Copper Cleaner Test
- Thread starter fredhorace77
- Start date
I agree, but the purpose of my purchase was to hopefully find something that was a little more fast acting than Sweets. I hate to waste time cleaning.
BoydAllen
Gold $$ Contributor
Somewhere in all of this, it should probably be mentioned that very high grade barrels that have been properly broken in do not require a strong copper solvent to keep them clean. What they can have issues with is accumulation of hard carbon in the throat, and for that nothing beats judicious use (probably not every cleaning) of IOSSO, which I prefer to apply with a nylon brush. Lower quality barrels are another matter. They may very well require something stronger. I avoid Sweets, having found that other cleaners are just as effective, and less sensitive to operator error.
nmkid
Gold $$ Contributor
From my personal experience...I agree. My last build, (first in many, many years) I broke in the barrel as suggested by the 'smith. Very little copper build up. Mostly carbon but, I use KG-2. Works like a charm.
Good comment...and I am cleaning a factory grade mil spec AR-15 barrel. Not great on accuracy but I try to keep it somewhat clean of copper, it does seem to foul bad.
CaptainMal
Silver $$ Contributor
To me, Butches is a near-worthless solvent. I bought a lot thinking it was great because so many recommended it. Garbage.
For copper use Barnes C-10. For carbon use Bore Tech C4.
For copper use Barnes C-10. For carbon use Bore Tech C4.
I agree about Butches. It's not a bad product but I don't understand why it gets so many rave reviews...there are better bore cleaners for both copper and carbon, IMHO. Have you noticed how often things are done in this sport simply because it's what so and so or most everyone uses/does? Me too.
patchout and proshot copper solvent IV best for me.
I've had good results using the following method. 4-5 soaking wet patches of Shooters Choice. Solvent should be running out of the bore on last couple patches. Then 15-20 strokes with a one size overbore bronze brush soaking wet, solvent re-applied every 7-10 strokes. Follow this with a wet patch and then a couple dry patches. I then inspect the muzzle with the q-tip flashlight method. If any copper streaking exists I apply Wipe Out Foam and let soak. Only takes an hour to sit but you can leave it as long as you like. Now a dry patch and check the muzzle. If copper remains re-apply Wipe Out(this is rare even in my factory bores). Follow the dry patch with a patch of break cleaner followed by a patch of Eez Ox. I will use an abrasive every 200 rounds or so to polish the throat. I do not own a bore scope but using this method I've never had any accuracy issues due to carbon or copper fowling. My point is that with powder and soft carbon fowling removed the Wipe Out Foam is very effective on copper removal. This method while looking long in paragraph form is actually quite efficient and doesn't require that much effort.
Since everyone is weighing in on this, I'll just add my experience. For well over 10 years I've used Patch Out and Accelerator of all my benchrest rifles as well as my prairie dog stuff. I should also add that I only use bullets coated with WS2 (sometimes called Danzac). I use the coated bullets since I prefer shooting rifles over cleaning them. I have found that I can easily shoot 2-300 rounds at pasture pups with no noticeable loss of accuracy. I shoot 100/200 yard aggs in UBR matches and only now and then I might clean between yardages. Again, I have seen no loss of accuracy and frequently shoot better at 200 yards than 100. My cleaning is done on Sunday morning after a Saturday match. Using a bore guide I apply Patchout and Accelerator to the same patch and short stroke it through the barrel. I repeat this action. Then I allow the barrel to sit for 15-30 minutes depending on what I have going on. I push 1-2 patches through the bore and repeat the process above. Once again I give it 15 minutes or so to work. repeat with clean patches. If no blue shows I call it good, if I get a little blue I repeat. I do have a bore scope and use it. This process has done very well for me and my barrels last very well. I am not advocating what I do as I hold no stock in the company that makes these products. You may and will do as you wish. This practice works very well for me.
Rick
Rick
To be honest with you, I used to clean my barrels after shooting about 20 rounds and I waste too much time cleaning than shooting. I noticed that I don't have noticeable loss of accuracy if my barrels are dirty. I learned to shoot more and clean less. I, now, normally clean after about 50 to 60 rounds or more.
On my break in procedure from GA Precision for my new .308 Crusader, I cleaned before I shot, the procedure is to shoot one, clean, shoot another, then clean with Bore Eliminator 10 times. Damn, that solvent is not aggressive like Sweets, but when in presence of copper, it turns blue right away. On the first shot, then clean, I fired at least 7 rounds ( one shot / then clean 7 times ) before copper presence was no longer seen, then shoot 5 rounds then clean, shoot 5 more, then clean 4 times. I did not have no more copper fouling at all during the 5 shot sequence, just carbon which is good. Bore Eliminator is a great solvent to remove copper IMO. I normally use Butch Bore Shine in the past and will continue to use it, it normally cleans carbon well, but not so well with copper, but if you clean often, then you should not have much copper in your bores but if you do, use Bore Eliminator,,,it works.
On my break in procedure from GA Precision for my new .308 Crusader, I cleaned before I shot, the procedure is to shoot one, clean, shoot another, then clean with Bore Eliminator 10 times. Damn, that solvent is not aggressive like Sweets, but when in presence of copper, it turns blue right away. On the first shot, then clean, I fired at least 7 rounds ( one shot / then clean 7 times ) before copper presence was no longer seen, then shoot 5 rounds then clean, shoot 5 more, then clean 4 times. I did not have no more copper fouling at all during the 5 shot sequence, just carbon which is good. Bore Eliminator is a great solvent to remove copper IMO. I normally use Butch Bore Shine in the past and will continue to use it, it normally cleans carbon well, but not so well with copper, but if you clean often, then you should not have much copper in your bores but if you do, use Bore Eliminator,,,it works.
Montana 50bmg is the strongest I've used but not only is it hard to use indoors, I can't get it in Canada anymore.
I have KG-12 and it doesn't work for my match barrels. haven't tried it on Factory bbl's but doesn't do a thing on my Match Barrels.
Butch's works fine to get most of the copper out, but it doesn't get all of the copper.
Barnes CR-10 works best for me.
I have KG-12 and it doesn't work for my match barrels. haven't tried it on Factory bbl's but doesn't do a thing on my Match Barrels.
Butch's works fine to get most of the copper out, but it doesn't get all of the copper.
Barnes CR-10 works best for me.
FWIW..and you might know this already. ..KG 12 does not make copper show blue on the patch but it's still very effective. I mentioned earlier that this is why I don't use it much. I prefer to see the blue if copper is present rather than bore scoping every time I clean.
Actually I did not know this. Thanks for bringing it up. I'll try the KG-12 next time and see how it really works.
+1 ^^^^^^^^^
mikegaiz
Stay frosty, my friend.
Yes one for copper and one for carbon. That is why I said "and" This has worked well for me.
I too agree. First I use Butche's bore shine to get the Powder and some of the copper out, then I use Barnes CR-10 to get rid of the rest of the copper.
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