A smerf died in my 243

[jsthntn247]

This barrel hasn't coppered since day one. The last time I cleaned (200 rounds ago) I noticed a little copper but not much. I cleaned it last night and holy crap at all the blue patches. It took 20 patches to get it somewhat to stop coming out blue then I put gunslick foaming bore cleaner it there and the foam that shot out the end was dark blue. Had to do gunslick twice while letting it set muzzle down on a white paper towel for a few hrs to drain out and as you can see the paper towel is solid blue. I've never completely shot a barrel out but am I on the verge with this one? 700 rounds on it, Criterion barrel. These patches are after getting all the black carbon out, it was literally dripping blue out the muzzle on to the floor.

 

[AckleymanII]

I think that you need a new cleaning regiment. No copper in the barrel to a barrel full of copper? Fly in the ointment somewhere.

You say you are on the verge of shooting out this barrel, can you still touch the lands, or how much bullet do you have left in the case when you do touch the lands?

You can have clean patches and still have very hard deposits of carbon on top of copper in the barrel.

 

[furmaster]

How do you clean it when u do? What solvent do u use?

 

[AckleymanII]

This barrel hasn't coppered since day one. The last time I cleaned (200 rounds ago) I noticed a little copper but not much. I cleaned it last night and holy crap at all the blue patches. It took 20 patches to get it somewhat to stop coming out blue then I put gunslick foaming bore cleaner it there and the foam that shot out the end was dark blue. Had to do gunslick twice while letting it set muzzle down on a white paper towel for a few hrs to drain out and as you can see the paper towel is solid blue. I've never completely shot a barrel out but am I on the verge with this one? 700 rounds on it, Criterion barrel. These patches are after getting all the black carbon out, it was literally dripping blue out the muzzle on to the floor.

Also, try and look in the end of the barrel with a small flashlight when you are through cleaning...simple, but it is a very quick way to to get an indication of what is going on.

 

[MrMajestic]

200 rounds sounds excessive to me, JMHO. Run some Iosso down it prior to condemning it, once again JMHO.

 

[Frankr]

IMO it does not look like a lot of blue to me. 200 rounds and that's all ya got..normal..
everyone has there own cleaning process, I over the years have used different techniques and products and still do.
like I clean every time I can even if its only 15 rounds then when ever I feel the need I de-carbon the neck and throat.
then when ever I feel the need every hundred rounds or so use a top copper solvent to get rid of any ironed in copper.
I been trying some Bore Tech Eliminator and found it to work as good or better than anything I have used. Also the carbon remover seems to work when other's don't.

 

[furmaster]

Ackleyman, he said he was getting blue, put 20 patches through it then put gunslick in it. I was curious what he used on first 20 patches. And what his usual regimen is

 

[savagedasher]

Get a brush after it . I would JBit also.Larry

 

[LawrenceHanson]

How do you clean it when u do? What solvent do u use?

I have also cleaned new barrels with IOSSO and JB and the patches all came out coal black. That is the nature of abrasives; any abrasive compound will show up black after passing it through a clean bore.

Before I owned a borescope I would simply scrub with an abrasive on a patch until the bore felt like it had smoothed out. Then use a bronze brush and solvent saturated patches until the patches started coming out light grey in color. I would let the solvent (Hoppe’s #9 cut with Kroil) remain in the bore over night and then run a dry patch through it to gauge its condition based on the color of the patch. It if came out light grey I considered it clean. If it came out green or blue I would continue cleaning.

Now that I have a borescope I can confirm that my cleaning techniques were adequate. One thing I have learned is that abrasives will always produce a black patch, no matter the condition of the bore. And abrasives will always get you where you need to go.

Best Wishes,
LE Hanson

 

[savagedasher]

I have also cleaned new barrels with IOSSO and JB and the patches all came out coal black. That is the nature of abrasives; any abrasive compound will show up black after passing it through a clean bore.



