Copper Solvent ????

Shooter's Choice, followed by Sweets 7.62. I don't let them mix due to the rumors, but I've never SEEN or heard of any evidence that they react and damage the metal. If anyone has evidence, let's see it.
 
I shoot 3-5 times a week...lots of rounds.

Montana Extreme 50 BMG Copper Solvent removes heavy deposits of copper quicker with less applications than Sweets 7.62, especially with the chrome moly copper pigs.

I started using Sweet's as soon as it became available in the country in the mid 80's and quit using it 3 years ago after the first time that I used the M.E. 50 BMG. The Montana Extreme products are oil based also.

I was motivated to find a better copper solvent than Sweets when I started shooting Swift bullets and The old Barnes Bullets a few years back. 12 shots down the tube with either of these bullets and my high quality Stainless 7 Mag barrel looked gold plated. I tried Barnes Copper remover...I tried Wipe out...I tried Copper Melt...home run with copper melt with the exception of the $29 price tag for a couple of oz of the stuff. I tried a couple of other brands, which were of less quality than Sweets 7.62.

Next, I tried the Montana Extreme 50 BMG, GLORY BE!!! I have seen the light, my brothers!!!

I have heard that Bore Tec Eliminator Copper Solvent is an excellent copper remover for barrels that foul badly, however I have never tried it.

What is the bad thing about the foam is the time limitations. When I am at the range working up loads for a gun, I may fire 50-80+ rounds. Most chrome moly barrels need cleaning between 12-20 rounds for best accuracy, especially factory chrome moly barrels, stainless barrels are usually much smoother and as a general rule of thumb do not need cleaning as often.

I had one Savage 116 in 7 Mag that would copper foul in 12 rounds and the groups would start to open up from 3/8" to 1 1/2" in a hurry by the 20th round. This Savage would take 3 applications of Sweets to get the copper out, but it only took one application of Montana Extreme 50 BMG to get the copper out. I used this rifle to test copper solvents...great test subject!

Also, the foam did not seem to work well in cold temps, heat being a catalyist in the chemical reaction. For me, the foam was a warm weather solvent.

The issue of mixing Shooter's choice and Sweets occurs when residue is left in the barrel. Upon firing, the residue turns to acid. This is what the techno Geeks have claimed that are engineers. I used the two in combo with each other for tens of thousands of rounds shooting p. dogs and ground squirrels over many years with many different factory and custom guns. I always used a patch of lighter fluid followed by a patch of some kind of oil when I was finshed.
 
Quote:
Also, the foam did not seem to work well in cold temps, heat being a catalyist in the chemical reaction. For me, the foam was a warm weather solvent.




Aha! No shortage of heat down here! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif That must be why we have had different experience w/Wipeout. Since I had to quit competitive shooting I seldom fire more than 20-30 rounds before cleaning and the foam works well for this "light duty" service. Those who shoot hundreds of rounds in competition or on PD hunts and in colder climates may not be quite as happy.

Never tried the foam w/Barnes bullets but can see where it might be a problem w/such heavy copper fowling. I fired three of the original Barnes X through my Mod. 70 300 WM and took forever to get all the copper out w/Sweet's. Anyone need 47 (IIRC) 200 gr. .308 Barnes X bullets, NIB? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif

Regards,
hm
 
I use an electric current and it will remove all copper down to the metal the barrel is made from.When you don't get any deposit on the electrode there is not even an atom of copper left.
 
I use Pro-Shot Copper Solvent IV. It works well for me and doesn't smell up the house or risk damaging the bore. If one is really nasty and keeps giving me blue patches, I go JB paste and clean up with the Pro-Shot.
 
An other vote for Sweet's 7.62 I've also just started to use GM's Top Engine Cleaner to get the carbon out. Benchrest shooters have used this for years and it works great. Most of the time when you can't get a clean patch it's because of carbon build up not copper and as far as I know none of the copper solvents work that well on carbon. I also use Butch's Bore Shine.
 
