I just installed a new willson 20" SS bull barrel and ran a cleaning patch with clip on it through the barrrel.  The patch came out very dirty.  I cleaned the barrel and then look at the barrel and saw what looked like copper fouling.  I ran a patch with sweets copper remover down the barrel, followed with a dry patch.  The dry patch came out blue indicating copper fouling?  I clean all of copper out of the barrel and now I don't see any copper in the barrel.

Is this normal for a new barrel?  
Does willson test fire there barrel?

The barrel was purchased new from M&A parts..

i can't speak to wilson's manufacturing, but i've been around a shitpot of machine shops.  although some give the appearance of being extra clean, it is a relatively dirty environment.  also, keep in mind a very minute portion of copper can turn a patch blue.  

i'd give it no worry.  i am glad to see you cleaned it before using it.  a lot of folks will take a brand new rifle or part and use it without proper prep.  you'd be surprised how dirty some of these items can be...

HTH.

septic tank

Thanks for the reply.  

As far as the copper fouling, I could actually see it in the barrel.  It seemed excesive to me.

just a little copper can do that. It could be from a test fire/ function check. Clean, lube, and shoot it






Invisiblesoul

+1

If the barrel was never built up, how could it be test fired.  Sounds a little strange to me, but in the end it probably doesn't matter much as long as it looks new after cleaning.