Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing copper solvent recommendation

Yep. The Copper Killer works quicker if you're in a hurry, but the standard does fine overnight. Both are oil-based so don't pit barrels.

Second place in my experience--a close second--is Wipe-Out.

This is based on experiments with a Gradient Lens bore-scope--at least in my part of Montana. But also believe other solvents work at least as well, or better, in more humid parts of the country.

I might have to try that Bore Tech stuff….
Montana Xtreme does well on copper but not as well on powder/carbon, so I first use Shooters Choice or good ‘ol Hoppes.
Patch Out works on both copper and powder, and seems to dissolve the copper as quickly as Xtreme.
Plus a whiff of Patch Out won’t knock a guy down…..

I just stocked up on Xtreme and Patch Out, now I gotta’ try another solvent……sheesh.

I did an AR barrel 2 days ago that had never been properly cleaned. I hit the barrel with Hoppes solvent and then hit it with plenty of Wipe Out and left it over night. I ran some Hoppes back through it the next morning and patches until they come out dry. I have been really happy with the Wipe Out.

kwg

This like-new Savage 112 'J' single shot circa '75-'78 followed me home the other day. Beautiful shape and obviously shot very little.

I knew the barrel was pretty coppered up as the copper streaks at the muzzle were pretty obvious. But little did I know how fouled it was!

After four days, the copper is finally out. I threw everything I had in the chemical cupboard at it....Butch's, some vintage Shooters Choice Copper Remover, TM bore cleaner, Wipe Out, household ammonia, Kroil, a 50/50 mix of ATF and acetone (which works really good, by the way ) and a couple more I won't mention in case my town's Hazardous Materials Response Unit should get wind of it.

In the end, it boiled down to simple elbow grease and brushing/patching...followed by aggressive use of JB... followed by more brushing and patching...followed by over night soaking with Hoppe's Black Powder Gel. Then repeat the process. As it progressed, you could see that it was layers of powder fouling over copper, then more powder and copper, etc. Once down to bare metal, I finished it up with a final round of JB on a new bronze brush working over the first 5-6" ahead of the chamber with 10-12 strokes for each full stroke down the barrel. After the final JB'ing and cleaning, the throat feels really smooth with a patch. I might take a peek with a bore scope. Or not. Don't know how many patches I used but the process killed 6 new phosphor bronze brushes. The dead brushes got recycled to JB victim duty.

Most guns from this era didn't have the barrels shot out as much as simply ineffectively cleaned. I've resurrected several others that were in the same shape.

Good shootin'. -Al

^^^ I had an older Savage 110 from a pawn shop that was layered like that. I cleaned on the dang thing on and off for a couple of months. All I can figure is someone bought it and never bothered to clean it, ever.


Not a gunsmith obviously but for me, a combination of Tetra foam, and KG-1 if necessary, takes care of powder fouling, followed by either Pro Shot Copper Remover or Wipe out for the copper.

I have some of the KG-12 or 21 or whatever their copper remover is, but haven't tried it yet. Reading the bottle, it says it doesn't turn patches green or blue, and the only way to tell you have removed the copper is with a bore scope. I don't have one and it honestly sounds like a PITA. I would hate to haul out a bore scope every time I cleaned a barrel.

Instead of blue it leaves brown residue on the patch. Once that is gone you are done. Where on the instructions does it say to use a bore scope? I use a qtip inserted in the crown and under bright light. Sounds like a real PITA eh?

Al, that is a cool rifle! Never heard of them before. What chambering is it? How does it shoot? Are they well known for accuracy?

I like Wipe-Out as well, you don't have to use a hazmat suit when you use it and I think it works just as good.

I dunno, maybe I dreamed it, but I coulda swore it said something on the back of my bottle about checking with a bore scope. I will have to dig my bottle out of the junk drawer and read the instructions again.

Don't see anything about a bore scope on my bottle.

Dream on...

I have some Barnes CR-10 that seems to do a pretty good job

I didn't want to be the first one to say anything..... -Al

Perhaps I shouldn't drink margaritas and clean guns at the same time.

My favorite. I've used Butchs, Sweets, shooters choice and all the others but BTE is the only one I use now and it removes carbon.

Now I just use my Hoppes #9 as a cologne.

After cleaning, I put a patch damp with Hoppes #9 down the barrels. It's great for storage and works on anything that might still be there.

Good shootin'. -Al

Yep, same here. If I have copper to remove I'll only use the BTE for both the copper and powder removal.

Hoppes #9 for smell, I mean only where I need powder removal.

Al, back in the day, shooting partner had the 112 J's in 243, 220 Swift, and 25/06. Barrels are rough, but shoot like a house a fire. Each barrel will of course start going south as copper starts to build up.

112 J's are a great foundation for spinning on another barrel.

Best whishes

Keith

We go through gallons and gallons of CR10 at the Barnes Bullets Ballistic Lab. Works very very well.

I usually use the bore cleaner I have on hand....Shooters Choice, Butches or Hoppes Bench Rest #9.
For years I've been using Dewey rods and Sinclair O ring bore guides with a solvent port when I clean one I pour it too it...one of the neatest things I bought from Sinclair was the stock boot that slips over the butt stock and protects the stock from solvents.
Here's my basic cleaning tools....this bore guide is a new one for a Kimber .300 wsm by Possum Hollow


Keep in mind that any kind of gun cleaner with copper solvents in it should not be used on nickel plated guns. That includes Ezzox and a lot of others.

Keith. I've had two 'J' series 22-250's, a Swift and now this one in 25-06. To me, the 'J' series are the best that Savage ever produced. The triggers are darn good....with a bit of side shimming and careful edge breaking on the sear surfaces, they can be reliable and safe to 1 lb. or a bit under.

Always good to hear from you...hope all is well. -Al