Using CFE223 powder in a factory barrel?

[Texas10]

My model 12 in .223 does not shoot well with a squeaky clean factory barrel. If I remove all the copper buildup, it'll take a dozen or more fouling shots to get it to group well again, and for that reason I've stopped cleaning it down to metal, and now only clean the powder fouling when the groups start to open up.

I just picked up a pound of CFE223 to try out a new load using the Hornaday Match 75g HPBT and am now thinking that using this powder might be a bad idea in my factory barrel.

Does anyone know exactly how this Copper Fouling Eliminator works? Will it remove existing copper fouling or just prevent buildup of additional copper fouling?

Any thoughts or comments are appreciated, as always.

[darkker]

It is a series of tin/bismuth compounds, originally discovered by the French around 1900. Albeit not in the same amounts, those cleaning compounds have been in Win 748 & 760/AA2700 For many many decades, if not forever; by the MSDS it has been for at least 30 years.
I'm through about 20# of CFE at this point, I would say that it is very good at tieing-up copper from firing events, but not convinced it will "clean" old fouling. Just like the two previous powders I mentioned, the side effect is what looks like increased loose powder fouling.

Personally I gave up the odd obsession people get of constant cleaning, unless groups open up; much like you have found.

[darkker]

Double post, sorry

[Texas10]

I think I have to agree with you, Darkker, that existing copper fouling remains. I cleaned to remove powder residue only yesterday and shot today. First rounds out the barrel flew predictably.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the newby here.