Copper Fouling

[grimey121uk]

Or lack of it.

 

A few months back I picked up a new Howa 1500 blued varmint in 223 which was broken in as per Howa's reccomendation. Since being broken in it has fired around 150 Remington UMC 55g fmj's and cleaned after each use yet I am puzzled as to why I have never seen any signs of copper fouling even during the break in period. I use Hoppes copper remover on all of my guns and I get blue on the patch with them all apart from the Howa.

 

Its worth noting that I have put as many as 60 rounds through it in one session.

 

Whilst this seems good it doesn't make sense to me, could anyone explain it to me or have any of you had a similar "problem"?

Edited December 25, 2013 by grimey121uk

[Dougy]

There are stronger copper removing chemicals than hoppes, if your not getting any signs of copper then your extremely lucky. But I really can't believe you have a rifle barrel that doesn't pick up any copper after the amount if shots you've put through. You could try other cleaner's, butchers bore shine, KG copper solvent, sweets (one of the strong ones) bore foam. Try one and see what results you get.

[grimey121uk]

I also have the bore foam which shows no sign of blue even after a 30 min soak. I also wiped a patch (with hoppes) onto a copper pipe to test the solvent and it turned blue straight away.

Edited December 26, 2013 by grimey121uk

[kent]

Bore foam takes hours not minutes to dissolve copper in a rifle bore that's why! My .243 coppers up pretty bad these days and yet needs 4-5 hours to show blue patches with bore foam

[grimey121uk]

Bore foam takes hours not minutes to dissolve copper in a rifle bore that's why! My .243 coppers up pretty bad these days and yet needs 4-5 hours to show blue patches with bore foam

It says no longer than 30mins on the tin, again if i rub some foam on a copper pipe it turns blue, surely if there was any copper at all it would go blue on the patch.

 

My Mauser fouls a lot however a few scrubs with a brass bruss and then a half hour soak in hoppes copper solvent removes it all, any re application from then on shows no sign of copper.

[kent]

It says no longer than 30mins on the tin, again if i rub some foam on a copper pipe it turns blue, surely if there was any copper at all it would go blue on the patch.

 

My Mauser fouls a lot however a few scrubs with a brass bruss and then a half hour soak in hoppes copper solvent removes it all, any re application from then on shows no sign of copper.

 

Yes I know but it non the less takes hours! I think it was Border Barrels who first spoke of break in using bore foam overnight. How much of it might they sell if they said leave in the bore for a few hours? The other option is a true copper remover shooters choice, sweets etc. Pure copper removers are fast but nasty stuff (make sure its well vented and wear gloves and specs )

[grimey121uk]

 

Yes I know but it non the less takes hours! I think it was Border Barrels who first spoke of break in using bore foam overnight. How much of it might they sell if they said leave in the bore for a few hours? The other option is a true copper remover shooters choice, sweets etc. Pure copper removers are fast but nasty stuff (make sure its well vented and wear gloves and specs )

Apologies, I am not questioning you knowledge on cleaning.

All I am trying to say is that the solvents I use turn blue instantly on contact with copper which has been tested on a copper pipe however leaving the same solvents in my barrel for around half an hour show no signs of blue which to me indicates there is no copper in the barrel as odd as it seems.

 

Interestingly I have tested the solvent on a UMC bullet head and it turns blue straight away which means the heads are definitely true uncoated copper.

[Underdog]

Chill out....you have been blessed by gaining a good barrel. Good for you. How's it shoot?

 

U.

[grimey121uk]

Chill out....you have been blessed by gaining a good barrel. Good for you. How's it shoot?

 

U.

Sub 1" at 200 yards with cheap ammo.

[Underdog]

Sub 1" at 200 yards with cheap ammo.

You have a good'n matey....dunner worry but do do make sure no condensation settles in there. If ever your in a rush and come in late, bring a cold barrel in the house and got little time at leist pass a cotton patch through dry to take the damp out. Oil the bore and then when the temps of the barrel have equalled dry it out

 

U.

[grimey121uk]

You have a good'n matey....dunner worry but do do make sure no condensation settles in there. If ever your in a rush and come in late, bring a cold barrel in the house and got little time at leist pass a cotton patch through dry to take the damp out. Oil the bore and then when the temps of the barrel have equalled dry it out

 

U.

Yeah its certainly a goodone , I'm pleased it doesn't foul with copper too, it just doesn't make any sense to me.

Oh its cleaned out fully after each use, never put away dirty or cold!

[kent]

Some are like that, some get loads of copper in them at first then seem never to foul again (had a new 595 Tikka that did that), some bullets seem to foul a barrel worse with copper. Keep proper check on it through its life as things change. There is every chance its just a good un! The CZ I have hear is a dream to clean (though its only in .22 hornet).