copper fouling removing solvent ?

super

Banned
Joined
Dec 30, 2017
Messages
48
Like it says, what I'd the best for the copper. I've used Montana copper killer didn't seem that great. I've used sweet 7.62 seemed better at cleaning carbon and of coarse hoppes #9 which works alright. I've also used shoothers choice and didnt care for it a ton. What have you guys had luck with?
 

ramont

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 19, 2017
Messages
259
Location
Montana
Bore Tech's Cu+2 copper cleaner and Bore Tech's Proof Positive bore brushes. Let the chemical do it's job, follow their instructions. The best part about Bore Tech's products is that you can leave them in the bore without worrying about damaging the metal, unlike Sweet's and other ammonia based products.

Bore fouling is deposited in layers; copper, lead, carbon. If you use a specific chemical for each then you'll get the best results, the problem is that it's slower to clean a bore if you use two or three chemicals but for me it's worth it because I get my bore pretty much like new with very little effort. I will admit that I take a couple days to clean a rifle but I don't clean for hours, I simply swab the bore with the chemical and let it sit for a while and come back later and brush and swab again. Over a two day period I might use 10 or 20 patches, depending on how bad the bore is.

Regardless of what brand product you use I always recommend buying one chemical for carbon and one for copper. Use the carbon remover first and when the patches don't show black carbon then dry the bore and switch over to the copper cleaner. When the copper cleaner doesn't show copper (usually a blue color on the patch) then dry the bore and switch back to the carbon remover. do this over and over until both cleaners quit showing their reaction to the fouling.
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2017
Messages
649
My best luck is from never cleaning the barrel. I will run oil patch followed by dry patch after shooting but that is it.
The vast majority of the rifles I own shoot better dirty and some will not hit sweet spot until ive sent a few dozen rounds down the tube.
On my rifles that I shoot over 1000 rounds in a year then I will clean down a bit if I see accuracy dropping off.
I've got a 308 that has several thousand rounds through it that shoots lights out and ive never done a deep clean on it.
I personally think taking rifles down to tbare metal all the time can have more of a negative effect...
Make sure you are using a bore guide...lots of rifles have been hurt by crown damage.

If I have to do a deep clean I will use Barnes CR-10 but be VERY vigilant. Chemicals can hurt accuracy very easily.
 

boom

WKR
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Sep 11, 2013
Messages
3,185
ugh..i might have subconsciously blocked it from my mind. i hated it..well, using it.

it was a red can that shot out a foam you let soak overnight. damn effective. wipeout? i'll look at the can tonight and report back.

us California folks shooting copper ammo..we need it. my 257wtby mag would melt copper into the rifling. my '06, not so much. i think copper fouling is directly proportional to muzzle velocity.
 
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
89
Location
Southern California
wipeout is my fav followed by MPro-7

I don't really clean my rifles until they drop off in accuracy. Haven't cleaned the 308 in a few hundred, the 6.5 hasn't been cleaned ever.
 

10bands

FNG
Joined
May 15, 2018
Messages
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Location
Meridian, Idaho
Wipeout for me too. It works on copper and carbon. I’ve used it on a 1943 M1 carbine and a 50’s era 300 H&H and each application would vary between mostly black and mostly blue juice coming out after sitting for an hour. Just make sure it can’t run back into the action it’s sticky stuff.
 
Joined
Jun 25, 2015
Messages
344
went crazy with a new model 70 in 338 win mag. that i had to clean with the heavy copper cleaners all the time. accuracy was better dirty so i gave it some jb bore paste treatment to smooth out the rough rifling cuts and now only clean it with Hoppes. i dont have cleaning or accuracy issues anymore and i dont worry about getting every bit of copper out. i believe the metal pores have filled in and smoothed out. everybody has a cleaning ritual or voodoo that they believe works. i dont waste time going crazy with chasing copper fouling. thats my thought anyway.
 
