Barrel Pitting

[Swift4Yotes]

What concerns me the most about these copper mines is when they foul at the muzzle. They may shoot accurately but if you drag them around in the moisture hunting and you get that white powder look in the barrel the next shot has been off a few inches. The next ones come right back though. The other issue is that they need at least 3 shots to foul in my experience. So I never know whether to hunt with them clean, dirty, or do I run a bore snake down before every hunt. The 12 fv's that I have take a few to foul after cleaning but they are always dead on for the first shot after sitting a month or so with no cleaning or oiling after the last time shot. They only thing I know for sure is the ones that shoot good after sitting have no visible copper fouling at the muzzle. BTW I just bought a bore scope so I probably about to drive my self nuts lol.

[foxx]

In my experience, bore snake does not remove copper, removes carbon to some degree, as long as it's not built up and hardened. Of course, you do WANT to remove carbon after a while. Pulling a bore snake thru your bore before and after each trip to range or hunt is a good idea, in my book.

[Hawaiian]

I have to wonder if people actually read the posts.

Its been repeatedly stated by several people that rough barrels shoot just fine and finish has nothing to do with accuracy.

And then this that "I have been lucky" with those rough barrels. Really? Go back and read has been posted.


No, you are not lucky, rough barrels do not mean bad barrels. Sheese.

I'm saying I'm lucky because my rough barrel is able to make groups that is acceptable to me. Not all rough barrels do. The pictures below are of a Savage barrel that would not do better than an inchand a half no matter what loads the owner tried and has since been replaced with a Shilen select.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r117/tstar99/Lyman%20Borecam/Savage/PICT0012_zpsbxrjpo2m.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r117/tstar99/Lyman%20Borecam/Savage/PICT0011_zpsqz2mf1uy.jpg

[RC20]

Same is true for smoother barrels. As many of those do not shoot as rough.

There is no correlation. Its other factors that make it shoot or not.

Smooth allows easier cleaning and that all that can be said of it.

Of course a Shilen is going to have a far better chance to shoot, its not smooth either.
It quality control is what makes it a better shooter, not the smooth.

Hammer forged are smooth, unless better attention paid to them they won't shoot well.

[CBryars2]

Something to try - I use Tubb Final Finish, it smooths the barrel out, cleans tooling and chatter marks. Have 3 stealths, all .5 MOA, all using Final Finish. Priced it out and at roughly $1 per round it works out same as breaking in by shooting. You can use every 500-600 rounds to clean up the barrel and cleaning is much easier, does not appear to copper foul nearly as much. No finanical interest, just a product I like.

[RC20]

Good input. The experts say it does not change anything, but if it stops copper fouling build up and helps the cleaning that's a real plus.

I have tried 3 different approaches on the barrels for so called break in. Savage none, XC cleaned after each shot for X amount (forget how many) Shilen just every 5 to 10. Interior appearance is the same regardless.

None of them seemed to change anything inherent in the condition be it rough per the Savage, mid way per the XC and pretty smooth per the Shilen.

It sounds like the Tubbs does help in two areas.

[bearcatrp]

Couldn't leave things alone so scoped the 338. I'll let you guys guess on these. Found this before a good cleaning so cleaned and scoped. Not sure what to make of it but for a rifle with 53 shots only am wondering.
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt92/bearcatrp/PICT0021_zpsgx5isg8j.jpg (http://s601.photobucket.com/user/bearcatrp/media/PICT0021_zpsgx5isg8j.jpg.html)
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt92/bearcatrp/PICT0022_zpseoibw6un.jpg (http://s601.photobucket.com/user/bearcatrp/media/PICT0022_zpseoibw6un.jpg.html)
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt92/bearcatrp/PICT0018_zpsbslnef4l.jpg (http://s601.photobucket.com/user/bearcatrp/media/PICT0018_zpsbslnef4l.jpg.html)

[Robinhood]

I have never seen a competitive shooter seek out a rough or pitted bore barrel. I think that is definitive.

[RC20]

Couldn't leave things alone so scoped the 338. I'll let you guys guess on these. Found this before a good cleaning so cleaned and scoped. Not sure what to make of it but for a rifle with 53 shots only am wondering.

It looks to me like a bit of copper still but not severe.

My Shilen has shades of that as well

Still working with it but would not be worried unless it does not clean up each time.

You might try Bore Tech Eliminator if you aren't using it (or a any modern equivalent).

I suspect the new non toxic odor free cleaners probably use the same chemistry.

[RustyShackle]

I had a savage 116 that had a bore that looked just like the posted pics. Shot decently at about 1moa, but that was about it.

[bearcatrp]

The lines between the rifling had me curious. Almost like it was a crack.