The Copper Fouling Lie ~ Don't Fall for It!

[Culpeper]

GunBlue490 got me to thinking. Could this be a reason, not the reason, my sewer pipe M1917 shoots fairly well given the rotten condition of the bore and grooves?

Perhaps he is right about the bullet jacket filling in the pitting. Well at least some of the pitting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAQaxIlQukU

[psteinmayer]

Hmmmmm VERY interesting... and definitely explains a thing or two! Thanks very much for sharing this Culp!

Hey... by the way, I sent you a private message. I got your voice mail and explained in my PM why I hadn't responded. Please give me a shout whenever you want Paul!!!

[Capt. Frank]

Too much copper build-up can cause accuracy to deteriorate, but barrels can shoot best only after SOME copper build-up.

[ebruce]

Back when the world was a bit younger, I bought a Winchester M-1917 from a pawn shop. Price ... $100 OTD. Bore was a sewer pipe special. No amount of cleaning, etc. would change it. Patches came out in shreds. Sprayed any load with a boat tail bullet and short waist. Did better with plain spitzer bullets. With 180 gr. round nose bullets ... it would routinely shoot five round groups under 2 inches, sometimes producing groups right down at a inch. No flyers. Go figure! Sincerely. bruce.

[waterman]

The pitting in the Model 1917 bore was probably from WW-1 era primers and maybe never being cleaned.