Carbon or something else?

[crkckr]

I haven't hung around at BR central in a while but most of the benchrest guys I knew stopped scrubbing barrels when the chemicals got better. Things of that nature tend to ebb and flow and what's the latest & greatest this month is out and something else is in next month! Hard to tell. Still, I'm going to reserve the scrubbing for leaded up pistol barrels and I'm even getting away from that by not shooting so many plain lead bullets anymore. The poly coated bullets are my new thing (I'm only a few years late to that party but I had a lot of lead bullets to shoot up!), even plated as long as they're reasonable in price. I am, number one, as cheap as I can get away with!

Funny thing about cleaning barrels is the more experience people gain, the more they tend to work out a routine that works best for them, which is fine. Truth be told, I hate having to scrub out barrels and if I can do the same thing with chemicals, my lazy butt is definitely going for the chemicals! Better living thru modern chemistry, as they like to say!

However, if you decide to scrub, it still must be done right, with a bore guide as #1, #2 a quality rod. Beyond that, the sky's the limit!
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[Rosebud]

Kinda been waiting for a thread like this, If anyone out there has a bore scope picture of a carbon ring please post it. Can't say I've ever seen one.

 

[hunter0528]

OP you are getting a lot of good advice. I think it boils down to this…

Don't start out hardcore with it. Maybe it isn't as bad as it looks. Some of that could be abrasive, so keep that in mind. That's why I like wipeout for this…it should make a good dent without any scrubbing and risk. Run a few patches with brake cleaner / KG3 / whatever you use. Then borescope. See how much of a dent it made, and start with something like a few patches with your normal cleaning routine to see what it feels like, how dirty the patches are, and what color the dirty ones are. Then a nylon brush, and get more aggressive as needed with chemicals and/or abrasives. Be patient and let progress tell you when to start to get medieval with that bitch, if at all. Bore scope often.

You can skip wipeout if you want to start with your normal cleaners and patches.

Just remember patiences is a virture (and may save problems from rushing). Nothing is worth rushing and damaging a good barrel or gun.

 

[jjmp]

OP ,can you update us to how it's cleaning up thks lots of great answers cheers

 

[tribb]

OP ,can you update us to how it's cleaning up thks lots of great answers cheers

Yes I will take a picture tomorrow and post here. Early results are looking promising ! To date I've only used ballistol and wipe Out/ patch out using lots of patches ! Tribb

 

[Joefrazell]

I'm pretty sure you scoped this after it had snowed hard lol. But in seriousness you really need to get to cleaning.

 

[tribb]

I'm pretty sure you scoped this after it had snowed hard lol. But in seriousness you really need to get to cleaning.

Been cleaning post up a picture tomorrow

 

[tribb]

Need some help here . I am not familiar with carbon rings at all . This is in my friends rifle I was starting load development for hammer Hunter bullets and found this!!! Picture on the left is a photo of the display on the bore scope as all of the pictures are! Is the white fuzz y stuff reflection or spider webbs? (I don't know how to attach it to my android phone) I tried to show the throat area and what I thought was the carbon ring with copper from the dummy round I made up! Yes it stuck in the barrel and tapped out easily! You can see the rough ring around the dummy bullet in the right picture.I believe the bullet may have pulled out of the case a bit when I ejected the round. The third picture is a close up of ( copper ? ) in the throat. Thanks for all your thoughts,comments and or advice .

Need some help here . I am not familiar with carbon rings at all . This is in my friends rifle I was starting load development for hammer Hunter bullets and found this!!! Picture on the left is a photo of the display on the bore scope as all of the pictures are! Is the white fuzz y stuff reflection or spider webbs? (I don't know how to attach it to my android phone) I tried to show the throat area and what I thought was the carbon ring with copper from the dummy round I made up! Yes it stuck in the barrel and tapped out easily! You can see the rough ring around the dummy bullet in the right picture.I believe the bullet may have pulled out of the case a bit when I ejected the round. The third picture is a close up of ( copper ? ) in the throat. Thanks for all your thoughts,comments and or advice .

 

[tribb]

Top left is screen shot of picture showing cracking in throat?? Other 2 are pictures showing that and g&lands with black carboy streaks on them? Is it possible to get those up dates back at the top with original post

 

[LaHunter]

Top left is screen shot of picture showing cracking in throat?? Other 2 are pictures showing that and g&lands with black carboy streaks on them? Is it possible to get those up dates back at the top with original post

That looks more like pitting rather than cracking. If your bore scope has a mirror for the end, I would recommend installing it. The mirror will help you get a better view and better photos, rather than viewing straight down the bore.

 

[crkckr]

I believe that is what is called checking, where there are vague chevron shaped cracks in the throat. Honestly, I'm not sure what can done about it, if anything. I think I would hit it the JB Bore Cleaner at this point and see if it cleans things out better. Either way, I would just keep shooting it while saving for a new barrel! Shoot it until the groups start getting bad (the scope and bad accuracy will tell you when it's time to scrap this barrel), then it's off to your favorite gunsmith.

I hesitate to even mention this but another *possibility* would be something like the NECO firelapping kit but if it's a custom barrel (or semi custom) hand lapped barrel, do not use the largest grit size but start with just a couple or 4 of the second to last grits. I've firelapped several factory barrels and it never had any effect on accuracy, just on fouling. YMMV on this one and I would recommend extreme caution when using any abrasive, even JB, with a really good barrel! Go slow and check with the scope often!
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[Joefrazell]

Kinda been waiting for a thread like this, If anyone out there has a bore scope picture of a carbon ring please post it. Can't say I've ever seen one.

This is after a thorough cleaning using boretech and iosso. I went back in and cleaned this carbon out but it took a lot. It got to where the chemicals weren't touching it. At least not boretech. I got it out by using a bronze brush and iosso. Came out fairly easily this way. I know, I know I ruined my barrel by the way the carbon ring will start at the chamber/ throat junction and is worse if brass is trimmed too short.

 

[tribb]

That looks more like pitting rather than cracking. If your bore scope has a mirror for the end, I would recommend installing it. The mirror will help you get a better view and better photos, rather than viewing straight down the bore.

It does 3 different ones

 

[crkckr]

The tiny cracks at the beginning of your lands are a symptom of (maybe!) shooting a bit too fast, not letting the barrel cool enough, so watch for that in the future and maybe it won't progress very much/ fast. The barrel is definitely not ruined, thats for sure! When that checking/cracking gets up into the lands is when you will probably start to lose accuracy. As it stands now, it should shoot as well as it ever did. Try not to let it get as bad as it was at the beginning of this!
Cheers,
crkckr