Copper queen

[Blacktail1]

Hey folks just curious what your experience with benchmark barrels has been. I recently had a rem 700 chambered in 257 Roy with a 26” benchmark barrel. This thing is giving me fits with copper fouling. I’m shoot 100 grain partitions out of it . I can shoot five 3 shot strings before it opens up and is fouled . I clean it with wipe out until the blue stops . I’m hoping it breaks in soon but I’m 50 rounds in now with no change. What had your experience been with benchmark barrels and copper ? Thanks. BT1

[huntingfamily]

I've got 2 custom rifles with Benchmark barrels. I did do the barrel break-in procedure on their page. Cleaning was done alternating with Wipeout and KG copper remover in the process.
It took about 100 rounds in each barrel for velocities to stabilize.
Minimal copper fouling in either barrel at any time.

[Big Lou]

I only have one Benchmark pipe. My experience is quite the opposite of yours. Mine is chambered in 300RUM. Velocity difference would be substantial. Honestly, I’ve yet to shoot this barrel until it actually requires a cleaning. I’m the first to admit, I clean to much. I believe the longest interval has been about 80 rounds between cleanings and accuracy still wasn’t falling off. Cleaning has been super easy. First round after cleaning is hardly off or out of it’s fouled zero. That’s crappy you’re having issues. Are you cleaning for carbon as well? In my 257, it carbons up much faster than it coppers. I love Wipeout for copper removal but I’ve found it does very little for carbon and in the spicier cartridges, carbon has given me more grief than copper has.

[Blacktail1]

Originally Posted by Big Lou

I only have one Benchmark pipe. My experience is quite the opposite of yours. Mine is chambered in 300RUM. Velocity difference would be substantial. Honestly, I’ve yet to shoot this barrel until it actually requires a cleaning. I’m the first to admit, I clean to much. I believe the longest interval has been about 80 rounds between cleanings and accuracy still wasn’t falling off. Cleaning has been super easy. First round after cleaning is hardly off or out of it’s fouled zero. That’s crappy you’re having issues. Are you cleaning for carbon as well? In my 257, it carbons up much faster than it coppers. I love Wipeout for copper removal but I’ve found it does very little for carbon and in the spicier cartridges, carbon has given me more grief than copper has.

I haven’t used carbon cleaner on barrel yet no. If I clean so that I have zero blue on patch and shoot one round you can visibly see a streak of copper on lands at muzzle.

[Dean2]

Take the gun back to the smith that put the barrel on. What you are seeing is not normal for a Benchmark barrel, or any other good custom barrel, broke in or not. It needs to be replaced, or at least sent back to Benchmark to be fixed but that is probably more expensive than just spinning on a new barrel.

[marky_mark]

Call Gary eakin and talk to him
Tell him what your doing and what your seeing
He will help you out

[Blacktail1]

Originally Posted by marky_mark

Call Gary eakin and talk to him
Tell him what your doing and what your seeing
He will help you out

Ya I’ll call Gary . I actually bought this barrel from him.

[Pathfinder76]

I’m shooting three now. I broke the last one in with 9 shots. It quit fouling at all after 9 shots anyway. That was verified by a bore scope.

Is this a buttoned or cut rifled barrel?

[Blacktail1]

Originally Posted by chuck

I’m shooting three now. I broke the last one in with 9 shots. It quit fouling at all after 9 shots anyway. That was verified by a bore scope.

Is this a buttoned or cut rifled barrel?

You know I’m not sure I just requested a 25 cal barrel 1-9 twist and they had a benchmark in stock so I bought it.

[Cheyenne 1]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Take the gun back to the smith that put the barrel on. What you are seeing is not normal for a Benchmark barrel, or any other good custom barrel, broke in or not. It needs to be replaced, or at least sent back to Benchmark to be fixed but that is probably more expensive than just spinning on a new barrel.

I would like to know how you determine this by one post in a forum ??
So your saying the barrel is junk ??

[Jerry D]

Originally Posted by Cheyenne 1

I would like to know how you determine this by one post in a forum ??
So your saying the barrel is junk ??

The original post said after 5 3 shot groups the gun won’t hold a group anymore.

The worst factory barrel should hold 15 shots if cooling between groups.

Benchmark has a superb reputation

Those phone bore scopes are awesome for the price. There was a thread on them. I would inspect the bore to start and look at the buildup as you shoot and see what happens and how quickly.

Smith should easily be able to let you know if they do some quick testing and Gary is the Canadian benchmark dealer so a few plans to attack this problem

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Cheyenne 1

I would like to know how you determine this by one post in a forum ??
So your saying the barrel is junk ??

That is exactly what I am saying. How, pretty simple, NO custom barrel, no matter what bullet or speed, should copper up so bad in 15 shots that the groups open up. Even a factory barrel that does that is defective. You pay good money for a top end barrel I won't screw around trying to fix or deal with something the maker didn't do right. It doesn't take much ammo and travel costs to the range to equal the original cost of the barrel. I find too many guys spend way to much time futzing with stuff rather than just going back to the maker who should deal with the problem. Be interested to hear what the OP comes up with in the end.

[wannabe]

Sounds like your barrel never got lapped properly.
I had a barrel like that come from shilen. Had to send it back.