Is Your Barrel Really Clean?

[LDHunter]

I was cruising around looking for articles on cleaning barrels and ran across this by Dave Affleck (sp?) who goes by DAA on a lot of forums. Might be on here. Can't remember.....

He produced a bunch of GREAT varmint and coyote hunting videos several years ago. I think I have all of them and they're some of the best I've ever seen.

He's also written a lot about varmint rifles and I've always learned a lot from his articles.

Here's one on barrel cleaning that will likely make a LOT of use sit up and take notice.
http://coyotestuff.com/carbon-fouling-removal/

Sooooooo..... Is your barrel really clean? LOL

 

[birdiemc]

I'm in the middle of breaking in this barrel, I had cleaned the barrel completely free of carbon and copper. I fired 1 shot then soaked 20 mins with hoppes foaming cleaner and patched it out then took this picture. I'm planning to order wipeout and boretech because I dont think any of the hoppes products I've used are all that great. I soaked it again after this picture for about an hour then cleaned it out, but haven't ran the borescope down it yet to see what its looking like, but I will say, based on my past few cleanings its going to require another 3 rounds of this same treatment or more...sorry not sure why it tripled the picture

 

[zr600]

When using the boretech products does it matter what product you use first? I ya e the boretech eliminator, c4 for carbon, and the cooper stuff too.

 

[J E Custom]

I'm in the middle of breaking in this barrel, I had cleaned the barrel completely free of carbon and copper. I fired 1 shot then soaked 20 mins with hoppes foaming cleaner and patched it out then took this picture. I'm planning to order wipeout and boretech because I dont think any of the hoppes products I've used are all that great. I soaked it again after this picture for about an hour then cleaned it out, but haven't ran the borescope down it yet to see what its looking like, but I will say, based on my past few cleanings its going to require another 3 rounds of this same treatment or more...sorry not sure why it tripled the picture

Hoppes is one of the least aggressive solvents available and one of the few that you can leave in a barrel very long. I prefer Butches for break in (Because it cleans fairly fast, the BoreTech Eliminator can be left in over night without damage to the bore and also works great.

Your barrel still shows signs of copper fouling and using the bore scope you will be able to see when it's clean. There are other good cleaning solvents but read the instructions carefully and follow them to the letter. Aggressive solvents have been the downfall of many good barrels when not used correctly. Some solvents are so aggressive that they are apply and remove immediately solvents and then follow up with a solvent like Hoppes to remove any remaining solvent That might be left in the chamber or bore that could damage them.

J E CUSTOM

 

[cohunt]

The guy that wrote the article thinks that the blue color is from carbon because he thinks that his suppressor mount brake only has carbon on it-- does he not know that copper is basicly "atomized" in a barrel under heat and pressure and gets deposited on the barrel and brake and crown? I'm pretty sure hes getting copper depisits off of the brake too.
I have heard that ANY mechanical cleaning (bore paste) of a barrel should be a last resort and some barrel manu's specifically say to not use it on their barrels.
This all comes down to the hugely debated "my barrel cleaning process is better than yours"
How clean is too clean? Have you damaged or worn the barrel or crown by mechanically cleaning your barrel? Is there a way to actually prove any of it?

 

[birdiemc]

The guy that wrote the article thinks that the blue color is from carbon because he thinks that his suppressor mount brake only has carbon on it-- does he not know that copper is basicly "atomized" in a barrel under heat and pressure and gets deposited on the barrel and brake and crown? I'm pretty sure hes getting copper depisits off of the brake too.
I have heard that ANY mechanical cleaning (bore paste) of a barrel should be a last resort and some barrel manu's specifically say to not use it on their barrels.
This all comes down to the hugely debated "my barrel cleaning process is better than yours"
How clean is too clean? Have you damaged or worn the barrel or crown by mechanically cleaning your barrel? Is there a way to actually prove any of it?

I read through the comments on the article and somebody pointed that out to him about copper atomizing, and then somebody totally geeked out and told how to test using hydrochloric acid and a platinum ring. Quite interesting.

 

[Canhunter35]

Not sure on the best method, but do not let a carbon ring develop.

 

[Deleted member 48126]

I use the bore foam stuff, let sit for 10-15 mins, then hit it with a bore snake 8-10x. Then clean the action and bolt with rags. That's all I do. My barrels probably look like a mineral mine.

 

[Barrelnut]

Well his conclusions are the same as anyone who has used JBs knows. JBs is the best and possibly one of the only things that actually works outside of soaking your barrel in Windex for a week...
Also, as JE mentioned above Butches Bore Shine is one of the best general bore cleaners available. It works and works fast removing fouling and copper.
Have not used all bore cleaners but have used quite a few. The two mentioned above work really well. If you try them you will probably find that you never want to waste money trying anything else.

I think there are more bore cleaner salesmen than there are snake oil salesmen.

 

[birdiemc]

I think I've read not to use JB during break in?.?.?.but I'll get some Butches on order.

 

[Barrelnut]

Butches has a strong odor. Just be aware of that if doing the cleaning on the kitchen table. Taping a empty liter soda bottle to the muzzle of the barrel will catch the used patches and help some.

 

[LDHunter]

Is Iosso as good as JB?

 

[IanCo]

Another vote for Butches.
I generally keep my barrels fairly clean and can usually get them completely clean in about 5-8 patches and some brushing.

 

[Muddyboots]

I think I have tried virtually every conceivable approach to cleaning carbon since I use RL16 a lot in my 300WSM and I can attest the ONLY approach that I found remotely effective was a copper brush wrapped with patch using JB's and Butches Bore Shine. I have a shelf of "carbon removers" that did little or nothing to clean the carbon out any better than pure mechanical effort with brush, patch and JB. My only gripe is that a lot of new "temperature stable" powders seem to generate more carbon than ever before. But they shoot so darn good I will live with the extra effort to clean barrel. I just have to increase my bore cleaning frequency so it doesn't turn into shoulder PT later.

As for the Butch's odor, I sometimes light a candle that my wife no longer wants off the bench area to be safe but to take care of the organics in the air. I also use my Ozonics on my upper shelf over the bench and it does great job in destroying odors coming off my bench. If I had venison sometimes the odors are not from bore cleaning..