PPC Copper Fouling and accuracy

[Ghansen]

I went to have a practice this morning and thought I would fireform some extra cases for a match coming up in 2 weeks.

Rather than waste my "proven" bullets to fire form with, I have some Berger 68's that I thought would do the trick. (I have tuned for Berger Columns)

First thing I noticed was that the few groups I put up were really patchy, and I just thought I needed to tune the load for the day. Anyway, I had run through some foulers with the 68gr Bergers. When I went to clean after a two 5 shot groups at the target change, I noticed a large amount of copper stain from the solvent clean, as compared with barely any after just using the Columns'. The blue was really thick.

Significantly, until I stopped using the 68's as foulers, the groups were really bad.

The cleaning regimen was the same after another session, and produced a thick blue residue. The last session, I had cleaned and didn't use anymore 68gr foulers, resulting in a good group, and the clean up showing almost no visible blue colouration.

I didn't think introducing a new projectile (as a fouler) could cause so much difference. Have you experienced anything similar?

 

[Lightload]

Interesting question......I've always been hesitant to use different types of bullets for fouling fearing that it may alter my "for record" groups because of the slightly different metallurgy. But the times that I have done it, I didn't see any difference.

 

[LHSmith]

You were fireforming, yet wanted to tune the FF loads for the day? Although many times you can get uncanny accuracy from fireforming the 6 PPC, I would never draw any conclusions on a PPC load until a case has been fired 2X. Absolute best way to FF is to use them as foulers in practice and a match which will conserve precious barrel life. As far as excess copper, on an initial 6 PPC FF load there is a good chance the bullet is not starting into the rifling as square as it normally would.

 

[Ghansen]

The fire forming shots were only for fouler's. I actually did read that 26grains of 133 and a 68gr might produce surprising results, so I thought I would put a few downwind before I shot for group and see what happened. No surprises really, except in the copper fouling, and ugly groups.

 

[Tim Singleton]

Possibly the bearing surface of the 68 gr bullet you were using for fouling is longer than the column bearing surface.

Flat base 68? Measure base to ogive of the two to see.

Just a thought

 

[BoydAllen]

I have shot 68s and Columns, and have not had a fouling problem with either. Perhaps that particular batch had some variation in the jacket alloy.