Started using Boretech Eliminator and.......

[Martin52]

I usually do a full clean after a match, carbon and copper. First shot next match is always out of the group, low and left by ~ 1 moa. Does take at least 3-4 shots to settle but I got used to it and adjusted.

Then I found using 2-3 dabs of Lock-Ease on a dry patch in a dry barrel just prior to shooting has helped.

Now going to limit my cleaning to carbon only and see how that goes, and with/without Lock Ease, leaving copper removal for every 200 rounds or so. This is for FTR.

 

[jelenko]

Hmmm. I do have a bunch of powdered graphite. Match this Sunday. Let's see what happens.

 

[Ccrider]

Below are pictures of the 6ppc I am shooting now. The ring forms after around 20 shots or so shooting n133. It will not clean out using a patch with chemicals or just pushing through a brush with just chemicals. Soaking and then short strokes with a patched brush with jb will clean it up.

Squeaky clean is not necessary. It takes 4 to 5 shots for this barrel to settle down when I totally remove the ring.

 

[jelenko]

4 to 5 shots for this barrel to settle down when I totally remove the ring.

How far away from the settling point are the first 4-5 shots?

 

[Old Tanker]

I have a borescope that I just picked up. I have 0 clue what I’m even looking for or at. How would copper show up?

You can see dark carbon streaks, shiny copper in this shot. This is after thorough cleaning but no abrasive paste. Factory Rem in .223.

 

[DngBat7]

Hmmm. I do have a bunch of powdered graphite. Match this Sunday. Let's see what happens.

Amazon.com: American Grease Stick AGS Graphited Fluid Lock Ease (LEK4) : Automotive

Amazon.com: American Grease Stick AGS Graphited Fluid Lock Ease (LEK4) : Automotive

www.amazon.com

This what I use. Works well. My foulers make a tight group with it

 

[AckleymanII]

Old Tanker, you have carbon covering up a lot of copper.

 

[Old Tanker]

Old Tanker, you have carbon covering up a lot of copper.

Yup, I went back the next day and let the Boretech sit a little longer before dry patches. Then followed up with some Rem 10x. Finally used Hornady One Shot. First time firing groups opened up to 1” with a tested load for that rifle. I’m now a believer that some copper left in the barrel is good. The 10x did do a good job on the carbon in the free bore but I wasn’t too aggressive down the barrel.

 

[Ccrider]

How far away from the settling point are the first 4-5 shots?

The first shot is usually low as to the left, 1/2 moa or less. The next two to three are within 1/4 moa, touching each other. I run a patch with neolube on it and then a clean patch before shooting.

 

[Martin52]

Hmmm. I do have a bunch of powdered graphite. Match this Sunday. Let's see what happens.

Powdered graphite might have a similar effect, LockEase is a liquid form and the liquid carrier is said to evaporate leaving the graphite behind to coat the bore. I use 2-3 drops and draw the patch back and forth in the bore then exit, dries quickly, then good to shoot.

Will be interesting to see how this approach works in combination with just carbon removal as opposed to full carbon + copper clean.

 

[Old Tanker]

Itll rust a stainless barrel pretty quick. Ive got some that the drippings from the muzzle rusted the crown up pretty good. Its been discussed around here a lot. Itll also take the coating off of dewey rods and it ruined a bore tech rod the first day i had it

Interesting. I use the same Dewey rod I used 46 years ago while shooting for a college team. Been using Eliminator for three years with no damage to the rod. I do get some blue from the brass tip but it’s a distinct difference than the blue out of the barrel. I do try to use nylon jags.

 

[Old Tanker]

Old Tanker, you have carbon covering up a lot of copper.

Not anymore. What I discovered is that the carbon and copper go down in layers. Some gas goes out ahead of the bullet laying down a thin layer of carbon. Then the bullet lays down a thin layer of copper, followed by the remaining gas and powder being burned behind the bullet. Same thing with each successive shot. It takes awhile to get where you want to be but I still avoid JB.

 

[Webster]

So I started using bore tech eliminator per everyone’s advise and Cu2 and C4. Pretty impressed so far. 2 questions about it tho.

1. It seems that the eliminator works just as well as the c2 + c4. Am I missing something? I would think the c2 and c4 should be stronger

2. Also, I ran this stuff through 2 different Kreiger barrels, and the same thing. Blue patch after blue patch...... I don’t think both my custom barrels have some sort of problem that happen to be the same. Is it possible that the patches are turning blue off the brass jag? I would expect some blue, but patches come out very blue


Thanks

Like others said the brush is brass. Bore tech will remove Cu but there are stronger Cu removers. I use Butches Bore Shine. It is very good for copper. There isn't any solvent that dissolves carbon. you may losen it but not dissolve it. Auto mechanics type people say there product dissolves carbon? Attached is a test of bore cleaner ratings. I believe this data since it is not personal opinion but a weight measurement of copper removed.

The test consist of soakig a bullet for 19 and 24 hours in solvent and showing a photo of the before and after bullet and reporting the wt. loss in grains after 19 & 24 hours. The data shows a lot of popular bore cleaners that are advertised for Cu removal show zero wt. loss. I clean with a brass brush then finish with patches soaked in Butches Bore Shine on an aluminum jag, then finsh with dry patches.

The original post was 2 years ago but this is a great chart to pass on.

 

[PhilC]

Interesting. I use the same Dewey rod I used 46 years ago while shooting for a college team. Been using Eliminator for three years with no damage to the rod. I do get some blue from the brass tip but it’s a distinct difference than the blue out of the barrel. I do try to use nylon jags.

Same here, coated Dewey rods and nylon or proof positive jags, and in some calibers, still plain jags. Coating on my Dewey rods is no different today than before I started using C2+ and C4 2 1/2yrs ago.

 

[divingin]

One thing I found is that KG-12 is much quicker at removing heavy copper fouling than Boretech. Oddly, it seems less effective if there is just trace amounts of copper.

With KG-12, I run one wet patch, let it sit for a few minutes, then short stroke another wet patch or two up the barrel. The patches come out with brown streak wherever there was copper. Usually get white (well, actually yellow, due to the solvent color) patches after 2. Then a wash with C4 to get the KG out, followed by a few dry patches (KG tends to dry into a hard deposit, as I found out when I allowed some drippage to dry on the bottom of the barrel.)

I use the aluminum jags from either Dewey or Boretech (don't remember who made them.) I wouldn't use a stainless steel jag - too hard a material to chance damaging a fairly pricey barrel.