Author: RI Red

Dunno. What do you want to know? Lawyer, shooter, boater, aviator, etc.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Sometimes you do both.

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Back to the range with the Predator 6.5 and the AR-10 after their deep cleaning.

No snow!

The AR loved the deep clean. First fouling/sighter shot in the center target. The next 4 were in the upper left target. But the 6.5? POA was lower left target. POI was lower right. 12 MOA to the right? No wonder I couldn’t hit anything on the Long Range last week.

I adjusted windage several times and all I got were the two on the bottom left. I loosened the windage set screws, reset them, checked out far travel on both sides and still got way left.
I think my trusty Vortex Viper 6x24x50 has a problem. Over 3k rounds may have disturbed something. I contacted Vortex for the Lifetime Warranty. We shall see.

But the .308 group was .683”, so I am happy.

Now that’s better.

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Another overnight soak, a bit more brushing and swabbing. Much cleaner.

However . . . I think all the lines ‘n stuff are machining marks. They run the length of the barrel each side of a land. The carbon sure has a place to latch onto.

But here’s an interesting pic. Inside the gas port you can see the adjustment mechanism.

So, earlier today I’m looking at these pics and Mrs. Red says, “Are those from your colonoscopy this morning?”

Well, that’s interesting/unusual . . .

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So, the AR10 has had two overnight soaks, one in Wipe-Out and one in Hoppes’ version of the same thing – I’ll have to look later for the name. But I’m still getting views of carbon streaks between the lands:

I got out the CLP, brush and patches and this is what I got on the first pass after scrubbing:

Back to the scope. Better, but still carbon remaining:

Tried again, but still got filthy black fouling. Back to a Wipeout soak overnight. That fouling is really baked in. I assume that the barrel is getting hotter with a faster rate of fire than a bolt action. Probably means more frequent cleaning.

Speaking of cleaning, I had picked up some .308 range brass likely left over from a winter shoot and under the snow till I got there last week. A pic showed how nasty it was:

I let it run in the tumbler another time overnight. The results were better:

It’s all PMC, and when I ran it through my go/no go gauge, it was all fine. None needed trimming, so I suspect it is not once-fired brass. I’ll load up a few and see how it shoots. At least it’s cleaner than the rifle.

As long as we are going there . . .

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Since the scope was still out and I’d never looked inside the AR-10 barrel:

Clearly some carbon fouling down next to the lands and a bit of copper on them.

Ramps to the lands are dirty but not much in the way of erosion.

Lots of carbon at the mouth and inside the chamber. Not surprising with a direct impingement gas system.

Gas port is clear, maybe a little wear or buildup on the left.

Time for some Wipe-Out!

Post-Rifleoscopy

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The “After” pictures. Remember, if you see blue, it means copper fouling.

Shiny clean lands:

End of chamber, ramping up to lands. Not much throat erosion.

And crown at end of barrel:

3,000 plus rounds. Wipeout for the win.

Scopes. Nope, not that kind.

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At a certain age the doc wants to check things under the hood. Well, more like via the tailpipe. Since I’m scheduled for one soon, it got me thinking about scopes. In this case, a borescope.
I hadn’t scoped the 6.5 in a while, so I fired up my Teslong bore scope. No, not Tesla, and if anyone keys any of my stuff . . .

Anyway, I did a quick bore clean so the scope could get a good look. First thing I noticed – lots of copper on the lands. A little copper smooths out imperfections in the rifling, but too much is counterproductive.

Next, check the throat for erosion. Not much at all. What you’re seeing is the end of the chamber, the leade, and the ramping up to the rifling.

Here’s the crown at the end of the barrel:

And the blowout hole in the chamber wall:

So, best tool for the job:

WIPEOUT!!! (The Surfaris?) With Wipeout, you spray the stuff down the barrel and up the breech. It immediately foams out everywhere, which explains the paper towels.

I’m going to let it soak overnight and then do another rifleoscopy. With before and after pix, of course.

Long Range Reopens

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Despite the best efforts of some ne’r do wells, the upper range opened today – I was the first to go up.

I did 6.5 CM and .308 Win. Lot of crosswind and difficult lone spotting, with damp berms. Still, got the 6.5 out to 533 and the .308 out to 750. No time to send the drone dowrange to spot for me. Tomorrow.