Muzzle Brake Cleaning

[jlmurphy]

I thought I would post an easy way to clean muzzle brakes. I usually take them off to clean the barrel, and after 3 or 4 matches they need cleaning. I submerge them in a plastic cup filled with Evaporust, it completely dissolves the carbon and powder residue. You can speed it along with a bore brush in the holes, but it really isn't necessary. A few hours soak is usually enough, it doesn't affect stainless steel, I don't know about blued finishes, but I would be careful, because bluing is a form of rust. You can find it at any hardware store.

 

[hogpatrol]

Haven't tried that method but another easy way is in an ultrasonic cleaner. I run two twenty five minute cycles with a parts cleaner & distilled water solution. They do get HOT though.

 

[DaWhit]

CLR works great also for carbon removal.

 

[ditter]

another vote for CLR. destoys carbon fast, although you can leave a stainless brake in for several hours.

 

[Straightshooter1]

I thought I would post an easy way to clean muzzle brakes. I usually take them off to clean the barrel, and after 3 or 4 matches they need cleaning. I submerge them in a plastic cup filled with Evaporust, it completely dissolves the carbon and powder residue. You can speed it along with a bore brush in the holes, but it really isn't necessary. A few hours soak is usually enough, it doesn't affect stainless steel, I don't know about blued finishes, but I would be careful, because bluing is a form of rust. You can find it at any hardware store.

Similarly, I use a small jar with a concentrate of Lemi-Shine in warm water and it does a real nice job for me (see pic looking at brake from the inside with bore scope):

 

[bozo699]

CLR works great also for carbon removal.

^^^^^
wayne

 

[Sandstorm]

CLR's been cleaning my barrels for a few years now...great stuff.

 

[ben lurkin]

DO NOT use evaporust on blued steel! The bluing itsself is a form of rust (+2 oxidation vs +3 for ‘red-brown’) and the active ingredient, probably EDTA or oxylic acid, will completely destroy the finish. Further, it may damage chromoly steel as well.

 

[nicholst55]

DO NOT use evaporust on blued steel! The bluing itsself is a form of rust (+2 oxidation vs +3 for ‘red-brown’) and the active ingredient, probably EDTA or oxylic acid, will completely destroy the finish. Further, it may damage chromoly steel as well.

I've used it on rusty chrome-moly steel with no ill effects. It WILL remove blueing or black oxide in a hurry, though!

 

[ACF]

I soak mine in a pill container filled with Bore tech carbon remover for a few hours to overnight.
Take it out and rinse it under hot water, which removes most everything. A couple Q-tips in the ports and I'm done.

Chris

 

[Bill Norris]

Saw Erik Cortina discussing CLR on one of his videos and tried it. Works much faster and more completely than the Bore-Tech I been using.

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

I soak mine in 30% vinegar for a few hours which loosens up the deposits and then rinse and brush off anything loose. Most of mine are an attachment point for suppressors so I don’t worry too much about how they look. I haven’t tried the other methods so it’s nice to hear how others do this.

 

[bozo699]

Saw Erik Cortina discussing CLR on one of his videos and tried it. Works much faster and more completely than the Bore-Tech I been using.

^^^^^^
Wayne

 

[Dgd6mm]

I've been using CLR for my stainless brakes before Erik.

 

[bradb]

I saw Chad Dixon say 50/50 prestone and water heated very hot on a hot plate, hold break in pot and it will peel right off. I have not tried it yet

 

[Della]

CLR will turn ceracote pink, and is frowned upon by Area 419.
(Easily removed though with a copper cleaner)

 

[60723]

I have been using Lemishine and it works very well BUT I left my brake in the solution overnight and now my EC tuner brake is brown! Very clean but no longer black.