Testing @ the farm

[sabotloader]

Well, looking at the walls in the house got to me today so thought I would get a bit of afternoon shooting in. Took the Disc Ext MHC and headed to the farm.

The object of the shoot was to really to do some additonal testing with the Montana Xtreme Bore Conditioner that I have been using in the gun for the last couple of months. The gun has been shot and cleaned 3 different times with the conditioner added in the barrel - today was the fourth trip.

The 'test' was to shoot the last eight .458/300 grain Hornady bullets that I had, but more importantly was to guage the amout of fouling that I might be getting or hopefully not getting... I cleaned the gun at the end of elk season this year and as the final step added the Montana Xtreme into the barrel as the last step of that cleaning. Today while in the house I ran a dry patch to bring out as much Xtreme as it would. I ran the patch both sides - essentially I do not think it picked up anything. I did not run an alcohol patch to strip the bore. I really wanted to see what the first shot on a 'squeaky clean' but conditioned barrel might do.

If you look at the target you can see where #1 went. I then ran a moistened windex patch patch down the barrel. It went down very smooth and went right to the BP plug without feeling anything. There is no doubt in my mind I could have reloaded and shot again without the patch. I shot 2 more 100 grain loads with out patching. I then decided to shoot my hunting load 120 grain of T7-2f. I did run the original windex patch before 120 grain load. Again the patch went to the bottom very smoothly and very easily. I did feel a bit of ruffness just before it dropped on the breech plug, although nothing was felt at the normal 'crud ring' spot. Again it would not have interfrred with any reloading effort.

Loaded the first 120 grain load - shot and patched again with the original windex patch. Patch went to the bottom very smoothly and I can not say I felt much of anything. Loaded and shot 2 more 120 grain loads - no patching. Then with the last two .458 bullets that I had I tried to estimate the wind and use the ballistic recticule to compenstate... so shots 7 & 8 are with compensation.

At the end of this session I ran two windex patches both sides - the second patch came out very close to clean. It is my belief that there has been a reduction in fouling in the barrel.

Here is the target...



This is the product...

http://www.montanaxtreme.com/products/bore_conditioner.php

[cayugad]

good shooting there... Do you feel the wind drift was a big influence? I have also treated a couple rifles with this bore treatment. And so far I am not ready to say one way or the other on the fowling.

[sabotloader]

cayugad

Ya, I think the wind drift was an influence.... there a couple of bad things about shooting at the farm - where I set the bench up is pretty well protected from a left/right wind by a big shop... then I shoot up range into a draw so not only is the wind blowing it is sinking and rising... But the big thingI forgot to calculated into the trip was thethawed plowed pea ground furrels(sp) - they were muddy.. and Palouse clay is the worst sticky stuff you have ever walked in - it will not let go...

The thing that I should say I used 1 wndex patch for the wholeshoot - no dry patches - so that tells you that original windex patch was just barely moist, yet it passed into and out of the barrel with out a problem. I must admit at the end of shot 8 - the patch was pretty dirty but still could have been used. Then just 2 clean windex patches to bring the bore back to near squeaky clean... so I am thinking less fouling sticking...

[cayugad]

It will be interesting to see how the White Bison reacts after the treatment. Last time I shot the thing, it sure cleaned up easy. But for some reason the smell of that stuff just makes me sick. I have to take those patches out to the burning barrel ASAP.

[Semisane]

Do the instructions for that bore conditioner make any distinctions between carbon barrels and stainless barrels?

[sabotloader]

Semi

Directions (from the bottle): Montana Xtreme Bore Conditioner Oil is recommended for use after a thorough cleaning, CopperCream treatment, or Bore Polishand Cleaning Compoundtreatment. Use only a small amount on a patch to swab the barrel several times
1) After bore has been thoroughly cleaned, push several patches with Montana Xtreme bore Conditioner throgh the bore.
2) before firing push one dry patch through the bore.

Insuire that you do not leave a heavy amount of oil in the barrel.

from the web site...

Montana X-treme™ Bore Conditioner is a bore lubricant specially formulated for x-treme accuracy in today's precision match grade barrels. It is a super refined, low residue oil that has been processed to eliminate the factors that cause oil to gum and congeal. This formula contains no P.T.F.E., silicones or synthetics of any kind which leave residue behind that can affect accuracy.

There isno differentiation in types of barrels and I have not seen any suggestion on the web site.

I did tell the tech@ Montan Xtremethat I was using it in a ML stainless steel barrel(s) as well as my Renegade blued barrels. He indicated that it should reduce residue (his word)in any barrel, but it does not happen after the first application.

This statement is what peaked my interest..

It is a super refined, low residue oil that has been processed to eliminate the factors that cause oil to gum and congeal

It has long been my thought the high pressure, heat, and the materails inT7 reacted with some treatment in the bore or the pores of the bore andcreates UC 'crud ring.' I have really been fortunate as I do not get this fouling to much extent at all - but I have always used BB - T17 patches and rearely used any type of petroleum bore oil. I switched a couple of years ago to a military oil Slip 2000 and it is synthetic, but it is aheavy oil and hard to get out of the bore, especially behind the lands. This new stuff is very light and I did not have to strip it from the barrel - one dry patch and shoot.

[bronko22000]

That's good shooting SL. Initial impression makes me think this stuff really works in reducing fouling. I might have to try it. I know I have one centerfire rifle that is a bear about picking up copper fouling. After a thorough cleaning and a few applications of this stuff it should eliminate or greatly reduce this problem.
As for the MLs. Even though I clean with hot soapy water and clean water rinse, this stuff should extend range time.