OP
S

super

Banned
Joined
Dec 30, 2017
Messages
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Another question. Im currently using sweets 7.62, Montana copper cream and ol' hopes #9. Yesterday I cleaned the rifle in need which is a new bergera rifle in 30-06. I cleaned it for about an hour rotating between the 3 and I did get alot of copper out and it appears cleaning isn't doing much more. Now, there still are copper lines in the barrel. At what point do you call it good? I know that some copper in the barrel is just fine. Should I be good or should I try another cleaner or continue?
 

ramont

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 19, 2017
Messages
259
Location
Montana
I don't see anything wrong with not deep cleaning until you see the accuracy drop off but to never deep clean your bore is a bad idea, especially since most people that claim that they only oil their bore and put the rifle up probably don't even bother to oil the barrel. Most competition shooters don't deep clean their bores during their shooting season, they simply remove the carbon and oil the bore. But keep in mind that if you store your guns in humid, warm places (somewhere around 35% humidity and about 65 degrees F) then not cleaning the layers of fouling out of the bore will rust very quickly and that rust will turn to pitting just as quickly. I used to operate a gun range and I've seen many of those so called tack drivers that were never cleaned, most of them didn't really shoot as well as the owners claimed, most often the fact was that the shooter simply had no idea how well their rifle could shoot if had been taken care of. I had a guy with a Ruger No. 1 in 30-06 that his dad owned, it hadn't been cleaned in decades other than to run some Hoppes #9 through it once in a while. One day he complained that the bore was shot out, I looked down the bore and it barely had any indication of rifling. Knowing the story behind the rifle I offered to clean it before he replaced the barrel and he agreed. After a solid week of cleaning the rifle I returned it to the owner. After his shooting session he complained that I was going to cost him money because the rifle was shooting so well that he now needed a scope for it.
 

SoDaky

WKR
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Apr 6, 2018
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sd
Will add; 1.I would do a deep clean annually.you do NOT want a bad copper issue with an expensive barrel-especially if you are running it hot.
2.Barnes will do it when Wipe Out fails BUT follow instructions,It burns everything if not careful.
 

gbflyer

WKR
Joined
Feb 20, 2017
Messages
1,577
I like the Bore Tech Cu2 also.

If I have one that’s badly copper fouled, I use Sweets and a phosphor-bronze bore brush. Keep it wet and go at it until a flashlight at the muzzle shows no more copper. It’s generally the end of the brush when you’re done, but I’ve found nothing that’s faster or more effective, including JB paste.

I agree that it’s unnecessary and probably harmful to strip them to bare metal all the time. Only do it when a know shooter falls off, or maybe on one that’s unfamiliar to you and you’re unhappy with. That’s my unsolicited advice on the matter
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2017
Messages
649
I don't see anything wrong with not deep cleaning until you see the accuracy drop off but to never deep clean your bore is a bad idea, especially since most people that claim that they only oil their bore and put the rifle up probably don't even bother to oil the barrel. Most competition shooters don't deep clean their bores during their shooting season, they simply remove the carbon and oil the bore. But keep in mind that if you store your guns in humid, warm places (somewhere around 35% humidity and about 65 degrees F) then not cleaning the layers of fouling out of the bore will rust very quickly and that rust will turn to pitting just as quickly. I used to operate a gun range and I've seen many of those so called tack drivers that were never cleaned, most of them didn't really shoot as well as the owners claimed, most often the fact was that the shooter simply had no idea how well their rifle could shoot if had been taken care of. I had a guy with a Ruger No. 1 in 30-06 that his dad owned, it hadn't been cleaned in decades other than to run some Hoppes #9 through it once in a while. One day he complained that the bore was shot out, I looked down the bore and it barely had any indication of rifling. Knowing the story behind the rifle I offered to clean it before he replaced the barrel and he agreed. After a solid week of cleaning the rifle I returned it to the owner. After his shooting session he complained that I was going to cost him money because the rifle was shooting so well that he now needed a scope for it.

Totally understand where you are coming from with your comments.
I was just trying to give advice from personal experience over the years.
Different story if you are storing guns in an environment with that kind of humidity.

To scrub or not to scrub is going to be debated for a long time...old habits die hard.

I just personally cant afford to spend that much time cleaning or adding the round count to the barrel.
Rifles with a 1000-1500 round barrel life would be shot out even faster if you have to re-foul every time.

Once I have the thing shooting I want to stay in that accuracy band as long as I can...
 
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