Is Your Barrel Really Clean?

[BrentM]

Use boretech after a smith recommended it. That stuff is awesome.

 

[elkaholic]

Is Iosso as good as JB?

Yes!

 

[Pointman]

I start with BoreTec carbon solvent until the patches are free of black, Then the real work starts, getting the copper out. I run patches with BoreTec copper solvent then run the nylon brush through several times. I wait 10 to 15 mins the run patches with the copper solvent through the bore. It used to take several days until I read a post about using brass jigs giving false positives for copper (blue patches). I got a set of Tipton SS jags and my cleaning time went way down. My bore scope shows virtually no copper. I do shoot a lot of rounds, typically 1 to 150 per range session. As for the question of using a drill to "ream" the bore, not for me. I do use a drill to clean the blast marks on my revolver cylinder faces. I use a paste cleaner designed for this job and it does help a lot, I tried doing by hand and failed miserably.
I listened to a former Spec Ops sniper say he never cleaned the copper completely from his rifles. He spoke about copper equilibrium. Sounded interesting, but I can't really comment further. Guess my military experience won't allow a "dirty" rifle. Still remember getting my rear chewed out in basic by my DI.

 

[elkaholic]

I don't clean copper at all anymore after the barrel is properly broken in and not depositing much copper. Just the carbon.

 

[BrentM]

I start with BoreTec carbon solvent until the patches are free of black, Then the real work starts, getting the copper out. I run patches with BoreTec copper solvent then run the nylon brush through several times. I wait 10 to 15 mins the run patches with the copper solvent through the bore. It used to take several days until I read a post about using brass jigs giving false positives for copper (blue patches). I got a set of Tipton SS jags and my cleaning time went way down. My bore scope shows virtually no copper. I do shoot a lot of rounds, typically 1 to 150 per range session. As for the question of using a drill to "ream" the bore, not for me. I do use a drill to clean the blast marks on my revolver cylinder faces. I use a paste cleaner designed for this job and it does help a lot, I tried doing by hand and failed miserably.
I listened to a former Spec Ops sniper say he never cleaned the copper completely from his rifles. He spoke about copper equilibrium. Sounded interesting, but I can't really comment further. Guess my military experience won't allow a "dirty" rifle. Still remember getting my rear chewed out in basic by my DI.

Well the military idea was to not put weapons away dirty and set standards. We were also shooting 6 MOA targets out to 300. Most people who are discussing copper fouling are talking about precision and precision long range shooting. No one would be happy with a 6 moa long range rifle.

 

[BrentM]

I don't clean copper at all anymore after the barrel is properly broken in and not depositing much copper. Just the carbon.

Ditto. I pull carbon 50-100 or after every match. Carbon is the devil, copper is not a big issue.

 

[jlvandersnick]

Tagging in

 

[KyCarl]

I have tried several and I like Sweets 7.62! Yes it smells but it works! I scrub the carbon out with Shooters Choice or something like that and a NYLON brush never metal!
Then the Sweets and leave it about 10 min. Patch it out and a patch with Isopropyl
Alcohol then dry patches then a lightly oiled patch then a dry one. Seems to work fine?

 

[Revolting Peasant]

I just bought a borescope. I looked at my cleaning method I have been using with good results the last couple of years expecting the worst. Turns out I have been doing pretty good. Wipeout Accelerator on a patch. Then Wipeout foam. Let sit for hour to overnight. Patch out with dry patches. Brass bristle brush to loosen carbon. Dry patch. Then repeat Wipeout Accelerator/Wipeout foam again. Dry patches. Oily patch for protection. Done and clean. My results on 308, 6.5, and 223's, ymmv
RP

 

[J E Custom]

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.

Here is an example of what you are referring to that works well for me and it keeps the brush from misting everything around the muzzle when the brush exits the crown.

https://www.brownells.com/gun-clean...ies/patch-collectors/patch-hog-prod38958.aspx

My wife likes it because when I get through I can cap the bottle and throw the whole thing away. (She doesn't feel the same way about the smell of bore solvents as we do)
.

J E CUSTOM

 

[KyCarl]

Well I smoke cigars and I'm only allowed to in the basement or the back porch.
So my bench is in the basement with the dogs. Who knows what I'm using?
Or cares...

 

[PApa Black]

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

Thanks! Great post!

 

[Tech4]

I start with TM solution on a nylon brush and after about 3 passes I add more until it starts to drip out of the bore I keep doing this until it comes out black. I run a clean patch on a jag and after that a patch with kroil on it followed by a patch around a jag with JB.This will clean out the carbon out. I use KG 12 for the copper fouling it is ammonia free and it is way better than Sweets.