Before I owned a borescope I would simply scrub with an abrasive on a patch until the bore felt like it had smoothed out. Then use a bronze brush and solvent saturated patches until the patches started coming out light grey in color. I would let the solvent (Hoppe’s #9 cut with Kroil) remain in the bore over night and then run a dry patch through it to gauge its condition based on the color of the patch. It if came out light grey I considered it clean. If it came out green or blue I would continue cleaning.



Now that I have a borescope I can confirm that my cleaning techniques were adequate. One thing I have learned is that abrasives will always produce a black patch, no matter the condition of the bore. And abrasives will always get you where you need to go.



Best Wishes,

LE Hanson

I clean the same way Larry

 

[furmaster]

Well it sounds like you are doing a good job, just seems weird to copper foul when it hasn't before. I usually go around 200 rds on my custom barrels, and never really had that happen. I use Wipeout exclusively....the copper one and carbon one with accelerator. Let us know how next cleaning goes

 

[jsthntn247]

I usually run a few carbon cleaner soaked patches down the barrel to get the loose stuff out. I'll then run a brush down it for 10 strokes then back to the patches until they come out clean, then back to the brush, then patches. Usually after the second brushing the patches are clean. I'll then put copper cleaner in there and let it set for a few hrs, then patch it out, if clean, I dry then lightly oil. This time after getting the loose carbon out the patches immediately turned blue even with the carbon cleaner. I put 15 or so patches through there and all were still blue, then the foaming bore cleaner, then 15 more blue patches, then more foam, after the second time 3 blue patches. 30+ blue patches after getting the carbon out ain't right. I should have Iosso'd after the first few blue patches in hindsight.

 

[savagedasher]

I usually run a few carbon cleaner soaked patches down the barrel to get the loose stuff out. I'll then run a brush down it for 10 strokes then back to the patches until they come out clean, then back to the brush, then patches. Usually after the second brushing the patches are clean. I'll then put copper cleaner in there and let it set for a few hrs, then patch it out, if clean, I dry then lightly oil. This time after getting the loose carbon out the patches immediately turned blue even with the carbon cleaner. I put 15 or so patches through there and all were still blue, then the foaming bore cleaner, then 15 more blue patches, then more foam, after the second time 3 blue patches. 30+ blue patches after getting the carbon out ain't right. I should have Iosso'd after the first few blue patches in hindsight.

Brass jags will do that see which side of patch most of blue is on. I like nyltron jags. Larry

 

[Petey]

+1 on nylon brushes, if I need something stiffer I run an Iosso brush. (Blue brush) All my jags are aluminum so I don't get false reads on copper

Bore scope is the only true way to know what's going on in there, its how I confirm I'm clean of copper or more so carbon.

I've found there isn't one cure all snake oil. Bore scope proves it even when the patch shows clean. I'll mix and match bc what one solvent misses another will get.

If they "can't" get it, JB or IOSSO will

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Short stroke some iosso or flitz. That 200rds may have killed that criterion

 

[snowpro440]

Sweets will clean what you been missing .
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/643582/sweets-762-bore-cleaning-solvent-200-ml-liquid

 

[jsthntn247]

Short stroke some iosso or flitz. That 200rds may have killed that criterion

Hope not, if so my tactical match season was over after my first match. I'm working up a load in my Tr gun right now then am going to get back to the 243. I'll post what I find. Thanks for everybody's insight.

 

[Paddyd]

Have you been using the same brand and type bullets? I have a rifle that shows hardly any copper with one brand bullet but coppers up bad with another bullet. I think a lot of it depends on the softness or hardness of the jackets as to whether they copper up a barrel slightly or terribly.

 

[Dans40X]

without verification from a quality bore scope,any cleaning regime is pure speculation/guessing.

Your Criterion Bbl may have been less expensive than others,but what did you gain besides an exercise in cleaning.

 

[dkhunt14]

Have you been using the same brand and type bullets? I have a rifle that shows hardly any copper with one brand bullet but coppers up bad with another bullet. I think a lot of it depends on the softness or hardness of the jackets as to whether they copper up a barrel slightly or terribly.

I think if it is a good barrel, it won't copper with any bullet. Matt