Carbon removal

[No manches"]

Looked up some old threads, but no clear answer was posted as to what works really well that is not abrasive.
I am old school, when I started shooting, all I heard was Hoppie #9, no bronze brushes and clean until patches come out clean. Well, now that I have learned more from this site (and others) I need to rethink my cleaning routine.

Seems like carbon is more important to attack than copper, as copper seems easier to remove.

I have used Carb Out with some good success, but have a safe full of rifles that will need to be cleaned more thoroughly.

One of the threads mentioned Sea Foam to remove the carbon, but no follow up on how or if it worked. I have used Sea Foam in my car and bike, but after some additional research, I found that this works better for injectors/fuel systems -

View attachment 1342054
My question, has anyone tried this or another injector cleaner in their expensive barrel ... and does it work well at getting the carbon out ? This stuff is pretty affordable as well

I would appreciate any insight. Thanks.

See what I meant by opening a can of worms*

 

[AckleymanII]

Got to watch your abrasives, they open up the dia and length on the throat. Bronze brushes, throw away often. After 60 strokes on a good bronze bristle brush, Wrap FINE grade of bronze wool in the brush....best thing since a Mothers Love!

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Soaking with Free All will get underneath the hard carbon, this is an amazing product, give the darn Kroil to someone you don't like. Order Free All in the 14 oz liquid direct from Federal, $4.99 postage

Pro Shot brushes and Dewey brushes are dependable quality. Always buy brushes by the dozen! If you start measuring the dia of your brushes, you are in for a shock. There has to be some spring in the bristle to do the scrubbing, otherwise you are just getting exercise, wasting solvent/Patches.

Use a good bore guide that has a bushing on it to center the rod in the bore, other wise you maybe lapping the throat...YIKES!

NEVER judge the cleanliness of a barrel by how clean a patch is, bore scope is proof of your process.

When you state your method or favorite chemical, state your application. There is one heck of a difference in cleaning a 6 PPC after 9 shots vs a 7 mag after 35 shots...

 

[K22]

Bore Tech C4 with a bronze, no harm Dewey brush. Try it, I think you like it.

 

[old codger]

Now this is funny,..
That's like shoving a whole tube of tooh paste in your mouth over night and expecting to have bright clean teeth in the morning..


Even engine parts and components need mechanical cleaning and brushing to get clean..

Too funny!

I did follow up with brushing and swabbing. I did not get any more carbon fouling than a good bore cleaner gives. I had hoped that the soaking would soften the fouling, but it did not.

 

[jelenko]

NEVER judge the cleanliness of a barrel by how clean a patch is, bore scope is proof of your process.

This^^
This was one of the first things I did when I got a borescope.
Got clean patches; looked in the bore; heavy carbon in the throat/first 5 inches; some further down.
That said, the question of how clean does the barrel need to be remains.
Getting bare metal in the first 3-5 inches takes a lot of scrubbing with an abrasive. The opinions on abrasives runs from 'you'd have to work for years to change the dimensions' to 'any use of abrasives will accelerate wear'. I've begun to wonder if both of these statements are actually correct. I.e., by how much is wear accelerated? Without data we often fall into the trap of 'better, worse, more, less'. The question always is 'how much'?

 

[AckleymanII]

The term, "abrasive" covers a lot of products, and a lot of grits sizes. JB is the least of all of them.

A bore guide with a bushing that fits on the cleaning rod helps keep the throat in the barrel from getting lapped. Also, handle the cleaning rod with care pushing and pulling, as bending the cleaning rod can lap the bore midway.

 

[K22]

The question I always have about the various aggressive cleaning procedures, bore scopes and the associated assertions is:

What is motivating you to use aggressive cleaning methods?

Are you have a problem with your rifle not meeting your accuracy standards or is there another reason, i.e., it just looks dirty, or someone tells you it has to look a certain way through a bore scope? Is there a direct correlation between "bore scope" clean and improved accuracy? If the answer to the latter is "yes"' then disregard this post.

I will confess I'm just an old "vintage" shooter that hunts ground hog and predators. 

Ok, you can now unload on me. 

 

[Bronsin]

I don't have the patience to just let a barrel soak overnight only to find out it's still dirty. My method? A nylon brush wrapped with a patch carrying IOSSO. 5 minutes and a couple regular oiled patches and you will be done.

 

[Bronsin]

What is motivating you to use aggressive cleaning methods?

The inability to get a patch even started down the bore because of hard carbon buildup. In a nutshell. It can't be any good for a bullet to start down the bore like that.

 

[Longtrain]

Having tried most products, I settled on JB to remove carbon. It works and my barrels were non the worse for the experience.

However, lately I have been using Butches for powder fouling and then using Wipe-out foam or Free-all to soak the barrel for a few hours or even overnight. Following this I have turned to Thorro-clean, today it took only two passes (25 strokes each) with a patch wrapped nylon brush to get rid of all the carbon. I think the soaking loosens the carbon making it easier to clean it out.

