HMR and WMR cleaning

[Deker 3,467]

On 16/05/2020 at 09:50, philpot said:

Okay taking into account the different things said about cleaning these two calibres, have you any thoughts, bearing in mind the points about delicate tubes, do any of you use a bore snake in preference to rod and brushes.

Phil

 

On 16/05/2020 at 10:09, Sausagedog said:

I don't Phil. I just have Parker Hale rods and brass jags. Hopped #9 (hate the stuff) and Forrest foam.

I hate bore snakes and use rods (Dewey on the HMR) brush, mop and Hoppes #9.   Never could get on with the Bore foam.

My latest Hoppes (Industrial size) is almost done, and was never as good as early stuff anyway, and I'm told it's no longer made???????

I got some of this stuff on recommendation, rapid compared to the Hoppes!

Edited May 17, 2020 by Deker

[Sausagedog 7,381]

My two bottles of #9 are 30 years old and it ought pass as a good malt now but it don't!

[Deker 3,467]

10 hours ago, Sausagedog said:

My two bottles of #9 are 30 years old and it ought pass as a good malt now but it don't!

Back then it worked well, the formulation was changed some years back now, it even smells different, and is nowhere near as good as the old stuff. I don't know why they changed it, probably Health and safety issues, who knows, but I am disappointed with the new formulation.

I don't know if anyone has any other recommendations, that Eliminator I got above does seem to work well, and quickly!

Does anyone also know for sure if the Hoppes#9 bore cleaner is no longer made, a RFD told me they had stopped production, but they are likely to tell you anything!!!!!

[philpot 4,942]

28 minutes ago, Deker said:

Back then it worked well, the formulation was changed some years back now, it even smells different, and is nowhere near as good as the old stuff. I don't know why they changed it, probably Health and safety issues, who knows, but I am disappointed with the new formulation.

I don't know if anyone has any other recommendations, that Eliminator I got above does seem to work well, and quickly!

Does anyone also know for sure if the Hoppes#9 bore cleaner is no longer made, a RFD told me they had stopped production, but they are likely to tell you anything!!!!!

Send an email to Edgar Btothers as they decide which Hoppes products are imported.

Phil

[Deker 3,467]

On 18/05/2020 at 08:30, philpot said:

Send an email to Edgar Btothers as they decide which Hoppes products are imported.

Phil

Thanks for that, I never knew Edgar Bros were the importers, but to be honest I am not impressed with the latest formulation of the stuff at all, so more than happy to seek an alternative!

[shovel leaner 7,648]

I got a bottle of KG 12 big bore cleaner years ago , and I’m still only half way through it , I use a nylon brush now and leave it in the barrel a while to  work it’s magic . 
        I’ve no experience with a HMR but it certainly works on my centre fires . 

[philpot 4,942]

A proper old fashioned gunsmith is Halesworth, Suffolk which is only a few minutes away from the international clay shooting ground belonging to John Bidwell, Highlodge, a place we stay at at least a couple of times a year and I cannot visit the area without calling into Richardsons gun shop. You need to visualise the scene, the shop is not neat and tidy, in fact just the opposite but has this wonderful old world feel and the two brothers, in their brown smocks are building a gun or hand making a stock or rebuilding a rifle or...............well you get the picture and on the workbench are always a number of opened spray cans of Garlands oli and solvent cleaner they use on all the guns they are working on.

I usually bring back half a dozen tins of each for myself and friends as it is both cheap and bloody good but I cannot say how effective it is for hmr/wmr/centrefire but I will phone them to see if that is what they use and at about £3.75 per tin, a bit cheaper than the one you have bought deker.

http://www.garlandsshootingground.co.uk/heavey-duty-solvent-cleaner~318

Phil

[Longshanx 833]

On 16/05/2020 at 09:50, philpot said:

Okay taking into account the different things said about cleaning these two calibres, have you any thoughts, bearing in mind the points about delicate tubes, do any of you use a bore snake in preference to rod and brushes.

Phil

I know people hate bore snakes but I use them on all my rifles, 22lr, 17HMR & my 308 , never had a problem with them. Barrels always gleaming when pulled through. Only thing I haven't tried one on is my shotgun.

In terms of cleaning I'll probably clean the 22 & 17 after about 200 / 300 rounds, then have a zero check when they've been done. Usually hold the zero fairly well, maybe only a slight adjustment. 

