Feeling a little blue

[Al Bundy]

So, I picked up some Sweets Solvent the other day to run through my rifle. I didn't think it would have a lot of copper fouling, but I thought I see just for *censored*s and giggles.

Anyhow, here's the result:


I followed the instructions on the bottle. The two patches in the middle on bottom were the first two I pushed through. Seems like it took me quite a few patches as you can see. Is that a lot of fouling?

How often does everyone else clean for copper?

[littlebuf]

Ive never done it. that stuff has always kinda scared me, it can eat your bore if ya don't get it all out. and a little copper fouling isn't a bad thing unless your accuracy starts to fall off. mine ain't broke so I'm not fixing it. maybe I'm wrong tho 

[washelkhntr]

X2

[Al Bundy]

Ive never done it. that stuff has always kinda scared me, it can eat your bore if ya don't get it all out. and a little copper fouling isn't a bad thing unless your accuracy starts to fall off. mine ain't broke so I'm not fixing it. maybe I'm wrong tho 

Yeah, I read that it'll eat your bore too. I used quite a few patches soaked in Hoppes 9 after I used the Sweets, scrubbed her real well, then more Hoppes. I put a light coat of oil in her too. She should be OK.

As far as accuracy, I haven't gotten to the range yet, but the rifling is definitely "crisper" now. 

[littlebuf]

as long as you keep it wet the whole time its in the bore and then clean it out like you did before it drys your good. I'm sure that thing has a mirror shine on her now

[chrisb]

I've always just used some Hoppes or oil on a bore snake. Those things work great.

[Gutpile]

Wow those pics are awesome. I'd say you definately needed to do it. Thats a lot of blue. What caliber was that?

I used it my 06 when accuracy fell off and it worked great that old rifle really shoots. I've also used it on my 220 swift. You don't need to use it a lot because in most calibers you won't have a lot of build up right away but if accuracy falls off it really does work good.

I've always just used some Hoppes or oil on a bore snake. Those things work great.

True but you wont even touch copper fouling with a bore snake. Your kind of comparing apples to oranges.

[Al Bundy]

Wow those pics are awesome. I'd say you definately needed to do it. Thats a lot of blue. What caliber was that?

I used it my 06 when accuracy fell off and it worked great that old rifle really shoots. I've also used it on my 220 swift. You don't need to use it a lot because in most calibers you won't have a lot of build up right away but if accuracy falls off it really does work good.

It was my old .35 Remington. She's over a hundred years old and as far as I know, it had never been cleaned for copper. She shot alright before, but it should be much better now. I just need to get to the range.

Kind of on the same subject, has anyone here ever used an electronic bore cleaner?

[chrisb]

I've always just used some Hoppes or oil on a bore snake. Those things work great.

True but you wont even touch copper fouling with a bore snake. Your kind of comparing apples to oranges.
[/quote]

SO how do you know if you've got copper in your barrel? is it based on the ammo you use or the amount of use or what?

[high country]

if you have pulled the trigger....you have opper in the barrel. the only way to know how much is by a expierienced hand on a jag or bore scope it. amonia based solvents like sweets and barnes are most dangerous on a blued barrel...stainless is generally safer. if you have super stubborn fouling the remington bore cleaner scrubbs very well as does butches bore shine.

I have one of outers foul out 3's and that thing is amazing...slow as mold, but works like magic.

as stated though, many guns shoot best with a bit of copper fouling. if you are shooting a factory barrel this is probably you. if you are shooting a better makers barrel, you want the copper out.

as throats erode the amount of copper fouling increases....that is just life. if you shoot a gun that holds lots of powder and a little bullet or shoot back to back shots you are in the upper end of the barrel burners club.

[chrisb]

good to know. thanks.

[JackOfAllTrades]

I use sweets a couple times a year on ally my rifle barrels. Great stuff! Friggin stinks though.

-Steve

[Shootmoore]

Sweets here as well, once a year usually unless I am putting a lot of rounds through the gun.  Then its a twice a year deal.

Shootmoore

[wrangler]

mmmm love the smell of ammonia in the mornin! i use it on all my rifles after about 10 rounds. just be sure to run a couple oil patches down the barrel when your all finished. i have found that in most rifles it takes one or 2 'fowling' shots to get the point of impact to stabilize. usually the first 2 shots after a good scrubbing are a few inches high.

[MagKarl]

Sweets says "Harmless to barrel steel" right on the bottle.  But, it also says don't let it sit more than 15 minutes.  Anyone actually had detectable bore damage?  If so, I'd like to hear about it.  Right or wrong, I was taught to clean my guns every time they are used.  The first time I used Sweets on my Win M70 30-06 I got a ton of copper out of it.  Now I get some each time I shoot but nothing like the first time.  I mainly shoot TSX so there's plenty of copper fouling potential.