Will copper fouling left in barrel ruin the bore?

[GorV]

Was wondering if I clean all the powder residue out, and then put a layer of Hoppes 9 gun oil in the bore with out cleaning any of the copper out, will it still damage the bore over time. Reason I'm asking is because I'll shoot the gun and then plan to use it again in two weeks or a month, but if I've only put 3 or 4 rounds through it its not really worth cleaning if I'm going to use it again right away. Also was wondering how well bore snakes work and whats the best kind..thanks

[vangunsmith]

Don,t worry about it,people now days are getting out of control about cleaning there guns. Barrels have had copper fouling for years and years before this new cleaner cam out and there was never a problem! you can wear on the rifling by cleaning it to much just as if you were shooting it. Your just fine in leaving it for a few days,Its only with blackpowder is when the need to be cleaned immediatley after shooting. vangunsmith

[Briman]

If anything, copper in the bore will have an anode effect and will corrode away before the steel in the barrel will.

Only thing that can happen is carbon build up. That stuff gets hard as a rock, and you can have layers of carbon and copper.

Some have said, and I tend to agree, that the byproducts of powder residue can eat steel. This is in extreme cases I beleive where the gun is shot and shot and never cleaned. But I have seen pitted bores that are not rusted but shot alot with a huge carbon/copper buildup.

I go too crazy cleaning copper myself. I get out every last bit. I have actually damaged a throat a long time ago over doing it. Can't seem to control myself.

[oldelkhunter]

Don,t worry about it,people now days are getting out of control about cleaning there guns. Barrels have had copper fouling for years and years before this new cleaner cam out and there was never a problem! you can wear on the rifling by cleaning it to much just as if you were shooting it

Well heck you could cut borescope sales in 1/2 with a comment like that. I think its a good thing to not have too much of it in a bore especially when using all copper bullets like X's or rifles shooting long bullets at very high velocities should be cleaned more frequently since they leave more copper behind n other then that like the man I quoted said too much of a deal made about it.

Well heck you could cut borescope sales in 1/2 with a comment like that

You think? I only know two people with a borescope and they are gundealers or gunsmiths.

[mybigredford]

i was at the gun shop the other day cause i thought i maybe had a problem with my scope, not being to handle the recoil of my 06, heres what was happening (so we concluded), the gun is brand new and they bore sighted my scope and i went shooting, and the thing was shooting great, only had to adjust the scope a few clicks to my preference, i have now shot probably 50 shots now and it doesnt seem to be shooting as well, i couldnt seem to get good groupings anymore. i have cleaned it a couple of times during the 50 shots. anyways upon talking with the guy i found that the cleaning solution by hoppes i was using was only powder solution, and he sold be some other stuff that is for cleaning the copper only. he tells my that about anywhere after 40+ shots that the rifling gets clogged and it shoots the bullet like it is going through a smooth bore, doesnt give the bullet a twist, that is why i am starting to get weird shot groupings. anyways made sense to me, i havent tried cleaning the bore yet since they are out of the nylon brushes. just my .02

Try some Sweets. Follow the direction closely. It will get that copper out for ya.

[Vapodog]

Copper left in the bore will not damage the barrel....it may lead to reduced accuracy and even increased pressures and have to be removed later but it's not of extreme seriousness