Firearm maintenance: Stuff that works/Stuff that doesn't

[steve white]

Yes, nothing comes out on the Wipe Out patches because the Wipe Out is not doing an effective job of removing it.

A carbon ring is a build up of hard compacted soot for lack of a better descriptor, typically in the first 1” of the throat area. It is very visible with a bore scope.

A load that was known to be very conservative started displaying pressure signs and chronograph checked velocity started increasing inexplicably. That load was using 66 grains RL22, which I since have quit using.

Changing solvents and using solvent soaked patches wrapped around a nylon brush resulted in not having that problem again.

After a good cleaning with the Hoppe’s benchrest solvent velocity went back to the expected speed and the pressure signs vanished.

Buy one of the inexpensive bore scopes, they are a very useful tool for lots of things.

I’ll add one more changed practice, I mostly have quit using bore guides so as to work on cleaning the chamber and case neck areas as they also need cleaning. I am very careful pushing the nylon brushes into the barrel. Once the brush exits the barrel, unscrew it before pulling the rod out the bore end. Do not pull the brush back over the crown.

And please do not ever use a Bore Snake. They drag accumulated crud through the barrel and can alter the crown. Otis makes a nice plastic coated compact cable kit that is easy to use in the field.

Otis Universal Rifle Cleaning Kit

The Otis Rifle Cleaning System All Caliber is for firearm owners looking for a cleaning kit specifically for their rifles. The unique cotton patches...

www.midwayusa.com

Can you recommend a range of bore scopes according to price?

 

[Tex .416]

Can you recommend a range of bore scopes according to price?

$40 or less on Amazon works fine for this purpose. Look for one the has a side view or two views which is forward and side view. Check the size of the camera and cable. Some are 8 - 10mm, which is too thick. 5 - 6mm size is good as it will fit in smaller bores.

 

[Dirtdart]

Can you recommend a range of bore scopes according to price?

I have a Teslong digital borescope that I am very pleased with. Brownells stocks them and you may find it worthwhile to read some of the reviews. If memory serves my cost was around $150 all in.

I recently tried KG12 for the first time and will continue to use it for copper removal. It was deceiving at first because I wasn't getting that blue color on the patches I am used to with other brands. The scope verified that the KG12 was indeed removing the copper and much faster than what I had been using.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

Boretech Carbon Remover - Wet patch down bore, and wet mop in chamber. Wait 10 minutes

KG-2 Bore Polish - A few drops on a patch and run down bore with reciprocal strokes until it exits at the muzzle. This is a mild polish that removes fouling from the surface of the bore but unlike a solvent it leaves the copper in the pores of the metal creating a smoother internal surface and provides more precise cold bore shots that are so important to hunters. After polish, clean with 2-3 wet patches using carbon solvent only and then dry patches.

Kroil - Used to coat bore for long term storage and rust prevention.

Extreme Force and Royal Purple Synfilm 32 - Both of these synthetic high temp lubricants are great for internal action moving parts. Resists carbonization in hot gas feed actions. I wet a Q-tip and apply this lube very sparingly only on metal to metal contact surfaces

I also avoid use of copper solvents such as Sweets, Hoppes, etc as they remove too much of the fouling in the bore which can lead to loss of precision. Avoid harsh abrasives in the bore. Avoid electrolysis cleaning as well as it removes all copper fouling and some of it is beneficial.

 

[steve white]

Boretech Carbon Remover - Wet patch down bore, and wet mop in chamber. Wait 10 minutes

KG-2 Bore Polish - A few drops on a patch and run down bore with reciprocal strokes until it exits at the muzzle. This is a mild polish that removes fouling from the surface of the bore but unlike a solvent it leaves the copper in the pores of the metal creating a smoother internal surface and provides more precise cold bore shots that are so important to hunters. After polish, clean with 2-3 wet patches using carbon solvent only and then dry patches.

Kroil - Used to coat bore for long term storage and rust prevention.

Extreme Force and Royal Purple Synfilm 32 - Both of these synthetic high temp lubricants are great for internal action moving parts. Resists carbonization in hot gas feed actions. I wet a Q-tip and apply this lube very sparingly only on metal to metal contact surfaces

I also avoid use of copper solvents such as Sweets, Hoppes, etc as they remove too much of the fouling in the bore which can lead to loss of precision. Avoid harsh abrasives in the bore. Avoid electrolysis cleaning as well as it removes all copper fouling and some of it is beneficial.

Regarding your comment about Royal Purple, "resists carbonization"....do you think that may be an overlooked key to bore maintenance, that SOME products, even powder choices could be the biggest factor in how much carbon buildup we have to fight? Interesting that Waffenfett, used by the Swiss, left such pristine bores over time. I don't read anywhere that they were fighting carbon buildup, like we are doing today.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

Regarding your comment about Royal Purple, "resists carbonization"....do you think that may be an overlooked key to bore maintenance, that SOME products, even powder choices could be the biggest factor in how much carbon buildup we have to fight? Interesting that Waffenfett, used by the Swiss, left such pristine bores over time. I don't read anywhere that they were fighting carbon buildup, like we are doing today.

First, I did not use the synfilm oils in the bore of the rifles. It is only to lube the moving parts and then only very sparingly. When I hunt Africa I use no lube to resist dust clinging in the action. The only benefit to oils that do not carbonize readily or at least at higher temps is when applied to semi-auto and full auto type rifles such as AR15, etc which blast combustion gases into the action and can foul with carbon easily. That is not really applicable to African hunting.

Agree that powder choices do affect fouling and carbon buildup but that is only a choice if you reload. I refuse to reload for hunting rifles since I simply do not shoot one hunting rifle enough to justify the time and expense and modern factory ammo is very very good.

As for Waffenfett or Waffenöl? - the English translation from Swiss Deutsch is Weapon Grease or Gun Oil. It is a generic term that can be applied to many branded products. Did you have a specific product in mind?

Even so, I was not advocating a pristine, squeaky clean bore. I believe that some copper fouling is beneficial as long as it is only in the pores of the bore and not on the bearing surface. You want to clean the surface with a gentle scrubbing action but fill in the pores to create a smoother inner bearing surface. Imagine the inner surface of your barrel as a paved highway. But, the surface is pok-marked with microscopic pot holes. After shooting several rounds during breakin, those holes fill-in with copper, but excess copper can build up on top of that. We want to scour away the excess but leave the pot holes filled to achieve that desirable smooth surface. If you use an aggressive solvent, it removes all or most of the copper, even the copper that filled in the holes. Then you have to start all over again.

 

[Tex .416]

Regarding your comment about Royal Purple, "resists carbonization"....do you think that may be an overlooked key to bore maintenance, that SOME products, even powder choices could be the biggest factor in how much carbon buildup we have to fight? Interesting that Waffenfett, used by the Swiss, left such pristine bores over time. I don't read anywhere that they were fighting carbon buildup, like we are doing today.

Some of the Alliant Reloder powders definitely seem to be more likely to cause the severe carbon problems. Never had any trouble with Hodgdon or Accurate brand powders, even in my “magnum” chamberings.

Regularly using a nylon brush wrapped with patches soaked with the Hoppe’s Benchrest solvent cured the issue for me irrespective of the powder used.