Dirty dirty rifle.....

[Mikej]

I must have put close to 100 patches through my rifle. And it's still dirty. I've use Hoppe's #9. When it kept coming out with green and black I went to the copper removing Hoppe's. Then I went back to the regular. Then the heavy stuff again. I swab it and let it sit overnight. It will put out a clean, dry patches after the green dirty one. I'll brush it ten or more strokes then put a little oil on the patch. It comes out filthy. I've been doing this for four days now. I'm on a fricken mission! I've got a butt-load of fine cotton patches!

So the question is...Can I wear out my barrel so the gun won't be accurate anymore?

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[RVTECH]

What caliber/style of rifle is this ?

 

[Mikej]

What caliber/style of rifle is this ?

Uh, 1902 Swedish M96/38 Mauser.

 

[Mikej]

Does that matter?

 

[Arne K]

Don't leave the copper remover in there longer than recommended. It is very bad for your bore.

 

[BDA.45]

I must have put close to 100 patches through my rifle. And it's still dirty. I've use Hoppe's #9. When it kept coming out with green and black I went to the copper removing Hoppe's. Then I went back to the regular. Then the heavy stuff again. I swab it and let it sit overnight. It will put out a clean, dry patches after the green dirty one. I'll brush it ten or more strokes then put a little oil on the patch. It comes out filthy. I've been doing this for four days now. I'm on a fricken mission! I've got a butt-load of fine cotton patches!

So the question is...Can I wear out my barrel so the gun won't be accurate anymore?

From scrubbing it? I wouldn't think so....I had to do the same thing man. Funny, we were just talking about this a few hours ago. I "inherited" a gun from my dad. Thing had NEVER been shot and sat in a duffle bag for YEARS on the Cali coast! It was rusted solid! I had to KICK the bolt open. Took me about a week or more with some 0000 steel wool and oil to bring it back. Its my truck gun now, gets the piss beat out of it....

 

[MTpockets]

I must have put close to 100 patches through my rifle. And it's still dirty. I've use Hoppe's #9. When it kept coming out with green and black I went to the copper removing Hoppe's. Then I went back to the regular. Then the heavy stuff again. I swab it and let it sit overnight. It will put out a clean, dry patches after the green dirty one. I'll brush it ten or more strokes then put a little oil on the patch. It comes out filthy. I've been doing this for four days now. I'm on a fricken mission! I've got a butt-load of fine cotton patches!

So the question is...Can I wear out my barrel so the gun won't be accurate anymore?

What type of brush are you using?
"Edit to add" I have had brass/bronze brushes turn green.

 

[RVTECH]

Does that matter?

Yes it does.

Depending on the manufacturer of the rifle, age and reason why the rifle was built (such as for wartime) quality can vary dramatically - and that includes the barrel as well.

 

[Mikej]

Don't leave the copper remover in there longer than recommended. It is very bad for your bore.

I have some of tat Barnes CR-10 that I didn't use because it said not to leave it in the barrel. I've left the Hoppe's in overnight though. You don't think that Magical, Swedish fine steel can take it? kidding.

From scrubbing it? I wouldn't think so....I had to do the same thing man. Funny, we were just talking about this a few hours ago. I "inherited" a gun from my dad. Thing had NEVER been shot and sat in a duffle bag for YEARS on the Cali coast! It was rusted solid! I had to KICK the bolt open. Took me about a week or more with some 0000 steel wool and oil to bring it back. Its my truck gun now, gets the piss beat out of it....

The barrel in gun is immaculate as far as I can tell. Don't think it was shot much after the barrel was shortened in '38-'40. Don't know if they cut the barrel, or replaced it at the time?

That's the thing, I've never actually cleaned my, few, rifles to the point of getting them clean enough that a lightly oiled patch comes out white. This is crazy with this gun. I put a new bronze/brass? bush through it and found I've worn out the first one! I've not left solvent in the barrel when I brush it because I know that eats those brushes. 118 YO powder residue on those patches maybe?

 

[MTpockets]

I would wager that running the brush through it that many times is adding bronze to the barrel.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Make up some Ed's Red, heat the bore and the sauce and work it through the bore hot, then let it soak for several hours in a well ventilated area, rinse and repeat as needed!
1/4 cup Automatic trans fluid Type IIIA
1/2 cup Ammonia
1/4 cup Diesel fuel, kerosene, or Jet-A
1/4 cup Full Strength Alcohol
Few drops Dawn Dish Soap!
Mix and heat and apply liberally to a hot barrel, and keep them hot, a heat gun works well here! Run a soaking patch through a few times, chase with a stiff bronze brush, then let it sit and cook for a while!

