The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Could i be mistaking copper fouling for rust in the rifling at the muzzle of a rifle

Colorado Redneck · March 30, 2013, 02:43 PM

Took it out the other day, after not shooting it for a couple of years. Shot about 60 rounds (no Barnes bullets) and after getting home I cleaned it as usual (Hoppes #9 and a bit of nylon brushing, wipe out and light coat of oil) and stuck it in the safe. A few days later I got it out to rearrange things in my little safe and saw that "rust" colored bore, just like the OP. Long story--soaked with #9, brushed and cleaned--now the copper in the rifling is really obvious but the rest of the bore is shiny. The patches have come out really green. So it looks like this is a common problem.

If anybody is still reading this thread, does a bit of copper in the rifling mess with accuaracy? I tried some Barnes pure copper bullets about 3 years ago and after about 3-4 rounds they started shooting patterns rather than groups, as I worked up through the load developement. That pretty much wrecked the accuracy that day, as I tried a previously very accurate hunting load and it shot terrible too. Used Barnes CR 10 and pretty much got the original accuracy back, but evidently didn't get much of the copper out. So how clean do I need to get the rifling? It is a bit of a hassle to take the gun out and shoot (an hour each way to the range and back) just to try it out.

March 30, 2013, 02:43 PM	#22
Colorado Redneck Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2008 Location: Northeast Colorado Posts: 1,993	I just went through the same thing with a .270 Took it out the other day, after not shooting it for a couple of years. Shot about 60 rounds (no Barnes bullets) and after getting home I cleaned it as usual (Hoppes #9 and a bit of nylon brushing, wipe out and light coat of oil) and stuck it in the safe. A few days later I got it out to rearrange things in my little safe and saw that "rust" colored bore, just like the OP. Long story--soaked with #9, brushed and cleaned--now the copper in the rifling is really obvious but the rest of the bore is shiny. The patches have come out really green. So it looks like this is a common problem. If anybody is still reading this thread, does a bit of copper in the rifling mess with accuaracy? I tried some Barnes pure copper bullets about 3 years ago and after about 3-4 rounds they started shooting patterns rather than groups, as I worked up through the load developement. That pretty much wrecked the accuracy that day, as I tried a previously very accurate hunting load and it shot terrible too. Used Barnes CR 10 and pretty much got the original accuracy back, but evidently didn't get much of the copper out. So how clean do I need to get the rifling? It is a bit of a hassle to take the gun out and shoot (an hour each way to the range and back) just to try it out.