High Plains
Member
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2021
- Messages
- 239
A friend sank a lot of money into a high-dollar rifle. It can make 1/2” size shot groups at 100 yards, however, the button-cut barrel fouls quickly. Much time has been spent removing copper from the barrel after the group opens, only to have the groups return to well under an inch after a lot of cleaning time, then after about 20 shots it is back to big groups. All-copper bullets and standard cup and core bullets from Sierra and Hornady foul up the barrel equally.
He sent the rifle back to the manufacturer, fouled barrel and all and the response at first was “you have a really dirty barrel” and the next one was “it groups very well after removing the copper.” He knew these things but wanted the company to see what the fouling was like.
I told him I think the barrel has a lot of rough spots from the button cutter. A gunsmith said there are likely a lot of machining marks in the barrel.
I see three options for here. If he takes it to Africa in the Summer of 2022, as he wants to, he has time to have it rebarreled. More $$ into a pricey rifle isn’t too cool. He could also take it squeaky clean, when he knows the accuracy is there, and clean it when he is there for continuing the desired accuracy. He can also switch to a powder like RL-26 or IMR-7977 to take advantage of their anti-copper ability.
If ya’ll have ideas on a solution for him, please post it. I told him RL-26 nearly eliminates copper build up in my 7mm Weatherby and I’ve put a lot of all copper bullets down that barrel.
He sent the rifle back to the manufacturer, fouled barrel and all and the response at first was “you have a really dirty barrel” and the next one was “it groups very well after removing the copper.” He knew these things but wanted the company to see what the fouling was like.
I told him I think the barrel has a lot of rough spots from the button cutter. A gunsmith said there are likely a lot of machining marks in the barrel.
I see three options for here. If he takes it to Africa in the Summer of 2022, as he wants to, he has time to have it rebarreled. More $$ into a pricey rifle isn’t too cool. He could also take it squeaky clean, when he knows the accuracy is there, and clean it when he is there for continuing the desired accuracy. He can also switch to a powder like RL-26 or IMR-7977 to take advantage of their anti-copper ability.
If ya’ll have ideas on a solution for him, please post it. I told him RL-26 nearly eliminates copper build up in my 7mm Weatherby and I’ve put a lot of all copper bullets down that barrel.