What do you use to get excess copper ......

[J Miller]

...... out of pitted rifle bores?

In my other thread about corrosion in the bores I've mentioned I'm on the third soak with Hoppe's and still getting green / blue on the patches. Last night made the fourth. I haven't looked at it today.

So, without going exotic, what is a good OTC solvent to get the copper out?

Joe

[Charles]

I have been ujsing Sweets 7.62 for years and it works very well for such jobs.

[jnyork]

Sweets 7.62, use a nylon bore brush to apply it liberally, leave it sit for about 10 minutes, dry patch it out. Repeat until no more green comes out. You will be amazed at what comes out of your bore.

[mescalero1]

Joe,
Had to do that with that .243 Husqvarna my brother sent me last year.
I think I went through the brush, clean sequence 10 times before it stopped.
And follow the advice I was given here, oil it up after you get it clean, because you will have a really clean rifle, and I can imagine what the humidity where you live will do to a bare bore.

[Old Savage]

Used to use Sweet's, now I use CR 10, seems quicker and cleaner.

[Old Time Hunter]

Besides Sweet's I use JB Bore Cleaner/Polish

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

I have been ujsing Sweets 7.62 for years and it works very well for such jobs.

+1

Sweets has a high concentration of ammonia. Amonia attacks copper fouling breaking it down much faster than about any thing I've ever used. Wet it, let it set for awhile, brush it. Do that a few times then patch it to see how it' doing.

[J Miller]

Looks like I'm gonna give the Sweets 7.62 a try.

Joe

[jnyork]

You'll be happy you did.

[Bruce]

Joe,

You have gotten some good advice, but I would like to give some more. Try Wipe Out. It comes in a foam or a liquid state. No brushing involved. When I want quick, I use the foam. When I want better, I use the liquid. There is a difference that I can see between the two. I have cleaned barrels with most of the top brand cleaners and then come back with Wipe Out and I can still get copper and fouling out with the Wipe Out. There is a word of caution though. Wipe Out will keep on working even if you think you have dry patched it out (if there is copper or fouling). If you were to put a round in the chamber after cleaning with it, the brass on the round will discolor after a few days. I clean with it, wait a few days and run more dry patches down the bore and then follow with Kroil or another good oil. Once you get the bore and chamber real clean, there is little involved with keeping them clean and copper free as they can be. I use it on black powder barrels and it works.

If you have an older, well used barrel the intial process can take days. You will know when the barrel is clean of copper and fouling. I honestly think the Kroil may be a factor also.

[Modoc ED]

To my mind, there's too much emphasis on the sayings, "get the lead out" and "get the copper out" except for maybe the guys/gals that shoot bench-rest.

You can read article after article on how to clean a rifle barrel and then they tell you at the end that once you have the barrel squeaky clean with no lead or copper present to shoot 10 to 15 fouling shots through the barrel to make it shoot right.

I clean a barrel only to the extent that I get the heavy fouling out of it and then run a couple patches with Hoppes #9 through it or a bore-snake with Hoppes #9 through it and let it go at that. Never had a problem with accuracy or barrel wear/corrosion by doing it that way. Those new-fangled bore-snakes are the cat's-meow as far as I'm concerned.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

To my mind, there's too much emphasis on the sayings, "get the lead out" and "get the copper out" except for maybe the guys/gals that shoot bench-rest.

You can read article after article on how to clean a rifle barrel and then they tell you at the end that once you have the barrel squeaky clean with no lead or copper present to shoot 10 to 15 fouling shots through the barrel to make it shoot right.

I clean a barrel only to the extent that I get the heavy fouling out of it and then run a couple patches with Hoppes #9 through it or a bore-snake with Hoppes #9 through it and let it go at that. Never had a problem with accuracy or barrel wear/corrosion by doing it that way. Those new-fangled bore-snakes are the cat's-meow as far as I'm concerned.

Ed,
Good point. Absolute clean only if the gun is to be long term stored. Copper plating on steel will excellerate corrosion if stored dry. You end up with dark bores. If accuracy is suffering from a dirty bore then yes clean it but don't sweat the last few slightly dirty patchs. Just shoot it.

