Can't get the copper out of my Mosin

L

LloydXmas250

New member
I put 80 rnds through it last weekend and cleaned it very heavily. I cleaned it once, when I got back and then just a follow up that night. Each time I would run a brush and patches with some Hoppes 9 to where they were coming out clean. Yet after waiting a couple of hours, running a patch through reveals all the green blue residue from the copper. It doesn't seem to ever come out. Is this normal? Will it ruin my Mosin? and how do I get it out?
 
Get some Barnes Copper out ,run a bronze brush and a couple of patches ,it`s not going to kill you ,the Hoppes #9 is not the best IMHO to get rid of copper ;)
 
I don't have this problem with any other of my guns. That's why I wasn't sure. What exactly will the copper lead to if not cleaned? Also, like I said. I would run patches through and the copper would appear to be gone and the gun clean but it comes back. Wouldn't the patches just stay blue if I wasn't getting the copper out?
 
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The only one I have a real copper fouling problem with is a 22-250 rifle that I use 4000fps ammo in. I guess the higher velocity causes more copper build up. Maybe some of it melts off the bullet on the way out.
As far as why you get clean patches and then later a blue one, the Hoppes is not getting it out but evidently will soften it some. After sitting for a while some more is softened to be able to remove with a patch. As already mentioned, you need an actual copper solvent. I use Sweets. I've had better luck with it than the foaming cleaners.
 
The reason you're not seeing copper coming out when you're cleaning it is because the raw copper itself won't come out of the barrel without a solvent, and even when it does, the raw copper doesn't show on a cloth.

What you are seeing after you've cleaned it is the copper sulfates (if I remember chemistry correctly) that are reacting with the air and residues from the Hoppes - it turns a bluish-green color. What's coming off is reacted copper - the raw copper beneath it is still on the rifling.

The copper won't hurt your barrel, but it will simply pad the grooves/rifling in your barrel until you virtually have a smooth barrel, resulting in lesser and lesser accuracy until you have very little at all. The sooner you remove the copper, the easier it is to keep it clean.
 
Like the other post said get rid of the Hoppes. It is good but there are a few that are much better. I use Butchs bore shine easy to use and works great, and like I said there are few really good ones out there.
 
Is it necessary to let the Sharp Shoot Wipe-Out foam sit overnight in the bore? I'd rather just have something that takes it out during a cleaning rather than overnight.
 
Another thing to remember if you are going to use a copper solvent is to try to use a nylon brush. Most of those copper solvents (w/ a lot of ammonia) when using a bronze brush, will react with the brush giving you a false indication. Always had good luck with Sweets 7.62, and JB Bore Paste.
 
Lloyd, the copper clean-out should only be needed once every blue moon, not as part of every range outing. So letting it sit overnight shouldn't be all that hard. Something to remove copper fast would also attack your barrel and/or be very unhealthy (mercury and cyanide come to mind).
 
Sweets 7.62 and Barnes CR-10 are both very strong ammonia based copper solvents. I don't use brushes with them, just patches.

Run a soaked patch through, and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.then a couple clean patches. Repeat until the patches come out clean.
 
Pretty much any solvent requires some time to dissolve the copper. I usually leave sharp shoot r in for about an hour then push it out with a patch. Then I repeat as necessary.
 
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