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Posted: 3/27/2008 5:07:04 AM EDT
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I was at the range a few days back, and one of the rifles we were running throw a few too many Key hole hits down range (75 feet). The rifle that was at fault has seen its share of rounds and we do not know the twist rate for it. Ammo was 5.56 green tip and out of 100 rounds 6 key holed. In the past this has not been an issue. Some have said that the rifling is just old or worn out. I know information is light about this weapon, but any ideas or things to check would be appreciated. |
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When was the last time that you cleaned the barrel with Copper solvent (read didn't stop until the patches stop coming out blue). Note: Instead of using Hoppes and having to do a lot of scrubbing, Try Sweets instead. It cleans out copper fouling without having do to a lot of scrubbing. |
+1 on the Sweets. BE DAM*** SURE TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS! Sweets is so nasty it can pit your barrel if you leave it in too long. Other cleaning info/products: Hoppes makes some orange/yellow (I'm color blind) patches that are for removing lead. You will be KNOCKED OUT to find out how much lead is in a .22 barrel. It works well, too, for the crap you find in an AR barrel. I put a bunch of these through my AR barrel after a thorough cleaning, and as above, was very surprised at how much crap came from the barrel. I had COPPER SHAVINGS in the first 2 patches I ran through! The shavings had just laid in the grooves, against the lands, where they couldn't be seen. Also, I use some J&B bore paste; it is sort of like a polishing compound, but very very fine, and won't harm your rifling. It also works well. After I used some of these products, my groups shrank noticibly! |
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Just a note on 22LR barrels, It take about 20 to 40 rounds of live Fire until the barrel will settle back done when completely cleaned (all fouling and wax removed). The 22lr barrels don't get happy/settle back in until the said above amount of rounds have laid down a coat of wax which unifies the speed of the rounds through the bore. The moral, if you are going to shoot a few hundred rounds through a 22LR, don't be in a rush to detail clean the barrel. For the most part, just running a dry patch down the bore will remove most of the fouling, and leave the needed wax coating in the bore. |
My Anschutz's are good for about 800 rounds with match ammo before they need to be detailed clean (accuracy start to drop off). Seen some production barreled 10/22's that will go maybe less than 400 rounds with match ammo before they just need to be detailed cleaned. It all depends on the condition of the bore of the bore and just how well it will deal with the lead (scrapped off the bullets and deposited on the bore/rifling). Also, ammo has a lot to do with it. If your shooting cheap thunder bolt ammo, then you may have to detail clean after 100 rounds (read this type will lead up a Ruger pistol barrel quicker than that and require detail cleaning to remove the lead deposits). |
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As for the "Cleaning" part I have just started to use Gunzilla. Whet it comes too carbon on the bolt parts and chamber area it does wonders. I us it and a bore snake on the barrel. I do have a jar of Brownells "J-B", when I get some free time this weekend I will detail clean and inspect the crown. Then I will cross my fingers and run her again with the same ammo. Which is good stuff, so far I can still afford "the good stuff" 
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By a bottle of sweets and use it to clean the bore alone. Also, dump the bore snake and buy a single piece cleaning rod with brushes/jigs for patches. Really, with the bore snake and cleaner you are using, you are just shining up the copper fouling in the barrel, not removing it. |
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