It’s been several years since I’ve bought a new rifle from Ruger. A local shop has a new Hawkeye African in 9.3x62. Funny thing is, the muzzle seems to have a lot copper fouling built up. Does Ruger test fire their rifles, and if so, do they clean them afterwards?

They proof tested other then that I do not know.

Take time that equals money to clean them really no reason to0 for a few rounds.

Proof fired

While there is no requirement to, nor any real need for, proof firing, Yes, Ruger does so. And does not clean afterward; no need for that either. Some new rifles are not proof fired, particularly the AR type. They are test fired with standard ammo.
With modern chrome moly steel, barrels are super strong. I used to manage the M256 120mm tank cannon barrel. They were not 100% proof fired; just sampled. We never had a failure and those operate at close to 100K psi. Made from chrome moly steel.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
While there is no requirement to, nor any real need for, proof firing, Yes, Ruger does so. And does not clean afterward; no need for that either. Some new rifles are not proof fired, particularly the AR type. They are test fired with standard ammo.
With modern chrome moly steel, barrels are super strong. I used to manage the M256 120mm tank cannon barrel. They were not 100% proof fired; just sampled. We never had a failure and those operate at close to 100K psi. Made from chrome moly steel.

How accurate were the 120 mm smooth bore ?

Thanks,

Mike

Thanks for the comments, fellas. I figured that Ruger probably test fires, but I’m surprised to see so much jacket fouling at the muzzle just from test firing.

On a fresh barrel, a coppered muzzle is sort of an indicator of how smooth the throat is, or isn't. A still rough (from reamer marks) throat will shave a little copper from the bullet as it obturates. Because that is the point in the barrel that has the highest pressure and the most heat the copper atomizes. As it cools down it is re-deposited in the barrel, usually very close to the muzzle. A prodigious amount of Flitz in the throat for the first few cleanings will usually take care of this pretty quick. The only part of the barrel that any so called "break in" really affects. Once this area is smooth, the heavy coppering of the muzzle should stop. On the flip side, at the end of a barrels life, when the fire cracking irreparably degrades the throat area, the coppering of the muzzle will start again. Then its only a matter of time.