[1886]

I know you ask about a solvent but I would be remiss if I did not mention my all time favorite method when I must be sure all the copper is gone, Outers Foul Out II unit. Not a solvent but sort of a reverse plating machine. It is the only way I know to be absolutely certain. 1886.

[J Miller]

Basically what I'm looking for is a solvent that can clean as much copper out as is reasonable for a 1943 vintage No4 Mk1 battle rifle with a pitted bore. I'm not concerned about getting it all out, nor keeping it out. I just want to get most of it out without it taking three or four days.
After all, the next time I shoot it, I gotta go through it all over again.

I think I should think about my questions more before I put them on the forum.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll still pick me up some Sweets and if I can find it the Wipe Out.

Joe

[morgan in nm]

Joe,

You have gotten some good advice, but I would like to give some more. Try Wipe Out. It comes in a foam or a liquid state. No brushing involved. When I want quick, I use the foam. When I want better, I use the liquid. There is a difference that I can see between the two. I have cleaned barrels with most of the top brand cleaners and then come back with Wipe Out and I can still get copper and fouling out with the Wipe Out. There is a word of caution though. Wipe Out will keep on working even if you think you have dry patched it out (if there is copper or fouling). If you were to put a round in the chamber after cleaning with it, the brass on the round will discolor after a few days. I clean with it, wait a few days and run more dry patches down the bore and then follow with Kroil or another good oil. Once you get the bore and chamber real clean, there is little involved with keeping them clean and copper free as they can be. I use it on black powder barrels and it works.

If you have an older, well used barrel the intial process can take days. You will know when the barrel is clean of copper and fouling. I honestly think the Kroil may be a factor also.

I tried that stuff and was amazed. One of the newer-fangled chemicals that actually seemed to do what it says.

[Ben_Rumson]

Joe...Just wrap some 000 or 0000 steel wool on your bore brush along with whatever bore cleaner you have...It'll work wonders pronto & won't hurt the barrel..Not saying you take this approach but: I've seen it spun up on a cleaning rod in a drill motor to clean a No.I Mk.III, no harm done.

[w30wcf]

I have 1 .30-30 rifle I still shoot jacketed bullets in occasionally.
After a range session with some fast stepping 110 gr. Sierra H.P.'s@ 2,800 f.p.s. there is some copper wash in the barrel.

How do I clean it out.......shoot some .002" oversize cast bullets through the barrel....about 10 shots does it

I discovered that quite by chance 10 years ago or so and it has never failed to work....at least in that barrel......

w30wcf

[220swift]

Hello all, first reply from a new member here....
I have the same problem with an old Mauser GEW 98, let me tell ya, it builds up copper right quick. Try a 10% ammonia cleaner (I got mine from Ace hardware, it's listed as janitorial strength) I wet patch it untill they stop coming out bright blue, then dry patch and switch to benchrest or no.9. I seem to remember reading somewhere that you can mix the ammonia with something to thicken it up, I think was in with a bunch of formulas for Ed's red. Just remember that you can't use it with a brass jag, I have a Hoppes cleaning kit that I use with it (aluminum and plastic are fine).

Dan

[GabbyHaze]

I purchased a bottle of Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber 2-in-1 Bore Cleaner for Copper & Nitro Fouling. I got it at WalMart and it works great.
For a fast cleaning I use Break Free CLP all in one cleaner, lubricant, and preservative. I squirt some on a Bore Snake ( right before the brushes ) and then run the bore snake through the barrle once or twice and it does a nice job. ( I wash my bore snakes after every use ).

JT

[KirkD]

How do I clean it out.......shoot some .002" oversize cast bullets through the barrel....about 10 shots does it

I discovered that quite by chance 10 years ago or so and it has never failed to work....at least in that barrel......

Now that is most intriguing.

[mescalero1]

I thought it worked the other way around?

[Cast Bullet Hunter]

Joe,

There is just one thing that no one mentioned to you. Follow the instructions no matter which product you select, DO NOT use a brass or bronze brush with any copper cleaner. If you do you will continue to get a blue-green stain on your patches forever from the copper in the brush being dissolved by the cleaner.

