Copper Fowling with solid core bullets

[Hawk4974]

I have read on several different posts from guys saying that the solid copper bullets (Barnes, Berger, etc) fowl the barrel more than standard copper jacket bullets (Accubond, Interlock, Game King, etc).


Is there any validity to that? If so, why? The only thing I can think is because the lead core allows the copper jacket to flex inside the barrel. I do have some Barnes copper removing solvent but I don't want to OVER use it and decrease the life of the barrel.


Any ideas and cleaning suggestions would be helpful.

 

[Muleyfanatic]

Not sure about the bullet. I do know that KG bore products are probably the best I have ever used and do not harm the barrel or smell bad.

 

[Hawk4974]

I'll have to look that up. Thanks!

 

[danr55]

I don't know about the fouling aspect, I've not noticed any difference between solid copper bullets and lead core bullets. I do know that solid copper bullets tend to be longer than lead core bullets of the same weight and therefore require a generally faster twist rate in the barrel than lead core bullets.

 

[mtmuley]

Had a fouling issue with a .338 RUM and Barnes TTSXs. Barnes recommended cleaning with an aggressive copper solvent like Sweet's every 20 rounds or so. mtmuley

 

[sbhooper]

The bullets have been re-designed a bit since the originals and the fouling supposedly is not too bad now. The old Barnes X bullets fouled somewhat, but I only noticed a slight opening of the groups as it fouled the bore. It was nothing that concerned me for hunting accuracy. I have not shot the all-copper bullets in years, so I really cannot give an update.

Try them and see. If they want to foul your bore, just get one of the many good cleaners available.

 

[Tjay]

If your rifle fouls badly with regular bullets it will be the same with mono bullets. If its a fouler use Dyna Bore coat and that will help greatly with the fouling. I shoot mono bullets in 6mm, 270, 7mm, 308 and 338 and have no issues with copper fouling.

 

[Hawk4974]

The main reason I ask is because I have a great 168 TTSX load for my 300 WSM and I wanted to make sure no one had issue with it. So far so good. This Sat. we were taking out a 9" rock with vulture doo on it. We laser ranged it at 518 yards. It was neat to hear the difference between the 300 WSM and the 338 Win Mag at that range. The 300 got there much quicker but the 250 gr Accubond from the 338 definitely had a deeper thud to it!

 

[MThuntr]

I shoot E-tips in my 7mm-08...they foul terribly in this rifle using a foaming bore solvent has worked for me. The first time I did it, I didn't clean it well and had blue copper in my bore. If it didn't shoot well, I would assume the rifling is too slow.

If it looks like you have a lot of copper fouling, you may want to have the bore lapped by a gunsmith to smooth things out.

 

[roadhunter]

Not sure about the bullet. I do know that KG bore products are probably the best I have ever used and do not harm the barrel or smell bad.

+1 on KG products.