Do we really need to do all this copper removing work for our rifles to shoot well? I'm thinking about seeing what happens if I just remove fouling and skip the copper removing solvents. Anyone else tried this? Maybe I'll just clean with WD40 for a couple hundred and see what happens
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jeffm</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Do we really need to do all this copper removing work for our rifles to shoot well? I'm thinking about seeing what happens if I just remove fouling and skip the copper removing solvents. Anyone else tried this? Maybe I'll just clean with WD40 for a couple hundred and see what happens </div></div>
I never clean for copper, only carbon and only after accurcy drops off, which for my .308 is over 800 rounds now since the last time I cleaned it, if you can call what I did cleaning.
When I had my factory barrel on my Remington 700 SPS-V, the amount of copper in the barrel was a make-or-break factor as far as accuracy. When I would clean my barrel with copper solvent, it would take 20-25 fouler shots in order to get my rifle back to it's best accuracy. This means at 100 yds on a cleaned barrel, I would have 5 shot groups in excess of 1" that would shrink down to around .5" during the 5th 5 shot group.
Copper is a good thing....at least it was in my case. Now that I have a Krieger SS barrel, hardly any copper sticks to the barrel now.
I lapped the barrel on my factory savage barrel, and since doing so, I only clean it every 500 or so rounds, and even then, its a couple slightly dirty patches and back to shooting!
I have a bit different thought on copper fouling, It came from some where? Its off your bullet, and its smeared down the bore,carbon over copper,copper over carbon, and it starts to layer and build up. Each time ripping copper of the bullets jacket... I don't know how many rounds you can go before accuracy drops off, but I clean for copper and carbon about every 100 to 150 rounds. But that's just my simple opinion.
In old hunting rifles with CM barrels, copper will allow rust to form under it, or even promote the process then you are done. I remember a mid 50's Win 70 target that was in about 100% cond outside. Bought it and cleaned the barrel of copper, which took about a week. It was so pitted under the copper that it was ruined.