Tikka Copper Fouling

[motown]

Hey guys i have a t3 lite 243 that has around 300 rounds down the tube. This rifle seems to copper foul pretty badly. The rifle was broken in properly and i clean after every range session. I always clean the carbon using shooter choice and bore guide until the patches come out clean. I then follow it up with wipeout and let it sit overnight and then patch it out again. Sometimes i'll do the wipeout process twice. Now this rifle will hold 1/2" groups for the first 15-20 shot then it seems groups open up to around 1 1/2". Does anybody else have this issue with your tikkas? Not sure if it mattersbut this is a blued model so is there any proof out there that blued fouls worse than stainless?

I always let the barrel cool 5 min between shots and at least 10-15 mins between 3 shot strings as well so this barrel has never seen alot of heat.

 

[gillettehunter]

Same issue with my Tika .300 WSM. Shooting Barnes TTSX in it . 1/2 moa for first 10-14 shots and then the groups open way up. Have not used it for several yrs, partly because of that issue. Bruce

 

[Dosh]

Mo, try a session with JB's. May help smoothing the barrel some. My son's 7mm fouled quickly, but the JB's helped a lot. There is a good how-to article I read "Benchrest shooting with Speedy Gonzales using JB bore paste". Detailed how this champion shooter and master gunsmith uses JB's. I don't have a link, but Google it. Good luck

 

[TJAY]

I have used UBC in several rifles and found the copper build up to be almost gone. Another option is to try one of the new copper reducing powders, IMR has 3 new ones out.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/cata...d=145&osCsid=00ef4d143e36c85bc855d95836b5ab02

 

[Tikkamike]

Mo, try a session with JB's. May help smoothing the barrel some. My son's 7mm fouled quickly, but the JB's helped a lot. There is a good how-to article I read "Benchrest shooting with Speedy Gonzales using JB bore paste". Detailed how this champion shooter and master gunsmith uses JB's. I don't have a link, but Google it. Good luck

I agree. thats good stuff. Also wipeout is probably your other problem. a bore scope would tell the story but you are probably getting a false clean. Try getting it clean then use some bore tech eliminator and see if you get more

 

[FearNoWind]

Unless you've done a bore scope examination I'm confused as to how you determined that it copper fouls badly. Especially if you have patches coming out clean - which would suggest no copper chemical reaction (blue) coloring on the patch.
You may find some help using the Tubbs FinalFinish routine.
FinalFinish
I've used it for break-in and found that copper fouling is almost entirely eliminated.

 

[Tikkamike]

Unless you've done a bore scope examination I'm confused as to how you determined that it copper fouls badly. Especially if you have patches coming out clean - which would suggest no copper chemical reaction (blue) coloring on the patch.
You may find some help using the Tubbs FinalFinish routine.
FinalFinish
I've used it for break-in and found that copper fouling is almost entirely eliminated.

another great suggestion. I have had great results with the final finish also. However I have never seen a tikka barrel that wasnt a very nice finish inside already

 

[HARPERC]

What loads are you using?

You don't mention a brush in your cleaning, and may not be as clean as you think.

A little JB can be a good thing, but don't over do it.

I've been playing with the foams, they seem to pick up what patches alone leave behind.

They don't make the Outer's Foul Out any more, but just as an interesting note I've seen them pull a pennies worth of copper out of clean barrels.

I haven't cleaned my Tikka .223 in probably over a hundred rounds, and it's rolling along fine.

I have a.260 in the gun vise right now, still in what I would call break in mode. I don't think it's going to be as generous as the .223. They come with all sorts of personalities. A light .243 is a different animal than a heavy barreled .223. If my heavy barreled .223 wasn't cable of prolonged fire in a field of sage rats, I'd send it packing. A lightweight .243 grouping 0.5" for 15-20 shots is still a pretty good coyote rifle. If it tells to you clean it every 15-20 rounds, go with it. For long days at the range clean it at the range, try bringing a bore snake for a quick field fix,

 

[motown]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I did forget to mention that I do use a nylon brush as well during my cleaning process. Normally I clean all the carbon out first with shooters choice and kroil mixture. Once a majority of the carbon is gone then i use a brush and run about 12-15 strokes through the barrel. Once that is patched out then run wipeout down the tube.

As far as the load i am using is 42.0gr of H4350 with 87gr Vmax. I am happy with the accuracy once the barrel is clean but have found that on a clean tube it normally takes the rifle about 3-4 shots to settle down so that only leaves me with about 10-15 shots of good accuracy. I use this gun mainly for groundhogs and somedays we can shoot upwards of 25-30 shots a day.

 

[HARPERC]

Have you tried another bullet?

 

[motown]

Have you tried another bullet?

I have tried 85gr sierras, 90gr accubonds, 90 gr ballistic tips and 70gr speers and all have given me the same issue

 

[HARPERC]

You might be down to the suggested Final Finish, as to whats left to try.

 

[gillettehunter]

On mine I use the bore tech eliminator. Patches, then a nylon brush back and forth between them till clean. The question is asked "how do I know it is copper fouling". I guess since it shoots 1/2 moa clean and 2-3 moa after 15 rounds I have a problem. Since it takes a lot longer to get clean and I continue to get copper on my patches longer than any other rifle I own its probably copper. If you have any other idea as to what it could be then I'm listening. 1 trip or several trips to the range and its all the same for accuracy.
Right off hand I have no idea of the powder I'm using. Been 5 yrs since I've reloaded for it. I'm using 150 gr TTSX's in it. I'd sell it, but my wife gave it to me so ...... I'll hold on to it. Not a rifle that I like to use at the range. Needs a brake to help with the recoil.... Bruce