Removing tooling marks down barrel

[cs86]

I bought a savage axis .243 last year, and after shooting it I noticed copper fouling at the end of the barrel like I've never seen it before in my other guns. After cleaning it and further inspection I noticed tooling marks or tooling chatter that was running down the barrel. I decided to try and lead lap it to see if I could knock the high spots off. I think this helped and I did feel some high spots in the barrel, which I tried to smooth out. afterwards I could still see the tooling marks at the end of the barrel.

I decided to take it out and see how it shot. I felt I had better grouping after I lapped the barrel, but at the end of my session I could see the copper building up again at the end of the barrel. How do I get the barrel to smooth out more without overdoing it? Should I lap it more? Call savage? I've been a little disappointed in the gun.

[Artful]

What are your groups like? - Just using the barrel will smooth the bore, but it's a pain when you have an issue like your for cleaning. Depending upon how bad the problem is I'd call Savage and see what they have to say.

[fouronesix]

That copper fouling near the muzzle may or may not be due to roughness in the bore itself. I think I would shoot it and completely clean it after each range session. Over time that will smooth the bore. Using the least aggressive methods first for barrel break-in (like shooting and cleaning) is a good rule of thumb, especially if the problem is not identified with certainty.

There is also the possibility that the copper fouling is originating at the throat/leade area. As the bullet enters the bore, that transition area may have roughness from the original chamber reaming. Krieger discusses that possibility in their barrel break-in recommendations. Very tiny copper particles are abraded (scraped) from the bullet during that transition. Those particles then are deposited down the bore during firing. I have even had brass fouling accumulate in the bore- not from the bullet but from the case mouth itself. Carefully chamfering the mouth after trimming should eliminate that possibility.

Using a mild abrasive cleaner like JB or Remington bore cleaner on tight patches during cleaning can speed up the "break in" and smoothing process.

[runfiverun]

I have a custom 5r rifled barrel on my 7x57 icl hunting rifle.

it has some chatter marks near the muzzle too, I just shoot it until the groups go over 1/2" then I clean the rifle.
it takes about 200 rounds for it to get that far [shrug] and I hate cleaning a rifle unless it needs it.
I can see copper in there the whole time and finally got over it after just shooting the rifle and waiting for it to lose accuracy.

[MT Chambers]

Copper will smooth it out faster then lead, maybe try some PP lead bullets.

[Gtek]

I think I would call Savage and tell them (very nice) how much you really like that rifle but how disappointed you are with this situation. How your friends were going to buy them but are now on the fence. May get a shipping label, if not onto next move- fire lap.

[tomme boy]

That is just how Savage rifles are. All of them are that way. Shoot some paper patched boolits, or shoot some jacketed. If you shoot the jacketed, shoot 5 then clean ALL the copper out. then keep doing it this way till you get at least 100 rounds this way. You are never going to get it all out. But you will smooth it up.

I have a 223 Savage that tore cotton patches when I first got it. Now it does not. Took close to 1000 rounds of jacketed cleaning like above then doing it every 25 rounds after that. It is still a copper mine, but it shoots really well. Its the nature of the Savage barrels.

[Lever-man]

I had this issue on a new BLR in 358 Winchester last year. I fire lapped it then polished the barrel with Bore Bright, eliminated the problem.

[Ricochet]

Savage button rifles their barrels. Seems like that would smooth them out. I guess they're not reaming them sufficiently smooth before dragging the button through.

[bhn22]

Ricochet! Glad to see your post! I thought the Commanches had got you!

[Litl Red 3991]

If Savage barrels are this rough all the time, it would be sensible to learn how to lead lap barrels if you're going to buy any more of them. It's not really something that requires a magic touch, but it does help to understand the process and have the patience to do it the way it's proven to work.

I've done a couple of rifles with fire lapping. Also, "fixed" a screwed up pistol and a rifle with the same problem (both new from the factory) with the old style lapping. The fire lapping was done before I had a casting setup. It affects the throat significantly, and would never be my choice if the goal is to simply smooth out the barrel, no matter how much easier it is to do. Also, the old method allows far more control. You feel it working.

The grit you choose allows you more control as well.