Oops..

[CatskillCrawler]

I think I blundered.

I'm planning on making a range trip this weekend and I haven't touched my .270 since I put it away last Dec. I usually finish my cleaning regimen by running a Kroil soaked patch thru the barrel and putting it away. I then run a Hoppes #9 soaked patch thru it before I shoot it again to get out anything the Kroil may have loosened up and then dry patches to get all the oil out.

I ran my first Hoppes soaked patch thru tonight and the patch came out emerald green!! Whoa.

I'm thinking that I may have done a copper solvent soak on it and forgot about it. Why I would put it away and oil up the outside for storage is beyond me...

I use M-Pro 7 copper cleaner. It doesn't use ammonia as its copper agent but I'm still afraid I may have etched my barrel. I have it soaking again right now to take out all the residual copper that I may have softened up during this prolonged exposure.

This barrel was heavily copper fouled and I've been working on it these past two years to try and get it clean. I try not to get too aggressive with it since it shoots lights out so I've been doing two or three soaks of the copper solvent every time I clean it and hoping that eventually it'll get clean.

/crossing fingers

 

[BK]

I've been working on it these past two years to try and get it clean.

Holy cow! That's pretty seriously copper-plated! Good luck with the barrel.

Kroil wouldn't leave the patches green, would it? I've never used it.

 

[CatskillCrawler]

This is what I pushed out of it. Starting from the right, the first two rows are just Hoppes and then the third row is the M-Pro 7, two wet patches, 5 passes with a brush, another wet patch then dry patches. Bottom row is Hoppes again. I'm still moving some copper out on those final patches.

There is still a thin line of copper alongside the rifling edges but it is noticeably less than how I left it last Dec. Barrel is bright still with no pitting as far as I can see with a light tube and my naked eyes.

Kroil is just a penetrating oil. It won't dissolve or break-down copper. It may get under it and help with the physical removal of copper. I have been storing barrels with Kroil for quite some time now and never seen this before.

 

[BK]

Well, I'm glad that it appears your barrel survived without apparent damage. Kinda surprised that there's still copper in there after sitting that long. Maybe the effectiveness of the copper remover is nil after the liquid part of it evaporates?

 

[CatskillCrawler]

I owned and used this rifle for 26 years before ever introducing a copper solvent to it. I store the gun horizontally on a rack and have no idea where/if the solvent pooled up, evaporated or just became unable to breakdown the copper anymore due to saturation. ?? I'm sure it gravitated towards the lower half of the barrel but if it stayed evenly distributed longitudinally is anyone's guess. I can only see into the muzzle 6 or 8 inches. Who knows what the throat looks like and that's where I'd expect to see the most copper fouling.

I think I'll brush it more tomorrow and let it soak again. Why the heck not at this point.

 

[257 Ackley]

Send Rod (Nodak7mm) a PM and ask him to explain how Kroil works for him on rifles. He uses it all the time for working under the copper that may be in a rifle. Rod knows what he is talking about with his backround. You may have just seen how effective it can be for helping work on the copper fouling problem you have had in your rifle.

 

[SJB358]

Send Rod (Nodak7mm) a PM and ask him to explain how Kroil works for him on rifles. He uses it all the time for working under the copper that may be in a rifle. Rod knows what he is talking about with his backround. You may have just seen how effective it can be for helping work on the copper fouling problem you have had in your rifle.

Joel, after taking your advice (same as Rods) I have started soaking the bores with Kroil after the range. Well, I did this last time with the 264, 338, 358 Win, 243 and 308. I let them sit for a little more than 24 hours. The first patch through the rifle was covered in gunk and copper. Doing the Copper Killer netted a little more, but really, it seemed as if the Kroil worked really well. Pretty impressed with it.

CC, it looks like it worked out well for you. The barrel seems to be coming pretty darned clean. Heck, I may start soaking with Kroil when storing. Scotty

 

[CatskillCrawler]

Very interesting. I can see where I would be pushing out gold colored slurry due to the Kroil getting underneath and disbonding the copper but I wasn't aware that it could breakdown the copper and oxidize it. :?

I'm not sold on the Kroil being responsible for this yet. I'm still open-minded but not sold. I need to talk to my son who was with me when we pickled all of the rifles last year. He still has that ability to recall events without taking notes...

Here's another pic showing the green patch more clearly. I don't see a hint of carbon residue on those first few patches.

