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mojohacker Rookie Member
Joined: Feb 11, 2008 Posts: 5 Location: Nebraska
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Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 2:35 pm Post subject: How ooftern should you use a copper solvent in your barrel? |
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How do you decide when you should clean you rifle barrel with a copper solvent? Do you use the number of round fired or every cleaning?
Thanks,
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dhc4ever Super Member
Joined: May 26, 2011 Posts: 2944 Location: Ipswich, Queensland Australia
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Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 2:47 pm Post subject: Re: How ooftern should you use a copper solvent in your barrel? |
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Depends a bit on the caliber and velocity you are shooting.
Smaller high velocity calibers can foul barrels fairly quickly, the larger calibers are a bit more tolerant.
The above also depends on the quality of material and finish of the barrel and how it was run in and how you shoot it.
IMO it's better to keep fouling to a minimum rather than notice a drop off in performance and then have to spend anhour or two defouling the barrel, so give it the copper remover every cleaning.
Cheers
_________________ Pete
Dont do anything you wont like explaining to the paramedics.............. |
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gelandangan Super Member
Joined: May 07, 2006 Posts: 6397 Location: Sydney Australia
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Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 2:54 pm Post subject: Re: How ooftern should you use a copper solvent in your barrel? |
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+1 easier to clean minor faouling than major ones.
but, personally I don't use copper, so what do I know..
_________________ A straight line is the shortest distance between two points.
A smile is the shortest distance between two people.
Do - Not try!
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Dawgdad Super Member
Joined: Feb 08, 2006 Posts: 1065 Location: On the Prairie
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Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 3:52 pm Post subject: Re: How ooftern should you use a copper solvent in your barrel? |
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Varies with the rifle caliber and even the barrel. I will do a good scrubbing on my .223 about every 500 rounds and get a lot of blue on the swab. I have another .223 that shows very little fouling and could probaly hold up for a few hundered more shots.
Some guys do it after 20 rounds too, I try to do it before it affects the accuracy and pressures but you have to pay attention to it to know when it is going south.
_________________ Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency... |
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mojohacker Rookie Member
Joined: Feb 11, 2008 Posts: 5 Location: Nebraska
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Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 5:15 pm Post subject: Re: How ooftern should you use a copper solvent in your barr |
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Thanks for the good advise. Any copper solvents that you would recommend.
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gelandangan Super Member
Joined: May 07, 2006 Posts: 6397 Location: Sydney Australia
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Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 5:24 pm Post subject: Re: How ooftern should you use a copper solvent in your barrel? |
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I heard that Sweets 7.62 are good.
_________________ A straight line is the shortest distance between two points.
A smile is the shortest distance between two people.
Do - Not try!
gelandangan.weebly.com/ |
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tlo7mm Super Member
Joined: Nov 15, 2010 Posts: 426 Location: Oregon
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Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 12:57 am Post subject: Re: How ooftern should you use a copper solvent in your barrel? |
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I have a couple, which includes Montana X-treme The 50 B.M.G which works quite well but I actually prefer Gunslick Foaming Bore Cleaner. This stuff works great and it is well worth the money. I personally would buy this over anything on the market and I do. I would have to agree with galen in saying that Sweets 7.62 is good stuff according to a lot of people.
_________________ "If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun." ~ The Dalai Lama
Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence. - Napoleon Bonaparte
The wisdom of man never yet contrived a system of taxation that would operate with perfect equality. - Andrew Jackson
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it. - Mark Twain |
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Vince Site Admin
Joined: May 25, 2005 Posts: 15715 Location: Brisbane AUSTRALIA
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Elvis Super Member
Joined: Jul 27, 2008 Posts: 9253 Location: south island New Zealand
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Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 3:33 am Post subject: Re: How ooftern should you use a copper solvent in your barrel? |
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whats copper solvent?????
my barrels have only had it done once or twice in total...last time years ago.
_________________ You shot it You pluck it !
Them who eats the most duck eats the most feathers! |
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SingleShotLover Super Member
Joined: Dec 26, 2007 Posts: 1005 Location: Illinois
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Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 4:59 am Post subject: Re: How ooftern should you use a copper solvent in your barrel? |
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It all depends on many variables:
Use of copper-fouling eliminator type powders (such as Hodgdon CFE223)
Bore condition (lapped, rough etc.)
Bullet brands - some are "softer" than others and might foul easier.
