Copper Fouler

Toxster

Well-Known Member
Seems my rifle is a fouler. I shot it at Bisley yesterday, 59 rounds down and it was orange (again) when I got it home.

300 passes with a nylon brush and two sessions with KG12 and it's gone. But 59 rounds to get it in that state suggests I am going to spend as much time cleaning as shooting...

I'm tempted to do an EBC clean, but tbh it's clean now, it's the rate at which it fouls that's the issue.

Any suggestions?
 
In the old dyas some might have had the barrel ball burnished. Is this a new barrel or an old barrel? If the fouling doesn't affect accuracy I'd not be too upset. Although it may in theory affect pressure?

I am glad that the KG12 treatmenet worked as I bought some on the advice of other members here and used it on a Nagant revolver and it too seemed to make a difference.
 
It's not a new barrel. Accuracy was great until the fouling kicked in. First time I shot it four went through the same hole. Fifth was a flyer...

It may be that I get a few shots off before the fouling starts hurting things. Which may be ok for a stalking rifle and occasional stalking tests. No good for target work. It was too hot to touch on Sunday after a 26 shot string...(Running Deer).

Once thing I will say, is that it's a very tight barrel. No tight spots that I can feel when cleaning though. The rifle is pretty spotless, so feels newer than it's 1985 vintage.

Polishing or lapping are terms I'm aware of...but it cost me £450 with scope, sling and bipod, so I don't want to spend too much. I'm wondering if a deeper EBC clean might be needed?

For the record I'm shooting Nato Ball 7.62 GGG FMJ.
 
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It could be the fmj ammo I notice more fouling with cheaper fmj than I get with smk's for example.

You our could try the tubb final finish/throat management bullets to polish the bore a bit?

Also so have you tried C2r? It's the best solvent I've used! It does copper and carbon. I still use kg12 specifically for copper purely because I don't like to rely just on one kind of solvent.
 
It's not a new barrel. Accuracy was great until the fouling kicked in. First time I shot it four went through the same hole. Fifth was a flyer...

It may be that I get a few shots off before the fouling starts hurting things. Which may be ok for a stalking rifle and occasional stalking tests. No good for target work. It was too hot to touch on Sunday after a 26 shot string...(Running Deer).

Once thing I will say, is that it's a very tight barrel. No tight spots that I can feel when cleaning though. The rifle is pretty spotless, so feels newer than it's 1985 vintage.

Polishing or lapping are terms I'm aware of...but it cost me £450 with scope, sling and bipod, so I don't want to spend too much. I'm wondering if a deeper EBC clean might be needed?

For the record I'm shooting Nato Ball 7.62 GGG FMJ.

at what distance are you getting 1 hole groups with nato ball? I would buy as much as you can carry and then go and get another lot if your rifle likes it that much !
 
makes sense I guess

sooo.....

on that note does anyone have a product they use that removes carbon but leaves copper specifically?


paul
 
Can you get a product called Wipeout? It's a barrel foam, costs about $18 Cdn. You spray into the barrel and just leave it, depending on how fowled the barrel is for 1 hours to 24 hours. Put a patch thru, if it comes out blue - copper remaining, if black lead remaining. Foam again til patch comes out clear. No copper brushing and arm twisting. I've used it for the past 6 years and it's awesome.
 
I bought some KG1 as well. I guess what the septics' in the video were saying only applies to a rifle that isn't prone to heavy fouling. I like the idea that once I've polished my barrel I can (hopefully) stick with removing only carbon in future.
 
Aw crap.....polished it today and now it looks like it has baked on carbon fouling as well.....

I thought the metal was simply dark, but it appears that there is baked on carbon at the muzzle end. The KG1 carbon clean and the KG2 polish loosened a few bits to reveal silver underneath so I suspect more cleaning is required.
 
The fact that you are fouling up heavy after 59 shots suggests to me that you already have a substantial amonut of fouling in your barrel.
You need a more aggressive solvent such as Shooters Choice for the carbon followed by Shooters Choice Copper remover for the copper fouling.
Alternatively Montana Extreme solvent and Copper Killer will remove the stubbornest fouling.

Ian.
 
I'm once more thinking of hitting the big red button and doing an EBC..... will this take out the carbon? The copper has gone.
 
The copper has gone.

or at least one layer? Might have layers of copper / carbon.

Not tried EBC but use KG-12 sometimes and Sweets 762 occasionally for bad cases.

Best of luck...I had an M1917 that shot 4 shots into under 1/2" with fixed sights and then, once the copper built up, scattered the rest of a ten round string into 4 -5". Just for chuckles I cleaned it every four shots and shot some really impressive groups that convinced me to Kreiger the creature...

Have you tried something like JB paste? Might work...might not.
 
Hi Toxter.
I would be tempted to take it to a good riflesmith and ask him to look at it with a borescope. There is a reason why it is fouling heavily and that will give you the answer. Only when you know what the problem is can you take action to rectify it.

Yorkie.
 
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