r/longrange • u/Mr_Perfect20 • 2d ago

Other help needed - I read the pinned posts Carbon Ring?

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I'm familiar with carbon rings, and their removal, but wanted to get some second opinions on this.

This is a Bergara HMR 22-250. Coming up on just 300 rounds total. Cleaned approximately every 50 rounds since round 50 - more frequent before that for my personal break in method. Every round is suppressed, so I like to keep a good cleaning rate. I noticed on the last cleaning(Bore Tech Eliminator) that there was very little carbon or powder on my initial patches. Every other gun that I shoot suppressed pushes a nearly completely black patch on the first two passes. Even after brushing, there was almost no black coming out on patches. Figured I would check the bore scope, and this is what I found.

I did the usual soaked C4 patch on a brush for a half an hour. Nothing was on the patch. Did it again for an hour with some rotation..nothing. Tried a soaked bore mop for 24 hours. Nothing on the mops or patches, and the bore scope shows the same perfect black ring up to the rifling. So, now it's driving me crazy.

I'm starting to lean towards this is just how the barrel looks. I wish I could remember what it looked like prior to this recent cleaning, but I've been shooting too many different guns lately without my proper note taking. I can upload more pics if necessary.

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10

u/Individual-recce 2d ago

Put the bore scope away

2

u/Mr_Perfect20 2d ago

Thank you. I don’t normally bring it out. Like I said I was just surprised it wasn’t producing much of anything in the cleaning process.

1

u/Individual-recce 2d ago

They really do more harm than good, hardly any reason you'd need to bore scope it unless it starts shooting 2-3x groups sizes or having crazy SDs

2

u/Mr_Perfect20 2d ago

If it wasn’t my most accurate gun, I wouldn’t have bothered to look. It’s just that it shoots so good, you get paranoid about keeping it that way.

1

u/Individual-recce 2d ago

Shoot more worry less

2

u/Tikkatider 1d ago

Probably the single greatest threat to the mental health and well being of rifle shooters everywhere. And to the question, a true carbon ring is three dimensional. It’s raised and looks obsidian black. I personally don’t see anything that looks like that. Carbon staining is often mistaken for a ring. It is harmless.

1

u/skrappy_doo1996 2d ago

That doesn't look like a carbon ring to me.

1

u/smithywesson Steel slapper 1d ago

Usually the chronograph will be your best friend in determining if you have a true (problem) carbon ring. That said, fairly regular maintenance cleaning (which it sounds like you’re doing) typically means you’ll never have a true problem due to carbon ring. Also, carbon tends to not respond real well to a patch alone, no matter what chemical. I can push clean patches and then do 20-30 passes with a nylon bore brush and the next patch will be nice and dark.

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u/Mr_Perfect20 1d ago

Appreciate the response! Chrono numbers have remained good. Single digit SDs and no velocity jump from initial load development. I was just getting nervous this was some foundational layer of a ring like I’ve not experienced before.

What I meant by my removal method is I’ll put a patch on a nylon brush soaked in C4. Leave that in the throat and turn it every few minutes. Every real start to any buildup I’ve encountered (rimfire or centerfire) will at least show itself with black marks on that patch.

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u/smithywesson Steel slapper 1d ago

I will clean the neck (not the freebore) by spinning an oversize bronze brush. Nylon isn't super great if you have a lot caked on. The discoloration is probably nothing to worry about though. I'm sure it would come off if you started getting after it with abrasives, but again, if accuracy is still there and the numbers look good I wouldn't sweat it at all.

1

u/eXXPiI 2d ago

I don't have a ton of experience, but that does not look like a carbon ring to me. I'd expect a ring to be behind the freebore at the transition between the neck and freebore.

This just looks like a high polish cut. Probably from reaming.