Best cleaning solvent to use

[ReloadKy]

I have always used Hoppe’s #9 cleaning solvent to clean my hunting rifles. I am starting to do a lot more shooting now due to my addiction to reloading. What are the best solvents some of you all have found to get rid of powder and best ones to get rid of copper? Thanks.

 

[Danoobie]

Apple Cider Vinegar, followed by Dawn and water, cleans up a lot of crud, for me.
Janitor's Ammonia and Water works well with lead and copper fouling.
I follow up with a patch of Hoppes, a couple dry patches, and a light oil.

 

[Nodak1858]

I like Ed's Red for normal cleaning. If there's a bunch of crud or copper I grab one of the foaming cleaners . I would be leary of vineger, that stuff is a good way to remove bluing.

 

[JohnKSa]

I like the foaming bore solvents. The better ones on the market will even work pretty well on copper fouling as long as its not severe. I've had decent luck with BreakFree's version, but it seems like Birchwood Casey's formula worked well too.

 

[Doyle]

For me, it depends on what piece I'm cleaning and what gunk I'm trying to get off. It I'm trying to get any dried petroleum product off of metal (with no plastic around) then brake cleaner gets the nod. It flat out totally removes petroleum-based gunk.

 

[Don Fischer]

You ask 5 different people what the best of anything is and you could get five different answer's. There is not really a best of anything. Get the small jars of cleaner and try them. I think you'll find one you like the best. For me it's Hoppe's #9. I like the way it smell's!

 

[Hippy]

For maintenance cleaning Bore Tec mixed 50/50 with Kroil

Tough cleaning Wipe Out either foam or Liquid

Stubborn J-B Paste

Jim

 

[bluewizard]

Copper Solvents

Hoppe's No.9 does a pretty good job, though it is geared more toward Power, Carbon, and Lead. There are specific cleaners similar to Hoppe's that are geared more toward Copper.

Here are a list of YouTube Video directed Primarily at Copper Fowling -

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Copper+gun+cleaning+solvent

You will also find tests on YouTube where various products are tested and reviewed.

There are also people who make their own DIY Solvents. Though Personally I would stay away from that.

While Hoppe's is a good general purpose solvent and will work on Copper, if Copper is your primary concern, then I would focus on Solvents specifically made for Copper.

Keep in mind Hoppe's does make Copper-specific Solvents -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2a9chcrEUg

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Hoppes-Bench-Rest-Copper-Solvent/705679.uts?slotId=3

https://www.cabelas.com/product/HOPPES-BLACK-OZ-COPPER-SOLVENT/2496647.uts?slotId=5

Hoppe's is a solid brand, so I personally would be inclined to stick with Hoppe's Copper specific Cleaning Solvents.

Though I'm not specifically recommending these brands, they are examples of Copper Specific Solvents -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDt86onKbN0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCB17G8vauA

Steve/bluewizard

 

[Dufus]

Hoppe's No.9 does a pretty good job, though it is geared more toward Power, Carbon, and Lead

The new reformulated Hoppes will not do anything with carbon or lead fouling within a reasonable amount of time.

Carbon is the most challenging form of fouling to remove from a barrel and chamber.

 

[Scorch]

Being a gunsmith, I clean a lot of guns. I have used Hoppe's, G96, Boretech, Slip2000, and several others. About a year ago, I decided to try a few different solvents. One I tried is Gunzilla, and that is my new go-to cleaning solvent. Quick, easy, and no odor to speak of. Removes carbon, varnished lubes, rust, you name it. And it lubes, too.

Apple Cider Vinegar, followed by Dawn and water

Not on blued guns, thank you. If you are determined to strip bluing and rust your guns, sure, go ahead, but I have to clean guns for customers and I don't feel like paying to refinish a bunch of guns. Sooner or later, anything water-based will rust a gun. And then you have to fix it.

For me it's Hoppe's #9. I like the way it smell's!

I grew up with that stuff, and I still get kinda nostalgic whenever I smell it.

 

[RC20]

While there are a lot of opinion, I got my start in the new cleaners from a guy who did testing and documented it.

