Interesting thread on carbon removal on another forum

[K9TXS]

There's all sorts of products for cleaning carbon from out of barrels. The poster on this forum, Rimfire Accuracy, tested a lot of products.

 

[JEFFPPC]

I question his methodology. But out side of that , Simple Green works like magic on black powder. 3 or 4 patches and clean. No stink and no mess. Knowing this I decided to try it in a regular centerfire barrel Totally useless. His test showed it one of the best. I refer to methodology. So to me an invalid test. Just my opinion.

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

There is a bit more to carbon fowling in a barrel then gunpowder burning

 

[K9TXS]

There is a bit more to carbon fowling in a barrel then gunpowder burning

I agree. He's not taking into consideration the pressures involved when the explosion occurs in a confined area.

 

[DShortt]

I've read the article and the things that got my attention were that if a solvent didn't seem effective in his tests I have serious doubts that it would work any better in a barrel.

 

[butchlambert]

So! What does work with the tests that you folks have done? Probably nothing.

 

[whatsupdoc]

Bronze brush.

 

[K22]

In this day and age, I would think the science and data is established regarding carbon removal for center fire rifle cleaning. That's not to say that there won't always be a controversy regarding cleaning especially with the advent of bore scopes but the availability of high-quality solvents on the market today should put some damper of this issue. The following discussion pertains to CARBON removal issues only.

In my humble opinion, if you simply use performance results (i.e., shots on target) as a measure of the effectiveness of your cleaning procedure then you shouldn't have to anguish over which is the "best" solvent / procedure.

For example, for probably 30 years I used Shooter's Choice with a bronze brush and was completely satisfied with the results on paper. Prior to that in my early days of shooting in the 60 and early 70's, I used Hoppe's No, 9** like everyone else I knew.

The only reason I switched about 3 years ago from Shooter's Choice was because the odor became offensive to a family member. So, after some research, I switched to Bore Tech C4, carbon remover plus a bronze brush which is odorless and supposedly non-toxic.

Did my rifles shoot better or worse? No. The only thing that improved was I got rid of the offensive odor but at a cost of a higher price for my cleaning solvent. I will say, the patches come out significantly blacker with C4, but I haven't noticed any change in on paper.

**Quite honestly, I didn't experience any difference on paper between old Hoppe's 9 and Shooter's Choice. But like a lot of young shooters, I read gun magazines in those days which "warned" that Hoppe's alone was inadequate because it didn't remove copper. So, as a "herd" animal, I switched to Shooter's Choice, a supposedly "dual purpose" cleaner which contains ammonia thus the "necessary" copper remover additive. However, I didn't experience any change in performance but stuck with Shooter's Choice, "just in case". After all, why did I know, I'm just a precision varmint hunter not an "expert".

 

[cmysix]

Erik Cortina uses CLR., My 500 HP LS2 11.5-1 compression 90,000 miles the carbon came right off the pistons with a green scrubby and WD-40

 

[JEFFPPC]

So! What does work with the tests that you folks have done? Probably nothing.

Hoppes/Kroil, Sweets, Iosso, H20 and Dawn

 

[JMayo]

this gets SO beat to death.....

 

[JEFFPPC]

this gets SO beat to death.....

Almost as much as "JAM".

 

[tmwinds]

So! What does work with the tests that you folks have done? Probably nothing.

I found something that works every time, sell your bore scope and invest the money in bronze brushes and about any kind of oily substance. Look at the target, not the bore.

 

[6MMsteve]

Almost as much as "JAM".

I thought it was the Guffey Bumpin Chronicles

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

So! What does work with the tests that you folks have done? Probably nothing.

CLR and a brush

 

[BoydAllen]

So! What does work with the tests that you folks have done? Probably nothing.

I have either had, or had access to a bore scope for over 20 years. My first experience was when I was sent one to write about. Of course I was quite interested in the condition of my rifle bores. As it turns out, they were fine. For pretty much everything, once I find something that works very well, I stop looking. What would be the point? Having said all of that, I am still a big fan of bore scopes because I have found that a lot of shooters are not getting the results that I do, and for them, one of the new, inexpensive Teslongs is an invaluable learning aid. On the subject, of carbon fouling and its metamorphosed version, hard carbon, I have had great success using IOSSO, when extensive brushing with a tight fitting bronze brush and solvent has failed to get the job done (Most of the time it does.). Recently, I have tested and am quite impressed with the products that I believe were developed as a cooperative effort between Chris Harris (owner of Bullet Central) and IOSSO, called Thorroclean, and its companion product Thorroflush. They have been great to work with and have really gotten the job done. My tests were done on dirty worn test barrels that had been sitting around after they were given to me. Using my new (least expensive) Teslong has given the advantage of being able to document and share my results quite easily. I plug it into a USB port on my desktop and the requisite software (Camera) is included as a part of Windows 10. I take still pictures or videos at the click of my mouse.

 

[Eraser]

Erik Cortina uses CLR., My 500 HP LS2 11.5-1 compression 90,000 miles the carbon came right off the pistons with a green scrubby and WD-40

???. I'm not sure what you are describing here.

 

[cmysix]

???. I'm not sure what you are describing here.

carbon build up on pistons or that Erik Cortina uses Calcium, lime ,rust remover for carbon?

 

[Eraser]

carbon build up on pistons or that Erik Cortina uses Calcium, lime ,rust remover for carbon?

It's the "green scrubby" and WD-40 That's got me backed up.

 

[cmysix]

3M scrubby pad and WD-40 took carbon of the tops of the pistons with ease!