# Winchester Ballistic Silvertips Coating



## Huntinman (Aug 12, 2008)

I have never shot anything but Silvertips through my A-bolt .270 WSM. I heard, for the first time last week, that the lubalox coating (the black coating) can foul up a barrel over time. Anyone else ever heard of this, have any experience with this, or thoughts? I hate to have to stray away from a bullet my gun shoots so well to have to save the barrel but it would be a must.

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## Catchin Hell (Oct 9, 2007)

As long as you clean your gun after shooting it with a wire brush, it shouldn't be a factor. JMHO


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## skullmount1988 (Dec 13, 2010)

I shoot the 130 grain out of my tikka .270 wsm and hell I dont clean it until the end of the year and its still a tak driver. Plus I've never had a deer take a step after I've shot it with the silvertip.


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

A "fouled" barrel just needs cleaning - A "fouled up" barrel means it is a ruined barrel and I think that's what you are saying - right? the bullets are going to damage the barrel.
HaHa - all that and I don't know nothing about it one way or another


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## CLJ (Feb 12, 2013)

Ive shot silvertips out of several different rifles over the years and have never had any issues. Great bullet


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## Huntinman (Aug 12, 2008)

I am in the same boat, my barrel sees a brush about once a year and shots of rem oil whenever necessary. I too shoot 130 gr. rounds and they put a hurt on the deer I shoot. A guy I work with was telling me the lubalox coating cannot be removed with regular solvents and will eventually form build ups in the barrel that are "near impossible" to remove eventually ruining the barrel.

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## Mike W (Jul 11, 2011)

My dad has shot them exclusively since they came out in a Browning A-Bolt 7 mag that he's owned now for 20+ years (since '86 actually as his brother bought it for him as a wedding gift). If that thing still drives tacks out to 500+ yards after all of the deer and hogs that gun has shot, I think the coating on the SilverTips is the least of our worries. He shoots the 150 grain

I've also shot them in my Savage 7 mag for 5 years with zero issues, using the 140 grain. A good cleaning like you usually do and you're fine.

And in regards to Huntinman's post a few minutes before mine - if that was the case, my father's barrel would have been ruined many years ago, as it gets a cleaning once or twice a year and is used hard. Not saying it can't be true or happen, but I find it hard to believe


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## skullmount1988 (Dec 13, 2010)

Huntinman said:


> I am in the same boat, my barrel sees a brush about once a year and shots of rem oil whenever necessary. I too shoot 130 gr. rounds and they put a hurt on the deer I shoot. A guy I work with was telling me the lubalox coating cannot be removed with regular solvents and will eventually form build ups in the barrel that are "near impossible" to remove eventually ruining the barrel.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner


I'd say that guys an idiot but idk maybe he's right. But my barrel shines like new after shooting a couple hundred silvertips thru it. With that said who has some of the silvertips in 130 grain? I've seen some 150 but no 130 anywhere.


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## Huntinman (Aug 12, 2008)

Walter Craig in Montgomery has them in 130. I know it's probably not close to you but if you are ever in the area it is worth a stop. They have everything imaginable when it comes to shooting.

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## BowChamp (Nov 24, 2009)

Sounds like the guy at work reads to much on the internet. "BONJOUR"

If you do change, The bullet is a nosler ballistic-tip with the winchester coating on it.


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## sureicanfish (Sep 30, 2007)

Bore snake and hoppes #9, squeaky clean. I'd rather worry about cleaning lubalox than copper.


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## bigbulls (Mar 12, 2008)

Lubalox is often confused with molybdenum disulfide because they are both black. However, they are very different. 

Lubalox is an oxide based wax type coating. It is easily cleaned out during a normal cleaning. M per people can not see any difference in accuracy or velocity from coated and uncovered bullets. I think it's more cosmetic anything.

Moly, on the other hand, actually bonds to the bore during firing and can not be completely cleaned out. Once you use moly in your bore it will be there forever. Moly makes the bore "slick" over time and reduces the pressure in your bore and will result in a decrease in velocity because of the lower pressures produced. If you reload moly coated bullets you will typically load a grain or two more powder to bring the pressure up to get the same velocity as you would have with uncoated bullets.


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## MathGeek (Mar 31, 2012)

Huntinman said:


> I have never shot anything but Silvertips through my A-bolt .270 WSM. I heard, for the first time last week, that the lubalox coating (the black coating) can foul up a barrel over time. Anyone else ever heard of this, have any experience with this, or thoughts? I hate to have to stray away from a bullet my gun shoots so well to have to save the barrel but it would be a must.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner


None of the bullet coatings reliably reduce bullet friction. See: http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a568594.pdf

They don't harm barrels though. Moly, WS2, and HBN require modified cleaning procedures, but lubalox does not. 

Don't worry about it.


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