Did I ruin my 6br barrell?

[AllanR21]

OK, I have a Krieger 1 in 8 twist barrell with 1606 rounds through it. I have cleaned it every time I shoot it and check it with my bore scope to make sure I get everything out. I use boreteck eliminator to clean most of it out and finish off with Isso paste. I push four patches through it with Isso and another patch that I go back and fourth about ten times. The last time out, the groups opened up too about 2" groups at 200 yards from 1/4" to 3/8" groups normally. I asked a gun smith what it could be and he thinks I polished the barrell too much, thus possibly ruining the barrell. The inside of the barrell looks good, the lands have very little wear. Any else have any thoughts on this? Can a load that has worked perfectly for 1606 rounds, need to be changed. I have only seen a 20 thousands increase at the lands. I already tried moving the bullett out to compensate.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[AllanR21]

One more thing. I'm not running a hot load. The powder charge is 30.4 grain of N-540.

 

[Hal]

You might look closely at the crown.

Hal

 

[AllanR21]

The only thing I did notice is that I have copper build up at the front 1-1/2" in the grooves.. Maybe I should have an inch or so cut off the crown area?

 

[Steve Blair]

The only thing I did notice is that I have copper build up at the front 1-1/2" in the grooves.. Maybe I should have an inch or so cut off the crown area?

[br]
Try another solvent and get rid of that copper. Then, check the crown and muzzle rifling condition.

 

[AllanR21]

Hi Steve, I have been removing it but it seems to keep coming back. Is there a way to possibly un polish the inside of the barrell or am I on the wrong track?

 

[Steve Blair]

Hi Steve, I have been removing it but it seems to keep coming back. Is there a way to possibly un polish the inside of the barrell or am I on the wrong track?

[br]
I meant that I agree with Hal on this. Just get the copper out and carefully scope the crown and first few inches of the bore, looking for problems. Kriegers usually do not copper after the first few rounds. There is a reason this is happening and I don't think it is because the barrel is too smooth at the muzzle.

 

[fredhorace77]

are u sure ur scope didnt go crazy some how..

 

[ollie]

I agree with the scope issue. Check the rings, mounts, action screws and that your barrel didnt come loose.

 

[AllanR21]

I know it's not the scope. I did a box test to Make sure at 100 yards. It tracked perfectly. I didn't check to see if the barrell is loose on the action though. I'll take a look at that with my barrell vice.

Thanks.

 

[potatoe]

Allan, I guess sometimes a barrel can quit on you at any given time but I've always had a hard time blaming normal throat wear, scope issues, copper fouling ect. when I change something that could change the way my gun shoots. If it were me, I'd either cut the barrel down and get it rechambered or cut my losses with a 1500+ barrel and get a new one.

 

[AllanR21]

Your probably right about cutting my losses. I have two barrels on order. I just wondered if a barrell could be polished to a point at 1606 rounds to be gone, even though it looks good through the bore scope. I do think I won't be retentive about having a spotless barrell in the future :-\. I thought, the cleaner, the better, I guess not

Thanks.

Allan.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

You changed nothing, did you normal cleaning routine that served you well for 1600 rounds, and you groups opened up from 1/4 to 2 inches at 200 yards. I highly doubt its your barrel. I'd be looking some where else. Just my opinion.

 

[lloydx2]

Theres nothing wrong with polish. Its getting there that's the problem. Your effectively removing metal. The problem is you may not have done it evenly. If one land is unevenly worn (polished) Your done. When most people clean they tend to put downward pressure on the rod Even with a really tight bore guide this can be a problem with an aggressive paste. You can go back with a throating reamer and true it back up. But with 1600 on in that can be hit or miss. Check everything else and make sure your not missing something. Try loading a dummy round long and see what the bullet engraving looks like, Is it even. Maybe smoke it or black ink pen. Make sure you use a case that fits the chamber with very little endplay. So its not tipping when it goes in. This might give you some idea. Good luck Lloyd

 

[AllanR21]

Thanks the advise guys, I'll start looking around to see if I'm missing something.

Allan.

 

[potatoe]

Perhaps is misunderstood or assumed something. The way the thread title and the original post is worded I'm under the impression that this was the first time you used Iosso in the barrel and it was at 1600 rounds when you did this type of cleaning for the first time? If so I stand by my original post, not saying I wouldn't look into some of the 'usual suspects' but I wouldn't get my hopes up.

 

[Henryp]

Did you go to a new lot # of bullets or powder? Some shoot and some don't.

 

[hogpatrol]

If the gun seems ok, how about the ammo? Pull a few & see if the powder weight is correct or varies. Check the bullets too. While you're at it, check your scale or thrower. Did you chrono those groups? My opinion but I can't see a gun going south that much that fast.

 

[rayporter]

take and old barrel and chuck up a piece of cloth and soak it with iosso. polish the barrel untill you burn up a drill then measure to see how much you removed and report back. for that matter you can do it to the outside of that barrel. ray

 

[queen_stick]

Allan,

I was under the assumption that a 6br barrel was good for 2500+ rounds, but I haven't burned one up yet, so I don't know that for sure. Although "2500+" is often thrown around as one of the benefits of the 6br... 'good barrel life.' I'm surprised that it quit at 1600rds, but these figures aren't set in stone. The 6.5-284 is a good example... some people get 800rds or less, others can get 1200+... that's a big difference. I would imagine any cartridge would have exceptions to their 'general round count' until a barrel wears out... maybe yours quit on the short end of the life span

It sounds like you covered all of the basics, including 'chasing the lands.' If you don't find anything mechanical out of the ordinary (as others mentioned), maybe try working up a new load from scratch. I think it would be worth a try, at least until your new barrel arrives.

Walt