copper fouling!!!

Discussion in 'Technical Questions & Information' started by dammitman, Oct 21, 2012.

  1. Oct 21, 2012 #1
    dammitman

    dammitman Active Member

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    well, here it is. i am in the process of cleaning several of my rifles shot today and they have been all shot before. for this topic i will be using the 223 ar15 as my problem. i broke the barrels in as described by many folks, sites, and felt like i did a good job of cleaning, firing once, cleaning firing once, cleaning and so on and so on for at least 50 rounds. i had nothing but time for the task, it took several days of range time and alot of people looked at me like i was nuts. whatever, here is my question. no matter how many times i do it i now always have copper in the barrel. i use montana extreme products, the bore solvent and the copper killer. these both have a serious ammonia base and the copper killer when used will always produce a blue patch when allowed to soak for a few minutes. i dont think the copper will ALL ever be removed. do you think that this is normal? can all the copper ever really all be removed from a barrel? the guns i question have all be shot at least a few thousand rounds. what do you think?
     
    dammitman, Oct 21, 2012
    dammitman, Oct 21, 2012
  3. Oct 21, 2012 #2
    JLA

    JLA Well-Known Member

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    You will be hard pressed to get a truly clean patch from any bore. A slight blue tint is normal for a clean bore. I clean until the heavy streaks and fouling are gone. then dry it and oil it.

    Also 99% of cleaning rods and jags are brass, which reacts with the copper solvents and turns blue. so you could patch a new straw from mcdonalds and get a blue patch out the other end..
     
    JLA, Oct 21, 2012
    JLA, Oct 21, 2012

  5. Oct 21, 2012 #3
    dammitman

    dammitman Active Member

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    well that sounds good. i was beginning to think that a unfired brand new rifle would come out with blue. also i use some nylon bristle brushes to just be sure and still some blue. i can tell you that i have a brand new rifle and am and have only used the hodgdon CFE223 powder for all the rounds and i can tell you that its alot better, still some blue even with nylon bristle brushes but actually slot better, i am sold on the copper fouling eraser powder for that part.
     
    dammitman, Oct 21, 2012
    dammitman, Oct 21, 2012
  6. Oct 21, 2012 #4
    Bindernut

    Bindernut Well-Known Member

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    Yup, unless your bore is polished perfectly smooth it'll always hold a bit of copper fouling in the pores of the metal.

    I do about like Josh. I'll clean until the real deep blue stuff is gone.
    After I'm satisfied, I clean out the ammonia-base cleaner (I like Sweets7.62 or Barnes' CR-10) with Kroil. Final step is to oil with a heavier oil, like RemOil.
    Even with a plastic or steel jag and using only nylon brushes you'll still see a blue tinge regardless of how long you scrub.
     
    Last edited: Oct 21, 2012
    Bindernut, Oct 21, 2012
    Bindernut, Oct 21, 2012
  7. Oct 22, 2012 #5
    GunHugger

    GunHugger Well-Known Member

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    Could be...

    What barrel? Chrome lined, non chrome lined or stainless?
     
    GunHugger, Oct 22, 2012
    GunHugger, Oct 22, 2012
  8. Oct 22, 2012 #6
    CHW2021

    CHW2021 Well-Known Member

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    I agree with the above re. copper removal, you can patch forever and still get traces. I would like to comment on your choice of cleaners. You are using a heavy ammonia cleaner; ammonia can be a tad excessive for normal cleaning and can be damaging to aluminum (with prolonged exposure).
    Perhaps you may want to try a less agressive product now you are aware that all the copper will never be removed. Save the stronger stuff for extreme cases. Some people have good luck with foams, others like liquid; I prefer Butch's bore shine as it can be left for an overnight soak. I use Sweets for heavy cleaning and am careful about the time it stays in the bore, that stuff is powerful, it will about take Lincoln off a penny.

    If you have a chromed bore it should be a rather easy cleaning surface.
     
    CHW2021, Oct 22, 2012
    CHW2021, Oct 22, 2012
  9. Oct 22, 2012 #7
    dammitman

    dammitman Active Member

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    the barrels i am using for this subject are non chrome lined. i generally use the break in as shown on the http://www.montanarifleman.com/ website on the bottom of the page under barrel contours. its pretty cut and dry.
     
    dammitman, Oct 22, 2012
    dammitman, Oct 22, 2012
  10. Oct 22, 2012 #8
    Bindernut

    Bindernut Well-Known Member

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    CHW is correct about ammonia-based copper cleaners being kinda hard on aluminum.
    But if used as per the instructions (don't leave it on too long and make sure it's all removed when you're done cleaning) it's not a problem.
    If you leave the stuff on too long, it'ill etch into steel too. Yep it's potent, but if you've got heavy copper fouling ammonia is the stuff to use.
     
    Bindernut, Oct 22, 2012
    Bindernut, Oct 22, 2012
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