Weatherby Vanguard Sporter

[High Desert Hunter]

I bought one off of Gunbroker this week in 30'06, hoping I can get it to shoot cast once I get the solid copper plating out of the bore. I think I am going to put either a 2-7x33 or a 3-9x40 scope on it as it hasn't any sights, but did come with rings and bases. I paid $325 including the $30 in shipping and $20 my FFL charges for a transfer. For now I have some J word bullets loaded up, going to borrow a scope off of another rifle until I can afford the right scope.

[Nobade]

You got yourself a good buy there. A few days soaking with wipe-out and you'll be up and running for shooting cast in it. Come on up to ABQ for our cast bullet silhouette match sometime if you get the inclination!

-Nobade

[High Desert Hunter]

Thank you for the invite! I have no doubt that I will get this rifle shooting in short order!

[High Desert Hunter]

http://www.sharpshootr.com/patch-out/

I am happy to report that if you have copper fouling, this stuff really works!

[High Desert Hunter]

Well I took it to the range yesterday, started off at 25 yards to get the scope on paper, first 4 rounds were 202gr cast, they landed in a decent little group, then I moved the target back to 100 where a group shot with Hornady bullets was the best of the day at .75", then accuracy went South, and bad, when I looked in the bore at the muzzle end, I once again saw heavy copper fouling. So I have been patching until there was no traces of any blue on wet or dry patches, if this thing continues to foul like this, it will be rechambered to a 338-06, 35 Whelen, or a 375 Whelen. Of note, I do seem to see an awful lot of tooling, or machining marks in the bore and I am wondering if this is contributing to the fouling?

[dualsport]

Maybe it could be smoothed up? Lapping has helped a lot of guns.

[High Desert Hunter]

I thought about that, but I am so afraid of oversizing the bore at the muzzle and ruining any hopes for accuracy. I will do some more research though, thanks.

[Nobade]

Into paper patching? That may slick it up pretty quickly and you get to shoot while working on your rifle!

-Nobade

[High Desert Hunter]

I have never tried it, I have shot paper patched bullets, yours if I am not mistaken, and some 45/70 bullets a friend made up for me.

[GabbyM]

My advise for a simple fun solution. Clean out that copper very well. Use some JB Bore Paste or other abrasive on a tight patch to polish a little. Then shoot about 500 of your cast boolits through the rifle.
That's what finally worked on my 35 year old Vangaurd in 270 Win. It never did lead foul but like yours accuracy would go away after less than ten rounds of jacketed rounds. When new back in the early 1970's you could see tooling marks in the barrel. They are worn off now and it shoots much better. The paper patch suggestion would be faster but seriously 500 to a thousand rounds of plain old grease grove bullets isn't that hard to shoot up.

[High Desert Hunter]

Gabby, that is just crazy talk! Expecting me to shoot 500 cast bullets in it? Do you realize how much fun I would have? Is that much fun even allowed these days? In all seriousness, I appreciate all of the suggestions, it would seem that I have something to work with for the next few months.