Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada I'm soaking my barrels

In Hoppes.

I'll finish them tomorrow, but I have found this is the best way to clean everything. Having them soak helps loosen some of the crud, but most importantly, forces me to finish everything up properly.

Single shot barrels are super easy to clean this way. I have a 223, 7.62x39 and a 30-30 barrel rubber corked on one end and the tube filled with Hoppes.



The corked end sits in an old plastic container, in case the cork fails.



This is a pick of the 223 Wylde filled to the top.

Best way ever to deep clean a barrel.
How long do you leave them?

I leave them for a day and start cleaning. You can leave them longer, but I will only leave it longer because I want the Hoppes to work more, and me, a little less.

Steve,

I do the same with Hoppe’s Benchrest Copper Remover. Through trial and error, saturating the barrels, but leaving air in them seems to produce better results than completely filled with liquid.

Hi Jeff et al - I leave the barrels soaking for a few days ( last time was 3 days ) and leave the rod and patch in situ, running it up and down whenever I pass by This is with a 308 I just bought that had lots of copper showing in the grooves. After 3 days it came out clean and then I ran some liquid rubbing compound ( TurtleWax brand- all I had available - Bass-P## here has few selections-POS vendor!!) Anyways, the barrels came out very 'Shiny and Clean' I'll update when I go out nest week to 'fire for effect' - New gun & scope , still getting used to it. Rem SPS Tac .308 w/ 4-12 Viper. So far only about 3MOA at 200 yds. Range is only 200 yds long
[img][img]https://i.postimg.cc/k53sjQmQ/Rem-700-SPS.png[/img][/img]
[url=https://postimages.org/]Rem SPS .308[/url]

Steve,

The soaking may not be give you the results you are hoping for. Some solvents need oxygen to work Not sure about Hopes. But most ammonia based solvents work better with 0xygen present.


Lefty

I do the same thing but use Gun Slick. Works like a charm!

Is it safe to leave ammonia based products in a barrel for a long time?

There was a time when I did that at the clays range by dunking the barrel in a 4" PVC pipe filled with Hoppes. Let them sit for about 5' and they were done. It became a very popular hangout.

I prefer Kroil for rifle barrels addressed in a manner similar to Steve's approach.

Or you could just use Wipe Out.

I like this type of thread. I say Hoppes. Others chime in with the cleaner they use. It reminds me of a "which bolt action rifle is best" or "which bullet is best" thread.

The commonality is the soak. I do it because I'm lazy. The soak does the majority of the work.

This is where the thread shifts to which cleaner is better and why. Oh, don't worry. Use what you want.

I'll start. You shouldn't be using anything other than Hoppes. It's cheap, and it works. Like Madge told all her clients in the Palmolive Commercials, "You're soaking in it."

Your turn.

Any opinions on using laundry ammonia in this manner?
It's something I've done in the past to get copper out of rough old barrels.

Laundry ammonia has ammonia in it. I wouldn't soak with it, even diluted, for an extended period.

Why not? Do you think it would cut the steel appreciably?

I believe it will.

I haven’t written any books, don’t live in Canada.. but if you used a bore cleaner worth a chit you wouldn’t have to soak your barrels in hoppes for 3 days.. If you were truly lazy like you say buy some wipeout run a wet patch down the barrel and walk away for several hours and repeat if desired..

Thanks Steve.
Not arguing with you but, I think Hoppe's has ammonia in it as well.
Anyway, I also like to let cleaners do their work.

No problem. It has ammonium hydroxide in it, which is a weak base solution of ammonia and water (called ammonia water by many). There is an acid additive, whose name I forget, which counteracts much of the negative effects of the ammonia water.



But I like the smell.
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I think Kroil is a better perpetrator is all...and I have a fair supply on hand. Don't think you can get Hoppes in gallon quantities anymore. They both smell like heaven to me.....from a distance.

Live and let live. If it works for you, it's golden.

Well, I have to draw the line with Remington 700s.They are odd, and smell like cabbage.😂