anyone ruined a barrel with sweets or other?

[hofts]

just curious if anyone has ruined a barrel while cleaning with any form of cleaner.
thanks


i have left sweets in for over 30 minutes before, i don't have a bore scope so i don't know if i have any damage, but i sure can't tell so far. it looks great and shoots great. will 30 minutes with sweets ruin a barrel or not. i did of course follow with large amount of hoppes to (neutralize) it or so i thought.

[Cal Sibley]

No, I haven't ruined a barrel or even damaged a stock using copper remover, but I do try to be careful. Most of the copper removers like Sweets and Barnes contain ammonia so you want to take pains to get it all out before you put the rifle away. I've taken to using Kroil because of it's deep penetrating ability. It seems to neutralize any remainig amonia nicely. I protect the stock by placing a fairly thick rag over the stock right behind the action. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[MarkL]

I've seen the warnings about not leaving it in more than 15 minutes or whatever, but it just doesn't make sense to me. Suppose I leave it in for 15, swab it out, apply it again for 15, and repeat a third time. That's 45 minutes of cumulative exposure. How is that any better than leaving the first application in for 45 minutes?

If you use Sweets every time you clean your rifle, you will eventually have many hours of cumulative exposure. If one application is going to corrode your bore in, say, one hour, why doesn't multiple applications have the same effect?

Does Sweet's undergo some kind of change after it has been applied that causes it to beome corrosive? Maybe it absorbs moisture from the air and turns to acid? I should would like a chemist to explain what is supposed to be happening.

[hofts]

i've also pondered those same thoughts!

[denton]

Does Sweet's undergo some kind of change after it has been applied that causes it to beome corrosive?

The short answer is yes, it does...well, sort of.

You can make a very close substitute for Sweet's by mixing 2/3 janitorial strength ammonia (10%) and 1/3 thick, liquid detergent.

Ammonia is a base. Normally (some exceptions...ammonia attacks copper) a base will protect metal, as opposed to an acid which will eat metal. Some of the lubricants used on large rotating machines are so full of strong base that they will peel your skin and flesh off.

The problem with ammonia is that the ammonia gas evaporates out, leaving plain water. Water, of course, promotes rust.

The other problem is that copper in a barrel acts as "reverse galvanizing". Where zinc will protect steel, copper does the opposite, and promotes pitting and corrosion. Leaving water in the barrel forms a battery, with copper and steel, and promotes the pitting.

[BILLY D.]

Originally posted by denton
The short answer is yes, it does...well, sort of.

You can make a very close substitute for Sweet's by mixing 2/3 janitorial strength ammonia (10%) and 1/3 thick, liquid detergent.

Ammonia is a base. Normally (some exceptions...ammonia attacks copper) a base will protect metal, as opposed to an acid which will eat metal. Some of the lubricants used on large rotating machines are so full of strong base that they will peel your skin and flesh off.

The problem with ammonia is that the ammonia gas evaporates out, leaving plain water. Water, of course, promotes rust.

The other problem is that copper in a barrel acts as "reverse galvanizing". Where zinc will protect steel, copper does the opposite, and promotes pitting and corrosion. Leaving water in the barrel forms a battery, with copper and steel, and promotes the pitting.

gee denton

that made everything perfectly clear. another words i'm damned if i do or damned if i don't.

personally i'll keep using ammonia cleaners, i feel perfectly safe in doing so. just don't tell anybody else ok?

[Cal Sibley]

I use Sweets after every range session in some of my copper fouling rifles, but follow it with a rather liberal application of Kroil. It really gets down in the barrel imperfections to raise other ingredients up. Maybe I've just been lucky so far. I've noticed with Kroil that when applied to what appears to be a clean barrel it will give me dark, patches with fouling on them. I guess it penetrates deeper than the other products I use, but I am leery of Sweets. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal