I have a Montgomery wards .308 win built on an fn mauser action that I bought a couple months ago. It was probably made in the 50s or 60s and I don't think the previous owner cleaned the barrel in those 50 years. I spent hours cleaning the barrel with hoppes and in bore paste. After taking it out to test the gun and my handloads I would get 3 or 4 all touching and then one or two opening the group up to an inch. I am on my highschools rifle team and am a much better shot than 1 inch at 50 yards benched. When I got home upon looking at the barrel more closely I saw lots if copper fouling. I do not have solvent to get rid of copper fouling yet but will try and get but how much do u think this copper fouling could be affecting my groups
Copper Fouling
- Thread starter bullzeye8
- Start date
- Status
LKLive13
Member
Not really that much of a rifle shooter but I would imagine that would be your problem. I personally like the Otis copper remover, It works great for removing copper in the barrel on pistols.
Curator
Member
read my post for "rebarreling rifle questions" on this forum. There I explain an easy, safe way to quickly "de-copper" your barrel if you do it correctly.
hoghunting
Member
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2006
- Messages
- 1,604
Order a can of Wipe-Out, the foaming bore cleaner. I've used it for the past 9 years and it's the only one I use for copper. Spray it in the barrel, leave it overnight - does not contain ammonia, will not harm the barrel - patch it out the next day. You may have to repeat the process once or twice for the initial cleaning, but will only take one time after that. Best copper cleaner I've used.
http://www.brownells.com/gun-cleani...reasers/bore-solvents/wipe-out-prod19610.aspx
Midway and other suppliers also carry it.
http://www.brownells.com/gun-cleani...reasers/bore-solvents/wipe-out-prod19610.aspx
Midway and other suppliers also carry it.
50 Shooter
member
To touch on what Curator said in his other post, if you're gonna try ammonia, go to a pool supply place and get aqua ammonia. Seeing how you'll be in a buying mood, get gloves rated for ammonia. Also get some dish soap to mix with it, a cap full will do for the amount you'll use.
Find a bottle to mix a small amount of the ammonia and a cap full of soap. Be sure you're outside while doing this as the fumes will burn off your nose hairs. Plug the barrel and then fill it up, stand the rifle up out in the open and let it sit for about 30 mins to an hour. Unplug and drain in a safe place so that no one comes in contact with it. Push a jag down the barrel, repeat if necessary and be sure to run a well oiled rag down the bore when done.
Or you can just pour some down the barrel and scrub it, just remember to do this in a well ventilated place. If this sounds to dangerous, try wipe out or pick up some of Boretech's Eliminator copper solvent. It's 100% non haz mat and won't hurt the environment, can be used indoors. You can plug your barrel and leave it in there forever, won't hurt anything.
Find a bottle to mix a small amount of the ammonia and a cap full of soap. Be sure you're outside while doing this as the fumes will burn off your nose hairs. Plug the barrel and then fill it up, stand the rifle up out in the open and let it sit for about 30 mins to an hour. Unplug and drain in a safe place so that no one comes in contact with it. Push a jag down the barrel, repeat if necessary and be sure to run a well oiled rag down the bore when done.
Or you can just pour some down the barrel and scrub it, just remember to do this in a well ventilated place. If this sounds to dangerous, try wipe out or pick up some of Boretech's Eliminator copper solvent. It's 100% non haz mat and won't hurt the environment, can be used indoors. You can plug your barrel and leave it in there forever, won't hurt anything.
Sweets 7.62 is my "go to" for copper removal. You always know when the barrel is clean becasue the patches stop coming out blue. But, DO NOT leave it overnight. I do 15 minutes, tops. And the copper fowling is probably your problem.
MtnCreek
Member
It may be layered in there w/ copper, carbon, copper, ....
If it were mine, I'd use a copper solvent that does not contain ammonia. KG Big Bore is safe and works great too. I would wet patch w/ copper solvent, wait a couple min, then dry patch. Follow w/ carbon solvent and repeat. If you have a parker hail (spelling?) jag, it would speed the process IMHO.
Sweets would probably be quicker. If you use a strong ammonia solvent, I'd suggest doing as BigBore44 said and not let it stay in the barrel over 15 min.
If it were mine, I'd use a copper solvent that does not contain ammonia. KG Big Bore is safe and works great too. I would wet patch w/ copper solvent, wait a couple min, then dry patch. Follow w/ carbon solvent and repeat. If you have a parker hail (spelling?) jag, it would speed the process IMHO.
Sweets would probably be quicker. If you use a strong ammonia solvent, I'd suggest doing as BigBore44 said and not let it stay in the barrel over 15 min.
carbine85
Member
Wipe-out is the best I have used. It's also safer then Sweets.
50 Shooter
member
My thing with sweets, blue wonder... they just don't do as well as wipe out or Boretech's Eliminator. You can leave Sweets in the barrel longer then 15 mins. I've seen tests where different types of copper solvents were left in the barrel all the way up to 24 hours. Not one solvent did anything to the barrel lining or steel.
Wipe Out and Boretech are surfectants, they get under the copper and solvent to lift it off the barrel steel. They are also a "green" product and 100% environmentally safe. Whereas ammonia based products are not and can mess you up if you breath it in or get it in your eyes. If its really strong it can burn your skin if left on to long.
Wipe Out and Boretech are surfectants, they get under the copper and solvent to lift it off the barrel steel. They are also a "green" product and 100% environmentally safe. Whereas ammonia based products are not and can mess you up if you breath it in or get it in your eyes. If its really strong it can burn your skin if left on to long.
Another vote for Eliminator. I think its as effective as Sweets without the danger of pitting your barrel. I never tried Wipe Out. I quit using Sweets when I read reports of it reacting with other solvents, like Shooters Choice and Hoppes, and pitting barrels. Ammonia is some corrosive stuff.
A clean barrel is a good starting point for determining accuracy. Another possibility is your gun doesn't fully like your load. Keep trying and good luck!
Laphroaig
A clean barrel is a good starting point for determining accuracy. Another possibility is your gun doesn't fully like your load. Keep trying and good luck!
Laphroaig
you are right foaming bore cleaner is the best because there is no scrubbing with brushes and patches and I have ruined guilt edge accuracy in a few guns using sweets 7.62. I would not recommend it to anyone. they use the foaming bore cleaner in tank barrels
RainDodger
Member
I've tried a lot of them over the decades and I've found nothing that works better than good old Sweets 7.62.
redneck2
Member
After using Wipe-Out, I pretty much got rid of everything else. Easy, fast, and works exceptionally well
- Status
