Which good, all purpose, commonly available solvent for cast smokeless loads?

S

stubbicatt

New member
Guys, I have so many darned solvents for jacketed bullets.

I wonder, is there a general purpose, commonly available, powder solvent you like for cleaning up after shooting cast bullets? I haven't had any issues with lead lumps or anything like that, but I reckon probably there is some thin layer on the bores of my guns. They still shoot well.

I've been using Hoppes #9 and find that it works pretty good.

Anything you like better?
 
After trying more modern solvents, I don't use Hoppes #9 for bore cleaning any more. When they removed benzene from the formula they ruined it.

My general purpose bore solvent is BoreTech Eliminator. Cleaner bores, less effort.
 
I use a variety of them myself depending on how badly things might look when getting started. I have a few rifles that seem to foul more than others.

What I found with cleaning my revolvers and pistols after shooting lead however was that a few passes with patches soaked in Kroil and allowed to sit for several minutes after each pass seemed to work the best overall for getting the gunk out quickly. I run a standard bore brush though after the Kroil patch and then follow up once more with another soaked patch until things look clean.

Once things look good I run a couple of dry patches through then I slather one down with a bit of Alox just to condition the bore for the first round of cast. It might not be necessary in my auto's, but I feel it gives me just a touch more lube since most of my revolvers are running on the upper end to start with.
 
Ed's Red a couple of patches and an occasional bore brush is all I've ever needed for most applications. For copper fouling which is rearly a problem since I hardly ever shoot J bullet anymore my mix of 10% Janitors strength ammonia mixed 3 parts to 1 part water works just as well as any commercial copper cleaner.
 
Watch your use of Ed's Red carefully.

ATF contains many hygroscopic ("water loving") compounds and detergents that will attract and hold moisture on your firearms. That's one of the reasons why Ed's Red that isn't tightly sealed, or which has been applied to a firearm for some time, will discolor or get cloudy.

In addition, Acetone is water-soluble and hygroscopic.

So, you're slathering your firearms with a one-two punch of crap that really shouldn't be there.

A few years back, I wandered into a conversation between automotive engineers - gearbox and transmission engineers, in particular - and they all laughed their butts off when ATF was mentioned as a gun 'cleaner' and 'preservative'.
To paraphrase one of the responses in a family-friendly way, "That's about as smart as using Super Glue as a lubricant!"

Many people like it.
Many people get away with it.
But that doesn't mean that it's actually a good idea. (Just like Alox as a lubricant... ;))
 
I got to where bore swabbing was damaging the linkage between my wrist and elbow so I bought a foaming product. You might not like the idea, but it works. Squirt some in the breech and stand the rifle up on some newspaper, come back in 20 or 30 minutes and there's a big green stain under the muzzle and the bore is as clean as you could imagine. It just slithers down the bore dissolving everything it touches with no wear to the rifling. It ain't cheap so maybe just use it once in a while.
Stuff on the bench includes Hoppe's, Shooters Choice Lead, Butch's Bore Bright, Gunzilla, Sweet's Copper, something black powder and half a dozen others I can't think of.
 
stubbicatt

Good point. Yup! Ballistol does exhibit a slight dull scent.
have you smelled the malodorous combination of soiled diaper/liquorice that is Ballistol?
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Nope can't say that I have been sniffing around or on anything lately.lol

Y'll have to admit there are other barrel cleaners that permeate the air a whole lot worse than Ballistol due to there bottled solvents. Take Hoppes #9 for instance. Many have found the cleaning of a single firearm during the winter months in closed up winter tight house. Likely you'll be smelling Hoppes till Spring. Stuff is worse than Air Wick Air Freshener. Shooters Choice is another. Both products are great barrel cleaners but they> stink!!

I laugh when I read so many hunters refreshing their supply of yearly scent free products: liguids ,sprays, salve, encapsulated charcoal clothes then pull their stinky gun out of its stinky gun case and hunt with it. Solvents do also transfer to gun cases, gloves, hands. I personally believe a fellow is more likely to see game while smoking a Montecristo ci-gar than he having the slightest aroma of any barrel cleaner on him or his equipment. Just my observance & o-pin-ions.
 
If its good for copper its going to be some exotic formula that's more expensive, is what I think he's thinking. Hoppes #9 is prolly the best bet. I will say, if you've got a really bad lead problem the Shooter's Choice Lead is really good - totally different and I think more expensive.
 
IME, the best lead remover other than the Lewis is Chore Boy copper scrub pads. Cut some and wrap it around an undersized brush. Takes care of that part of the business really quick.
 
I don't have any issue with visible leading in my rifles, though thanks for the suggestions regarding lead removal. 20-1 alloy, proper fit, good lube, and I'm having a whole lot of fun, thank you! :)

I also find I typically need about 5 to 7 fouling shots in my cast bullet rifles. I wonder if there is a way of cleaning that will minimize this need? I guess what I'm looking for is "clean enough" so that perhaps fouling shots can be dispensed with. I've heard said to run a final patch with bullet lube on it to avoid the fouling shot requirement, but haven't tried it.
 
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Stubbicat,

Give Boretech's Rimfire Blend a try. It's geared toward lead. It is water-based, but has corrosion inhibitors that prevent rust. Their products can be left to dry out in a bore without causing a problem. Almost odor free.
 
I've been using Hoppes #9 and find that it works pretty well.
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There are those that do not believe I have been fair to Hoppes #9. I have compared Hoppes #9 to John Wayne and John Wayne toilet paper. Neither John Wayne nor John Wayne toilet took crap off of anything.

An old friend/smith called the other day looking for some receipt. I informed him I had one quart left with the metal plug undisturbed. I explained to him I was no longer allowed to get back into the house after using it; meaning I quit using the stuff many years ago. He was desperate so I took the can over and split it with him; with all the care used when poring we managed to spill some.

And then there is an old formula for cleaning the worst of barrels. I doubt the chemicals are available; at one time all that was necessary was to go to a local pharmacy.

F. Guffey
 
F. Guffey? I'm not sure I understand what you just said?
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Forgive, I thought you were making references to cleaning the inside of a barrel. Hoppes #9 reminds me of case lube, most of the time any ol’ lube will do. Before us there was another set of problems that required a different cleaner. The different cleaner reminds me of carburetor cleaner; the type that comes in 5 gallon containers. It does a great job of cleaning and it the user wears it for the rest of the day. Old cleaners were like that.

Then there are old reloading manuals that were printed before the Internet; a few of the manuals covered information necessary for those that did not have a support group. Some of the information in the old manuals gave exceptions to ‘what should work and does not’. One of the exceptions was a formula for cleaning the inside of the barrel when all else fails. The last time I tried to put that stuff together the pharmacist said something like “Are you sure?”

I purchased a 03 from a pawn shop in Victoria, TX. I expressed an interest in the rifle but insisted they convince me it had rifling. They worked on the barrel for 2 hours before anything showed up that resembled rifling. The diameter before cleaning started had to be .290”. My thinking, if that rifle was going to come apart it would have done it before now; SO!? I purchased the rifle. I made an attempt to include my resource people, they had nothing.

Anyhow, I cleaned the barrel; after cleaning the rifling looked new, never touched by a bullet. All Hoppes #9 would do was dirty my patches. A short while after that experience I changed the way I clean barrels. I made a system that can not jam up like a bore snake, it is impossible to get into a situation where the user can not get ‘what ever it is’ out of the barrel. I though about calling it fool proof, then thought about it and changed my mind, we both know fools do not read.

F. Guffey
 
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