Solvent losing effectiveness over time

[JBT47]

I have a lot of bore cleaning chemicals and solvents and some of which I’ve had more than 10 years just sitting in the bottles. Do some bore chemicals/solvents degrade and lose effectiveness over a period of years? For instance is my Montana Extreme Copper Killer going to be less effective than when I bought it 10 years ago? What have you guys found?

I sure hope the bore cleaning solvents do not degrade and become less effective with time because I have thousands of dollars worth of bore cleaning solvents, abrasive bore cleaners, anti corrosive oils, etc.

Thank you.

 

[butchlambert]

I have some 60yr old Hoppes that is still good, but that is all I have on hand other than my home brew.

 

[Fuj]

I have some 60yr old Hoppes that is still good, but that is all I have on hand other than my home brew.

I believe that's the real good stuff. Some time back they replaced
the Nitro Benzene with something else. I have a small bottle of it
found at my Uncles after he passed. That old stuff just smells so
much better.

 

[Walt Krafft]

I sure hope the bore cleaning solvents do not degrade and become less effective with time because I have thousands of dollars worth of bore cleaning solvents, abrasive bore cleaners, anti corrosive oils, etc.

Thank you.

You need to shoot more, way more. Use that stuff up so it doesnt have a chance to go bad.
Best way to tell is use some. If it works the way you want, great, if not pitch it.

 

[butchlambert]

I believe that's the real good stuff. Some time back they replaced
the Nitro Benzene with something else. I have a small bottle of it
found at my Uncles after he passed. That old stuff just smells so
much better.

That is what mine is for- a smell every once in awhile.

 

[okie]

That is what mine is for- a smell every once in awhile.

dab a little behind your ears???

 

[centershot]

I bought a gallon of Shooter's Choice. The latest one that I bought says "use within one year." That was three years ago. I think it works just fine.

 

[DGP4]

One thing that will help preserve any chemical is to put it in glass bottles. All plastic is porous.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I have a lot of bore cleaning chemicals and solvents and some of which I’ve had more than 10 years just sitting in the bottles. Do some bore chemicals/solvents degrade and lose effectiveness over a period of years? For instance is my Montana Extreme Copper Killer going to be less effective than when I bought it 10 years ago? What have you guys found?

I sure hope the bore cleaning solvents do not degrade and become less effective with time because I have thousands of dollars worth of bore cleaning solvents, abrasive bore cleaners, anti corrosive oils, etc.

Thank you.

Yes they do. And fast. I dont work out of the main bottle. I have a solvent bottle that I work out of. The only time the main bottle gets opened is to fill the solvent bottle. I only put about a ounce in it. That way you use it up before it has a lot of time to evaporate. I used to end up tossing half full bottles because they quit working before changing methods.

 

[K22]

I sure hope the bore cleaning solvents do not degrade and become less effective with time because I have thousands of dollars worth of bore cleaning solvents, abrasive bore cleaners, anti corrosive oils, etc.

You poor fellow, thousands of $ in solvents!

You would be surprised what an inexpensive bottle of Hoppe's 9 or Shooter's Choice with a bronze brush can accomplish if you measure results on target and your wallet would be happier too. What is really nice, around here, is that Hoppe's 9 is like sliced bread, everyone has it, even during the pandemic.

I never have a bottle long enough to worry about self-life. If I run out, mineral spirits with a bronze brush will do an adequate job on carbon. But I am in the vast minority that does not believe in so called "copper fouling" which really isn't fouling but plating as being a boogie man. Incidentally I have literally thousands of rounds through my varmint and predator rifles, and they still perform outstandingly if I do my part.

 

[rlporter507]

I bought a gallon of Shooter's Choice. The latest one that I bought says "use within one year." That was three years ago. I think it works just fine.

mine said that also, and after 4 years it rusted the inside of the can and turned a funny color and smell.
other than old hoppes, i think it does loose some of its quality for cleaning. i quit stockpiling solvent, and buy fresh when i get low. And this has come up before about the lovely smell of old hoppes, and I did wear a dab behind each ear on my wedding day. My wife laughed, but if she only knew how it was going to turn out she may have ran!!!!! she was quite naive then!

 

[chop house]

mineral spirits with a bronze brush will do an adequate job on carbon.

Interesting. I'll give this a try sometime.

 

[AccelR8]

I bought a big bottle of Hoppes 9 several years ago. Plastic bottle, like a quart. When I first began using it I could detect the smell of ammonia. The SDS lists as an ingredient (less than 1%) ammonium hydroxide.

After a service rifle match and an overnight soak, the first dry patch pushed through on a jag to move out the majority of the now dirty solvent-the patch would come out blue-green which of course means it was working on copper in the bore.

Now several years later I no longer detect the ammonia odor and the blue-green color as above either doesn't happen or it is much less noticeable.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

I believe that's the real good stuff. Some time back they replaced
the Nitro Benzene with something else. I have a small bottle of it
found at my Uncles after he passed. That old stuff just smells so
much better.

old hoppes smell is great

 

[centershot]

One thing that will help preserve any chemical is to put it in glass bottles. All plastic is porous.

I split mine up and put it in old Hoppes bottles.

 

[divingin]

dab a little behind your ears???

An old guy (well, he was old then - probably my age now or younger) said he'd do that when he wanted to turn his wife on. She apparently loved that smell.

 

[okie]

An old guy (well, he was old then - probably my age now or younger) said he'd do that when he wanted to turn his wife on. She apparently loved that smell.

That's hilarious

 

[Kracken McGraw]

That's hilarious

I guessing it only works on a special woman.

 

[Brians356]

Not a problem, Smitty. Just wear nitrile gloves and use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated room.
-

 

[Brians356]

I just ceased cleaning altogether. Problem solved.*

(* Pun intended.)
-