Little pcs of black crap coming out of the bbl

[ACKLEY ABE]

Don't know really how to descibe it better. Cleaning a rifle that I havn't used for years, I used some wipe-out and after it got most of the wet stuff out, I started pushing out short little black ribbons about an 1/8" of an inch long.

Normally I keep my rifles clean but this one had sat for a number of years dirty. Anybody know what was coming out? Carbon? Unburnt powder?

FYI It's a 257 AI on a Win Featherweght.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by ACKLEY ABE

Don't know really how to descibe it better. Cleaning a rifle that I havn't used for years, I used some wipe-out and after it got most of the wet stuff out, I started pushing out short little black ribbons about an 1/8" of an inch long.

Normally I keep my rifles clean but this one had sat for a number of years dirty. Anybody know what was coming out? Carbon? Unburnt powder?

FYI It's a 257 AI on a Win Featherweght.

Built up carbon fouling??!!
Cat

[gitrdun]

Carbon ring.

[ACKLEY ABE]

kinda what I was thinking, but have you seen it before? I've shot tens of thousands of centre-fire and cleaned a zillion times and never run into it before.

...and by the way My son and I shot it on Sunday and it was all over the place, which prompted the cleaning. It, in the past has been capable of very nice groups.

[catnthehat]

Only a few times, and mostly with wipeout for some resaon.
I remember the ring that Chuck took out, amazing!
Cat

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Only a few times, and mostly with wipeout for some resaon.
I remember the ring that Chuck took out, amazing!
Cat

X2 ....That was pretty wild.

LC

[HunterDave]

I don't profess to be an expert however........If you stored your rifle dirty it is likely carbon from the last time that you fired it. Over time with your barrel sweating the carbon will fuse (I can't think of a better word to use) together and cause it to come out in flakes instead of like suet that you'd normally get. I'd expect that it would definitely effect the accuracy of your rifle. I think that a really good cleaning now followed by another one a month from now is in order.

Just curious, how do the lands and grooves look after sitting so long without being cleaned?

[fish_e_o]

i had that happen and it scared the crap out of me!

it turns out i was just scraping the protective layer off of my cleaning rod

i doubt that's your problem though

[ACKLEY ABE]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

I don't profess to be an expert however........If you stored your rifle dirty it is likely carbon from the last time that you fired it. Over time with your barrel sweating the carbon will fuse (I can't think of a better word to use) together and cause it to come out in flakes instead of like suet that you'd normally get. I'd expect that it would definitely effect the accuracy of your rifle. I think that a really good cleaning now followed by another one a month from now is in order.

Just curious, how do the lands and grooves look after sitting so long without being cleaned?

They look fine. The accuracy issue caused me to look at the fore-end pressure point and some other things as well. All looks good, the black ribbons were interesting though.

My rifles are always well cleaned (after hunting season ) but this one slipped by some how. I plan on shooting it again this weekend. We'll see how that goes.

The other rifles we shot on Sunday: (100 mtrs, bench)

45/70 Cowboy action Skinner rear sight: best group 1 1/4", but don't blame the rifle iron sights on a 45/70 with eyes that are not as young as they once were.

300 Win Sendero: Several 1/2" one .342"

308 Rem Hbbl: My 15 yr old shot 3 groups <1" 1@ .625" (We're still working up a load for that one).

220 Swft Rem VS (1ST year of production 24" bbl) 8 groups 3/8" or less with one group .240". Again all shot by my 15 yr old. He thinks all rifles are supposed to shoot this well.

Dirty .257 AI: 2 1/2" We'll get that fixed up

[Predator]

Have you ever run moly coated bullets through it before?

[ACKLEY ABE]

Originally Posted by Predator

Have you ever run moly coated bullets through it before?

Nupe

[ACKLEY ABE]

K.....Here's my theory. Copper! After sitting exposed to atmosphere for years turned black, perhaps helped by the Wipe-out. I've heard that Wipe-out is very good at removing copper and perhaps the Wipe-out actually gets beneath the copper fouling and loosens and lifts it.

News flash from Hornady.....just called them as I was typing this (should have called them Monday). Theory is correct. Oxidised copper fouling.