 

[Mikej]

What type of brush are you using?
"Edit to add" I have had brass/bronze brushes turn green.

Just the Tipton bronze/brass what ever it is. But yes, that solvent destroys those.

Yes it does.

Depending on the manufacturer of the rifle, age and reason why the rifle was built (such as for wartime) quality can vary dramatically - and that includes the barrel as well.

This post was just something I was thinking of making for fun. For three days now! The Swede rifles are known for their fine steel and quality. I'm not really worried about messing up the bore by brushing it. I just thought it was crazy how much work it's taking to get a clean patch.

Do you guys clean your guns until you get a lightly oiled white patch out of the barrel? I also have a 1918 Lee Enfield that I didn't clean to the point of a white patch. Heck, that gun likely has hundreds more rounds through it than the Swede!

 

[drstrangelove]

Boretech Cu2+ Left overnight and scrubbed with a nylon brush will remove the worst copper fouling in a reasonable amount of time. I have an M1 Carbine that I thought had the rifling shot out... this product, with an overnight soak, about 100 brush passes and 50 wet patches had me astonished at the beautiful rifling buried underneath all that copper buildup.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I have had some nasty surplus rifles over the years, a Mauser 98 that took days in the hot tank to get truly clean, a SMLE that was so dirty it could have been a porn star, and a Moist Nugget that was so bad, I didn't think it would ever come clean! It's not that uncommon to find them really dirty, but they can clean up with enough effort! Prolly the worst was a Beretta 92, had over 15000 rounds fired with out so much as a single drop of oil down the pipe, I could literally scrape green copper out of the bore with a pick file! Let it soak in the Ed's Red sauce over night and scraped a stiff brush through it a few times, came out almost brand new!

 

[Mikej]

I would wager that running the brush through it that many times is adding bronze to the barrel.

Serious? I know that first brush passes through the bore much easier than the fresh one.

Make up some Ed's Red, heat the bore and the sauce and work it through the bore hot, then let it soak for several hours in a well ventilated area, rinse and repeat as needed!
1/4 cup Automatic trans fluid Type IIIA
1/2 cup Ammonia
1/4 cup Diesel fuel, kerosene, or Jet-A
1/4 cup Full Strength Alcohol
Few drops Dawn Dish Soap!
Mix and heat and apply liberally to a hot barrel, and keep them hot, a heat gun works well here! Run a soaking patch through a few times, chase with a stiff bronze brush, then let it sit and cook for a while!

Being the mechanical kind of guy I am, I think that turns me on some.

 

[MTpockets]

Serious? I know that first brush passes through the bore much easier than the fresh one.

I mention it because it happened to me many moons ago.
Not part of the topic but, I also switched to nylon brushes on stainless barrels.

My Father told me less brush more patch. (You guys can use that one in the Member Misquote Thread)

 

[RVTECH]

When I acquired my 1899 Winchester a few years ago I knew it had sat in a closet for 50 years and told the owner (a friend) I would be giving it a good cleaning before we made a deal which went without saying.

Anyway after brushing it and running several patches it was coming clean but I could still see what looked like tiny 'worms' of a black deposit running the length of the barrel and I figured it was some pitting and made the deal.

After shooting it and subsequent cleanings the 'worms' began to disappear and now the bore is almost bright and clean as new - and patches come out clean after only a few repetitions!

 

[Member 34319]

I stopped using copper/brass brushes. Use nylon. Seems to clean better and last longer.

If you are using a copper/brash jag for your patches it can show false fouling. Just a tid bit to think about.

I had a heavily copper fouled 17hmr that I simply could not scrub or patch my way clean. I ended up plugging the muzzle and filling the bore with solvent. Let it sit for 5 minutes. After emptying it, a few patches was all it took.

 

[Mikej]

I stopped using copper/brass brushes. Use nylon. Seems to clean better and last longer.

If you are using a copper/brash jag for your patches it can show false fouling. Just a tid bit to think about.

I had a heavily copper fouled 17hmr that I simply could not scrub or patch my way clean. I ended up plugging the muzzle and filling the bore with solvent. Let it sit for 5 minutes. After emptying it, a few patches was all it took.

I though about filling the bore and leaving it for awhile. I'll see what happens in the morning when I patch it again.

 

[RVTECH]

My only concern is am going to start shooting hard cast lead bullets in all my Winchesters and hope I don't encounter any fouling or other bore issues.

I doubt I will as I will be loading them 'down' and I do not expect any problems.