Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters MD: UBC and Copper

I've got a 30-06 whose barrel seemed to foul after about 7 rounds and started throwing flyers. So I got me some UBC and brought it down to bare steel as per your directions and applied.

6 shots to cure and then cleaned it - loads of copper, so I got it out. I think this thing has pits bigger than jupiter's eye.

Back to the range... 19 rounds, decent groups, no obvious flyers

Back home... applied wipe out and 4 hours later it was pure blue. Took one more application of montana extreme copper killer to get it all out - using directions provided... soaked patch, then soaked nylon brush.

Do you think I should be trying to always bring this barrel down to the bare ubc coated steel every cleaning or should I just leave the copper in there until I see accuracy drop off?

fwiw, the simple fact that the ubc has stopped the random flyers is a vote for it in my books. Made a gun that was probably ready for a rebarrel into a functional instrument. It's more the sentimental value of this rifle in this case.

If the pitting is that bad, maybe you need a new barrel.

I generally shoot my rifles without cleaning until they show they need it. Then I know the cleaning interval for that rifle.

UBC always extends the cleaning interval, depending on the bore. My .338 Winchester, for instance, needed it every 20 rounds, or it would be so copper-fouled that groups went from sub-inch to 2+ inches. With UBC it now stays sub-inch for at least 60-75 rounds. Some other rifles I just don't have to de-copper, ever.

If the copper build-up is bothering you, you can always reapply UBC, which often helps. Often the coppering lessens the more a UBC'd bore is shot, as well. Sometimes it takes a few cleanings before UBC reaches its maximum effectiveness.

Thanks MD - do you think that using ramshot powders would help with this copper issue much? Is it only TAC that has the anti copper fouling agent or does Hunter have the same additive?

They tell me it's only TAC, but clean-burning powders help keep copper-fouling down, since powder fouling is abrasive.

I would clean it every time you shoot it two or three more times. Them shoot without cleaning until your groups open. Then decide if you need a second application.

Doug, I'll do just that. Is there any preference to which chemical I use on the copper? I prefer to use the copper killer with the brush b/c it makes me feel like I'm doing something physical and the fumes make my eyes water and my nose feel so clear but will I eventually wear off the first coat of UBC?

Use any chemical you want and hope your nose holds up.

Sorry I didn't see your second question. Good luck trying to wear it off. If you do you'll be the first.

Yeah, in my experience even shooting barrels red-hot won't get it out!

Perfect! Thanks again you both.

Doug,

Last time I talked with you, you had two barrels that you had coated and were shooting them full-auto to test the durability of UBC. When I talked to you you were at 100,000 rounds and the barrels were finally starting to show some throat erosion. How's that going?

Doug?

My .308 is showing that effect. LH M700, it fouled like crazy. Very accurate when clean, but loaded with copper after 20 rounds or more and accuracy went right out the window very quickly. Had to clean, and clean, and clean, and clean to get it all out - I mean dozens of patches. It would have been easier to hire Anaconda Copper to just come mine my barrel.

Applied UBC last Fall. 6 shots to cure - had to clean a long time to get the copper out. For three range sessions (25-50 rounds per session) it did the same thing, just would foul like crazy, accuracy would fall off dramatically and it would take a very long time to clean. It was really frustrating to the point where I had visions of "accidentally" wrapping the barrel around a tree so I'd have an excuse to get another barrel.

Finally - yesterday, cleaned it after another 50 rounds. A couple of patches of Montana Extreme to get the powder out, then a patch wet with Copper Killer. Let it sit a bit, then a couple more patchings of Copper Killer.

That thing is now clean after only 8 patches. Hallelujah!


FWIW, getting the same result with a .270 M700 that wasn't nearly as bad as the .308 but would still copper foul. What I'm seeing there is that after a couple of cleanings now since the UBC was applied, it only takes a very few patches to get it nice and clean. Don't have a bore scope to check the entire bore, but after just three or four patches of copper killer they come out a very light blue whereas the first ones through came out with deep dark blue indicative of heavy fouling.

UBC is good stuff, I guess you just have to be a little patient to see the full effect.

That's been my experience in heavy-fouling barrels.

In "normal" or light-fouling barrels, often even the very cleaning after the curing shots showed very little copper. After that most barrels essentially didn't copper-foul at all, sometimes even after several hundred rounds. And I did check them with a bore scope.

Magnumdude I have not been able to check on them. If it were not going good however they would contact me.

Did ubc change names? I'm assuming it's now the Dyna Bore coat? Been thinking I might finally need to break down and try it.

Magdude sorry I confused your question with something else. I think your talking about a test to distruction done a few years ago. We found they stoped testing after 11,000 rounds due to a sqib. After spliting the bbls. they found the one we coated was the only one with the gas port still in spec. They did not report on any throat erosion.

Biathlonman yes we merged with another company and changed our name to DYNA - TEK. We have also repacked everything. Please check out the web site and look at the expanded services.
www.dynamicfinishes.com