Will it Ever come clean ?

[Bill K]

Agree with several, if Montana Copper Killer, Wipe out foam and/or JB does not clean it up, either shoot the best you can with it, or replace the barrel. Bill K

[chuckshooter]

witches brew from Hollands

[GrocMax]

Originally Posted by Jim D

This ocurred to me. It may be the case.

Thanks for the replies ! I will look at Boretech, and Montana Extreme Copper Killer !

I loaded up 20rds with IMR's 4166, and some 50gr V-maxs. I also have some CFE.

Thanks again ! Just hoping for a better range report ! I'll keep you posted !

Jim

For 50g in a 223, 4166 is on the slow side. N133, Benchmark, 8208, H4895, 2230, 2200, good ol' H335.

[MIBULLETS]

Sweet's 7.62 and JB always worked for me. Some have taken quite a while. The copper usually will come out easier when the barrel is warm so if you shoot it clean it right away. This worked for me with a Savage barrel. I would clean after every range visit with Sweet's and JB. Eventually the barrel broke in enough that the copper fouling wasn't as bad.

[Herb in Pa]

28% ammonia, but don't let it soak..............

[Jim D]

Originally Posted by Harold M

Do you mean, after cleaning, wiping out all the solvent, a clean, "loose" patch of proper dimension on an appropriate jag, one pass through, has black streaks? Or it comes out kind of grey?

You're not bringing out some carbon from the metal matrix, are you?

H

The patches are coming out gray.
I wet a patch with CLP, and pull through the bore with a Patch worm. It comes out gray, not solid gray, but about half the patch.

Jim

[Jim D]

Originally Posted by Harold M

Hard to tell for sure from a verbal description, but I think that's "clean." If you can borrow the use of a bore-scope, maybe you won't see any deposits. I just bought a bore-scope, and maybe I'll get smarter as I start to use it.

I've been cautioned about using ammonia compounds on stainless steel. It has to do with the combination of the ammonia and air. You can, apparently, submerge stainless with no adverse effects, but a thin film is problematic. I don't have any personal experience, but I make sure to clean with non-ammonia solvent and dry after using Sweets, Butch's, etc.

Harold

This is not a stainless barrel ! I should have made that clear !

Plan is to shoot again, as soon as I can get to the range.
For what I gave for this rifle, I'll likely rebarrel, if load testing doesn't prove positive !
No bore scope available, locally.
Thanks again guys !
Jim

[Daryl]

Of the products I can get, I found an overnight soak with Wipe Out Foam to be

the very best at removing copper fouling.

Montana Extreme is not available here. Back in the 80's Sweet's was the best, but very strong ammonia - the stuff I bought in the 2000's is not as good.

Grey might be iron oxide from a tight patch.

Put some WD40 on a patch and run that through - if it comes out clean, the barrel probably is. A dry patch scrubbing the bore will take off minute particles of oxides - grey in colour. If left outside, they likely will show rust come morning.

[TinMan]

I prefer alternating a carbon solvent and a copper solvent, and one dry patch after each. Alternating use, not mixing the solvents together. I found Montana Xtreme Copper Solvent works better than Sweets, even though I had used Sweets for years. Hoppe's No. 9 is good, but I like Kroil's Oil better for carbon. If the carbon is too hard, I resort to JB.

[Swift220]

When cleaning my rifle after a shooting session, the first thing I put in the barrel is 2-3 wet patches of Sharp Shoot "R" carb-out (makers of PO/WO), and let set 10-15 minutes then dry patch until dry. Then I begin cleaning with whatever. This small process seems to cut my cleaning time by 2/3's the time & maybe I'm lucky but I never seem to have a carbon or copper problem. You can also use Sharp Shoot "R" Tactical Advantage PO/WO to start with to cut through stubborn carbon. After a 1000 rounds in my AR, I can put Tactical Advantage PO/WO on my AR bolt & it melts the carbon off. A couple hours later I can just wipe carbon off with a paper towel. IMO, really good stuff.

Jim D