Thread: Copper fouling

Iv fired over 80 rounds through my howa 223 and am still getting copper residue , is this normal ? . Never noticed it before on my other rifles . Can't get a consistent group yet , so am being fussy to clean every 5 shots .

No mate, its not ideal. However it can take a hundered or so rounds to settle down. Are you firing factory loads or good reloads? Can you post a pic of the muzzle end after a few rounds have been fired?

I clean mine every couple hundred and have bugger all, if any copper signs.

My Sako coppers slightly. Doesn't affect its accuracy. Unless i use tracers. Then it copper fouls like all Hell and won't shoot till cleaned.:eek:
Anyone want to buy some 30 cal tracers? :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by R93

No mate, its not ideal. However it can take a hundered or so rounds to settle down. Are you firing factory loads or good reloads? Can you post a pic of the muzzle end after a few rounds have been fired?I clean mine every couple hundred and have bugger all, if any copper signs.

I'm going of the green shit on my patch , would you be able to see it looking down a whimpy wee 223 barrel ? . If so I clean it with powder solvent , then look down there . Tried reloads tonight 4 shots and was quite a bit on the patch . I'm assuming it would just build up and up if I keept on shooting ? . Can it cause damage if not removed ?

Not really you will just loose accuracy. You should be able to see it with a torch at the muzzle if it is anything to worry about.

R93 flick me your email and Il try and send you a google shot with placemarks

If you stand with the sun behind you shinning over your shoulder and look in the end(of your clear and safe rifles) muzzel so you can only see in about a cm it will stick out like dogs balls after an oiled patch. I find it hard to see in artificial light.

Lots is bad but light streaks on tops of lands doesnt seem to be any issue at all in my main rifle, I used to copper clean every time now I just do it every 100 or so rounds. Oiled patch every time tho.

Cheers guys

Munsey as suggested by the guys you need to look at the barrel at the muzzle end. I use a small torch and sometimes a magnifying glass (eyesight getting shagged). Also you may get false Cu indications even though your barrel is clear if using a good solvent which will also disolve the end of your cleaning rod and your jag (unless using a "proof" jag" which will not disolve) and your bronze brushes.

Bit late but you can slide a piece of paper strip down the muzzle to see any copper , maybe it needs a good jb's or solvol.

Originally Posted by Shady

Bit late but you can slide a piece of paper strip down the muzzle to see any copper , maybe it needs a good jb's or solvol.

A cotton bud pushed 5 - 10 mm in does the same. The trick is to remember to remove it!

Look down the whole barrel up against something white/light coloured. Black spots is what your looking for anywhere down the lenght of it. I can normally get 150-200 through the .223 before a proper clean is needed but at times this gets stretched a bit. Ok, a lot.

PS: sometimes I might have to go through the whole copper fouling cleaning process 2-3 times before it's really clean.