Copper fouling cleaning process

[7mmfan]

I did a quick search. but I'm really looking for some step by step advice on cleaning copper fouling in a rifle. I have Ruger M77 MKII 7mag, that I've owned for almost 20 years. My guess is I have somewhere between 2000 - 2500 rounds through this rifle. I have never cleaned the rifle for copper fouling in all that time. My last shoot last week my groups at a hundred yards were pathetic. My guess is some of that was me, but I've never experienced what I had last week. So my question to you guys is can you give me a step-by-step process for removing copper fouling, and suggestions on the best solvent to use? I understand that this may not be the problem, but it's a good first step and it won't hurt.

[Magnum_Willys]

I use boretech eliminator for general cleaning. For copper majority agrees kg12 is one of the best. Push a couple wet patches through.   20 passes with a soaked nylon brush.  Another couple patches then wet patch and let soak for 15 mins.  Repeat until swab with boretech is clean ( not blue).   

[ctwiggs1]

Wait, you own a 7mm?!

[7mmfan]

Wait, you own a 7mm?!

I know right? Not sure how that got in the safe.

[Tracker0721]

Haha 2500 rounds through a factory barrel 7mm? Maybe it’s more then the copper fouling. Coulda burned the throat out.

[Stein]

I use Sweet's 7.62, just follow the directions and wear gloves in a ventilated area.  I've heard guys use any of the major brands and they all seem to work.

[Crunchy]

I use Sweet's 7.62, just follow the directions and wear gloves in a ventilated area.  I've heard guys use any of the major brands and they all seem to work.

Another Sweet's user here.  Good stuff.

[hunterofelk]

I had a kit from Outers that used electroplating to get the copper out, but I have almost used all the electrolyte and Outers doesn't sell that kit anymore.  Worked great.  I looked at some online chat forums and there are posts on how to make your own kit.  That is not me.  Not a chemistry student. 
I am going to try J-B non-embedding compound, a lot of good reviews on the Amazon page. 

[jasnt]

Another vote for boretech but I’m guessing the barrel is toast. That’s how most my barrels go out. Shooting great then flyers and speed deviation goes every which way.

[Bushcraft]

First, I'd recommend checking the torque settings on your action and scope mounting screws.  One or two may have backed out on you.

Boretech Eliminator is a great product to get most everything out of your barrels. You may have to resort to a copper solvent once the worst of the build-up in your rifle has been removed. Boretech Cu+2 is pretty decent, doesn't reek and won't create other problems like some other copper solvents.

Keep in mind that once you have removed every bit of carbon and copper from your barrel you may have to build up some of the copper gilding and carbon fouling before it begins to shoot well again. After I've completely stripped a barrel, I'll shoot once, remove carbon, and repeat maybe 5-6 times before I go to shooting regularly.

Also, keep in mind that a lot of this cleaning, fouling and maintenance stuff is a bit on the witch doctor side.  Two of my friends are some of the top shooters in the nation (in PRS & NRL). One is a religious fanatic about his rifle break-in and cleaning process. The other just screws a barrel on and never bothers cleaning it. When it stops shooting he just tosses it and screws on another one.  I'm in the former camp since I am not yet sponsored by a barrel manufacturer and want to get at least another 500-600 good rounds out of my competition guns.

Lastly, and this has already been mentioned...sorry to break it to you but with 2,000 to 2,500 of 7mm Mag down the pipe, you're barrel is either already toast or on the verge.  You can get a boreskope and check it out, but I'll bet your throat is deeply cracked and pitted (which doesn't necessarily tell you the whole accuracy story).

Time to screw on a new one!   

[7mmfan]

I knew that there was a good chance the rifle was on the verge of being wore all the way out. I've done A LOT of shooting with it. When I got the rifle at 16, dad had never owned a new rifle, so none of us even knew the concept of breaking a barrel in. Just hit the woods and shoot 40 rounds through it, so hot you could fry an egg. I shot like that for a long time. It wasn't until I bought my next rifle that I was clued into actually taking care of them.

All that being said, this rifle has been a dead ringer for a long time, so I'm hoping it can be salvaged. I'm going to start with stripping the barrel and making sure that isn't the problem, and then go from there.

Thanks for the advice guys, I appreciate it.

[N7XW]

Please keep us posted on the results 

[7mmfan]

So I decided to go with The Eliminator product by Bore Tech. I got it along with the CU + 2 copper remover. Did a full round with The Eliminator until my dry patches came clean, and then ran a slightly dampened patch through and it came out blue. So did a full Regiment of the CU + 2 copper remover until my dry patches came clean and then ran a damp patch through and it came out blue. You suggest Just Keep On Keepin On until they all come out clean?

[Crunchy]

The blue isnt coming from the cleaning rod adapter?

[Bushcraft]

I'm not surprised at all. It may take several applications of the copper remover if you've never attempted to remove it after that many rounds.  Agitate the hell out of it with a nylon brush and let it soak a good long while.

Alternatively, you could just sell the heavily coppered barrel to a meth-head.