Those streaks are normal wear.. my pistols had them after 50 copper jacketed FMJs. If it doesn't affect accuracy, there's nada to worry about.. except the cost of ammo that is.

What type of bore brush are you using?

 

Thanks, that makes me feel a little better about my beloved USP. It really doesn't seem to effect accuracy, at least not that I could notice. I'm using a bronze brush with the CLP and lead solvent and a tornado brush with the copper solvent.

I think I'm going to stop using the copper washed reloads when I shoot all the ones I already have and stick with true FMJ.

 

Whats the worry with copper washed reloads? Is it a copper washed steel jacket?

 

No, they're lead with a thin coating of copper.

 

No problemo.. shoot away.

 

The streaks are perfectly normal. The sticky chamber is NOT. Keep your chamber clean, run quality ammo, and you're good.

Do NOT use reloads in your pistol unless you make them yourself (and of course know what you are doing). Generic reloads have been a source of LOTS of problems, and are specifically warned against in your Operator's Manual. Copper-plated or "copper-washed" lead bullets need to be run at unjacketed-lead speeds, and NOT FMJ-speeds, or else you will get leading and copper swaging in your barrel.

 

Good to know. The reloads I'm using were made by a local gun shop, I'm going back to factory ammo anyways since the last batch I got reloaded really didn't save me much money compared to buying new ammo. I might chrono the reloads I have now since I have one, just out of curiosity.

For cleaning I usually brush the bore a couple times every 500 rounds or so, and then just use #9 solvent. I've always been told that using copper solvent is excessive for normal cleaning, so I haven't ever touched it. I guess if it gets to the point your describing it'd be appropriate.

I think I've experienced the sticky thing though. I had bought about 250 rounds of Prvi Partizan ammo for my Mauser HSc. When shot, it would leave little shavings all over the place.......they would fly out of the gun and go all throughout the gun......everywhere, like it was sawdust blown around on purpose. It had the consistency of earwax, and were greenish-yellow in color. After 100 rounds it gummed up the gun so bad the trigger wouldn't readily reset. When I broke the gun down completely I wiped it down in #9, got rid of the PPU ammo and have been running Sellier & Bellot through it since without issue. I'm wondering if PPU used copper-washed bullets, and if that's what happens with them. Never experienced that before.

I never actually had any problems with the trigger/sear mechanism getting gummed up in my USP using the copper washed reloads or any ammo for that matter. My chamber was just getting some fouling built up making for a tighter fit.

 

For cleaning I usually brush the bore a couple times every 500 rounds or so, and then just use #9 solvent. I've always been told that using copper solvent is excessive for normal cleaning, so I haven't ever touched it. I guess if it gets to the point your describing it'd be appropriate.

I think I've experienced the sticky thing though. I had bought about 250 rounds of Prvi Partizan ammo for my Mauser HSc. When shot, it would leave little shavings all over the place.......they would fly out of the gun and go all throughout the gun......everywhere, like it was sawdust blown around on purpose. It had the consistency of earwax, and were greenish-yellow in color. After 100 rounds it gummed up the gun so bad the trigger wouldn't readily reset. When I broke the gun down completely I wiped it down in #9, got rid of the PPU ammo and have been running Sellier & Bellot through it since without issue. I'm wondering if PPU used copper-washed bullets, and if that's what happens with them. Never experienced that before.