After Bore Cleaning with JB Bore Paste

I was reading an article here regarding the proper use of JB Bore Paste (see attached). In the article, the author states the barrel should be "Seasoned" to reduce the build up in the barrel using Lock-EEZ. This is an oil with graphite suspended in it.

I was wondering if anyone has ever used this method and what your experience with it has been?

Page 13, Para 3.
"...Though not a big fan of Moly (That's another story) after all this cleaning the barrel should be "SEASONED" or made ready to shoot in a method to keep fouling down to a minimum once we put it back in service. What I have done was A trick I learned from my mentor Pat McMillan and that was to coat the bore with LOCK-EEZ (Lock-Eez is graphite suspended in a carrier that evaporates very quickly leaving only the graphite behind.) It is applied in the exact same manner as we cleaned the barrel with JB Bore Paste working it into the first 8 to 10 inches at first then slowly working it into the entire length of the barrel..."

Thanks for the input.

 

No experience with Lock-EEZ, but my experience with JB is copper fowling immediately follows, especially towards the muzzle. I end up cleaning every few shots until bullets stop leaving skid marks. I did find that what oil I used before the first shot matters a little. MPro was horrible. Hoppe's was bad. Kroil is better but I would like to have something better.

 

Lock-ease is actually graphite in a carrier that evaporates quickly. Trivial difference but important.

I had read enough about folks using "something" to avoid shooting fa bullet down a bare bore after cleaning. I had experience with Lock-ease. So I decided to try it. The change I noticed was that normally my first few shots had a different impact location than after I got the bore dirty. When I started using Lock-ease, the impact location is no longer different, it is exactly where the bullets from the fouled bore hit. That alone is worth it to me.

The reason I mention oil left in the bore, is anytime I coat the bore with a patch with oil, I make sure I remove it prior to shooting.

But you can test it yourself. Put a couple of drops of Lock-ease on a patch and check it the next day. The patch will be dry with only the graphite left behind.

 

I use the Neolube Colloidal Graphite (available from Gre-Tan Rifles) for my initial barrel break-in. Then follow on with Grafoil there after. (https://www.gretanrifles.com/product-page/2-oz-break-in-kit)
I've had several barrels that stopped producing copper fouling quite quickly through use of these two products. - AND I am in No way associated with Gre-Tan Rifles, although he has done a good amount of gunsmith work for me. - I was in search of something to aid in the break-in process on Large caliber barrels (416 Barrett & 50 cal.) to try to get barrels broke in quicker. - I've also used it on medium and smaller calibers with decent success. - I had one Broughton 1-11" twist on a 300 WSM that quit fouling after 7 shots. - And I also believe that use of the Neolube & the observed fouling & how long it takes to reduce or quit fouling tells a bit about the internal finish of the individual barrel.
I don't believe that these products will turn a bad barrel into a good one, but I believe that they aid in the break-in process. - I believe that the Lock-Eez suspended in the evaporative carrier is basically the same concept.
I believe what we do in the beginning with our barrel has a big impact on how quick we get it broke-in and are able to see the real performance potential. But we must keep in mind, this stuff isn't a substitute for having an accurate hand-load or a marginal quality barrel. - It gets good barrels shooting (with good loads) quicker and I believe with less fouling as a result.

- Ron -

 

Ron, TY for this info ! Ordering on Mon. Hope it work's just as well in my New Broughton 1-11'' 300 WSM

Egan

 

Tim North & the Guys make some Excellent barrels. - Have 2 for LG & 2 for HG Maxi-Tracker. - And a fellow Louisiana shooter won the 2019 F-Class Nat's with a Broughton at Raton, NM earlier this year.

- Ron -

 

I have struggled with understanding what people are really saying with similar statements. Struggling as in I have read/been told about new barrel cleaning (shoot x times, clean, shoot y times, clean, etc.) until you stop seeing copper. However, without cameras, serious scrubbing, etc., doing this at the range undoubtedly leaves some copper laid down in the barrel but just not showing on the patch.

Is the idea that at some point from repeated cleaning shooting / deep cleaning the barrel will end up relatively copper free, or that at some point the areas that are going to copper fowl have fowled and are now more apt to carbon fowl over the top rather than drag more copper?

