Copper fouling

[carcaju99]

Howdy folks! It seems that my CVA Wolf barrel gets fouled with copper easily. Is this normal? My smokeless comes clean with Pro-Shot solvent but not the Wolf. There are scabs of copper in the barrel. I am using Hornady Bore drivers that have a sort of sabot. Seems odd to be fouling so much. Any thoughts?

 

[michiganmuzzy]

What is your powder load with those?

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Might try to polish the bore with something like JB Bore Polish. That may help keep the fouling down.

 

[45-70]

Howdy folks! It seems that my CVA Wolf barrel gets fouled with copper easily. Is this normal? My smokeless comes clean with Pro-Shot solvent but not the Wolf. There are scabs of copper in the barrel. I am using Hornady Bore drivers that have a sort of sabot. Seems odd to be fouling so much. Any thoughts?

not really, rifle is no different than Centerfire, I would say difference in grade of Barrel being used

 

[carcaju99]

I am using 2 White Hots.

 

[carcaju99]

Gotta be a quarter's worth of copper in the barrel.

Is this copper or rust? What's your opinion?

 

[45-70]

I am using 2 White Hots.

doesn't have anything to do with copper fowling, since copper bullet doesn't have any lube grooves

 

[carcaju99]

Might try to polish the bore with something like JB Bore Polish. That may help keep the fouling down.

I don't have any JB handy. I did take your advice to heart. I wet a patch and sprinkled a little Comet (I think you call it Dutch Cleanser) on the patch. I pushed it thru and got brown copper staining on the patch. I ran 4-5 more thru and then switched back to Pro-Shot copper solvent. Give it a few hours and I'll run the bore scope thru again. I'll post the new pics to show results.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Any good metal polish(fine or mild abrasive) would probably accomplish a good bore polish. There are a couple good threads here about polishing bores. One using steel wool and a good bore polishing compound on a very tight fitting bore brush. I cant recall the thread title just now. I’ll find a link if someone else doesn't put it up first.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Search for ‘Lee Shavers bore lapping or break in’.

 

[carcaju99]

Thank you all for your comments. I have a good friend that is very knowledgeable in all things, firearms. He thinks the staining is actually rust spots from previous owner leaving solvent in the bore. What are your thoughts? I've never heard of a solvent being corrosive. Would Hoppe's black powder solvent do that?

 

[michiganmuzzy]

No, ive not heard of a solvent causing corrosion. More likely its from the powder used and not getting properly cleaned. A long thorough cleaning may remove rust and/or take down some of the pitting. I missed those pics earlier. I ve seen worse barrels that shot really well. They will foul quicker/more easily.

 

[GM54-120]

Hoppes Elite Black Powder solvent is water based.

 

[carcaju99]

Hoppes Elite Black Powder solvent is water based.

Hmmm....I wonder... I don't like Hoppe's products anyway. I will use Wipe-Out instead. Throw the Hoppe's away.

 

[southdakbearfan]

Soap and hot water clean mine, then hoppes black powder, then wipe out if I have been shooting nonsaboted jacketed bullets to get any copper out. Then a cleaning with bore scrubber and a light oiling to protect.

Probably overkill, but I never get rust. Some “regular” solvents will not get the rust causing fouling from black powder or some of the replacements like 777 or white hots out.

 

[45-70]

amazing hoppes black solvent cleans copper

 

[MSalyards]

Run a patch with ammonia or copper solvent down the barrel and if it doesnt come out blue its not copper

 

[HV-Muzzleloaders]

HBN powder (HexaBoron Nitride) can help reduce metals sticking to your barrel. It looks like talcum powder. During recent years David Tubbs has provided a service which will coat your bullets with HBN, instead of Moly.

It works best on a virgin barrel but will work on any barrel if you can get it clean.

Put some HBN on a patch and run it down the bore of a super-clean barrel. It will deposit a very thin layer of HBN on the surface and helps fill in the tiny pores.

You can get HBN powder on eBay the last time I checked. A little goes a long way.

It can also be used on bullet molds instead of carbon.

 

[Ninering62]

Might try to polish the bore with something like JB Bore Polish. That may help keep the fouling down.

Thats exactly where my mind went with this post too bro. Bob sent me a bunch of the White - fine Scuff pads & wrapping one cut to the right size around a bore brush of the next cal down - ( I have JB Bore compound to start out, then with JB Bore Bright to finish it off ). I used a wornout .40 brush for my .45's & a wornout .45 brush for my .50. If you cut the scuff pad to the right length the brush holds it in place perfectly after you fiddle a bit gettin it started. But its well worth the outcome when all is done. Thats a huge step in the right direction to resolving his issue.

 

[Ninering62]

HBN powder (HexaBoron Nitride) can help reduce metals sticking to your barrel. It looks like talcum powder. During recent years David Tubbs has provided a service which will coat your bullets with HBN, instead of Moly.

It works best on a virgin barrel but will work on any barrel if you can get it clean.

Put some HBN on a patch and run it down the bore of a super-clean barrel. It will deposit a very thin layer of HBN on the surface and helps fill in the tiny pores.

You can get HBN powder on eBay the last time I checked. A little goes a long way.

It can also be used on bullet molds instead of carbon.

Thanks for your post & the info. I learned something new from it too.
I'm makin some Bills or Bens liquid spray on lube that dries to the touch but leaves a micro film of lube on your bullets. I'm testing this ( its new to me too ) on cast conicals in my .50. I'll get to testing out some jacketed bullets with it too, to see if theres any fouling or cleaning differences. Perhaps polishing his bore & using a spray on lube like this will completely alleviate his fouling issues. Its food for thought.