shooting regular bullets in same barrel as moly coated bullets.

C

crout

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I've been working up some loads in my precision 6.5x55 with 140gr moly amax bullets. I've been using H4831(very old, but looks like new) and nothing too promising as far as groups. well not any safe groups anyway.
I have some 138gr lapua scenars that i wanted to try and was wondering if i needed to clean the moly from the barrel first or does it matter?
 
I don't think it can be done, I have never heard of any cleaner that will remove moly.
Here is a quote from Hart Barrels
.... What about Moly coated bullets?



? We do not recommend the use of moly bullets, as we have not seen an increase in accuracy or barrel life from using them. We have measured moly buildup up to .0005 for the first 2 - 3 inches in a barrel. We have not found a cleaning method that adequately removes the moly without potential damage to the barrel. If you elect to use moly bullets, we recommend that you contact the bullet manufacturer for details on the cleaning method they recommend.
 
The first few uncoated shots will not be anywhere near the rest. You can go back and forth but you have to 'foul' the barrel between types. that is a whole lot of wasted shooting.

I have found JB non embed cleaner to do a decent job of scrubbing out moly. At least well enough, that you can get the barrel stabilized for naked bullets with less shots.

I have gone back and forth without much issue. However, if I am going through the steps needed to shoot moly, I will leave it as a moly only barrel. Takes way too many shots to restabilize the moly layer.

Jerry
 
sure it can be removed. i have a list of pruducts that will remove moly from the barrel.

also whats' the quickest way to remove the moly from the bullets without harming the plastic tip. I've got 400+. I don't think i like the sounds of using moly bullets in my rifle and the potential hazards.
 
There's no hazard with regards to using moly coated bullets, and there is also no efficient way to remove moly from bullets, just shoot them as they are. Try some different seating depths, powders, etc and have fun with those 400 pills. You could try putting your bullets in a case polisher, but there is absolutely, positively no reason to do so. Moly nothing to get worked up about.
 
For the first year of life out of my 223 I used nothing but molly coated bullets after the break in. I use the tipton bore cleaner and it removes all traces of the molly. I also have access to a bore scope and it revealed NO molly build up between cleanings. The people who are negative about molly are the sort who don't clean their bores. Although I didn't find any velocity difference over the chronoy when using them..... Just my 2 cents...
 
To take off the moly, I have used aersol brake cleaner, OUTDOORS, and a rag. It is a lot of work but the moly will come off. It isn't glued on. Just messy as all get out.

If you have that many bullets, I would just work up a load and go for it. It really isn't that big a deal.

Jerry
 
My experience in shooting a barrel in which moly coated bullets had been used extensively was this:
For about 25 rounds with uncoated bullets, the barrel shot very close to 1/4 moa. I cleaned the barrel as usual after every ten or so and after about 25 or thirty, accuracy deteriorated to about 1/2 moa for 3 or 4 groups. Finally, it tightened back up and is now at about the .3 moa level with uncoated bullets and seems like it will be OK. I am reluctant to us moly coated bullets in any barrel unless I am going to use moly in it forever. There is every possibility that I am needlessly worryiing. Regards, Bill.
 
I've gone back and forth. I had a problem with a .308 it was "badly' fouled and went to regular bullets after I cleaned it. I use molys in one of my 06's and no problems going back and forth. In fact I was shooting some 168's out of said 06 last fall after a reasonable cleaning and they bug holed @ 100 yards. So I don't believe one bit in the "Moly Boogeyman"
 
When I got my 5R I immediately started shooting moly bullets with it. At the time I didn't know too much about them and the effect they have in the barrel. I just wanted to see what the fuss was about.

I am going through a box of 167gr Lapua match bullets and they work great.

Now I had no idea at the time how big of a decision I made when I started with moly bullets (decision as in permanence in how it coats the inside of the barrel)

And so far all I've really fired were those bullets, except for today.

Today I went to the range with a friend from CGN here who gave me about 10 rounds of factory winchester uncoated 168gr match rounds and they didn't group nearly as well as my previous loads (yes many other factors involved I know)

BUT

then he gave me 5 rounds of moly coated factory Norma rounds to try (yes better factory round overall) and they grouped awesome. The benefit was also evident in his Parker Hale rifle that he had obvioulsly been putting moly rounds through as well, and there was a definite improvement in groups.

The lesson for me?

well based on my limited experience, since I started with moly bullets, my rifle seems to group much better when I stick with moly coated bullets, and so I will.

I know though that the example was likely also due more to the difference in the quality of the rounds, but It did give at least some insight.
 
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thanks for all the help and insight. i decided to clean the moly residue from my barrel last night. took me over an hour i just kept pulling out copper and moly patch after patch and i had to finally pull out the brass bore brush. so i may attempt to remove the moly from the bullets but i think it would be easier to sell them and buy some that aren't coated. I have a feeling the barrel will shoot much better without the moly.
 
The easiest way to remove moly is to shoot plain bullets through the barrel. Done it many times.

I doesn't take many, and the moly will be gone, then sell the bullets to someone who like moly.

Ted
 
You guys have me scared. I have a box of Nosler ballistic silver tips with lubalox coating to try out at the range this weekend. Should I have any concerns about lubalox, whatever that is?
 
I was told that once you shoot molly, you should keep shooting it cause it's too hard to get out. This after I had already started shooting molly bullets... It was a gun counter guy and he said you'd layer molly on top of copper on top of molly etc if you go back and forth and you won't get your bore clean. I did some reading and figured that molly will come out and decided to scrub out the bore with a few different cleaners and now I only shoot copper. I haven't heard anything overly beneficial about molly and decided to just avoid it from now on and stick with one type.
 
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