I use the Hornady 17g v max, never tried any other make. 

[Sausagedog 7,381]

On 18/05/2020 at 08:00, Deker said:

Back then it worked well, the formulation was changed some years back now, it even smells different, and is nowhere near as good as the old stuff. I don't know why they changed it, probably Health and safety issues, who knows, but I am disappointed with the new formulation.

I don't know if anyone has any other recommendations, that Eliminator I got above does seem to work well, and quickly!

Does anyone also know for sure if the Hoppes#9 bore cleaner is no longer made, a RFD told me they had stopped production, but they are likely to tell you anything!!!!!

The old stuff is carcinogenic. It contained benzene. Benzene fumes are very dangerous let alone in liquid form.

I am very careful with it and rush to wash my hands asap with my old bottles.

[Sausagedog 7,381]

How do bore snakes remove copper?

[Longshanx 833]

1 hour ago, Sausagedog said:

How do bore snakes remove copper?

Never really thought about coppering tbh SD, if the accuracy of the rifle starts becoming a problem then I will  start looking at coppering. I thought the snake would remove both? 

Edited May 19, 2020 by Longshanx

[shovel leaner 7,648]

Bore snakes are a good idea  provided you avoid dragging the crown and pull it straight. 
I was discussing cleaning with custom rifle builder Steve Bowers and he recommends their use . I doubt they will remove much copper but it’s the combustion chemicals that can cause real damage . 

      He recommended a couple of swipes of a bore snake after every time you let off a couple of shots before it goes back in the cabinet then give it a proper clean after every twenty or so . 
        The main thing he stressed to me was the importance of removing the sound mod before you put the rifle back in the cabinet as corrosive chemicals can leech back in the barrel and do serious damage over time . 

Edited May 19, 2020 by shovel leaner

[Sausagedog 7,381]

1 hour ago, shovel leaner said:

Bore snakes are a good idea  provided you avoid dragging the crown and pull it straight. 
I was discussing cleaning with custom rifle builder Steve Bowers and he recommends their use . I doubt they will remove much copper but it’s the combustion chemicals that can cause real damage . 

      He recommended a couple of swipes of a bore snake after every time you let off a couple of shots before it goes back in the cabinet then give it a proper clean after every twenty or so . 
        The main thing he stressed to me was the importance of removing the sound mod before you put the rifle back in the cabinet as corrosive chemicals can leech back in the barrel and do serious damage over time . 

Yes this I know it's just I thought some were implying it removes copper too.

Didn't think they would.

The combustion deposits of modern powders and primers are very safe corrosion wise. It's water via combustion or condensation which does the damage. I guess a snake would take that out but if the rifle is very cold when brought inside it might be worth waiting for it to warm up otherwise the condensation might just be replaced with more condensation.

[Deker 3,467]

3 hours ago, shovel leaner said:

Bore snakes are a good idea  provided you avoid dragging the crown and pull it straight. 
I was discussing cleaning with custom rifle builder Steve Bowers and he recommends their use . I doubt they will remove much copper but it’s the combustion chemicals that can cause real damage . 

      He recommended a couple of swipes of a bore snake after every time you let off a couple of shots before it goes back in the cabinet then give it a proper clean after every twenty or so . 
        The main thing he stressed to me was the importance of removing the sound mod before you put the rifle back in the cabinet as corrosive chemicals can leech back in the barrel and do serious damage over time . 

The Original concept of Bore Snakes many years back, was for Shotguns, to give the bore a quick once over when you finished shooting before you cleaned them properly.  Back then a lot of cartridge propellant was pretty corrosive, nitric acid usually, the corrosive element of cartridge propellant has been much reduced over the years.

On that basis …………….."a couple of swipes of a bore snake after every time you let off a couple of shots before it goes back in the cabinet then give it a proper clean after every twenty or so ", ............….will get rid of any surface crud but is no substitute in any way for a proper clean, and centrefire or rimfire a boresnake will struggle with copper deposits!

Edited May 19, 2020 by Deker

[shovel leaner 7,648]

I’m dead fussy about cleaning the bore on all my rifles . Even after I have run a bore snake through after shooting when I give the bore a “proper” clean the patches still come out dirty and blackish . So a bore snake is in no way a substitute for a solvent based clean but rather part of a routine of care .