Plastic Wad Fouling?

[au_prospector]

Hey guys, I have a Mossberg Slugster barrel in 20 gauge. Shot about 20 rounds of Remington Rifled Slugs through it. I was able to get the first 15 or so shots to land in a nice group of about 6 inches at 50 yards and was very happy. The next 5 shots started to stray off target so I quit.

Got home and looked down the barrel as I was cleaning the next day. There appears to be a thin film of something in the barrel. It must be either lead or plastic. I have cleaned it 3 times with #9 solvent and each time it looks a little better and then much worse after I run an oil patch.

Best way for me to describe it is a coffee stain. Ever seen an abused coffee cup that has a thick film of coffee stain on it? It is dark and wont come out. I think maybe it was effecting the trajectory of the slugs, there is a thicker smudge of it on one side of the barrel just beyond the chamber. It almost looks like pitting, but I think it is just the different thicknesses of whatever is inside the barrel. Anyone ever seen anything like this?

 

[bob9125]

What you are describing almost sounds like the preservative that you find in new barrels. Is this a new barrel and did you clean it before firing it? If the barrel was clean before firing, I believe you might be looking at plastic from wadding. Remington bore bright does a good job of cleaning that.

 

[rcmodel]

Get a Hoppe's Tornado bore brush.
It makes short work of wad & lead fouling.
(Or even a bronze bore brush if you haven't been using a brush at all.)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310342450703&hlp=false

rc

 

[oneounceload]

Brake cleaner, spray down barrel, place bronze/brass brush on rod in cordless drill, run down bore for 3 seconds, done

 

[RaceM]

Carb spray and a bore brush. I've bought several used shotties with wad residue in the barrels, didn't take much to remove it. Just be sure you get a bronze bore brush. The plastic bristled ones won't do the job.

 

[oneounceload]

Carb spray is a lot nastier for you to breathe than brake cleaner - in any event, both should be used outside

 

[VA27]

Brake cleaner, spray down barrel, place bronze/brass brush on rod in cordless drill, run down bore for 3 seconds, done

This.

 

[au_prospector]

Didnt have brake cleaner so used carb/choke cleaner. Brushed with a brass brush for 30 seconds and all kinds of shiny metal (assume lead) shards and flakes came out.

Going to get some cleaner specific for lead as it still looks like it isnt all out. Still looks like a tea/coffee stained barrel. Not at all shiny and clear.

 

[RaceM]

Just keep at it. Give the brush a twist and/or scrub in small sections. I had one barrel that took some serious scrubbing along with the spray but it all came right with some effort.

 

[rodregier]

There are bore cleaners which are formulated to remove wad fouling too. One of them is Shooter's Choice MC #7 Bore Cleaner and Conditioner. Outdoors for it too :-(

http://www.shooters-choice.com/mc7.html

http://www.shooters-choice.com/pdf/MC7msds.pdf - MSDS

 

[Youngster]

I slather a bunch of bore cleaner all up in the barrel, then give it enough time to work, at least a couple of hours if not let it sit overnight.

Bore cleaner basically liquifys all the grudge, even lead and plastic, so when you actually go clean it its just a matter of pushing a few paper patches through to get a squeaky mirror shine.

Bore cleaner comes in liquid and gel form, I find the gel works a lot better because it clings to the barrel walls and doesn't flow away like the liquid does.