Does this seem normal?

W

wjarrell

New member
I have roughly 160 rounds through my Model 7 308 sense I bought it used from a friend. 60 copper and 90 lead. It seems to me with that many rounds through it the barrel would be fouled out but accuracy has pretty much stayed the same if I concentrate. 3/4 MOA. I do run the barrel with a wet patch of clp and then a dry patch after each outting, but have never used copper cleaner. Part of me is saying to use copper cleaner because the round count is high but sense I haven't lost accuracy I kind of think I shouldn't touch it. What do you guys think?
 
Copper cleaner won't actually hurt anything but you'll have to refoul your barrel after doing it (3 to 6 shots wasted downrange should do it). 160 rounds is not a huge number without seeing excessive fouling. That just means your rifling is nice and smooth.
 
Keep shooting! Its my experience that copper fouling happens much slower than carbon/powder collects. The CLP then dry patch is enough to keep you going.
 
You say "90 rounds of lead" and I say... ummm, what? Says who then?

It is not common for folks to load unjacketed lead bullet ammo in a .308 unless (or more typically) they are experienced at the art of bullet casting and loading greatly reduced loads and probably with gas checks.

Lead bullets in .30/30, perhaps. Lead bullets in .308? I can't think off the top of my head of anyone that sells this ammo.
 
Sevens....might not be many people selling that ammo, but a lot of guys load it. I have loaded many rounds of lead in rifle, from 25/20 through 45/70...including 308, 30/06, 32 special, etc...
 
Oh, definitely, some folks do load lead in rifles, but it is a rather specialized kind of affair and though I don't do it (and am miles from an expert) I would say it is FAR more common in larger bores, older cartridges (like the ones you suggest) and more so than anything, much lower pressure applications.

Lead in .45-70, .30-30-- for sure, much more common than in .308.

I think it would be VERY important to know what bullets and what the load OP is talking about here.
 
I would imagine the lead bullet loads came with the rifle. With careful reloading it is not too difficult to get a cast load to shoot at or close to point of aim as a practice or small game load. I also shoot cast in .308 and 30-06 in informal competition with friends in what we call a "Burrito shoot". Loser buys lunch and I've paid for darn few lunches. One thing you learn shooting cast is follow through is very important. Learn that and your shots with high power target and game shooting will show improvement. I'll only add that I've been shooting cast since 1954 and over the years probably shot 100 or more rounds of cast for every round of jacketed. At my age (77) I'll probably never do another serious big game hunt after my elk hunt this year due to bad knees but you can bet I'll shoot cast till the day I croak.
Paul B.
 
I'm betting that when the OP says 90 rounds of lead he actually means conventional jacketed lead core bullets.

If so, then 150 or so rounds shouldn't be a huge deal and I'd call it normal. It really depends on the barrel, some get dirty easier than others.
 
I can't remember when I shot 150 rounds w/o cleaning(except 22lr) BUT most often the cleaning is due to environmental exposure rather than accuracy degradation.
I see no reason you shouldn't clean the bore just for good measure-it's not like getting a tooth pulled.
 
guessing

I'm guessing that the "copper" is a FMJ bullet, with no lead exposed, and "lead" is a soft point that has an exposed lead tip. It is possible the OP is not aware of the difference.

I'd also agree that a true "lead" bullet (cast bullet) in .308, is not something done by the rank and file, though it certainly is done.

Since the .308 is commonly encountered with FMJ ammo and SP hunting ammo, being a military cartridge, my sense of it is the FMJ/SP issue.

And I could be completely wrong too.
 
Here I was, all revved up to discuss the desirability of cleaning out the copper before shooting lead and vice versa. Now we have speculation that the OP is not using conventional terms to describe what he is really doing.

I think I will have some more coffee.
 
Sorry I should have been more clear about the bullets I'm shooting. The copper is Barnes TSX and the lead is a Berger Classing Hunter that's copper coated. So technically that's copper to as far as bullet surface and my bore.
 
Barnes says to remove all copper traces before shooting their bullets, or they may foul the bore.

They tended to foul the bores of my rifles, even when they were very clean before shooting them.

Watch pressure signs if you shoot them after other bullet types.

When I clean bores, I like to put a solvent-wet patch through, then a few drops on a bronze brush before running it through from the breech to muzzle. Then remove it from the rod and re-insert through the breech about three times. Then solvent-wet patches until it barely traces. Then a dry patch, and follow it with a damp Break-Free patch, if it's going to be stored for more than a week or so.
 
wrong

There ya' go.....I'm wrong, they are copper.

No disrespect intende wjarrell......Watson, put down your coffee and enlighten us!
 
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