On thing to try to reduce the initial copper fouling is pretreating the bore with Colloidal graphite, ie Lock-Ease. After the first shot out of a clean barrel the powder residue provides a barrier between the bore and bullet. That powder residue layer contains a large percentage of graphite, It used in powder production, its the black stuff that clings to your powder measure. Its the reason the first shot will generally be at a lower velocity and out of the group of the following shots in the string. Most times its mistakenly referred to as the "cold barrel shot" when in fact its the clean barrel shot.

Pretreating with Colloidal graphite tends to duplicate the initial powder layer. Most times with a pretreated bore the clean barrel shot will be closer to the velocity, closer or in the group of the following shots and reduces copper fouling.

A comment from a BR shooter...

I attended Tony Boyer's School last June and when he was critiquing my cleaning regimen he asked for the Lock-Ease."
I for one will not question Tony's abilities or methods!

Pretreating is easy, apply a few drops Lock-ease n a patch, take two or three passes through the bore and allow the carrier(alcohol) to flash off then fire away. Use a bore guide,you want the graphite in the bore, not in the chamber!

Cleaning is the same as normal. Use you favorite bore cleaner.

I too have Copper Mine, a 700 VLS in 243. I swear a bullet starts out as a 6, but exits a 22! Pretreating reduces the copper fouling in that barrel quit a bit and reduces the large pile of blue patches to a few.

All my barrels are pretreated prior to shooting. BTW, I don't like oil or anything contain oils in my barrels. When oil burns it leaves behind a hard carbon. Since the temperature is at it highest just past the freebore to about an inch down the bore its a good way to form the dreaded carbon ring and build up in the gap space. Before firing I patch out with denatured alcohol then pretreat with Lock-Ease.

It may not completely eliminate copper fouling, but it certainly will help reduce it in all but those barrels rifled with a rattail file!


Bill