Nullifying Sweets Bore Cleaner

[AZShooter]

I had been using CRC brake clean in the green can (not the red can) for years. I talked with Ty at Barnes bullets one time and happened to ask him what they used to neutralize their copper solvent CR-10. He said they use the same product.

My bore scope shows me what works and what doesn't. I prefer Bore Tech Eliminator and still use CRC brake clean as last step in cleaning.



CRC brake clean:

https://www.zoro.com/crc-brake-clea...gclid=CLSTxtXcic8CFRSIfgodjjADRQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Laelkhunter]

I had been using CRC brake clean in the green can (not the red can) for years. I talked with Ty at Barnes bullets one time and happened to ask him what they used to neutralize their copper solvent CR-10. He said they use the same product.

My bore scope shows me what works and what doesn't. I prefer Bore Tech Eliminator and still use CRC brake clean as last step in cleaning.



CRC brake clean:

https://www.zoro.com/crc-brake-clea...gclid=CLSTxtXcic8CFRSIfgodjjADRQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

I use it also. Local NAPA store has it on sale about once a month for $1.99 a can,
and I stock up.

 

[ifgator]

Another vote for bore tech products. I had no idea what I was missing.

 

[rcoody]

Bore tech eliminator is my usual bore cleaner

And I to use brake cleaner for all my decreasing needs

Clean is an understatement

Best way to clean an AR lower iso brake cleaner. Of course you must regrease your trigger

 

[J E Custom]

Not being a chemist and knowing what will react and what wont, I just use bore tech, butches or Hoppe's to clean up after the Sweets. I only use the Sweets when a barrel is severely fouled and I never leave it in the barrel for over 15 min.

Never thought about trying the hydrogen peroxide though. The alcohol has water in it and I worried about using it in Chrome moly barrels. Learn something new every day.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

I had a very rough bore in one of my rifles and using Sweets was a waste of time to remove the heavy copper fouling. I tried a product called KG-12 it's many times better at removing copper than Sweets and has no ammonia. You cannot use a brass jag or brush with KG-12 it will eat right thru them. I use a stainless one piece cleaning rod and nylon brush for the KG-12 25 or so brush strokes and then use a Tipton nickel plated jag to wipe out the KG-12 followed buy a patch of Kloil oil.

 

[rsnell]

Denatured alcohol is ethanol with added adulterants that make it useless for consumption as an intoxicating beverage by rendering it toxic or extremely distasteful to drink, but still useful for industrial processes or as a household chemical.

USP ethanol (ethyl alcohol) is 95% ethanol by weight and contains no adulterants.

Bob Snell

 

[hemiford]

How about a final pass with WD-40 ? Then dry patch.

 

[engineer40]

I don't use ammonia based cleaners in my firearms, but most of the guys I know who use Sweets neutralize with Iso (isopropyl)

What happens to your bore if you use Sweets?

Regular alcohol I think has about 20% water! Denatured alcohol has no water!

I have some Denatured Alchohol around. I use it for cleaning certain things that brake cleaner would be too hard on. Mostly plastics.

Brake cleaner may not be as hard on plastic as carb cleaner, but it is still hard on it.

I use carb and choke cleaner in an aerosol can and a patch or 2 and it will evaporate due to the amount of acetone, plus I dont use sweets but have friends that do

Most carb cleaners will leave a residue. Spray a bit of the stuff you use on a mirror, then let it evaporate. Did it leave a residue?

Seems like a lot of effort.

Why not just use BTE (Bore Tech Eliminator). I have cleaned rifles with Shooters Choice, Hoppes #9, Butch's Bore Shine and Gun Slik foaming bore cleaner nothing cleans a bore like BTE and no nasty smell or 24 hour sits.

Get some and try cleaning your rifle with it after you've got it clean with whatever you like to use. I tried the test with BBS and have not looked back. Let us know what the first few patches look like. I had rifles that I put up what I called clean for years and the first time I cleaned with BTE 30 or 40 patches to remove the carbon and copper fouling.

Shotgun Blend is a great product as well no smell there either.

Good luck and shoot straight

Bob

Genuinely interested... did the rifle shoot more accurately after you got it cleaner than you previously thought possible?

Not being a chemist and knowing what will react and what wont, I just use bore tech, butches or Hoppe's to clean up after the Sweets. I only use the Sweets when a barrel is severely fouled and I never leave it in the barrel for over 15 min.

Never thought about trying the hydrogen peroxide though. The alcohol has water in it and I worried about using it in Chrome moly barrels. Learn something new every day.

J E CUSTOM

I also read that you shouldn't leave Sweets in the barrel longer than 15 minutes. But what about when you are still running patches through and nylon brushing? All of that can definitely take longer than 15 minutes before the patches stop coming out blue.



This is an interesting read. I'm glad I came across it. I've always just run a few dry patches through after Sweeets, then a wet Hoppe's patch to follow. Then I leave the rifles, barrel down leaning against the wall for a few days before putting them away in the safe.