Just got my barreled action from the Longrifles group buy. Superb workmanship. It's a Kreiger 5R 6.5 barrel. I'm cleaning it from the test fired rounds before I go to the range to start load development and it seems to be copper fouled much more than any other custom barrel I've had. I've used Shilen and Lilja on bolt guns and Les Baer on AR platform guns before, all of which copper fouled much less than this one seems to be. Is this normal for a cut rifles barrel before it's broken in, more so than a button rifled barrel? Does a 5R barrel foul more? I know it matters more how it shoots, I've yet to really shoot it yet and all that, but I'm curious now what others experiences are.
Gunsmithing New Barrel Fouling
- Thread starter blackfoot
- Start date
I'm not strict with barrel break in, but with Bartliens and Kreigers I've had, which is several, I always see very heavy fouling for first several shots. Don't think it's from the barrel as much as the throat area of the fresh cut chamber.
I won't go and spend hours shoot, clean, shoot, clean, etc....shoot three and clean, etc., shoot five and clean....
Think most here will say such is horse shit and unneeded, but I'm OCD enough that I can't help but do a little bit of break in.
I typically do it at the house before range trip. Go to the wood pile, shoot and clean, then shoot 3 and clean, and then five-ten and clean. And by clean, I mean knock it down, not necessarily squeaky clean. It's actually a cool process since you get to see real quickly how fast the fouling drops off. That third firing of 5-10 rounds typically shows significantly less fouling that the first single shot.
So, wouldn't be surprised if that first cleaning you did from the test rounds is possibly the most copper fouling you see in the rifle if you clean every couple hundred rounds. I'm certainly no expert, but have firearm ADD bad enough I seem to constantly be breaking in something.
I won't go and spend hours shoot, clean, shoot, clean, etc....shoot three and clean, etc., shoot five and clean....
Think most here will say such is horse shit and unneeded, but I'm OCD enough that I can't help but do a little bit of break in.
I typically do it at the house before range trip. Go to the wood pile, shoot and clean, then shoot 3 and clean, and then five-ten and clean. And by clean, I mean knock it down, not necessarily squeaky clean. It's actually a cool process since you get to see real quickly how fast the fouling drops off. That third firing of 5-10 rounds typically shows significantly less fouling that the first single shot.
So, wouldn't be surprised if that first cleaning you did from the test rounds is possibly the most copper fouling you see in the rifle if you clean every couple hundred rounds. I'm certainly no expert, but have firearm ADD bad enough I seem to constantly be breaking in something.
I've only had one cut barrel,a Rock, 5 R that was installed by GAP...
Even during break in, it was the easiest cleaning barrel I've ever seen...
Copper fouling was always light and cleaned up easily...
Much better than any button rifled barrel I've had...
Even during break in, it was the easiest cleaning barrel I've ever seen...
Copper fouling was always light and cleaned up easily...
Much better than any button rifled barrel I've had...
My Bart that was chambered in 6.5 Creed fowled heavy for the first 20 rounds then stopped, the velocity stabilized and it was one of the best barrels I've owned. I think you will be happy in a few more rounds if you give it a chance.
The best advice I can give you is to take the rifle out and shoot the snot out of it and see how it shoots. What are the average group sizes you're getting at a given distance? Do they meet your expectations? If when you get home and you want to clean it, give it a cleaning. Stop trying to compare copper fouling between different barrel manufactures as you have one of the top barrels from one of the premier barrel makers. There are many variables to copper fouling, some of which the barrel maker has ZERO control of! I have a LR Inc. custom rifle and it shoots lights out. Fouled some at first and settled down. When I checked the fouling with my bore scope after the first range session (40 rounds no cleaning) there was some fouling which I expected. However when a .243 win with a lightweight #4 barrel shoots in the .3's right from the smith, I could of really care less how much fouling I was getting. I did clean it after the first session, after the second range session I shot 30 rounds and the fouling was considerably less. Like all my hunting rifles she gets a cleaning at the end of the season and that's it. Also, I don't scrub the dickens out of my rifles when I clean them, a few traces of copper fouling here and there are usually a good thing as they help fill in the micro grooves in the barrel.
Just shoot it, if your accuracy isn't what you think it should be after trying a few different bullets and loads, give Chad a call and have chat. If there's a problem he's a pretty sharp guy and he'll figure it out. If it's on him, he'll make it right without any issues!
Just shoot it, if your accuracy isn't what you think it should be after trying a few different bullets and loads, give Chad a call and have chat. If there's a problem he's a pretty sharp guy and he'll figure it out. If it's on him, he'll make it right without any issues!
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I have had several lri builds with cut rifled barrels and it'll foul a quite a bit during the first clean up and the second will go much better, after that it will clean a lot easier. All of them shot lights out by the way
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How do you guys define copper fouling?
Is it gold colored streaks on the steel with virtually no thickness or is is built-up that you can see and feel (like with lead)?
I only clean if accuracy degrades badly or before storing the gun for a longer time period. But after watching some bench rest shooters I am beginning to wonder whether I am too lazy.
Is it gold colored streaks on the steel with virtually no thickness or is is built-up that you can see and feel (like with lead)?
I only clean if accuracy degrades badly or before storing the gun for a longer time period. But after watching some bench rest shooters I am beginning to wonder whether I am too lazy.
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