Cleaning barrel test

[Nude nut]

Gday guys,
Just thought I would share As im due for a rebarrel soon I thought I would try cleaning with citric acid and hot water with this barrel so spun it off and put it upright in barrel vice.
Then put chair leg cap on the muzzle end poured a bit of boiling water in barrel then a teaspoon of citric acid gave a scrub with stiff osso brush just a few strokes then added more water up to the neck of the chamber then added two tea spoons into chamber with a bribble of water on top of that.
I let it sit for 5 min then gave another scrub with osso brush then 4 strokes with a bronze brush then dumped the lot rinsed with boiling water then ran a dry patch through the barrel nothing patch was clean.
Had a look with my borescope and to my surprise it was spotless apart from a bit of copper the neck area was clean it took out the moly aswell.
Going to let this barrel dirty up with more rounds as it only had 60 rounds through it this cleaning let it go for say 100 to 150 then test again this time I will take photos to post.

Cheers Trev.

 

[TAJ45]

Quite interesting T

Gday guys,
Just thought I would share As im due for a rebarrel soon I thought I would try cleaning with citric acid and hot water with this barrel so spun it off and put it upright in barrel vice.
Then put chair leg cap on the muzzle end poured a bit of boiling water in barrel then a teaspoon of citric acid gave a scrub with stiff osso brush just a few strokes then added more water up to the neck of the chamber then added two tea spoons into chamber with a bribble of water on top of that.
I let it sit for 5 min then gave another scrub with osso brush then 4 strokes with a bronze brush then dumped the lot rinsed with boiling water then ran a dry patch through the barrel nothing patch was clean.
Had a look with my borescope and to my surprise it was spotless apart from a bit of copper the neck area was clean it took out the moly aswell.
Going to let this barrel dirty up with more rounds as it only had 60 rounds through it this cleaning let it go for say 100 to 150 then test again this time I will take photos to post.

Cheers Trev.

Quite interesting Trevor. Makes a Yank go Hmmmmm.
I, for one, am quite interested in further reports. Just curious as to cal and total rounds and how far is the throat washed.

 

[jlow]

Citric acid which is the same as Lemishine used in stainless steel media is used to dissolve copper oxide which results in clean brass. Not exactly sure what it will do in terms of cleaning barrel since it really does not have the strength to dissolve copper, just the oxide. However, one thing I am pretty sure is since it is acid, you have to be careful rinsing it out well afterwards as it might cause steel barrels to rust.

 

[Nude nut]

Quite interesting T


Quite interesting Trevor. Makes a Yank go Hmmmmm.
I, for one, am quite interested in further reports. Just curious as to cal and total rounds and how far is the throat washed.

308win my comp rifle 3000 rounds going to keep this barrel for club use and new one for prize shoots.

Cheers Trev.

 

[Nude nut]

Citric acid which is the same as Lemishine used in stainless steel media is used to dissolve copper oxide which results in clean brass. Not exactly sure what it will do in terms of cleaning barrel since it really does not have the strength to dissolve copper, just the oxide. However, one thing I am pretty sure is since it is acid, you have to be careful rinsing it out well afterwards as it might cause steel barrels to rust.

No it wont move the copper but it does a hell of a job on carbon ,powder fouling and moly much easier and quicker than messing about with all the other cleaning products much cheaper so the point of this test was to see if it would move powder fouling and carbon as this is removed first then copper it did a excelent job of it on this test. The barrel was well flushed then copper treatment was delt with so im sure no trace of acid would be left.
Put 50 round through it after cleaning so far at 900 and 800 yards won both shoots so no harm done.

Cheers Trev.

 

[Nude nut]

Hi guys
Just to make it clear the test was not to try move copper.
We read so much about carbon removel I have tried them all just like most of you guys I have been using mercury tune up spray with great results and was about to clean the barrel in the usual fashion then spotted the citric acid next to the sonic cleaner and thought stuff it ai will give it a go and shall do it again.
1 can of mercury spray $21.00 1kg of citric acid $7.00 less scrubbing less patches less work.

Cheers Trev

 

[TAJ45]

1 can of mercury spray $21.00 1kg of citric acid $7.00 less scrubbing less patches less work.

Cheers Trev

^^^^^^^^ I like those concepts - cheaper and easier.

 

[snert]

I clean brass in 5 gal tubs with boilling water, dish soap and citric acid (buy at bulk pharmacy online). Works great at getting crud off range brass. never considered it for a barrel but have a candidate to try...

 

[Nude nut]

I clean brass in 5 gal tubs with boilling water, dish soap and citric acid (buy at bulk pharmacy online). Works great at getting crud off range brass. never considered it for a barrel but have a candidate to try...

Not sure I would do it in a drum when the barrel may hold 200 to 300mls of water with 3 to 4 teaspoons of citric acid is a strong mix.
It may only take one or two teaspoons im yet to find out and time needed it was only in the bore for about 8min maybe ten at tops.

