Rifle bore cleaning

woodlotowner

woodlotowner

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So, how do you know when the rifle bore you are cleaning is truly clean? I picked up an older Parker Hale on the EE to fill a gap in my meager collection (a grand old specimen in 7mm I really like), but I cannot seem to get the thing clean. With just a solvent, or a copper solvent, I can get fairly clean patch results, but when I run the brush through it the follow-up patch comes out black. Not blue or green, but black. I have given it ten cleanings each of ten return passes with the Hoppes phosphor bronze brush, but to no avail. Blacker than coal every time on the patch following the brush. Could my brush (brand new) be breaking down and producing the black gunge? I am dipping the brush into the Hoppes No. 9 and brushing the bore. Any insight would be appreciated. Could a barrel be this dirty? If so, how many more passes with the brush will do the trick? Thanks in advance.

woodlotowner
 
If you spray some Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber down the barrel, wait a few minutes, then put a clean patch over a clean copper brush, soaked in Gun Scrubber, and run it down the barrel slowly, and repeat this twice more with clean patches soaked with Gun Scrubber(over your brush), the third patch will come out clean. Follow up with a clean patch over your brush to pick up the Gun Scrubber, and then use your G96 or whatever oil you use for lubrication. Three passes with Gun Scrubber will clean almost any barrel!
 
Sometimes it takes a great deal of effort to bring the bore down to bare metal, some might even argue that its not worth the trouble. I've spent up to a couple of weeks getting badly fouled bores, that were never cleaned properly after decades of use, down to bare metal. If you are patient and diligent it can be done.

One of my not so secret weapons is a combination of JB Bore Cleaner and Kroil, which I use once Sweets has removed all the visible copper fouling, and as you have observed, the patches come out black. Soak the bore in Kroil. Be sure to use a bore guide, then soak a patch dripping wet with Kroil, stab it dead center with your jag, then slowly work it back and forth through the bore, advancing an inch or so per stroke to ensure the entire inside bore surface is wet. When the patch emerges from the muzzle discard it. Allow the Kroil to soak in the bore over night, to give it a chance to get under the fouling and lift it. In the morning scrub the bore with JB on a tight fitting good quality bronze bore brush. Be sure to allow the brush to clear the muzzle and the lead before reversing directions or you will break off the bristles and scatter them through the bore, and ruin the brush. After scrubbing, patch out the bore with dry patches, then run a few patches wet with your normal solvent to remove all traces of the JB, followed by a couple of dry patches.

If these patches come out clean you're good to go; one or two patches wet with your normal gun oil, patched dry and you're finished. Otherwise you'll have to repeat as required until the black gunk disappears. You can repeat the process that night before you go to bed and then again the next morning allowing 8-12 hours for the Kroil to work.
 
A barrel clear of copper and carbon will produce white patches even with a brush. Keep cleaning. I think Hoppe's #9 is a rather useless solvent. Nice smell, but after that all downhill. You may want to try something like Sweet's 7.62, or Barnes CR-10.
 
got to let the solvent soak over night, or for a day or 2 like Boomer suggests.

After shooting I'll often soak down the bores with CLP (I get it free ;) ) and let the rifles sit for a few days before I get to cleaning them.

some of the old milsurps I have never really come clean and thats after using JB paste, I just shoot them as is and clean till they are reasonably clean.
 
One thing I noticed in the OP is that he said he is dipping his brush in the bottle of solvent. Any dirt on the brush will transfer to the bottle and "taint" the solvent. I don't think this will affect the efficacy of the solvent much, but using dirty solvent and a dirty brush might make it look like the bore is always dirty....

Whenever I use a brush I either clean the brush with varsol and compressed air or brake cleaner, and I wipe of the dirty solvent from the rod. This way I no for sure I am not just tracking old dirt back into the barrel.
 
I really appreciate all the thoughtful replies. What I appreciate most is the lessened feeling of despondency at not being able to accomplish a gun owner's basic duty :)

Seriously though, this has me wondering where this will end. I didn't get to the bench today, but all the suggestions were very good indeed and I think my next strategy will be to try a different bore cleaner or two and continue soaking the bore overnight (and by day) until I prevail. Time to retire the Hoppes #9 (both the regular and the 'copper' types) until this mystery sorts itself out I'm thinking.

Anyone ever have a (phosphor bronze) brush go rogue and start breaking down and producing a never ending string of 'black patches'? The bore looks pretty shiny when peered through with the naked eye, but I realize this may not mean much.

Yes, I do dip the brush in the solvent, but not before cleaning it with carb cleaner between rounds. I'm trying to think of everything here.....
 
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The only times I've had bronze brushes bugger up on me is when they have been used with agressive copper solvents (Barnes CR-10 and Sweets 762). Now when I use those solvents I only use nylon brushes.
 
Bassmaster said:
Google 'Ed's Red'......home brew, works well for me
Click to expand...

I'm actually ahead of your suggestion on this. I have the four ingredients at hand to brew this concoction, but I still need to find a suitable metal container to mix/store it in. Acetone and plastic are a funny thing together. I have heard good reports on this cleaner, although I believe one still needs something for the copper? I'm omitting the lanolin, which apparently makes little difference anyway. Have you seen the price of lanolin??

The old Parker Hale is soaking as I type. Hopefully tomorrow, and a dozen or so patch/brush sequences, will bring this saga to a close. The post brush patches are looking less black tonight, but that could just be my tired bleary eyes.
 
woodlotowner said:
I'm actually ahead of your suggestion on this. I have the four ingredients at hand to brew this concoction, but I still need to find a suitable metal container to mix/store it in. Acetone and plastic are a funny thing together. I have heard good reports on this cleaner, although I believe one still needs something for the copper? I'm omitting the lanolin, which apparently makes little difference anyway. Have you seen the price of lanolin??

The old Parker Hale is soaking as I type. Hopefully tomorrow, and a dozen or so patch/brush sequences, will bring this saga to a close. The post brush patches are looking less black tonight, but that could just be my tired bleary eyes.
Click to expand...

I hope you let us know how that mixture works out for you.
 
woodlotowner said:
I'm actually ahead of your suggestion on this. I have the four ingredients at hand to brew this concoction, but I still need to find a suitable metal container to mix/store it in. Acetone and plastic are a funny thing together. I have heard good reports on this cleaner, although I believe one still needs something for the copper? I'm omitting the lanolin, which apparently makes little difference anyway. Have you seen the price of lanolin??

The old Parker Hale is soaking as I type. Hopefully tomorrow, and a dozen or so patch/brush sequences, will bring this saga to a close. The post brush patches are looking less black tonight, but that could just be my tired bleary eyes.
Click to expand...

Don't mix up an entire gallon. Just mix up a 1qt Mason jar. Then it is safely stored. One thing, though. Cut a paper disc the same size as the metal lid. Put the metal lid in upside down, hot glue the paper to it and then use it to seal the jar. The acetone will melt the rubber ring.
Or, like me, you could always use keytone instead of acetone and that will allow you to use one of the plastic lids for the mason jars. Used when they make freezer jams and stuff.
 
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