Strongest cleaner for barrels

For stainless barrels, I tried CLR (Calcium, Lime, Rust) for the first time yesterday. It pulled out more carbon after what I thought was clean. Prior to that, I had run Butches, Wipe Out foam and BoreTech Eliminator through the bore. It is acidic and needs to be neutralized after using it.

Don't use on blued steel.
 
I do not trust CLR, too acidic for me. I used it for many, many years to clean soft water deposits on coffee pots. Next time I buy a used barrel with a butt load of carbon in it, I will try the CLR.
 
Keith, I tried the CLR on a couple of carbon fouled barrels. Wasn't impressed at all. Any of several traditional bore cleaning products worked faster and easier for me, including C4, Tactical Advantage and any of the abrasives like JB or RemClean.

I put the CLR back under the sink. It wasn't nearly what it had been cracked up to be, for me.

- DAA
 
Thanks Dave! The stainless sink where we wash out the CLR is etched by years of using this product...what ever that means.

Dave, in the last two years, I found two products that have replaced JB.

Montana Extreme copper cream, same as JB just easier to use

Next step more aggressive is a really great product that I bought ten bottles of:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Flitz-Rifle-Gun...=item3f93d4b573

This product is easy to use, and gets after that carbon right now! 4 patches saturated, used on a tight punch type of jag is one of the best cleaners I have found...no screwing around soaking...just get'r done!
 
Well after reading the post, I ordered a bottle of Tactical advantage. I also have a bottle of the Accelerator left over from when I was using Wipe Out Patch Out. Bottle says I can use both. Have you that use Tactical Advantage found a better way? Meaning, do you use both or just the TA with out the accelerator? I just want the most effective way to use it. (Just FYI, I got it from Midway and shipping was super fast. No hang ups at all.)
 
Due to the fact that I am able to leave the rifle in it's cleaning cradle undisturbed overnight, Bill, I have settled on using TA alone & seldom use the accelerator, but probably would if I needed faster results.

Regards,
Clarence
 
Originally Posted By: coyote controlWow - some really good ideas laid out here.
Nice list there Ackleyman.

I use to fight the copper also, and tried many products. Now I am using just 3 products:

Bore Tech Eliminator
Sweet's
Slip 2000 carbon remover or Bore Tech carbon remover.




Same method I have been using for years, and I'm always satisfied with the results.
 
D Bell, this is the approach I have gone with for now.

I already had Sweets, and Slip 2000 from cleaning my Rem 1100 12ga.

So I switched components a little... picked up some proof-positive jags and nylon brushes now instead of my bronze/copper jags and brushes, and went to work on my 243win barrel first with Bore Tech's Eliminator product and so far so good - very impressed with how quickly this cut through the additional buildup still found in my freshly 'cleaned' Butch's Bore Shine barrel, and no smell!

I may still try some Tactical Advantage at some point, but working with this combo as my new solution for right now.

Thanks all for the very great feedback, as always!
 
I use regular Flitz, just a dab on a tight patch & run it through the bore several times. Then a-
New patch & run it through several times and look at that crud. Then another new patch and run her through and maybe another until it comes out clean.
 
I have used Blue Wonder on some really dirty guns and I have had good success with Lucas brand CLP. If you really want it clean, plug the muzzle and fill'er up and let it soak.
 
Originally Posted By: sbrandenBeen shooting my 243win a LOT. I routinely clean my rifles between load development sessions with Butch's bore shine... soaking, then some wet patches again, soaking, then some wet patches again - then dry - then brush some maybe - then wet patches again, soak a little, wet, dry, till done.

While I've been heating some loads for heavier bullets (mostly 85 HPBT's and 87 V-MAX's this summer, last summer I was working with 95 CT bullets a lot), I've noticed it can be harder to get the barrel clean good.

I wanted to ask everyone's opinion - what's the best product or combination of things to use to remove all the fouling, without being too harsh on a barrel?

Thanks in advance for sharing what works for you.


Stephen


I don't know if you want to remove all of the fouling. I have rifles that take close to 15+ shots just to start grouping again after it's been cleaned completely.

I usually take a more mild solvent like eliminator and clean the barrel fairly quick and the rifle is back to grouping.

IF you are looking to get past the copper fouling down to the steel, I've used Sweets 7.62 which is aggressive, don't leave it in your barrel for longer than 10 min, then patch it out.

I cleaned a buddys truck gun last year for him, took me about 12 sessions with Sweets and it was through the bad stuff, the really bad stuff. I don't think he'd ever cleaned that rifle.
 
The best performance i ever got out of my rifles was using Montana Extreme copper killer and their bore solvent.

I remember those days... No 1st round fliers and such. When the going got tough i would use their copper cream.

My Copper Killer days are all but over though.... The smell is just too dang strong. If i had a nice place to clean outside, it would still be my go to.

These days it is Boretech with pretty good results. I am ordering some Gasoila Free All after this post for the heck of it. I can use that type of product on many applications here on the farm.
 
If it is just copper I'm after I go electrolysis. It will clean everything off the barrel and leave like it was before the first round ever went down the barrel. I don't know about carbon but it is a killer on copper.
 
Thanks guys, a lot of great experience and suggestions here.

The only thing I will say about Bore Tech is that it's sticky.

But if I had a rifle that needed 15 shots after every cleaning to get back on zero or to group well again, I'd have to be listing that one for sale - no offense. But I expect all bullet holes touching at 100yds with handloads from all of mine after cleaning, and that's what they give me. Some run dirtier than others - a combination probably of both barrel quality and powder used, but no complaints about accuracy even using Bore Tech Eliminator now.
 
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