 

[nodak7mm]

I use Kroil primarily as a penetrating oil, it creeps and it crawls under stuff and helps keep it in a semi liquid suspension. I found thru trial and error over the yrs that it left long enough it will lift tough stuff. But it does not dissolve or attack anything..

I love to put it in a barrel right after a shoot when it is still warm when every thing is still warm and molecularly "bouncing around", this for me I believe shortens & makes my cleaning time alot easier by loosening stuff up..

Carbon, regardless of what mfg claims may be out there, there is no magic elxir that dissolves flame hardened carbon. Elbow grease and Iosso or Flitz or JB works well for me, using Kroil as an additional carrier/surfecant... The only way you will really see indications hardened carbon beyond groups going sour accompanied by psi spikes is thru a borescope.. "Hardened" carbon will not show up on a patch..

This has been my experience and this is what works for me today.. Tomorrow is a whole new day that can bring new knowledge and experiences....

Rod

 

[CatskillCrawler]

I figured out what I did after speaking with my son. He purchased M Pro-7 bore cleaner and gun oil last year. I regularly use the bore cleaner but had never tried the gun oil. He said that when we were cleaning after last season that I wanted to try out the gun oil as a preventative for storage on this rifle. I usually use Kroil in the barrel and Ballistol on the exterior. He checked the two containers and said the interior foil seal on the gun oil was intact and that the seal on the bore cleaner was missing. I must have mistook the bore cleaner for the lube and swabbed the bore with the cleaner. Good testimonial material for M Pro-7 for their "will not harm your bore" claim!

The bore cleaner does remove carbon and copper residue, hence the green patches.

Nodak - that was how I understood what Kroil does. It hopefully penetrates and loosens the physical bond of residue which facilitates removal when you use solvents. I like your method of using it after a range session when I know I'll need to clean afterwards. I'll try that out next time.

Thanks for everyone's inputs. This looks like another case of, "whew, got away with one there!" again...

 

[SJB358]

Thanks for the update CC! That is good to know. There is just a ton of good stuff available today, it is really hard to keep track.

I think on Rods suggestion I am going to pick up some JB's and try some of it on my 264WM. It seems to be about the hardest on barrels with lots of powder, heat and tiny bullets. Might reveal some things I thought I had been getting clean. Scotty

 

[nodak7mm]

Scotty,

If I may suggest Iosso over JB, purely from an application perspective. Iosso is in a "toothpaste" tube and about the consistancy of toothpaste. Whereas JB is in a little plastic tin about the consistancy of thick peanut butter....

I just find the Iosso far, far more user friendly to apply... regardless of what you use, make sure you get it all out. I flush the bore with like 5-10 patches of kroil or marvel, followed by dry patches. Ensure you clean your lug recess and chamber area too...

Rod

 

[SJB358]

I am in Rod! Where do I get it? Is it a Midway item or something I need to order from somewhere else? Scotty

 

[Guest]

Scotty, you can get it here:

http://www.midwayusa.com/Find?userSearc ... bore+paste

Also, I've used the BreakFree paste (because it was the only one available locally) with satisfaction for a number of years. I don't use paste much, but when you need it, you need it. I've also heard that USP is the "original JB's formula" but I can't verify that. I think any of them are suitable. Obviously all the barrel kits and T/C Bore Butter aren't what you're looking for.

 

[SJB358]

Thanks buddy, just ordered two tubes of the Iosso from Brownells. Should have it in a couple of days. I am kinda excited to use it, as I think it will really loosen up the carbon and other gunk left behind in some of my rifles like the 264, 7WSM and 270WSM. They have never been touched by anything other than solvent, copper cleaner and a light brushing once in awhile. Scotty

 

[Guest]

For what it's worth, Scotty, if you haven't tried BoreTech Eliminator, you should. It does a fantastic job of removing copper and carbon with zero brushing. I've been using it for several hundred rounds through my 270Wby, which as you know is no slouch in the velocity department, and I'm still getting the same sub-half inch accuracy from the best loads, and sub-1" for several others. I've used maybe 15 or 20 other solvents over the past few years, and BTE is head and shoulders above the rest. I know that's hard to buy, but I'm that confident in it.

 

[SJB358]

I will give it a try the next time I buy a batch of cleaners. Anything is worth a shot, and I am willing to try anything once. Scotty

 

[257 Ackley]

I am willing to try anything once. Scotty

You gotta be a little careful what you say there Scott!! :shock: