copper solvents

[Rustywreck]

I don't know if this applies directly to reloading, but I messed around with some copper solvents that claim to dissolve copper in rifle barrels.
I didn't set out to do a test, it was a matter of curiosity. I put some Hoppes Copper Terminator on a damaged bullet, and nothing happened - even when left for hours. There was no blue on the towel or any sign that the jacket of the bullet was effected.
Wipe Out did leave some blue on the towel and the jacket of the bullet was changed. It was brighter and seemed softer; however, it was not dissolved.
My question is what is the best stuff to use to remove copper from a rifle barrel, or clean it for that matter?
I've read some stuff about cleaning, but there is to much that is contradictory.

[skb2706]

Barnes CR-10 is about as strong of copper cutter that I am aware of sold as a gun cleaning product.

[Rocky Raab]

All of the ammonia-containing ones will remove copper from barrels - but will also remove your sinuses, LOL!

Shooter's Choice Copper, Montana Extreme, Butch's, Barnes CR-10, the brand new M-Pro7 Copper Remover, Hoppes Copper Solvent and several more will all do the job. But remember that we are talking about VERY small amounts of copper here. Using a bullet may not be a valid test as there is simply more copper there than a drop of solvent can dissolve.

I'd use all of these outdoors, because they can be VERY strong and possibly dangerous. Eye protection is also vital.

Also follow the instructions. A lot is not better than a little, and a long soak is not better for the gun than the recommended time. You CAN damage a bore with some of these chemicals.

Not to mention your sinuses!

[Catfish]

I`ve used Sweets 7.62 for years and it works. I have worked on some barrels that were fouled so bad that it took a very long time to get them clean and one that I never did get all of the copper out of, but it did shoot around 1/2 moa when I got done, even with the copper I left in the barrel.
I cannot figure why you did not get blue on your towel. It should have desolved copper to the point of saturation of the volume of soulvent you applied, or at least that what I would expect. I may put alittle Sweets on a bullet and see what happens.

[Cossack]

I've used all those mentioned and then some. Wasn't happy with results ( and the effort necessary) until I tried WipeOut.
It's a foam. Squirt it in to fill the barrel, let it sit, overnight if you want to. Then, push out gunk with a patch covered old bore brush. Great.

[Skinny Shooter]

Originally posted by Cossack
I've used all those mentioned and then some. Wasn't happy with results ( and the effort necessary) until I tried WipeOut.
It's a foam. Squirt it in to fill the barrel, let it sit, overnight if you want to. Then, push out gunk with a patch covered old bore brush. Great. Dittos on that!
I've had similiar experiences till I found Wipe-out.
CR-10 was the best until I put straight Wipe-out in my CR-10 cleaned guns. The patches came out blue.
Get their Accelerator also. You swab the barrel with it before applying the foam.
I also use a nylon brush to scrub the bore on persistent fouling first, then a patch with jag combo. No more metal brushes.
Make sure to use a good cleaning rod like a Dewey and clean from the chamber end.

When you clean the Savage with foam, keep the barrel horizontal and squirt from the muzzle end. Put paper towels in the magazine area to keep the foam from running into the internal mag well.
I'll stick my pinky (no Treedoc, that is not Mr Pinky) into the chamber while squirting a small amount at a time. Once the foam is felt, I stop the application. Saves on foam that way.

[denton]

You can make your own equivalent of Sweets for about $.25 per bottle.

Get a bottle of 10% janitorial ammonia. That's about $2 at most Ace Hardware stores.

Get some cheap liquid detergent, preferably without scent or color.

For normal use, mix these two 50/50.

For a stronger solution, mix two parts ammonia with 1 part detergent.

There is no reason to pay $8 per bottle for this stuff.

[Catfish]

denton you cheap so and so. :eek: I just love it when someone tells me how I can save money! :D Think I`ll give it a try.

[Rustywreck]

what kind of detergent do you mean, laundry, dish, pinesol, etc?

[Rocky Raab]

Catfish, remember; this is Utah. (Unofficial state motto: "I'll take it for free, but only if there's a cash rebate.")

[Larryjk]

Originally posted by Feathermax
I don't know if this applies directly to reloading, but I messed around with some copper solvents that claim to dissolve copper in rifle barrels.
I didn't set out to do a test, it was a matter of curiosity. I put some Hoppes Copper Terminator on a damaged bullet, and nothing happened - even when left for hours. There was no blue on the towel or any sign that the jacket of the bullet was effected.
Wipe Out did leave some blue on the towel and the jacket of the bullet was changed. It was brighter and seemed softer; however, it was not dissolved.
My question is what is the best stuff to use to remove copper from a rifle barrel, or clean it for that matter?
I've read some stuff about cleaning, but there is to much that is contradictory. :) The best copper solvent "was" Extreme Coppermelt, but the guy quit making it. He is in Canada and finally got a visa, but he is not making the product anymore. I tried to get him going but all he wanted me to do was set him up in business down here. I make "Blue Goo" for myself using ammonium hydroxide and hydogen peroxide. Works pretty good, but does clear your sinuses. Haven't tried Wipe Out, but will.

[denton]

what kind of detergent do you mean, laundry, dish, pinesol, etc?

Doesn't matter much. Dish detergent, shampoo, and liquid hand "soap" are all the same thing, give or take a few additives. The simplest, cheapest thing you can find will work. Uncolored and unscented are probably a little better. Pinesol is something else. Don't use that.

[BILLY D.]

denton

There is also an industrial ammonia. It's either 20 or 30%. When I was a Jeweler I used it in a cleaning solution. I mixed it 1/3 Mr. Clean, 1/3 water and 1/3 Ammonia. Makes Diamonds shine like a spanked babys behind, and left no residue. Of course the ultrasonic cleaner did a great job also.

Some women would bring wedding ring ensembles to be cleaned that had Hamburger wedged in the Engagement Ring setting. Rings and jewelry are some of the biggest bacteria spreaders on the face of the earth.

If you ever decide to use the industrial ammonia be really careful cause it will take your breath away, literaly and it is breathtaking.

Best wishes, Bill

[Calif Hunter]

The best way to use Wipeout is to use a bore guide with a bolt action rifle is to take out the bolt, insert the proper size bore guide and give a brief squirt into the bore guide so the Wipeout oozes out the muzzle.

Iuse the Wipeout, but generally find that a couple patches of Hoppes #9, then a couple dry patches to remove the powder fouling first, lets one application of Wipeout get to the copper fouling better.

[Larryjk]

:) I forgot to mention that when using really effective ( Strong) copper solvents, don't use a brass brush. All that does is let you know the solvent works as it eats up your brush. I don't let a brush made of brass or stainless get into the bores of my rifles. Use the nylon brushes with a patch wrapped wround them and put some pressure on the bore. Clean the powder fouling from the bore and remove the traces of whatever solvent you use for that with acetone on a patch. Then clean the copper from the bore usng your special copper solvent, whatever it is.
When you are paid to clean the barrels of other folks rifles, as a gunsmith, you learn not to waste time on things that don't work.

[Calif Hunter]

As a gunsmith, would you leave Wipeout in overnight? I am thinking in terms of your comment about wasting time. Wipeout needs time to work, and that would probably be the best way for a shop to use it.

[Montana Cowboy]

Howdy All
I use the Outers Foaming Bore cleaner and leave it in overnight. It does a great job of removing the copper. Remington bore cleaner does a good job of removing powder fouling.
The 2.4 oz can of foaming bore cleaner that I bought has been used 51 times so far on long guns and hasn't run dry yet. I see it being offered in larger cans now so one can will last a long time.
Leaving the foaming bore cleaner in over night has not harmed any of my rifles. MC

[Larryjk]

Calif Hunter, I would be very, very hesitant to leave a cleaner in a barrel overnight until I knew what may happen. That means take a take-off barrel out of the barrel bin and try the cleaner on it first in an overnight situation. If it requires leaving the cleaner in the barrel overnight suggests two things; a badly neglected, abused barrel, or a cleaner that is too slow for my use.:)

[Rev]

I use Sweet's 7.62 pretty regularly in all of my rifles. I clean it some with Hoppe's #9 beforehand, just to get the powder fouling out and expose the copper fouling. It works quickly. I never leave it in there more that 5 minutes or so and it comes out blue, blue, blue, if there's any copper in there.

I always clean it out with Hoppe's #9 again as I would not want to leave any in the bbl. I can't be sure that over night would harm bbl. steel, but I would not want to take the chance. Over night isn't necessary anyway as it works fast. I don't think normal usage hurts the bbl. Benchresters use it all the time and we know how picky they are. If it harmed bbl. steel, they would be yelling loudly about it.

Rev

[Larryjk]

I gave the warning about leaving solvents in the barrel overnight because I had not used the product you are using,Wipeout, and do not know how it operates. If it doesn't hurt the barrel, leave it in as long as it takes.

[Barlow]

I have had good results with Shooters Choice, and JB paste. It takes some time to clean a really fouled barrel, but you can get them clean. Follow directions carefully. Once I get the barrel clean I use Butch's Bore Shine often to keep them clean.

[shooterjon]

I use KD12 copper remover works better than anything else that I have tried.
I also use Bore tech Eliminator for general Bore cleaning and copper removal.This works for me here a link that is pretty interesting on the KG12.

http://www.cleenboreusa.com/kg/kg12testresults.asp

[Montana Cowboy]

Howdy Folks

LarryJK I haven't had any problem at all leaving the cleaner in overnight. I take very good care of my guns and would not do anything that would harm them. When I go to the range I shoot quite a bit so I end up with a fair amount of copper fouling by the time I'm done shooting. Before I leave the range I run a brush through the bore followed by two patches with Hoppe's on them while the bore is still warm. About an hour after I get home I run a dry patch through two times then I use the Outers foaming bore cleaner and let it sit overnight. Dry patch it and go from there if additional cleaning is required.
I know everybody has their own way of cleaning their gun so I'm not trying in any way to convince folks that the way I do it is the way it shoud be done. MC

[LivesToHunt]

Im a big fan of Sweets 7.62. It has worked great for me.

[petey]

You can make your own equivalent of Sweets for about $.25 per bottle.

Get a bottle of 10% janitorial ammonia. That's about $2 at most Ace Hardware stores.

Get some cheap liquid detergent, preferably without scent or color.

For normal use, mix these two 50/50.

For a stronger solution, mix two parts ammonia with 1 part detergent.

There is no reason to pay $8 per bottle for this stuff.

I do the same thing Denton does. 50/50 mix and she works

[Talon]

For myself the very best is Blue Wonder Bore Cleaner amazingly easy to use just need to make sure you run a oil patch right after stripping the bore.