Fouling control in the 34 inch barrel

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Kenny Wasserburger
Posts: 4728
Joined: Tue Sep 24, 2002 3:53 pm
Location: Gillette, Wyoming

Fouling control in the 34 inch barrel

Post by Kenny Wasserburger »

Thought I would add my thoughts on this subject.

My first Longrange Rifle The Hell Bitch, is a 34 inch barreled LRE in 45-110.

In 2006 I won my first Scope Creedmoor Nationals, using a Dan Theodor modified NASA mono groove bullet, shortened by design by myself and friend Tony Neilson for a 18 twist barrel. This was a nose pour design, 3 moulds were cut by Steve brooks. One for myself one for for Tony, and lastly one for Bill Bagwell aka Rdnk. My second Creedmoor Scope title was in 2013 using a combination of wet and dry patches using water soluble oil at 1-7 mix.

Tony has won several matches with that design as have I. Bill decided to shorten the nose section further, finally gave up and sent it to me.

To control the fouling wiping is an absolute. In Dry conditions such as Wyoming or Raton, multiple patches are necessary. Anyone that says one is plenty, is full of it. Especially with PP.

The first method employed by myself were the Jimbo Terry Bore Dawgs, a wet brush with o rings on the rear pushed through with a carbon fiber Rod.. This is still a very viable solution when shooting greasers, and followed by a damp patch. The wet brush does a great job on the fouling, a wiping Solution should employ some sort of soap in its content. I do not dry the bore when shooting greasers.

Paper patch is a different sort of animal though, I again will refer to Edwin Perry’s excellent book of 1880, Modern Observations on Rifle Shooting 1880 edition. Perry states that the barrel cannot be to clean will shooting PP in competition.

My current regimen is the Use of the BACO bore Wipes with 2 felts, followed by 2-3 wet patches depending entirely upon the temperature and relative humidity. Followed by 1-2 dry patches. The felts and the patches are wetted with M-Pro 7.

The last 2 inches are where the fouling is the worst. A careful study of the last wet patch you employ in your wiping will be your indicator as to the need for a subsequent wet patch or to finish and use a dry.

In 2008 I set a world record Group size in Pedersoli’s 5@200 match, of 1.336 inches for 5 shots, I used multiple wet and dry patches for that record size group.

KW
The Lunger.
We'll raise up our Glasses against Evil Forces, Singing, Whiskey for my men, Beer for my horses.

Wyoming Territory Sharps Shooter
Ray Newman
Posts: 3810
Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2002 1:22 pm
Location: between No Where & No Place, WA

Re: Fouling control in the 34 inch barrel

Post by Ray Newman »

Kenny: outstanding post! The wise will take note of what you wrote.

Here in the Pacific North Wet (AKA Western Washington) I do not see temperature and humidity extremes. Still, I find the last 2-3 inches of the 34" barrels of my .45-2 7/8" Borchardt and .45-2.4" M1874 Shiloh attract fouling. Sometimes fouling does become hard enough that the resistance on pushing it out becomes noticeable. I found -- the hard way -- that 2 damp patches "don't cut the mustard", 3 or 4 will....

Agree with you that Perry's book is a treasure trove of information. For Those-Not-in-The-Know, used book dealers, such as Abebooks, have original and reprints for about US $20.00.
Grand PooBah
WA ST F. E. S.

In real life may you be the bad ass that you claim to be on social media....
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1578Tiger
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Jun 24, 2021 6:31 am
Location: Louisiana

Re: Fouling control in the 34 inch barrel

Post by 1578Tiger »

Wayne

“I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.”
– Thomas Jefferson, letter to James Madison, January 30, 1787
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