Why use harsh chemicals?

S

splatman

New member
Why use harsh chemicals to clean
your bore? I am thinking about
changing the way I clean my bores
to the following routine. Soak a
patch with oil and run your jag. Then
jag a couple of dry patches. Repeat
a couple of times and your done.
Here is my reasoning:
1) Modern smokeless powders are
not that corrosive

2). Running an oil patch seems to
get out powder fowling just
about as good as some of the
solvents I have used.

3) scrubbing a bore with a brush
and solvent is hard on the bore

4) Guns seem to shoot better when
there is some fouling already
present.

5) My ruger Mark II 22 cal target
pistol is deadly accurate, about
20 years old, and cleaned 4
or 5 times.

6) A copper patina in the bore will
improve accuracy ( up to a point)

So why not clean with oil patches, save
some money and only use solvents when
necessary? What are your thoughts?
 
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if it works.and i hate the nasty degreasers used to get the gummy copper solvents out.
i hate cleaning guns.thats why i dont even use muzzleloaders anymore
 
All I use most times is Kroil and a nylon bore brush and a few patches. Maybe once a year I'll put copper solvent to clean a rifle bore.
 
I've never been a user of harsh chemicals. I use Eezox for everything, that's as harsh as I get. I hear rumors of copper fouling and what-not and I bought some copper cleaner once to get rid of it.... never found any... back to Eezox.
 
There are many that are environmental friendly like Frog Lube. I also use Simple Green to clean which works well. If its really heavy then use something more powerful.
 
Automatic transmission fluid works well like you describe.
In addition to having excellent lubricating qualities, it also cleans and holds contaminants in suspension.
 
Would you consider Hoppes #9 to be a harsh chemical? I've been using it forever and I wonder if I'm putting myself at risk using it for so long. I use it because it's cheap and it works, but my wife hates the smell and I don't want to get cancer either. I can quit Hoppes #9 if I have to but quitting smoking has been a challenge I haven't been able to accomplish yet.
 
Would you consider Hoppes #9 to be a harsh chemical?
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I don't like it. The smell is partly why I switched to Eezox. There's arguments about it being hazardous too, there always is. I don't swim/bathe in it, so I don't care. I actually smells pretty good, but it's pretty low odor. Cleans well, lubes well, prevents rust well, that's all I need.
 
I use Ballistol on my black powder pistols for cleaning and lubrication.

And.. I use Rem-Oil to clean with, to pick up the fouling. And oil and lube with Hoppe's Lubricating oil.
 
My ruger Mark II 22 cal target pistol is deadly accurate, about 20 years old, and cleaned 4 or 5 times.
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In my experience, rimfires need surprisingly little cleaning. I can't get away with the same type of approach for my centerfires.
 
Been using Hoppe's No.9 since I started cleaning guns. Probably at age 10 or 12. Over 50 years. It's always done the job, and I'm still breathing.
 
Would you consider Hoppes #9 to be a harsh chemical?
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I don't like it.
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Blasphemy!

;)

I hear Hoppes changed, used to have benzene, does not anymore.

If you do not like the smell, ok, but I do not consider Hoppes #9 to be harsh. A CLP like Breakfree seems very mild. Some copper removers are harsh (Mmm! ammonia!), but plain solvents do not remove copper very well.

Only time I thought copper was a problem was after cleaning my 03A3, I inspected the crown and saw bright, shiny copper filling the rifling. Got some Sweets 7.62 and took care of it. The ammonia ate through the plastic bottle before I used it again.

Is what you are doing working for you? Keep doing it. Getting rust in the barrel or is accuracy going away? Change what you are doing.
 
Listen to the gun !!

Why use harsh chemicals to clean your bore?
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Generally, I'll have to agree and a lot depends on where the gun has been before it wound up in your hands. On a new gun, I basically follow your procedure and with "loose" patches. Then there are the "Orphans" that I get and that often require more aggressive measures, especially on my SideCockers. I once bought a Ruger Super Blackhawk, that I thought was partially shot out. There was little to no rifling visible, just down stream of the forcing cone. The lead came out, in flakes and eventually it cleaned up very nicely. The gun will let you know what it needs. Some folks routinely bring me there guns to clean and I'm okay with that. . ;)

Be Safe !!!
 
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