Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters TubbDust

Has anyone experience using TubbDust with their smokeless powders? The claim is that this product added to powder will reduce or eliminate copper fouling.

Link and copy/paste from Tubb web:

http://www.davidtubb.com/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=10

“TUBBDUST”
I started using TUBBDUST in 2015. Most of my testing was done with the 6XC cartridge
shooting 115 gr DTAC bullets at 3150 fps to 3225 fps. High pressure and velocity equate to
copper fouling appearing toward the muzzle and the 6XC when fired at these velocities would
have some copper streaks.
In 2016, I enlisted several shooters/reloaders whom I had interaction with to begin a Beta test
using TUBBDUST in their reloading process with their favorite calibers. I would send them
enough TUBBDUST to do about 4 lbs (48 grains) so if I changed my blending ratio (which I
did) then I could follow up with the new testing mix for them to use. These individuals typically
went through 2-4 lbs of powder every couple of months. At that point in time if I had not sent
them a different TUBBDUST formulation they would call to request a refill and I could then
ask/listen to their results and thoughts.
IMO - It was an encouraging testimonial to the effectiveness of the TUBBDUST when more
than one BETA user ran out of their treated powder early and purposely would NOT load their
ammunition until receiving their next shipment TUBBDUST to treat their powder.
This product really shines in 22/6mm/6.5/7mm diameter barrels as well as larger bores
shooting solid turned bullets.
Your TUBBDUST container contains 330 grains which will treat over 30 lbs of powder.
Instructions are simple, if you are using 1 lb containers then put 10-12 grains of TUBBDUST
into your powder bottle and shake for a couple of minutes.
When applying TUBBDUST to larger quantities (8 lbs) it is recommended to using a vibratory
tumbler using 10-12 grains per 1 pound of powder. Allow the tumbler to run for at least 10
minutes and stir occasionally.
TUBBDUST is a fine powder so do your mixing in a well-ventilated area.
When the rifle is fired, the copper wash associated with the bullet reaching its maximum
velocity toward the end of your muzzle will become nonexistent.
You will soon find that the need to regularly clean the barrel of copper fouling will become a
thing of the past

Haven't tried it, partly because I now have plenty of decoppering powders on hand, along with Dyna Bore Coat. But would hazard a guess that it's powdered bismuth, which from what I understand is pretty much the standard decoppering agent these days.

Barrel Bismol

This looks like something worth a try. One part Tubb dust per 700 parts of powder seems like it would do no harm. On the other hand the benefits could be significant. My nephew got a Remington 721 300 H&H the other day and it had the most damned copper fouled barrel I have ever seen. That had me thinking hard about trying some decoppered powders...which I don't have any of and do have enough non de-coppered powders to last a long time.

Believe it or not, most new powders or reformulated powders in the last 20 years have a decoppering agent added. They just didn’t advertise it till it became an in thing to say.

Addendum

From Bofars

Both of these new Reloder powders contain decoppering agent to help reduce coppering up your barrels, but this is nothing new for us. Bofors began adding decoppering agent to our Reloder rifle powders in the 2002 timeframe, and all our Swiss Reloders except 17 contain their proprietary additive. (We may include it in 17 at some point also, but right now we like it just the way it is.) Sorry we didn’t have a snappy name figured for the decoppering agents, we just did it.

That makes reloader 17 one of the cleanest burning powders you will find.
Hope they don't change it.


Dave