 

[6MMsteve]

JB isso or montana cream, they all work and wor k well. I have my JB mixed with oil and more oil in the barrel

 

[Yote Hunter]

View attachment 1342071Based on some threads here, I've started using this and it seems to work as well as the BoreTech C4 I had been using. Still takes a lot of brushing. I'd suggest going ahead and getting some Iosso or JB and bone up on how to use it.

+1

 

[SeabeeKen]

Tested tons of stuff. Flitz liquid and a brush gets it all everytime and is my favorite. Patch out works well also.

 

[Fern]

I just recently got a bore scope and what I thought was a clean barreling anything but. Been having hard time getting a good group. The first 8” are just black but after it’s all clean.
Been struggling trying to get it clean. I have boretech carbon remover and been using a nylon brush.
Maybe I will switch over to a bronze.

 

[Sandstorm]

CLR ...Bronze Brush........99% Alcohol and Patch Out and perhaps some Accelerator and done........
and verify with a bore scope always.
Clean after every range session even if its only 20 rounds.
Some barrels are a bit more work than others but none of mine are too bad.

 

[Firearmsunlimited]

First, follow these instructions on how to set up with patch and Parker Hale jag with JB or USP Bore paste

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1. Push one patch wet with Kroil Oil through the barrel
2. Repeat step 1.
3. Push one dry patch through the barrel.
4. Repeat step 3.
5. Push one patch wet with Butch's Bore Shine through the barrel.
6. Repeat step 5.
7. Let the barrel soak for 5 to 10 minutes.
8. Push one dry patch through the barrel.
9. Repeat step 8.
10. Using short strokes back and forth push one patch wet with USP or JB Bore Paste through the barrel.
11. Push one patch wet with Kroil through the barrel.
12. Repeat step 11 twice.
13. Push one dry patch through the barrel.
14. Repeat step 13 three times.
15. Use bore scope or visually inspect muzzle for carbon and copper fouling.
16. If carbon or copper is present repeat steps 10 through 15.
17. If you are storing the rifle push one patch wet with quality gun oil through the barrel.

 

[Firearmsunlimited]

Looked up some old threads, but no clear answer was posted as to what works really well that is not abrasive.
I am old school, when I started shooting, all I heard was Hoppie #9, no bronze brushes and clean until patches come out clean. Well, now that I have learned more from this site (and others) I need to rethink my cleaning routine.

Seems like carbon is more important to attack than copper, as copper seems easier to remove.

I have used Carb Out with some good success, but have a safe full of rifles that will need to be cleaned more thoroughly.

One of the threads mentioned Sea Foam to remove the carbon, but no follow up on how or if it worked. I have used Sea Foam in my car and bike, but after some additional research, I found that this works better for injectors/fuel systems -

View attachment 1342054
My question, has anyone tried this or another injector cleaner in their expensive barrel ... and does it work well at getting the carbon out ? This stuff is pretty affordable as well

I would appreciate any insight. Thanks.

Hoppe's #9 forumla has been changed and it is not nearly as effective as it once was. Bronze is softer than steel. Go to a bench rest match and see what type of brushes the top shooter are using to clean their very expensive and accurate barrels. The problem with bronze brushes is that most shooter do not change them often enough. No nylon brush will clean as well as a bronze. The most important part of the carbon battle is prevention. Removing it once it has developed is a tough time consuming proposition.

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

CLR on a white VFG felt pellet down barrel 2 or 3 times.
Open a beer
Patch out
CLR on a green VFG felt pellet, short stroke up and down the barrel
Finish my beer
Patch Out
Bronz brush with CLR about 20 passes down the barrel
Patch out and im done with carbon, if I see anything else after this ill just use some Iosso or Autosol.

 

[K22]

The inability to get a patch even started down the bore because of hard carbon buildup. In a nutshell. It can't be any good for a bullet to start down the bore like that.

Wow, that's something I've never experienced but that certainly sound like a good reason.

I'm interested in learning more - what do you think caused it? Lots or rapid-fire shooting? Long periods between cleaning cycles? The reason I ask is that I have several varmint bolt rifles, 223 Rem's with over 2,000 to 3000 round though them and I haven't experienced that yet.

I use to clean about every 30 to 40 rounds but have extended it to 40-60 rounds. I used Shooter's Choice with a bronze brush for many, many years until about 2 years ago when I switched to Bore Tech C4, only to avoid the offensive odor of Shooter's Choice.

 

[jelenko]

FYI. Not all patches are created equal. I've been using Pro shot patches for eons; everyone in a while, a pack of patches will be impossible to start or push down the bore. To use these patches I have to place them off center to the jag.
They feel the same thickness. I have noticed that these patches seem to have some fluid repellent properties - e.g., C4 bore cleaner pools on the surface for a while.