I support what I have done with my own take on it and the OP can read it and judge for himself. When its an opinion with no support narrative, then its impossible to sort out.

I have a Lyamn bore scope so I can check out the results. Most people don't. The guy who did the test had a Hawkeye (better resolution)

Per above, I think there is now a related bunch of cleaners that are vastly better than the old stuff (Russian brute force approach, melt the steel out of the barrel but by god it got clean!)

My wife was getting seriously sick on the smell of Hoppes and something had to change.

My setup was from a guy who tackled the subject with a bore scope to find out what really was working (amazing how much carbon is stuck in there when the gun is shiny bright down the barrel)

The Family is no haz and little or no odor class cleaner (carbon and copper)

Carbon Killer 2000 is the carbon one. I do find it cleans a bit better with a warm barrel so when I have shot my last round (or sometimes twice if I shoot that gun a lot) but for sure if its been over 10, I clean on the bench.

What I did change was how it was done. A nylon brush and an eyedropper allows you to drizzle the CK2k on it, it holds well, run it through, repeat on the muzzle end, 5 cycle and do again. Run a dry patch through (it will be soaked when its done!)

Repeat about 3 x.

Bore Tech Eliminator is the Copper end with pretty good carbon performance as well.

Same drill. I don't use it a lot as most of my guns limit the copper build up and I leave it.

I have used it on older Military Surplus guns. Some of those are layer of carbon, copper carbon. When done, only one has not come out looking factory new. Its got a Throat Erosion on that one to the edge of reject, 1903 that was drilled and tapped for a target scope, so it was a target rifle and shot a lot.

 

[Chainsaw.]

On AR bcg I do a 10min soak in wd40, it loosens burnt on carbon to where it can be wiped off with a paper towel. For my plastic fantasics and the rest of the AR parts I use **GASP** hot soapy water. On the old iron, bolt guns including blued stuff I just use hoppes, it works.

 

[cecILL]

Kerosene and compressed air.

 

[Rifletom]

Hoppe's #9, sometimes Kroil. These two seem to work well. If there is carbon build-up, I use Otis 012-C carbon remover. Works.

 

[pete2]

Hoppe's #9. Bought some Kroil to use on a Duty Treat gun. Evidently, Hoppe's would stain the Duty finish or remove the paint or dye or what ever. Kind of a disappointment but I do like the gun.

 

[Jim Watson]

I use mostly M Pro 7 because it doesn't smell much.
Wipe Out foam for tough cases.

 

[Don Fischer]

I think back to my early years when you either bought Hoppe's or Outers gunslick. Today it seem's really confusing to me to look through the bottle's of cleaner's. I strongly suspect that none are actually the best. I do admit that cleaning a 30-06 barrel to shoot cast bullet's in, my understanding was all the copper had to come out of the barrel. Well I went with that stuff from Austrila, can't remember the name of it. But strong as it is yiu will never get the copper out using a wire brush! The wire brush keep's the green coming out even if there's none in the barrel!

 

[RC20]

iIf you have a boroscope you clearly can see what works.

We had a family rifle from the late 50s, maybe 800 rounds through it. Cleaned after each use. Issues with how it shot, first go was to look, ugh, massive carbon.

So I cleaned it, little to none now. Not easy as it was layered over all those sessions and years it was not cleaned out (not due to lack of trying, cleaners (Hoppes) just did not work)

So between the CK2k and the Eliminator it looks it just came from Sako and it shoots that way as well (sub MOA 5 shot groups)

So it is not a claim or an opinion, like the guy who got me onto the stuff, its a fact.

Others may work as well, but that stuff does and non odor, non haz. Doesn't get better than that.

 

[T. O'Heir]

"...Hoppe's or Outer's Gunslick..." Yep. And both worked equally as well. Oddly enough, so did the 10W-30 the CF issued for cleaning all weapons.
"...not really a best of anything..." Yep, there too. Applies to everything from paper clips to 8" guns.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Using vinegar and ammonia can easily remove bluing as previously noted.
Both of these will eat into steel pretty easily. The amount of ammonia in bore cleaners is very small-therefore safe. If you go mixing your own, you'll quickly have a "frosted" bore-if not a pitted one.