Basic New Barrel Rifle Question

[Flouncer]

I wasn't sure where to post so if this is the wrong place, please move it with my apologies. I have never owned, shot or handled a brand new rifle. I have had new barrels installed by a gunsmith, but never a new weapon. My brother's new Mossberg ATR in .243 Winchester fouled the first patch I put through, so I ran through another and another. After 16 patches with Wipe Out I have stopped for a beverage and a time out. The steel is mirror sheen when viewed from the bore end into an incandescent light, but the patches look like gray a$$ wipe and they are still dirty after 16 patches. I don't think I am anal over cleaning, my barrels all get cleaned or I don't shoot them. My Clean means after a night wet patch of Wipe Out they are clean or they aren't. Really look forward to first shots with this weapon but I cringe at the thought of burning this junk in dirty.

Is my experience usual for a new factory rifle barrel ? Thanks.

 

[treeman]

How long are you letting the bore foam sit in the barrel? when I get done with a match/ shooting session I foam the barrel and let it sit for 30 min. then foam again and let it sit over night (8hrs) then dry patch and follow up with a carbon cleaner dry patch and oil. dry patch before shooting again. this seems to work well for me. also a factory barrel is going to foul more than a custom barrel which is not a real problem, it just may not shoot as many rounds accurately

"A Nation of Sheep will Begat a Government of Wolves"
not all that bad when the sheep are armed... keeps the wolves at bay!

 

[Flouncer]

Thanks Tree and Lawrence. The weapon is unfired as far as I can tell. I am using the bottled Wipe, not the foam. The first 4 patches had grey (?) and brown, oil on them. The next 10 all grey crud. So I was surprised that patch after patch after patch came out with grey stain from the grooves. If the debris is machining dust, whatnot, my guess is that mechanical action will remove the grime.

The bore sat overnight with the wipe out. Came out grey streaked again.

I also doubt that Mossberg laps their barrel on a $325 rifle. But maybe they do. If the grime is oily dirty lapping paste then I really need to keep wiping away. May even sacrifice a new nylon brush to expedite. The rifle is my brother's and this is part of a conversion for him from Berkeley Urban to powder burning NRA voter.

We get to play tomorrow !!!

 

[jr600yd]

JB the thing and be done with it.

 

[X Ring Accuracy]

JB the thing and be done with it.

I second that motion, let us know.

 

[kendog]

On a new factory barrel you could also be seeing the bluing on the patch. Sounds like you are looking for a solution where there is no problem.

How does it shoot?
I have had factory Remington barrels that never cleaned easily, or shot well (early production 24" PSS). That barrel went in the parts pile. I have Kriegers that dont clean as easily as a Win M70 target barrel, but shoots like a million bucks. The M70 tgt barrel cleans and shoots.
I quit trying to figure them all out.
Bottom line for me is what happens at the target.

 

[Flouncer]

Sounds like you are looking for a solution where there is no problem.

How does it shoot?

You are correct of course I was asking if a new rifle came this dirty from the factory, as I had never experienced one. Er, looking back, that's what happens when you start with a Mauser. There's another one, then another one, then the new barrel, then a target barrel, but never a new factory rifle. After a loop jag and some WD-40 8) a completely clean barrel to break in this AM.

 

[Rustystud]

I had a customer bring me a rifle once that he said the barrel was clean. I used a mixture of GM top engine cleaner and Kroil for the carbon and Montana Extreme for the copper. Fourty-four patches later I told him his barrel was now clean.
He looked at the pile of patches with amazement.
Nat Lambeth

 

[Flouncer]

Reality Check and just to keep it real. Totally humbled yesterday. Not familiar with Weaver rings, base, and wasted 10 shots to start because of that. Cleaned after 2,7 and 15 shots, then shot 2 boxes factory Winchester 100 gr softpoint hunting ammo. Best I could do at 100 yards off bags was an ugly 1 inch high by 3 1/2 inch wide group. Because every gun on the web is "sub MOA" 8) right out of the box, right ? ? This one and this shooter ain't. Barrel cleaned up pretty quick with very little copper fouling. The barrel is free floated until the end of the stock where it is pinched down hard.

The kick compared to my 6mmbr that weighs around 13 pounds is truly amazing. My brother who is used to .22 rf was flinching and my son got cut by the scope hitting his shooting glasses. Anyone remember those days ??