Velocity
I don't usually do a complete clean on my varmint rifles (.17 Remingtons, .223s, 22/250s) unless I see accuracy deteriorating, but I also use CFE223 in all of those cartridges and all have hand-lapped bores.
Larger bores such as my various 7mms, 30/06 and such I usually do a clean with Accu-Bore when I am done shooting - mostly because I don't shoot them as often and if I'm going to clean them for storage anyway, I might as well do a complete clean.
In my handguns it is a non-issue since I almost always shoot cast bullets.
_________________ If you can't hit it with one, you probably can't with two either!
The biggest problem with a closed mind is that it never seems to come with a closed mouth.
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Bushmaster Super Member
Joined: Jun 12, 2005 Posts: 11391 Location: Ava, Missouri
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Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:30 am Post subject: Re: How ooftern should you use a copper solvent in your barrel? |
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Hoppes Benchrest #9. Everytime I shoot copper jacketed or copper plated bullets. To the point that it is scrupulously clean. My 64 year old Winchester Model 94 .30 WCF has no copper in the barrel at all.
Mojohacker...This old "Jackhandle" will put 1 5/8" three shot groups at 100 yards.
_________________ I have one nerve left and yer standin' on it...
DEMOCRACY Two wolves and one sheep voting on what to have for lunch...
LIBERTY A well armed sheep contesting the outcome of the vote... |
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Dawgdad Super Member
Joined: Feb 08, 2006 Posts: 1065 Location: On the Prairie
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Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 11:14 am Post subject: Re: How ooftern should you use a copper solvent in your barrel? |
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Wipe Out is a good foaming product.
For the critical clean I will scrub with Butches Bore Shine and Kroil in equal parts with bronze brush and tigh jagged patches before letting it soak with the Wipe Out for about 6 hours. When that shows clean I use a patch with JB paste and see what was left behind.
The barrels I treat with JB paste when they are new seem to clean easier and stay clean longer than barrels I just shot and cleaned without JB paste.
_________________ Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency... |
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PaulS Super Member
Joined: Feb 18, 2006 Posts: 4330 Location: South-Eastern Washington - the State
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Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 7:49 pm Post subject: Re: How ooftern should you use a copper solvent in your barrel? |
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The last time I used a copper remover was when I tried Barnes bullets in my 03A3. I only fired 3 rounds through it and it took me a half hour of scrubbing before the patches stopped coming out green. (that was the original "X" bullets) I have no desire to try Barnes products again.
_________________ Paul
__________________
Speer, Lyman, Hodgdon, Sierra, and Hornady = reliable loading data
So and So's pages on the internet = NOT reliable loading data
Always check data against manuals
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slimjim Super Member
Joined: May 16, 2009 Posts: 8314 Location: Fort Worth TX
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Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:17 pm Post subject: Re: How ooftern should you use a copper solvent in your barrel? |
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I would not recommend using Sweets. It is corrosive and will do harm if you leave it in too long. I only use copper solvent when I clean my rifles. I use BoreTech. It is safe with metal - you can leave it in over night. The condition of your bore is a prime determinant with how much fouling you get. My chrome-lined S&W M&P .223 goes 800 to 1500 rounds between cleanings. Even then the BoreTech cleans it in short order and there is very little copper fouling. Some of my 6.8mm barrels are a bit rougher, especially when breaking them in. I copper clean a new barrel after one shot, then 2, then 5, then 10, etc. Now I go 80+ rounds. When I clean my rifles before hunting seasons, I foul the barrels and then don't touch them until spring. My Tikka T3 .270 goes 100 rounds before cleaning. I only shoot all-copper bullets in it - nice smooth bore. I had a friend with a Rem 700 .270 that he had never copper cleaned. I had to soak it overnight twice with BoreTech to get it cleaned out. His accuracy improved from 3 to 4 MOA down to around 1 MOA. It fouls quicker than my Tikka.
_________________ "To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth." - Theodore Roosevelt
"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein
Last edited by slimjim on Fri Sep 27, 2013 5:27 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Elvis Super Member
Joined: Jul 27, 2008 Posts: 9253 Location: south island New Zealand
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Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 12:01 am Post subject: Re: How ooftern should you use a copper solvent in your barrel? |
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well slim I guess I clean at about the same shot/clean rate as you then....I dont pull the trigger often enough!!!!
_________________ You shot it You pluck it !
Them who eats the most duck eats the most feathers! |
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