I believe I have a problem...

[-Red-]

I recently purchased a NIB parked springfield loaded. I first shot a box of American Eagle through it. I ran a brush and a few patches through the bore and inspected it and everything looked well and dandy. I then bought another 50 rounds from a reputable reloader and ran all of them through the gun. The rounds were loaded with round nose lead bullets and I was told that he had loaded them years ago, which should not be an issue. Anyway, upon cleaning and inspecting the barrel after shooting these reloads I noticed marks on the rifling. These marks are about 3/8" down the muzzle and are on every one of the lands in a circular pattern. The marks extend the whole width of each land and there are 2 to 4 marks each land from 3/8" to the muzzle. I can only think it was the ammunition because there is no way any amount of aggressive cleaning could do this. I will try to post a picture if I can get a camera to focus well enough.

 

[PRM]

I would say you have leading in the barrel. Round nose lead projectiles will not hurt a steel barrel.

What are you using to clean the barrel?

 

[kensguns]

2nd. on leading. Lead bullets have different hardness from their mix with tin. Softer lead mix will foul more than a harder mix. Not a problem to remove, just let the solvent you are using sit in the barrel for a few minutes before you run your brush through. Sometimes it takes a couple of times to get it all out. I check the hardness of the bullets with my thumb nail when I am out buying. If your nail leaves a mark, the bullets are a little soft. Yes, I have a box or two of them still sitting around myself.

 

[Steve C]

A clean and smooth barrel will foul the least. New barrels are often a bit rough in the bore and accumulate lead quickly. Since you aren't a reloader there's no reason to go into a discussion of lead and the relative merits of softer and harder bullets and barrel leading. Just clean your bore with a good solvent that says it removes lead fouling.

If you will hold off on using lead bullets for 500 rounds or so and use only jacketed bullets your barrel will wear smooth quicker and will likely not lead much if any when using lead bullets of appropriate size, and hardness for the load.

Barrels will both lead and copper foul but copper being harder isn't as obvious and doesn't accumulate as quickly. Lead will accumulate quickly on top of copper fouling so when you try lead again make sure to remove all copper fouling first.

 

[voyager4520]

Sounds like leading.

Did you use the cleaning brush that came with the gun? The wire at the center of the brush is steel and the brush-end of the rod is usually pointy, even sharp. That steel rubbing against the bore can scratch the bore up.

Get a solid brass bore rod with either a copper or phosphor bronze bore brush. Even those brushes have a steel wire at the center to hold the bristles, but at least it's not pointy and sharp at the end. Use a solvent that removes lead like Hoppe's #9, and use it in a ventilated area because solvent fumes are bad for you. Soak a patch in solvent, run it through the bore with a jag bore rod attachment, then run the bore brush through the bore a few times. Let it sit for a minute or two, then run a clean dry patch through the bore. Repeat this process until the patches come out mostly clean.

 

[Jim Watson]

Lead bullet ammunition is not going to mar the barrel.
A brush core is unlikely to mar the barrel just as described but I guess it is possible.
I think a piloted crowning cutter picked up a chip and scratched the barrel. The last time such marks showed up on this board, it was on a different brand of gun, Kimber I think.
If it is bad, SA will replace the barrel. If it is just a cosmetic mar, it won't affect the shooting.

 

[PRM]

Red ~ are these pics similar to what your seeing. If so its lead.

 

[NMGonzo]

Of course it's leading.

 

[-Red-]

This was my first experience with lead bullets. Everything you guys have said makes sense and assures me there isnt anything to worry about. Thanks a lot.

 

[-Red-]

You can sort of see the marks on the lands.