I have been shooting over 45 years...I think I still have my first bottle of Hoppes #9 solvent in my cleaning kit..[a joke] ....For removing copper fouling I use Tipton amazing whatever ammonia based solvent..& Kroil oil to finish..I'm no expert...So I ask What do you guys use to keep the barrels clean??..Oh, The Reason I ask is I had a guy swearing up & down that SHOOTERS WASTE TOO MUCH MONEY on bore cleaning crap..He Swears by ammonia & dawn dishwashing liquid..Then WD-40...to each his own...Please tell me your fav solution..Mike in Ct
Your Favorite Bore cleaners...
- Thread starter mikeinct
- Start date
DHD
Silver $$ Contributor
Got a few. I like and use Bore Tech and Wipeout brand products for light carbon and copper fouling in no real order of preference. When I see heavier carbon or every couple hundred rounds I give a barrel a dose of Iosso paste (in moderation). I never have had much of an issue with my barrels copper fouling, but carbon can be a SOB if I let go too long.
I haven't used an ammonia based product in a long time. I have a cabinet full of bore cleaners I've tried over the years and now stick with the newer friendlier stuff because they work well for me.
YMMV.
I haven't used an ammonia based product in a long time. I have a cabinet full of bore cleaners I've tried over the years and now stick with the newer friendlier stuff because they work well for me.
YMMV.
....and the reason why we should heed this advice? The gentleman's credentials? Not a regimen I would even remotely consider.
DeltaBravo
Gold $$ Contributor
I stick with Bore Tech Eliminator. I tried many of the others - Shooters Choice, Wipe Out/Accelerator, TM, and a few others. I've recleaned my barrel several times after using the others and still got some copper/carbon out with BTE. YMMV of course.
Dennis
Dennis
ab_bentley
I fix stuff, sometimes....
There's only one cleaner i use, Wipe out foam. I also use Seafoam for carbon, but with the Wipe Out you'll barely need it.
Adam
Adam
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
Dennis, Montana products make the Eliminator look like Kool Aid, just my experience. I probably shoot 10K rounds a year,
I am trying the Wipe out with accelerator now, just for giggles and grins.
lyman and Hawkeye bore scopes, see all.
When Shooting over bore wild cats with fast velocities, bullets with long bearing surfaces will teach you volumes on cleaning, and powder fouling can be terrible to deal with. I am always willing to try a new mouse trap!
My wife threw all the precious old GI solvent out when I went on a hunting trip.
DeltaBravo
Gold $$ Contributor
Ackley,
I only shoot 6BR at VFS distances, so nothing too hot (68BT at 3300 fps) and not all that many rounds per year (maybe 1500). I leave BTE in overnight and get 1 blue patch out the next day. None of the others came close, including Wipe Out, but then I've never used the foam. My current cleaning method has proven very consistent and thorough as shown in my Hawkeye Borescope. If it ain't broke, I'm reluctant to "fix" it.
Dennis
I only shoot 6BR at VFS distances, so nothing too hot (68BT at 3300 fps) and not all that many rounds per year (maybe 1500). I leave BTE in overnight and get 1 blue patch out the next day. None of the others came close, including Wipe Out, but then I've never used the foam. My current cleaning method has proven very consistent and thorough as shown in my Hawkeye Borescope. If it ain't broke, I'm reluctant to "fix" it.
Dennis
All I have to say about BBS is clean your bore with it until there is no more copper fouling on the patch and nothing else is showing on the patch, then run a patch soaked in Wipe Out Patch Out and let it soak for 15 minutes and you'll see how well BBS doesn't work.
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Liven The Dream
Gold $$ Contributor
Going back words !!
I shoot Palma and 1000 Prone Stuff.
We have our Barrel maker here in the PNW, he and other shooters of his Barrels have us back on Old #9 !
I have used almost all the above listed cleaners, can't say I am head over heals on any of them .
We must keep the makers of them Happy.
I shoot Palma and 1000 Prone Stuff.
We have our Barrel maker here in the PNW, he and other shooters of his Barrels have us back on Old #9 !
I have used almost all the above listed cleaners, can't say I am head over heals on any of them .
We must keep the makers of them Happy.
hogpatrol
Gold $$ Contributor
Jim, I will try that. Always looking for that holy grail of cleaners.
I use Butch's for copper fouling and Iosso after every agg for the carbon. I plan to try the Boretech and Montana (Extreme?) to see if they can cut the copper faster, as there is nothing like trying to clean a rifle and load for the next match when there are only 2 relays going.
Shynloco
You can lead a horse to water, but ........
Best I've found in over 50 yrs of shooting and cleaning rifles and handguns. That after trying several of the aforementioned products (and some recommended home brews) that I found didn't work as well. I also "scrubb" my Benchrest barrels with JB Bore Cleaner every other cleaning.
Alex
PS. I do soak my scrub bore brushes in Hoppes if that counts.
I wouldn't call Wipe Out Patch Out the holy grail of cleaners, but it works pretty well. I wouldn't of tried it but when I had a match down Maryland, one of my close friends who I shoot against gave me a case of Wipe-Out and a case of Accelerator. There are more aggressive copper cleaners like Montana Extreme and Bore Tech Eliminator. The absolute best copper remover that I have used is KG12. I was told years ago by some ex-employee's of Krieger who have went on to make barrels themselves that it was a good idea to leave a little copper in the barrel. I shoot score matches almost every weekend and the only time I clean is after I get home. I shoot 4 different variations of 30 caliber chamberings, so cleaning it's not as critical as shooting say a 6PPC. What worked better than straight Butch's was a mixture of Butch's and the old silver & black can of GM top engine cleaner. A lot of the old time BR shooters used that, but finding that old discontinued top engine cleaner is like finding gold.
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Easy question for me.
First, any hand dishwasher 50-50% with wáter for poder residues.
Second, Robla Solo for copper.
Third and last, Ballistol Kleber (that's a special oil) to eliminate the residual Robla.
From my experience, if you pass a well soaked patch or felt after cleaning, with Ballistol Kleber, and then a quick-one-way-pass afterwards, you will leave some traces of Ballistol in the bore.
When you begin the next shooting session, please don't remove what was left in the bore, and start shooting without cleaning.
You will discover that you need very few fouling shots to be on spot. Maybe one or two.
Ballistol is fully compatible -one of the very few- with pressure in the bore and does not make diesel effect at all.
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