Cheers Trev.

 

[kvd]

Citric acid which is the same as Lemishine used in stainless steel media is used to dissolve copper oxide which results in clean brass. Not exactly sure what it will do in terms of cleaning barrel since it really does not have the strength to dissolve copper, just the oxide. However, one thing I am pretty sure is since it is acid, you have to be careful rinsing it out well afterwards as it might cause steel barrels to rust.

Something to consider - not so much for rusting but more for pitting of low alloy steel (carbon steel) barrels with long exposure times. Actually, solutions of approximately 50 to 100 grams of citric acid per liter of water at ambient temperature to around 120°F (49°C) can be used to passivate stainless steel. The solution arrived at and the dwell time mentioned in the OP should have no effect on a stainless steel barrel other than the desired one. Although 400 series "stainless steel" used in most rifle barrels behaves more like low alloy steel than a stainless steel - still, the citric acid solution will not harm it.

Ken

 

[Nude nut]

Something to consider - not so much for rusting but more for pitting of low alloy steel (carbon steel) barrels with long exposure times. Actually, solutions of approximately 50 to 100 grams of citric acid per liter of water at ambient temperature to around 120°F (49°C) can be used to passivate stainless steel. The solution arrived at and the dwell time mentioned in the OP should have no effect on a stainless steel barrel other than the desired one. Although 400 series "stainless steel" used in most rifle barrels behaves more like low alloy steel than a stainless steel - still, the citric acid solution will not harm it.

Ken

Interesting info Ken I propbably should of mentioned my barrel is stainless my plan is to use the minimum amount of citric acid and the shortest dwell time reducing each in further tests.

Cheers Trev.

 

[hunter243sgk]

I will stick to Seafoam.

 

[DocDoc]

I will stick to Seafoam.

We are almost back to cleaning up after black powder with this citric acid.

 

[Rsadams]

Nothing cleans grimey shotgun actions etc. Better than boiling water poured over it.. Place the action in a collander and pour boiling water over it since the water goes through it doesn't get hot enough to hurt plastic pieces. Then simply let cool and relube and reinstall.. Sometimes a toothbrush helps for really nasty parts..

Also lemishine mixed with water works as good or better than CLR for removing calcium buildup on shower heads etc.

 

[jim_k]

Diamond-lap every 500-800 rounds. It must be a secret process, since there are no youtubes on how to do it, nobody on the forums anywhere does it, gunsmithing schools don't teach it, and I only know one guy who does it; but some high-end barrel makers do it to their barrels. Whassup w'dat? The technique he uses yields sub-1/2 MOA groups with almost every rifle: skinny barrels, fat barrels, factory Winchester, Remington, Savage, and Weatherby barrels, blued and stainless, all calibers. Can't post his name, since I don't have permission. I think it probably cleans out copper, moly, and stuff.

 

[dskogman]

I'm pretty sure Bore Tech C4 is citric acid based

 

[JBO]

I will stick to Seafoam.

Interesting experimental cleaning concept. For the $25 dollars I pay to clean a $500 barrel I'll pay the price. Bore Tech and Seafoam are hard to beat

 

[Nude nut]

Hi guys,
For me its not so much about dollars and cents when I go to my cleaning bench I see a crap load of cleaning products that I have accumilated over time that claim to do the jobs we need and alot of them do not do what they claim and Im sure you all have to.
If the citric acid works without harm then good then I only need copper solvent so time will tell so in time I will bring the subject up again to notify if any damage or issues have arisen from this cleaning method.

Cheers Trev.

 

[jim_k]

Use an oversized brass bristle brush with carbon solvent for 15-20 strokes as the first step. Shooters Choice, Hoppe's #9, BoreTech carbon cleaner, or others. David Tubb recommends that first step on his Superior Shooting website. If copper removal is needed, George Gardner recommends BoreTech copper remover on a nylon brush on his site. Sometimes you have to repeat the copper treatment, but that one is not necessary after every shooting session. I finish with a carbon solvent wet patch, then a dry patch.

 

[Nude nut]

Use an oversized brass bristle brush with carbon solvent for 15-20 strokes as the first step. Shooters Choice, Hoppe's #9, BoreTech carbon cleaner, or others. David Tubb recommends that first step on his Superior Shooting website. If copper removal is needed, George Gardner recommends BoreTech copper remover on a nylon brush on his site. Sometimes you have to repeat the copper treatment, but that one is not necessary after every shooting session. I finish with a carbon solvent wet patch, then a dry patch.

Yes I have been using oversize brushes ect and have got product the works in mercury tune up spray just tried the citric acid for a look see.
It worked quicker an less effort than products I have used and am currently using it dont smell its non toxic I have a lot of it and it serves two uses in my shooting cleaning my brass and now my barrels and one other if the wife runs out of it in the kitchen .