 

If you go to the product page at Gre-Tan Rifles the instructions state to use this Neolube at the Very beginning on a never fired on bore that is spotless, and then clean between each shot for 10-20 round cycles. - My experience is most custom barrels will quit fouling by 10-15 shots using this process. Also the instructions state to not over-clean between uses of Neolube application, but get the copper fouling & carbon out from the shot fired. - The idea is to fill the grain structure with the sub-micron Colloidal Graphite rather than copper & carbon fouling.
It doesn't make a barrel totally "immune" from fouling as no one cleans between every shot after they've in good confidence broken in there barrel. - My observations are, it helps reduce fouling (copper) through normal use. - For me, normal use is shooting 4 targets at a match for record plus the sighters involved for each relay, or if practicing or doing load work-ups 30-40 rounds. - And again, it won't make a marginal barrel or one that has problems associated to being a "copper mine" disappear. - IMO it shortens up break in, and aids in fouling prevention & makes cleaning easier in the long run. - I believe that it can also help an accurate barrel shoot well for longer shot strings before a good cleaning is required.
- Ron -

 

I am not interested in another product for a new barrel. My post was in reference to a specific product.

 

I have done some poking around since @LA50SHOOTER made that post. Colloidal graphite is used and an anti-seize. The two most popular ones I found are the type mentioned above (Neolube) and DAG 156. I think 156 may be the fineness of the graphite but that is not clear to me at this point, and I got tired of looking. Anyway, Neolube 1 and Neolube 2, and DAG 156, both use alcohol as the carrier. Neolube is primarily used for anti-seize in nuclear components. DAG 156 is used on lab equipment. Both turn the metal black. I did find another collaidal graphite that has water and alcohol as the carrier. I did not find any that use oil. Instructions for Neolube caution against getting is on areas where connections are made (going beyond the connection can cause shorts) or where the black color is not desirable. Methods to remove it include scraping it off, but the main caution is to avoid getting it on areas where you don't want it if possible. My thinking is using oil may not actually result in the graphite bonding to the steel, where these other products definitely bond.

 

You and a previous poster are correct and I am mistaken. The carring medium is not an oil but a evaporative carrier.
The point of my thread was has anyone used this and what was the result?

 

Years ago, I wrote the first story that, to my knowledge, had ever been printed about the products that Greg sells. Back then they were being sold by a benchrest shooter, who is still around (I am pretty sure) by the name of Stan Buchtel. His wife, Stella was the NBRSA secretary for just about forever.
Anyway, the way that I found out about the new barrel treatment, was when George Kelby came all the way to Visalia, CA to compete in in a short range benchrest group match. This was before I had my own benchrest rifle, but since I had been involved with a cooperative project for building benches using the same molds at the range that I belonged to, and the Visalia range I had made a habit of attending the Visalia matches, because I found the fancy equipment interesting, and the people friendly. It was just before that that I had started writing a benchrest equipment column for the magazine that had the contract to publish the NBRSA's , match reports, Shooters News. I had had the luck of visiting with George on the phone before that, and while I was at that match we had a good visit, during which he told me of the colloidal graphite in alcohol treatment. He said that he had so much confidence in it that he was shooting the match with a barrel that had been treated, without any break in at all, motioning me out into the direct sunlight to look down into his muzzle a bit to see that the bore was uniformly inky black. He went into considerable detail about it, and that became the genesis of an article that was published in Shooters News. The other thing that he told me that he thought that benchrest shooters cleaned their barrels more often than was needed, and that cleaning every second or third match would probably not hurt accuracy, a practice that I adopted with good results when I got my own benchrest rifle. This all took place in the late 90s.

 

I use the Lock ease ( from Napa Auto) and apply a patch with some on it, after I clean my rifle and handgun bores. It seems to me to help cut down on the cleaning after shooting and also seems to lessen the buildup of copper and carbon in the bores.
I like it and use it. And I see no change in the accuracy of my loads. That is just my opinion and what I do.

 

Thank you for the information. I purchased a bottle from Ace Hardware and will give it a try.

 

If you are looking for an oil with graphite in it, Kroil Penephite is out there. I have a bunch of it, but have never used it in a barrel.

 

Thanks Keith, but wasn't looking for an oil. I had mistaken the media in the Lock-EEZ in my original post. Picked some up from Ace and have decided to give it a try and see how it performs.

 

Is this the stuff?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GKW2NM/?tag=accuratescom-20

CW

 

Yup that is it. I found it in stock at Ace Hardware. Napa Auto parts carries it also, but in Aerosol. At least at the one in my town.

 

We’ve been using the lock-ease for some time for BR barrels.
One tip.....put a bullet in the bottle, you have to shake it up quite well to make sure it is distributed well. Won’t stay in suspension very long.

 

Yea ive been using it since 99 or so. I use the napa brand. It cuts down on shots needed to settle in after cleaning. One tip ive found- an itty bitty dot on the patch is plenty. Too much and itll be wild for a few shots from what ive found.