Removing copper from barrels

[charles p]

What is your favorite product for removing copper, and do you prefer a bronze brush or nylon?

[Larry L]

I use a spray non-chlorinated brake cleaner down the barrel followed immediately by a real tight dry patch. The copper and lead comes out on the patch. The instant cold and dissimilar metals makes the copper and lead turn loose. The patch pushes it out. Works for me anyway.

[bulletstuffer]

I really like Barnes CR 10 if you have a lot of copper.  Be sure you are in a well ventilated area with this stuff.  I use it to take out heavy copper fouling from the barnes bullets.  I like butches bore shine too but it is not nearly as aggressive for copper as the cr 10.


Good luck,


Bulletstuffer

[Slufoot]

Wipe-Out has worked better for me than anything else I have tried and I've tried alot of cleaners.
 
GOOD SHOOTING!
Slufoot

[Dand]

I have lots of cleaners on the bench and used to swear by Sweets, &  Shooter's Choice.  Wipe out is my favorite now - no stink and works nice over night.  I've used some of this newer Hoppe's nontoxic, and several other brands.  They all work to some extent but the Wipeout is my favorite.

[Grumulkin]

I use a spray non-chlorinated brake cleaner down the barrel followed immediately by a real tight dry patch. The copper and lead comes out on the patch. The instant cold and dissimilar metals makes the copper and lead turn loose. The patch pushes it out. Works for me anyway.

That sounds interesting and it's something I've never tried before.  How do you know if the brake cleaner is "non-chlorinated" and why does it matter?


By far the majority of the time I use Wipe Out for copper removal and I rarely use brushes; only patches.  I think Shooter's Choice is better for carbon removal though.

[George Foster]

I have found Bore Tech Eliminator is an excellent solvent for removing both carbon and copper.  Any copper that isn't removed by the Eliminator I use Montana 50BMG on.  I use nylon brushes and patches with both solvents.

[shot1]

I use one of the foaming bore cleaners, Outers or Gunslick. Spray it in and wait 15 min and patch it out = clean. Of you use one of the cleaners like CR-10 Copper removers from Barnes DO NOT USE A BRONZE ETC BORE BRUSH. It will eat it up and leave the deposit in your bore.

[Lloyd Smale]

wipe out works great but it tends to migrate into the action and drys to a gummy residue so you have to either be careful with it or pull the stock off and clean the gun. It also darkens oil finished wood if you get some on it but it sure does tackle copper fouling. I also like montana extreem. Sweets is a great one but its so powerful you dont want to leave it in a barrel overnight or get it on blued surfaces but truth be told theres no better solvent for getting the copper out.

[MZ5]

For dedicated, hard-core, this thing has more copper than a penny factory copper fouling, I use my Foul-Out II.  Nothing better for really, seriously severe copper problems.
 
Short of that, I also like the Gunslick foaming bore cleaner.  Getting the very last trace of copper from the very last pore will take multiple applications, at least on fairly new barrels, IME.  Still, it's fast and supremely simple & easy.  Sweets, Barnes, Montana Extreme, Hoppe's Elite... all of those are significantly sub-standard compared to the Gunslick foam.
 
I'd like to try Boretech Eliminator, and I'd also like to try KG-12.  Well, actually, I'd like to not have to!
In that vein, I have had outstanding results from DynaBore Coat.  I almost entirely stops coppering troubles in the barrels I've put it in.

[gypsyman]

I've been using Tetra bore cleaner for the last couple years. Good to get the copper out, and doesn't etch the barrel, so is safe to leave in overnight if you want. It's not a runny liquid like Shooter Choice,(although that works too), it's a thicker liquid, kinda like naval jelly. I still like to follow up with alittle J/B and Kroil mix. Dry patch it out, and finish with Tetra lube, or G96. gypsyman

[Lloyd Smale]

Ive used tetra lube in my autos for years and love it. Never tried there bore cleaner though. Might have to add a bottle to my next order.

[Dave in WV]

I run a dry bronze brush through followed by a carb cleaner soaked patch. The I run a patch soaked with a 50/50 solution of Kroil & Shooter's choice. I let that soak for about 10 min. and run a nylon brush through about 10 times. I clean that out with a carb cleaner soaked patch and then run a Sweet's soaked patch through and let that soak for about 10 min and clean that out with a couple of carb cleaner soaked patches. Usually I've already got the copper out before the Sweets but the Sweets will show if I haven't.

[SHOOTALL]

I use Ammonia right out the bottle on a clean patch. I soak it for a few mins then soak a nylon brush and scrub it. Then a few more soaked patches until the blue green is gone. A few dry patches then a liberal coat of oil. Then a fresh dry patch to remove excess oil. Do this in a well ventilated area.
There are some who advise aginst this but some copper removal solvents have in in then anyway.

[AtlLaw]

... a 50/50 solution of Kroil & Shooter's choice. ... then run a Sweet's soaked patch through and let that soak for about 10 min and clean that out ... Usually I've already got the copper out before the Sweets but the Sweets will show if I haven't.

+ 1!      Never tried the carb cleaner though.     but I just may... 

[SHOOTALL]

Sweeta has amo......... and cost more 

[Rock Home Isle]

Great thread here...lots a good ideas.