Question about color in barrel

Hi guys,

Sorry if this is a stupid question. I have a Shillen .308 Chrome Moly barrel. I've been cleaning with Butch's Bore Shine, Sweet's 7.62, using Dewey bronze and nylon brushes. I finish with a wipe of Kroil down the bore and then a few patches through to dry it. Today after cleaning, I noticed that near the muzzle, there was a reddish/brown color in/along the rifling grooves. I can't tell if that's the case throughout the barrel or just near the muzzle. Is this normal? I never noticed this before. I can't tell if it's due to wear, or if I'm not cleaning good enough... I spent about an hour cleaning, scrubbing quite a bit with the brushes but also just running a lot of soaked patches through. This isn't rust or anything is it? Perhaps visible copper fouling?

I've always figured it was just visible copper fouling. I've seen it in many barrels.

axio, JMHO, but if you keep doing what your doing your going to wear that nice Shillen barrel out with the cleaning rod way before you shoot it out ! I think you're seeing copper & a little of it is not a terible thing.

The best thing for getting copper out now days, JMHO, is one of the "foaming" bore cleaners. I have used Gunslick, Breakfree, & another brand I can't remember right now, & they work great. None of these contain amonia & be sure to read the lable & pick one that doesn't. You just squirt it in from the breach end until it comes out the barrel end. I plug both ends with tissue paper & let set from 15 minutes to overnight. When it has done it's work, the tissue will have turned "blue", meaning the copper is gone. Then I run a patch soaked in Breakfree CLP, or whatever, through- followed by dry patches until"reasonably" clean.

I have read posts several times from bench rest shooters that don't clean there match barrels until accuracy starts to fall off. With one of them, this was @ about 800 rounds. Many hunters sight in their rifles & don't clean them until hunting season is over. I have barrels that like cold & clean & those that need a "fouling" shot. Good Luck-Good Shooting- Jim :) PS- just don't "overdo" it- ;)

axio

+1 with FW Conch, the simplest and best method for cleaning any barrel with the minimal amount of cleaning rod use and harsh ammonia chemicals are the new foam bore cleaners.

I saw them used the first time at the military depot I worked at, and that night I picked some up on the way home from work. Below field pieces are being cleaned with the foam bore cleaner.

Before.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...e_Cleaning.jpg

After.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...r_Cleaning.jpg


Below a 1943 No.4 Lee Enfield .303 after soaking overnight and shooting over 100 rounds.

[img width=424 height=450]http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/bigedp51/IMGP5065.jpg[/img]

Thanks, guys. Wish I knew this before I bought a large bottle of Butch's last week... I have a Dewey coated one-piece rod that is supposed to help prevent any damage though, so shouldn't that help prevent any damage/wear to the barrel? Also using the Dewey no-harm brushes, shouldn't that also prevent damage? Or is it also due to the ammonia in the Sweet's?

Either case, I'll go order some of the foaming bore cleaner right now as well...

Wipeout has always worked really well

Cool, just ordered two bottles of Wipe Out! The Butch's can always be saved for the AR-15's...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by axio

Thanks, guys. Wish I knew this before I bought a large bottle of Butch's last week... I have a Dewey coated one-piece rod that is supposed to help prevent any damage though, so shouldn't that help prevent any damage/wear to the barrel? Also using the Dewey no-harm brushes, shouldn't that also prevent damage? Or is it also due to the ammonia in the Sweet's?

Either case, I'll go order some of the foaming bore cleaner right now as well...

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IMO your are much better off with the Buches than any foaming bore cleaner.

I agree with 82, I doubt you are hurting your barrels any. I dont use a brush much but I do use the Sweets and Butches, I dont like waiting all night for the foam to work and dont have time for it during a match.

I have a Shilen barrel that has lost its accuacy and needs to be replaced. I cleaned it with Sweets every time and it lasted 2500 rounds.

Steve

I used Hoppes BR, Butches bore shine and Shooters choice for years and could never get the copper out. I scrubbed/soaked for days and the scope still showed lots of copper. I now use nothing but Kroil and Gunslick foam bore cleaner at home. The foam gets ALL the copper out "but" does take some time on barrels that have lots of copper because of severe button chatter. I've found Savage Blue barrels to be the worst when it comes to chatter and copper buildup. For range cleaning, Butches gets the nod every time ;).