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Bore cleaner

You'll find the answers could go one for hours and hours as there are so many choices and so many personal opinions. I guess the first question might be what competition? And then what barrel as I'd not use some types in stainless steel ones.
I've used basic Ed's Red and KG12 copper cleaner in my Krieger barrelled 22BR and 30-06 plus a Tikka T3 22-250 and CZ 17HMR for some time: the seem to be happy with it. The Krieger and Tikka are stainless.
Basically Iuse the Ed's Red to remove the powder fowling (wet patch, dry patch a couple of times) and then on a bronze brush for about 25 strokes. The patch out to dry and then apply the KG12 noting that it's not nice on the hands or to breath. Do the KG12 application / wipe out twice and, usually, job is done.
Then a last brush with the Ed's Red and patch out dry.

I have used Sweet's 762 on MOLY steel barrels in the past (Remington 700) without any bad effects plus the usual list of Hoppes #9, Benchrest, Butch's Bore Shine and Tetra Gun Copper Cleaner. The latter seems effective although it's ammonia based...
 
barkingsnake said:
Basically Iuse the Ed's Red to remove the powder fowling (wet patch, dry patch a couple of times) and then on a bronze brush for about 25 strokes. The patch out to dry and then apply the KG12 noting that it's not nice on the hands or to breath. Do the KG12 application / wipe out twice and, usually, job is done. Then a last brush with the Ed's Red and patch out dry.

Different strokes for different folks. There are as many functional cleaning methods as there are barrels. But this poster's method seems like an awful lot of work. With my best barrels, after 35 rounds or so, I send 4-5 soaking wet patches (Shooters' Choice or PatchOut) through the barrel to get the loose "soot" out. Then I apply Wipe-out from muzzle, let it sit 20 minutes, then re-apply. I plug muzzle and breach and drive home. After 3 hours I send 4-5 dry patches through the barrel and put the gun away.

Yes, other barrels may need brushing... Yes I know that Tony Boyer and other Demigods brush the snot out of some barrels... but 25 brush strokes seem excessive to me. I do acknowledge each barrel is different. I suggest that people find the least invasive cleaning method that keeps their particular barrel at peak accuracy. I also think there is some evidence that leaving petroleum products in your barrel may exacerbate carbon issues. Here's a five-shot group with my latest Brux that has never seen a brush:


5shotsamp.png
 
Everything works if you follow the instructions on the bottle and I use nylon brushes exclusively.
 
If you have to rely on soaking to get it clean,sounds kinda weak. Try Wart Hog 1134 you will never go back to what your using. You don't wear out the barrel to get it clean......jim
 
I want a bore cleaner that works w/o soaking. I need to clean and reload between matches. I want to final clean the bore/chamber immediately after the last match while the barrel is still warm. I don't want to have to get cleaning equipment out again at home......and I'd probably forget to finish cleaning anyway. Butches Bore Shine, Bronze brushes, Pro-shot patches, and Iosso for me.
 
Forum Boss, how do you get the foam from the muzzle to the chamber? I assume if you plug the chamber end before shooting in the foam, the foam will never get to the chamber. And without a plug, how do you keep the foam from getting all over everything?
 
Nomad47 said:
Forum Boss, how do you get the foam from the muzzle to the chamber? I assume if you plug the chamber end before shooting in the foam, the foam will never get to the chamber. And without a plug, how do you keep the foam from getting all over everything?

I put a bore guide in the action with O-ring chamber seals. Then I put a towel over the buttstock. I do quick "puffs" waiting a few seconds between each, until I see foam come out the back of the bore guide. After the second application of the Wipeout, I put a rubber cap over the muzzle (stretch to fit), and stick a cork in the back of the guide rod. Nothing leaks into the action -- as long as your O-rings are in good shape. You do NOT want Wipe-out to puddle in the action because it can cause corrosion on the trigger.
 
I have come full circle, and I don't think you can beat Hoppe's No. 9. If you can allow it to sit, it will not hurt your barrel and it will get all the copper out and most of the carbon. If you think you just have to get the last bit of carbon out, run some Iosso through it on a nylon brush or a patch. You're done.
 
i have to ask ... has anyone use witches brew..?

after a shoot i cleaned the barrel "good enough" til i'd be using it again the next day... decided to try this small sample bottle i was givenof the brew, by the second pass the patches were coming out BLACK... scary... took awhile to clear it
wonder if it bad for stainless or not
 
I've used Shooter's Choice for over twenty years - seems to work just fine and I do a lot of center fire shooting exclusively with copper jacket bullets.

I believe all the top bore cleaners work - In my opinion the important issue is not the type of clearner used but the procedures used in cleaning to avoid damage to the bore.
 
I would do a test with any bore cleaner, weigh a bullet and put your cleaner in a test tube and let it set over night and do the same with Warthog 1134. In the morning remove both and dry then weigh them,you will get your answer. The best part it doesn't hurt your barrel and you don't need to soak it, and it will be clean in about the same time it takes to type this....... jim ....i'm slow :o)
 
Shooters choice, Butch's bore shine or TM. Bronze brushes. IMO, nylon brushes are too abrasive. Take a look at the guides (eyes) on a fishing rod after the nylon line has made a few passes through them, and notice the groove cut into those extremely hard guides. I had the opportunity to witness one of our best barrel makers, the great, late Gale McMillan, make rifle barrels when I lived in Phoenix. After listening to, and watching him demonstrate the damage inflicted to a barrel with the use JB, I would never use it.
 
With all due respect, have any of the people that responded actually verified the results, via the use of a borescope, on the effectiveness of cleaning the bore or the amount of "damage" done to the bore after their particular cleaning method and product??

Jack
 
I check my barrels with a borescope almost every time and using Warthog i passed 3000 rd mark in Dasher barrels so i would say it is safe and i still have the same brush, it doesn't get used much....... jim
 
I tried warthog about 10 years ago. The thing I remember most was the intense ammonia odor. I recall it being effective against copper, as are most concentrated ammonia solutions.

This was before I owned a borescope, so, I can't confirm how it did on the carbon. What does your borescope show you regarding warthog's effectiveness on carbon?

Jack
 
When I unscrew my muzzle brakes after a dozen or more rounds fired, there is a nasty layer of carbon surrounding the crown. Carb cleaner has little effect but Sweet's takes it right off. SO I think I can say that ammonia based cleaners will attack carbon.
 
Jack, I found it to be the best for carbon so far of any that i used. I just cleaned my fire form barrel and 6 wet patches and a brush 3 passes unscrewed at the muzzle each time. two more wet ones and dry one, bore scope ..... clean. Then a 50/50 mix of Kroil and Hoppies.......done. That had 62 rds. through it. The best part no soaking, no waiting,maybe 15 min. After i run the 50/50 mix i use a 11/8 patch through and i'm ready to shoot. My findings are based on 6 Brux,3Kreigers and 3 Bartleins....... jim
 

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