Seasoning a rifle barrel

Discussion in 'Firearms' started by CBMS, Jun 3, 2008.


  1. CBMS

    CBMS Looking for a safe place

    Hey monkeys, a good question for you.
    My Brother just purchased a factory new Springfield M1a Scout, and is wondering how seasoning a barrel works.
    Now he cleaned it before he took it to the range the first time. He is using M-
    Pro-7 for copper remover and Hoppes 9 for the powder remover. Now after his 35th patch through with M-pro he is still getting green stuff out of it, and is wondering how much longer it will go on.
    His question is when is enough enough for the seasoning of a barrel? Should it come out clean with no copper residue or is the Cabellas recommended 20 passes for each round appropriate?
    Whats your say?
     
  2. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Be careful assigning all "green" to copper fouling. Bronze and brass brushes will do the same thing, they are softer than the barrel and any machining marks will rip tiny pieces off the brushes as well as drop whiskers after bending a few times (otherwise, you would never need to buy new ones.) One thing to consider is the intended use. If "just" a fun gun, I would not worry at all. If competition is on the menu, I'd be looking at a couple other sites that address bench rest shooting, and what the pros do. (I'd also get a competition barrel and use it for that alone. Keep the original for plinking.) I have (thus far) seen no detrimental effects from the green that brushes leave behind.

    Essentially what you are doing with "seasoning" is rubbing off the machining chatter marks, no matter how small they are. I've read often of diamond dust impregnated slugs that will do that far faster than normal ammo. Bear in mind that those have to be used very carefully, because they do remove metal. Supposedly, you can make your own diamond hones with lapping compound and soft lead slugs. Never tried it myself.

    What regimen of firing, cleaning, resting, firing and cleaning is he following?
     
  3. toemag

    toemag Monkey++

    I always found this an interesting topic.

    As a Civilian here in Germany who buys a rifle you are late, the proof house have already put one through your gun, if they or the manufacturer's cleaned the barrel prior to or after that +30% higher loaded than regular ammunition is anyone's guess.

    Having said that you can rest assured that the metal's used today are top notch, and will provide years of accuracy. I have a K98 that the Russians picked up off the battle field and stored some place for year's, and was never cleaned until I bought it, it still shoots better than I do ie., in the ten ring at 100m. That barrel has some serious issues with pitting and is rough but it shoots well.

    Tony
     
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