AI AE Bartlein Barrel Question.....

[Jethro3898]

Gents,

A few weeks ago I received my brand new AI AE MkIII. I opted for the Bartlein barrel upgrade (1:10 twist).
Tomorrow I am FINALLY getting to go sight the rifle in. I decided to take a serious look down the bore since I would be firing it for the first time and noticed VERY visible copper fouling near the muzzle. I decided it would be best to clean the bore and I cannot describe how bad the fouling was.

Normally on my other rifle, even after a couple hundred rounds, the patches come out a light aqua color. The patches out of this brand new rifle came out a deep cobalt blue.

My question is, do they test fire these barrels or something before they ship the rifle to you? If so, how many rounds do they send through them?
The carbon fouling wasn't bad at all, but the copper was the worst I have EVER seen.

Just trying to figure out if this is normal or if my "brand new" rifle was a demo rifle or something. I just can't get over how bad the fouling is.
I guess the proof will be in the pudding tomorrow at the range. I'm sure it shoots just fine, I'm just take aback by amount of copper in the bore of a new rifle.

 

[Frank Green]

I can't remember off hand after the gun is put together but I do know they test fire them but off hand I don't remember how many rounds they shoot thru them. I also don't know what kinda ammo they use as well. Some types of ammo even different lots of bullets can cause fouling as well. The jacket material can vary from lot to lot and actually cause fouling. Give AI a call. Clean it and shoot it. See what the gun does. If the accuracy is there and not going bad on you at all just shoot and clean the gun when done. I've seen some barrels where up to around a 100 rounds or so keep shooting better and better and clean easier as you get rounds thru it. Why? Sometimes the throat could be a little rougher when new and can cause fouling as well. The only thing you really break in on a new barrel is the throat.

I just shot my 6 Creedmoor build for the second time this week. The first time I only had a chance to put 14 rounds thru it. When I cleaned it there was some color on my patches. The second time I shot it I put about 35 rounds thru it. Other than some carbon/dirt on the patches no color from copper.

Let us know how it works!

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

 

[Jethro3898]

Wow. Now that's about the most informed response a guy like me could ask for.
Thank you for the response Mr. Green.

I got the barrel clean and will be eager to see how it performs tomorrow. I never really knew that different copper jackets fouled barrels differently, but it makes sense.

At any rate, I'm excited to finally get to shoot it.

 

[terrell35744]

AI shoots them before they ship. Dont worry about what the inside of a barrel looks like if it shoots which it will its an AI with the only thing that needs changing on the rifle(new barrel)fixed already. My bartlien 260 AINA barrel has only seen a cleaning rod once in over 2000 rounds still shooting 1/3 moa at 300m. Only problem i see is it sounds like you got a 308 barrel instead of a 6.5mm barrel haha.