[1886]

Joe,

There is just one thing that no one mentioned to you. Follow the instructions no matter which product you select, DO NOT use a brass or bronze brush with any copper cleaner. If you do you will continue to get a blue-green stain on your patches forever from the copper in the brush being dissolved by the cleaner.

Good point. Tipton makes jags especially designed to be used with copper solvents. 1886.

[J Miller]

Joe,

There is just one thing that no one mentioned to you. Follow the instructions no matter which product you select, DO NOT use a brass or bronze brush with any copper cleaner. If you do you will continue to get a blue-green stain on your patches forever from the copper in the brush being dissolved by the cleaner.

Joe,

There is just one thing that no one mentioned to you. Follow the instructions no matter which product you select, DO NOT use a brass or bronze brush with any copper cleaner. If you do you will continue to get a blue-green stain on your patches forever from the copper in the brush being dissolved by the cleaner.

Good point. Tipton makes jags especially designed to be used with copper solvents. 1886.

I use the brass / bronze brushes the first time through to break up the powder fouling and stuff left behind. After that it's solvent soaked patches. Learned about the brass brushes with solvent long time back.

......................................................................................

On a side note, All my brass brushes were really icky looking so I tossed them into a bottle of Simple Green / water and let them soak for a couple days. Agitated the mix now and again. Now I got nice clean brushes.


Joe

[1886]

Joe,

There is just one thing that no one mentioned to you. Follow the instructions no matter which product you select, DO NOT use a brass or bronze brush with any copper cleaner. If you do you will continue to get a blue-green stain on your patches forever from the copper in the brush being dissolved by the cleaner.

Joe,

There is just one thing that no one mentioned to you. Follow the instructions no matter which product you select, DO NOT use a brass or bronze brush with any copper cleaner. If you do you will continue to get a blue-green stain on your patches forever from the copper in the brush being dissolved by the cleaner.

Good point. Tipton makes jags especially designed to be used with copper solvents. 1886.

I use the brass / bronze brushes the first time through to break up the powder fouling and stuff left behind. After that it's solvent soaked patches. Learned about the brass brushes with solvent long time back.

......................................................................................

On a side note, All my brass brushes were really icky looking so I tossed them into a bottle of Simple Green / water and let them soak for a couple days. Agitated the mix now and again. Now I got nice clean brushes.


Joe

Joe, I know you are aware of this. I was just using the opportunity to mention the Tipton jags. 1886.

[J Miller]

Joe, I know you are aware of this. I was just using the opportunity to mention the Tipton jags. 1886.

1886, are you talking about the plastic or steel barbed jags? If so I've got a couple plastic ones ... somewhere. Never used them. I've been using the steel slotted jags for so long I never really think of anything else.

Joe

[1886]

http://accurateshooter.wordpress.com/20 ... ning-jags/ Here you go. 1886.

[J Miller]

1886, I'll check to see what I've got.

Joe

[the telegraphist]

Copper fouling has never been much of a problem with my rifles, for years I used Sweets 7.62, but its ammonia based so dont leave it in the bore too long. Recently I stumbled on Bore-Tech Eliminator, does not have the whiff of Sweets and is just as effective. As has been mentioned dont use brass jags or brushes of copper, it eats them for breakfast. Eliminator is pretty good to darn good on lead fouling too. Just follow the instructions on the bottle. Use nothing else in my handguns.

If you have nothing other than a copper/bronze brush, after use drop them in a small container of methylated spirit, that will neutralise Eliminator. Brush gets eaten no further.

[J Miller]

Bore-Tech Eliminator, that's one I've not heard of. I'll keep my eyes open for it.

Joe

[the telegraphist]

Bore-Tech Eliminator, that's one I've not heard of. I'll keep my eyes open for it.

Joe

Gday Joe,
Bore tech Eliminator made by Bore tech inc, Telford PA18969 www.boretech.com
Thats the info off the bottle I have in front of me right now. Should be available in the States I would assume without any problems. Good luck and its top stuff.
Rgds

[Doc Hudson]

I've only had one rifle that had copper fouling trouble. I used CR-10 and lots of elbow grease to get it clean. i got pretty good results.