Copper fouling in unfired rifle!?

[64Rambler]

Just picked up a new Bergara B14 in .308 and cleaned it before sending any rounds down the tube. I was surprised by the amount of blue on the patches (Patchout and Hoppes Elite), so I ran the borescope down the length. This image is from ~2/3 down the barrel. The leade and first 1/3 of barrel are clean and appear unfired, but there appears to be a crap ton of copper. Not just a patch or two, a good 6" worth all the way around.
Thoughts?

 

[CJ6]

Factory testing.

 

[rfd]

Selling off a "new" rifle with copper wash on the lands is not cool.

 

[DHD]

Nailed it.

In my experience, about the only way to not see copper about where you are describing it being, is on a new blank before it is installed on an action....

 

[243winxb]

Bergara

Recommended breaking in process:
• For the first 5 shots clean the rifle after each
shot.
• For the next 50 shots clean the rifle after
every 10 shots.
• For subsequent shots clean the rifle frequently.

 

[charlie b]

The last three rifles I purchased all had dirty barrels (with copper fouling) from the factory test firing. The best one I had was a copper mine from the beginning til I swapped it out. Machine marks throughout the bore. It was still shooting 1/2MOA when I took it off the rifle, after 8000 rounds (.223).

Just clean them and keep going. If it shoots well, just keep shooting and cleaning as you normally would. If it doesn't shoot well you can either return it to the factory or try and 'fix it' yourself. Lapping (or using abrasives) sometimes will help a bad barrel, sometimes it won't. It does void any warranty.

 

[PhilC]

Factory testing.

Yep, its called proof testing and manufacturer's don't clean them afterward.

Clean it and press on with load development.

 

[K22]

How does it shoot? Or are you just assuming it won't shoot well because of the visual images you are seeing.

 

[64Rambler]

How does it shoot? Or are you just assuming it won't shoot well because of the visual images you are seeing.

I haven't shot it yet, but was surprised at the level of copper after a pretty thorough cleaning.
Not assuming anything until I see groups on paper. My F-Open rifle has a persistant copper fouling and routinely shoots in the 2s.

 

[tmwinds]

Proof loads are loaded to a much higher pressure than the normal maximum loads. Between lower pressure and velocity of suggested loads and barrel break in there is a good chance that copper fouling will be minimal.

 

[64Rambler]

Proof loads are loaded to a much higher pressure than the normal maximum loads. Between lower pressure and velocity of suggested loads and barrel break in there is a good chance that copper fouling will be minimal.

So if recommended barrel break-in is with lower pressure/velocity loads, and clean between each of the first five, then groups of five, but they didn't clean between any of the proof loads at higher p/v, what's the point of following barrel break in?

 

[GotRDid]

Likely only one round fired during Proofing.
So, simply clean as best you can upon receipt of “new” rifle, then shoot/clean 4 more for your first phase.
Then follow the best shoot/clean technique/interval that works for you, whether it be 5 shots/clean, 10 shots/clean, etc.

 

[rfd]

This is where smokeless paper patched cast alloy slick cartridges shine - no leading, no copper fouling.

 

[TA17rem]

agree rifles are all proof tested before they go out the door.

 

[Fire Dog]

This is where smokeless paper patched cast alloy slick cartridges shine - no leading, no copper fouling.

And less than 2,000fps

 

[danny]

Just picked up a new Bergara B14 in .308 and cleaned it before sending any rounds down the tube. I was surprised by the amount of blue on the patches (Patchout and Hoppes Elite), so I ran the borescope down the length. This image is from ~2/3 down the barrel. The leade and first 1/3 of barrel are clean and appear unfired, but there appears to be a crap ton of copper. Not just a patch or two, a good 6" worth all the way around.
Thoughts?

Unfired firearms have been test fired when manufactured (before shipping), then not fired (unfired) by the original buyer.

Danny

 

[Hipshoot]

Would anyone want to buy a car that was not tested to see if it would run?

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Some buttoned bbls use a copper based lube when buttoning the bbl. If it's indeed unfired, that's your likely answer. Lapping will typically remove it but only if it's a lapped bbl. No idea what Bergara does or doesn't do but it looks like it might've been lapped.

On a factory complete rifle, it was most likely test fired at the factory.

 

[243winxb]

So if recommended barrel break-in is with lower pressure/velocity loads, and clean between each of the first five, then groups of five, but they didn't clean between any of the proof loads at higher p/v, what's the point of following barrel break in?

1 proof load is fired. Break in is with standard factory type ammo or reloads.
Break in will smooth off the high spots & fill the low. Cleaning afer every shot of 5, will leave the barrel wet enough to aid breaking in the barrel.

Think of a little copper as lube.

Proof load maximum is 89,000 PSI.

 

[K22]

I haven't shot it yet, but was surprised at the level of copper after a pretty thorough cleaning.
Not assuming anything until I see groups on paper. My F-Open rifle has a persistant copper fouling and routinely shoots in the 2s.

Since you stated the rifle had a "thorough cleaning", put at least 7 to 10 rounds down the bore before you make any assessment regarding the shooting capability of the rifle.

The reason your F-Open rifles shoot in the .2s is that they have a persistent copper "fouling". Actually, "fouling" is a mischaracterization. The copper plating you see is not fouling, is copper filling the imperfections in the bore.