Ducksoup, points out a great product for carbon removal. All of the benchrest shooters that I shot with quit using the GM's Top Engine Cleaner due to the cancer causing elements in it. Just wear rubber gloves when using it and your are good to go.

No doubt that the GM's Top Engine Cleaner is one of the very best products in removing stubborn carbon fouling for guys that shoot long strings Over the Course, p. dog shooting, and ground squirrel shooting.

When I was shooting a 22/250 AI on p. dogs, long strings were the norm. Lots of powder being stuffed in that small hole leads to powder fouling and after 125 rounds, it can be a [beeep] to get out. With good bronze bristle brushes and the GM cleaner, it would clean the bore in a very quick hurry so that we could get the guns back in action.
 
One that is not easy to find but works better than any other I have tried is KG products. I know that Browning/Winchester R&D use these products exclusively; and they burn a lot of rounds a year in testing. Using these products and seeing the results with a bore scope has sold me.

I have not tried the ME 50 BMG but I have tried most everything else.

I use Wipe Out for the usual jobs and then break out the KG for the bad jobs.

Aaron
 
I use Hoppe's Elite cleaner for carbon instead of GM TEC which as Ackleyman pointed out has some dangerous other chemicals in it. I'd try some MPro7 if anyone sold it here, but Hoppe's is readily available locally and works very well on carbon fouling.

http://www.6mmbr.com/borecleaning.html

Remove the Carbon First, then Attack the Copper
Here is what we recommend for an "average" factory barrel. After 25 rounds, or when accuracy degrades noticeably, spray some MPro7 or GM Top Engine Cleaner (TEC) down the bore from the muzzle. (Insert bore guide in breech first. Keep your MPro7 or TEC in a small plastic pump bottle for muzzle application). Let that sit a bit, then follow with a patched soaked with the same cleaner. Repeat. SharpShoot-R Carb-Out and Slip2000 Carbon Killer work really well also, when applied with soaking wet patches. Then, apply the same MPro7, TEC, Carb-Out, or Slip2000 generously to a bore brush, and run the brush through the bore 3-4 times, breech to muzzle.

Allow some dwell time between strokes. Always use a wet brush. GM TEC cleans a little faster but it has some dangerous solvents, so handle with care. MPro-7 is non-toxic, non-flammable, non-corrosive, and biodegradeable. It comes in liquid or gel, and is also sold as "Hoppes Elite" cleaner. Carb-Out (from the makers of Wipe-Out) is new, but looks very promising. When used with a brush, it has removed baked-on carbon that usually requires abrasive pastes to remove.

 
I use a foaming bore cleaner made by Outers. Can't remember the exact name, but it is in a blue and white can. I use this in both my .204 and .22-250. I like it because you can shoot the foam into the barrel, walk away, and let it do its job. Often times, I will let it sit overnight, but usually it's just an hour or two. I will repeat this until I get no more blue on the patch (usually 3 or 4 times). Then I follow with Kroil.
 
i have to try this montana extreme i guess.
for years i have used a product from mercury marine.it is called quicksilver.when everyone i told about this tried it on their"clean barrels"they were disappointed to find they were still fowled.it foams and takes longer but is flawless.
 
Madcatter, the Mercury Quick silver and the GM engine cleaner are the same product which are great for powder fouling, but you need to use a follow up chemical for the copper.

You will like the Montana Extreme products because they are oil based.

I patch and brush with the standard Montana Extreme, and then de-copper with the Montana Extreme 50 BMG. These two products make quick work out of barrels that have a good deposit of copper in them.

The Standard Montana Extreme can be left in the barrel overnight and all copper is gone! Since it is oil based, you have no worries.
 
Lurker, it is the powder tune engine cleaner...be darn sure that you are in a well ventalated place and wear rubber gloves...a box of rubber gloves is about $10 at the drug store.

The Quicksilver is great for powder in cartridges like the over-bores that shoot massive amounts of powder.

Just remember that you will need a good copper solvent behind it.
 
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