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Posted: 8/8/2009 11:49:21 AM EDT
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Just finished a build with a "new, unfired" stainless match barrel from a private individual on the EE. Since I spent a considerable(for me) amount on the barrel, I figured WTH I'll do the break in procedure. Shoot, wet patches until clean, wet bronze brush(new), wet patches(hoppes copper solvent) until clean, dry patches until no residue. After every shot for the first ten, then after five to fifty, after ten to a hundred, then forty for the gong. Home to clean.
This is where it gets funky.... Two hours later, I stopped, still unsatisfied, but out of time. I'm still getting black crud on my patches.(cotton, tight on a good spear point jag) Same procedure, but everytime I run the brush 5-10 strokes, the next wet patch is coming out black. I thought I was recontaminating, so I started washing the brush in lighter fluid and patting it dry on a clean rag. No joy. In frustration, I broke out a new brush and ran it in dry. Next wet patch comes out black. Everytime I run a brush, it seems like I break loose a new layer of crud. Now I have about 40 years of trigger time including some for Uncle Sam, and I've cleaned a rifle or two, I have other stainless guns. This doesnt feel like 140 rounds with the cleaning I was doing at the range. Accuracy hasn't realy showed yet, but since I was just firing for break-in, I was shooting generic crap. I'm starting to wish I'd run a few wet patches and a brush down my "new" barrel before I shot it. The barrel was stamped 06, I bought it this year. Is it possible that I got the barrel this dirty in one 140 rd range session, cleaning between shots? I shot Remington UMC (60), Federal XM 193 (20) PMC (20) and some Walmart bulk Federal (40). Am I missing something here? Some kind of chemical reaction moking the black patches? Moly? 1000s of rounds of carbon build up? Opinions please 
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| What solvents are you using? Get some Wipe-Out and give it a shot of the foam. Let it sit overnight and run just patches in the morning until they come out clean. Did you clean the barrel before you shot it? Some barrels come packed with grease when new. If you shot the barrel full of grease there me be some burned grease fouling up the bore. |
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If your using any of the really strong copper solvents don't leave them in a S.S. bbl. over 10-15 Mins. If your groups are getting wide I would run a few wet patch's down the bore followed by a few dry ones, and see what effect it had on my groups.
Myself my rifles are for protection so I don't rely on stopping and cleaning them when their being used. Same at range I just shoot and clean when I get home, never at range. |
I did not clean it before shooting, wish I had. Looked clean . Grease might be an explanation, but on a stainless barrel? I'm using Hoppes benchrest copper solvent. I finally got to the point where I could get clean patches all day long until I put in a bronze brush, then I get out a black patch. I am starting to suspect a chemical reaction between the solvent, the stainless and the bronze. I got nice clean dry patches and gave it a patch of oil and put it away. My solvent is clean, and it happens with new brushes so WTF I said uncle. It's got to be clean, I spent about 3hrs with wet patches, wet brushes scrubbing away. I'll get a different solvent or some bore foam for after the next range session. This one is a sandbag rifle with a heavy 20" barrel. I usually clean after too, but this was a break in, so I was cleaning between shots at the range, and at home. BTW, I cleaned a .270 With a chrome moly barrel at the same time and it cleaned up in no time without any issue.
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| Get rid of the brushes. That is your problem, the solvent is reacting with the brush I would assume. I only use Wipe-out and Patch Out with accelerator for my rifle barrels. Spray the foam, let it sit a few hours, and then 3-4 patches until they come out clean. This is what alot of the BR shooters do these days. The barrel comes out spotless and you don't have to do any of the work. The foam does it for you. I usually follow up with a lightly coated CLP patch. For quick cleanings you put an patch with accelrator down, followed by a patch out coated patch. give it 30 minutes then patch till it's clean. |
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You can do this until doomsday and you'll still get black patches after brushing.
At least, you will until you finally wear out the bronze brush, which is the source of the black, which is made up of microscopic particles of bronze being abraded by the harder bore steel. Betcha this won't happen if you use a nylon brush. |
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