Cleaning Cooper and Powder Fouling - Hoppes isn't the answer

Dean2

Dean2

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Thought this might be useful info that may not get found in the original post where it was located.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sj4570
Bore Cleaning nightmare -
By the way, for gun cleaning i've used hoppes #9 for years to get copper fouling out (or so I thought?). Changed to Birch-Casey's bore scrubber - i've been scrubbing the barrel for going on 3 weeks - 2/3 times a day run a few soaked patches/brush through the barrel then let it sit so a few hours - still getting bright blue on the patches from decades of old copper fouling finally getting brought out. Unreal the amount of stuff that has to come out to get it down to bare metal in this slightly pitted bore. Eventually, once all the copper fouling out, will treat barrel with one of the ceramic bore coatings to reduce fouling and fill in the pits in the bore.

anyone else have similar nightmare experience with old, old copper fowling in the barrel??


sj4570

Added by Dean2

I have had exactly the same experience. Used Hoppes 9 for years on a 7 Rem mag. Got to tthe point it was showing pressure signs with a load I had been using for years. The gun has lots of rounds through it so figured the barrel was going off and hte throat area did feel rough when cleaning.

As I had switched to Wipout a couple of years back just gave it a clean with that when I got back from the range. The cooper fouling was unbelieveable. Started cleaning it with Wipeout to get the copper out of it, took weeks of daily soaking too, and then used Butch's Bore shine for a bunch more weeks to get out the stubborn powder fowling that had built up in the first 10 inches. The barrel is back to shooting like brand new, and no more roughness in the throat area. Still use Hoppes to wipe down and rust proof the exterior bits but sure don't use it as a bore cleaner any more.
 
I have not tried wipe out but have had good results with Sweets 7.62 and Robla Solo. More recently I start with Kroils penetrating oil on the patched bronze brush and it seems to save alot of time when I start on the copper. I don't know what is in Kroils but it sure speeds up the process. Another good product is J.B.'s bore shine. It contains some abrasives which again speed up the copper removal. I find that the Outers electronic method is hit and miss.
 
Test results from various Cleaners

Take a look at these test on cleaners. I have tested KG 12 my self, but there is another problem has to watched for Carbon Rings from powder fouling.
manitou

http://www.laniganperformance.com/kg12testresults.html

www.laniganperformance.com
Google this and get link
kg12 copper cleaning tests
 
I use Hoppe's #9 to remove the carbon fouling. Then I use another solvent for removing copper. I have Hoppe's #9 Bench Rest Copper removing solvent, Wipe-out and Butch's Bore Shine. Non of these remove the copper in a couple of passes. I have found the Bench Rest by Hoppes to be the best. They all work but they have to stay in the barrel for a while to do so.
 
All I do is use some solvent to clean the powder residue out like normal. I then use some kind of degreaser, like contact cleaner to totally remove any oils.

I then grab one of those Bore Snake type cleaning "ropes" and soak it in house hold ammonia. (I got the ammonia the the local Home Hardware.) Then I run the Bore Snake into the bore and let it sit in there. This keeps the entire bore wet with ammonia, if you just run a patch through, all the ammonia (or bought copper cleaner) sits in the bottom of the bore and the top dries out. After a long wait I pull the bore snake out, squeegee it off in a rag and repeat the ammonia soak if necessary.


This system works better than anything else I have tried. No endless running of patches over and over. The only thing to watch out for is to be sure to get all the water based ammonia out of the bore, chamber and locking lug recess then oil before storage, no different than using any method of copper cleaning.
 
bore cleaning

does anyone shoot cast rifle boolits?
I shoot .223 . 52 gr. cast h.p. and I'm having a lot of cleaning problems.
I think my boolit lube of 45 alox 45 johnson paste wax and 10% mineral spirits are the cause of my barrel fouling and it seems to take all day with butch's bore shine to clean it.
I sometimes shoot 3 -4 hundred rounds a day, so its really fouled.
It doesn't appear to be lead fouled as accuracy seems to be consistent.
any thoughts?
 
I use alot of cast in .22 c.f., bullets are sized to .225" and lubed with my mix of beeswax and carnauba(among other things), I just run a tight, dry patch down the bore every 15 shots or so, and no problem, no leading. I have been keeping velocities under 2000fps. so results may change in the spring when i work loads up a bit for gophers, as i try to stretch the range a bit...
I find jacketed fouling more of a problem so i run a patch with cr10 down it every 20 shots or so followed by a dry patch so that copper fouling doesn't "take a hold".
 
Hi Ben

I'm going to try your method of running a patch down the bore every 15 shots.
I might also try carnuba wax instead of johnson's, and will also give the barrel a good spray of solvent before I head home.
I'm only using 6 grains of win. 231, don't have a chrony, but some shooters on castboolits forum say that load should produce 2100 fps.
 
I too, used #9 for years before discovering it does not remove copper. Barnes CR-10 however does a relatively quick job of removing copper.
 
zthou said:
I find that the Outers electronic method is hit and miss.
Click to expand...

You're right. The problem with it, is that the power source provided is Alternative Current (AC). The chemical process is electrolysis and it is achieve with a Continious Current source. I Don't understand why Outers are not selling their kit with a CC power supply. I had much better results replacing outers power supply by a 2 Volts cc power source.
 
I do a detailed clean about every 700 rounds for pistols.

however if really dirty I have been using my new toy for a couple months: youtube video

Great for cleaning new guns still full of packing grease, or after a bush rifle gets full of dirt and such
 
Hoppes Isn't the Answer

For copper and carbon build up a strip of gray "Scotch Brite" scouring pad wrapped around an under sized brush works great. Its easy and fast.
 
I believe ammonia is the primary ingredient in any of the copper removers. I have tried Windex sprayed down the barrel with decent results. If copper fouling is present the cloth comes out green coloured. For lead fouling Chor Boy 100% copper cleaning pad strands wrapped around a cleaning brush works fast and is effective.

I finish off with dry cloths and then one slightly oiled if I am going to store teh gun for any length of time.

Take Care

Bob
 
I just got a can of a product called Wipe-Out. It's a brushless bore cleaner that fills the bore with a foam from end to end. Let it sit for 1/2hr or so and then swab with patches.
I have never used a product that cleans copper ect like this stuff. Really,Really impressed! It's made by a company called Sharp shooter products out of Kansas.
 
I found a dealer in Ontario called Burke's, ordered their 4oz bottle of KG-12. I'm curious as to how it will work on a few of my old milsurps.
 
Couldn't 'some' copper fouling be considered good as it would fill in any low spots on the rifling? (I'm thinking Remington barrels.:p:D)
 
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