Another Carbon Question

[AICS308]

l have read all the previous threads on carbon cleaning and adjusted my cleaning procedure. At this point the barrel looks really good except for one very stubborn place. There is a small ring before the freebore that I am still working on. Most of the ring has been removed but this small little dark black ring.

I have seen some differing opinions about soaking overnight.

What is the best to use for overnight soaking for that last stubborn bit? Will it really help?

Thanks

 

[jelenko]

Assuming the carbon ring is on the very beginning of the freebore [i.e., not at the end of the chamber]. my experience is soaking overnight has insignificant effect.
I always use an abrasive on the carbon ring that's on the very beginning of the freebore.

That said, with the amount of range time I get, I need a process that will get my barrel clean enough for the next day. I've never tried soaking for more than overnight.

 

[AICS308]

Assuming the carbon ring is on the very beginning of the freebore [i.e., not at the end of the chamber]. my experience is soaking overnight has insignificant effect.
I always use an abrasive on the carbon ring that's on the very beginning of the freebore.

That said, with the amount of range time I get, I need a process that will get my barrel clean enough for the next day. I've never tried soaking for more than overnight.

The freebore looks really good, no carbon at all. This ring is at the end of the neck just before the freebore and looks like solid hard carbon ring.

After 5 rounds of cleaning with 2 rounds bore Tech with brush and patch, 3 rounds of Thorro Clean with brush and patch the carbon has been reduced greatly in that area. That one ring is left. At this point I am a little more concerned about damage to that area more than getting it out.

What solvents would be safe to soak overnight?

 

[Leeman]

I know you asked about soaking overnight but I just use an oversize calibre bronze brush (just happened to have some .38 calibre pistol brushes) with JB embedded in the bristles on a pistol cleaning rod and turn it manually up in that neck region. Borescope shows no sign of any carbon lodging there.

 

[AICS308]

I did that with a .308 brush which it did a great job except for that last little bit. Will try again with a .338 brush I have.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Ruger15151]

That carbon ring in the neck is generally easy to remove if you stay on top of it with every cleaning. If it isn't removed during each cleaning than it usually takes an abrasive like JB or IOSSO to remove.

I use an oversized IOSSO Blue Nylon Brush ( at lease one caliber larger) and some boretech eliminator. I spin the brush in the neck several times and let it soak if necessary. then I place a patch soaked with Eliminator over the brush and spin in on the neck a few more times. The carbon will come our pretty easily.

However, if it hasn't been removed for several cleanings, I will put a small amount of abrasive on the end of the brush and spin it in the neck about 10-15 times. Then I follow it up with Eliminator on a patch over the brush to remove the abrasive and any carbon that remains.

 

[David Christian]

If you own the reamer that chambered the barrel, you could hand turn the ring out…

 

[DShortt]

If you own the reamer that chambered the barrel, you could hand turn the ring out…

Might mention that carbon ring is likely harder than your reamer.

I won't be doing that.

 

[jelenko]

What would prevent the reamer from removing metal?

 

[ShtrRdy]

I use BoreTech C4 overnight to eat away at that stubborn carbon ring.

 

[DShortt]

What would prevent the reamer from removing metal?

What would prevent that hard carbon from chipping/dulling the reamer?

Same answer both times.

Nothing.

 

[Dgd6mm]

I use BoreTech C4 overnight to eat away at that stubborn carbon ring.

I use a boremop loaded with C4 placed in carbon ring and let it soak and soften up. Makes easy removal.

 

[tom]

You're sure it's not just the shadow from the angle change (usually 45°)at the end of the neck? Do you have a picture?

Carbon in the neck usually comes clean easier than the stuff that's been ran over.

Tom

 

[AICS308]

It’s my fault that the ring is there. The rifle is a little older (2005) that I thought I was cleaning very well. I have not shot it in while so decided to clean it. Borescoped it for the first time and discovered a barrel with a bunch of carbon and a big nasty ring.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will try these tomorrow and post before and after pictures.

 

[AICS308]

You're sure it's not just the shadow from the angle change (usually 45°)at the end of the neck? Do you have a picture?

Carbon in the neck usually comes clean easier than the stuff that's been ran over.

Tom

I’ve looked at it number times as my cleaning progressed. I still can’t believe how much junk came out of a supposed clean barrel.

 

[JFrank]

If it’s just a stain, ( or a shadow) it won’t hurt anything.

If I really want to remove Carbon easily I wrap a patch around a soft nylon brush soaked with Thorroclean and make a few passes.

 

[Fast14riot]

Pistol rod and oversize brush, chucked in a drill. Run for a few seconds and it'll be gone.

 

[SeabeeKen]

Heres the carbon ring thing. They can be soaked with a patch or bore mop with Bore Tech C4 for 30 minutes and come out OR an abrasive much be used to remove it. Depends on how hard and attached to the chamber it is.
C4 breaks the bond of the carbon on the chamber but if the chamber is rough it may not work.
A bronze or nylon brush slightly larger than the loaded case neck slathered with some Iosso, rotated in that area for 10-20 rotations will remove it.
I remove a lot of carbon rings for folks and its best to remove them right after your day of shooting.

 

[M-61]

How’s it shoot?

 

[Andy Work]

I thought I was cleaning very well

Back in the old days the method was patches and soaking, bronze brushes, Hoppes, Sweets, GM Top Engine Cleaner, etc. When the patches would come out clean you knew the barrel was clean. Or so we thought. Affordable borescopes opened a lot eyes to reality.