the action isn't gunked up and the accuracy is good. We're talking 1000 rounds before it starts getting funky. Of course don't wait that long and give it a wipe down with an oily rag and push a patch or two down the barrel, same as any gun. If you're new to fast and heavy handgun cartridges buy or load some milder stuff to get the feel and get some practice in without flinching. If I were you I'd get some cast bullets and use those for practice (or everything), the cost less and in my opinion are more accurate than jacketed and if sized and lubed properly will leave little to no fouling (besides gun powder residue and maybe some bullet lube, which is easily cleaned up). If you're going to store the gun long term then give it the deluxe cleaning. Don't neglect the gun but no need to baby it either , the redhawk is a robust and rugged piece of gear.
 
Obturation said:
If you see areas in the bore where there appears to be rough spots or where the rifling looks unusual or covered up, that would be extreme. No use in cleaning it to brand new if you'll be shooting it again soon. Main concern is that the action isn't gunked up and the accuracy is good. We're talking 1000 rounds before it starts getting funky. Of course don't wait that long and give it a wipe down with an oily rag and push a patch or two down the barrel, same as any gun. If you're new to fast and heavy handgun cartridges buy or load some milder stuff to get the feel and get some practice in without flinching. If I were you I'd get some cast bullets and use those for practice (or everything), the cost less and in my opinion are more accurate than jacketed and if sized and lubed properly will leave little to no fouling (besides gun powder residue and maybe some bullet lube, which is easily cleaned up). If you're going to store the gun long term then give it the deluxe cleaning. Don't neglect the gun but no need to baby it either , the redhawk is a robust and rugged piece of gear.
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I can't tell you how much I appreciate that advice. I've got some powder-coated 240gr SWC's on the way.
I have a 357 security six and I like to shoot full-house jacketed loads in it too. It's a blued revolver and I think that is why I don't notice the fouling or carbon deposits like I do on the stainless Redhawk.
 
Obturation said:
I grabbed my nearest revolver as an example...
Mine stay kind of dirty and funky cause I shoot them a lot, no functional issue at all.
View attachment 895614 View attachment 895615
Click to expand...
Obturation said:
I grabbed my nearest revolver as an example...
Mine stay kind of dirty and funky cause I shoot them a lot, no functional issue at all.
View attachment 895614 View attachment 895615
Click to expand...
Wow! That's a beauty! Toklat 454. I'd have a hard time not flinching with that one. I love big revolvers!
 
Lee Q. Loader said:
Wow! That's a beauty! Toklat 454. I'd have a hard time not flinching with that one. I love big revolvers!
Click to expand...
Thanks, it's a great gun and I definitely give it a work out. It's digested some truly obnoxious rounds before I settled in on the loads we both can agree on. A lot of lead down range and not a hiccup out of It. It wears its burn rings and carbon as badges of honor (I made that part up, I just don't clean it a lot). worry less and shoot more, friend.
 
I almost always shoot jacketed ammo and I basically never clean the barrel on handguns beyond dragging a bore snake though it or sticking a caliber sized q tip through it.
 
Maybe run some fmj rounds through it at the end of your range session to get rid of any unwanted fouling.
Click to expand...
1. FMJ bullets will not remove copper fouling. They are actually a source of copper fouling.

2. Putting FMJ rounds down a barrel with lead fouling has the potential to damage the gun depending on a number of circumstances. Beretta actually recommends against the practice in at least some of their pistol manuals. Awhile back, (in the February 2010 issue of Shooting Times) Allan Jones commented on this practice. Jones has worked as a technician for Speer and did the editing and research work for some of their reloading manuals. He also has a rather long list of impressive credentials that qualify him as a serious firearm/ammunition/reloading expert. He writes that shooting jacketed bullets down a leaded bore is "A Big 'No-No'". The article is in the "Going Ballistic" Column and is entitled: "The Lowdown on Lead Fouling". The applicable text is quoted below.
"How many times have you thought it easier to shoot the lead out with a jacketed bullet? Well, don't even think about it. In extreme cases, this can cause irreparable damage. I've seen revolver barrel throats deformed and thin-walled barrels bulged. Either means a new barrel."

People do get away with it, so it's not a instant guarantee of barrel damage, but it can cause problems and is a practice that should be avoided.
 
That copper in your barrel is not bad at all. I shot jacjeted bullets in all my S&W revolvers and I clean the barrels with Hoppe’s #9 and the standard cleaning process with the rod, swab, brush, jag method or a few big swabs of solvent and a bore snake. I have never needed copper solvent in a hand gun. Rifle? That’s a different story.

I would not be concerned about that amount of copper in your bore.
 
I don’t see a problem there. Use some copper solvent a few times a year if it bothers you, but if it isn’t changing function or accuracy, carry on.
 
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