Cleaning problems

[skip300]

Hey all,

I have a .25-06 AI that wont patch clean! Im using sweets 7.62 letting it sit for 10mins then patch dry. No matter how long I continue this even with scrubbing with a bronze brush it always comes out blue.

Why would there be so much copper in the barrel? pitted?

Cheers,
skip

 

[Gene]

Depends on quality of the barrel. In general, factory barrels blue more and for a longer period than most custom barrels. Get a can of Wipe Out, follow directions and you may be amazed at the result. You may need to do this twice. Bluing means some roughness in the bore is retaining particles of jacket material. You might want to consider Tubbs bore lapping system.

 

[Grumulkin]

I'll bet the barrel is pitted or perhaps someone neglected to clean it for a LONG time. I'd also recommend Wipe Out. It might take several days but it will clean your barrel eventually. I put it in and leave it in for at least 30 to 45 minutes and, when I go to bet, it stays in overnight.

Once you get the barrel real clean, shoot it and if it promptly fouls up again and is hard to clean, I would say your problem is a pitted or rough barrel. The solution would be a new barrel.

Also, take a light and look down the barrel after cleaning. It should look completely bright, shiny and smooth with no projections. If there is junk in the barrel after cleaning, it means there are rough spots that are catching little hunks of your cleaning patches.

 

[skip300]

Yeah its a Sako factory barrel that has been rechambered. Has not done alot of work. Is an older model though. Pre Sako 75.

Seems to shoot tight considering possible barrel issues.

Dont know if we can get wipe out here in Australia but Ill have a look.

Cheers,
skip

 

[Greyfox]

I have a few factory rifles that are extremely accurate but seem to have very rough bores that take much longer to clean. Agree with previous post about Wipe Out. One squirt, wait 10 minutes run a patch to get the heavy carbon and most copper. Second squirt, wait a few hours and the copper is gone. With these rough bores Sweets takes forever to clean and can etch the bore if left too long. I have found that a lot of copper solvents will not clean carbon when used alone. Need to supplement with a carbon solvent.

 

[skip300]

I have found a wipe out distributor and am awaiting a reply to place an order.

Will let you know how I go.

Cheers,
skip

 

[rscott5028]

This doesn't sound like your problem. But, be sure you're not using a bronze/brass jag that might be turning the patch blue.

 

[lamiglas]

+1 what rscott said. I would check that first. I have been using sweets awhile now and it seems to get rid of copper pretty fast. See if you can determine if its coming from your jag as I have seem tjis before. On a side note, I have reading up on sweets here on this site and I am starting to rethink using it on a regular basis.

 

[J E Custom]

This doesn't sound like your problem. But, be sure you're not using a bronze/brass jag that might be turning the patch blue.

+2

Sweets is very aggressive and will eat up a bronze/brass brush causing it to show green on the patches.

After using the brush with sweets I allways wash the brush with WD 40 to remove the sweets
for storage to save the brush.

I use sweets only when I have a badly fouled barrel and once it starts coming clean I switch to
a milder solvent like Butches or Bore tec and after a good brushing I switch to a cotton swab
to apply the bore solvent and then if it doesent come clean(Some copper is still present) I use the brush again.

I use the cotton swabs and nickel plated jags on most barrels with good results.

J E CUSTOM

 

[cowboy]

+2

Sweets is very aggressive and will eat up a bronze/brass brush causing it to show green on the patches.

After using the brush with sweets I allways wash the brush with WD 40 to remove the sweets
for storage to save the brush.

For the last few years I have used a gallon jug of non-freeze windshield cleaner to clean/neutralize. Take the cap off of jug, slosh my brush and/or jag around for a few strokes while still on the cleaning rod and set on the bench to dry. I have never seen any residue on any of my brushes or jags. In fact I like to almost unsrew the brush /jag so that it is barely on the cleaning rod - this really cleans up the threads between the brush/jag and cleaning rod.

Long time shooter/gunsmith got me started on this and it's his standard MOP on cleaning in his gunshop irregardless of what cleaning chemical he is using.

 

[CRNA]

I am betting you are getting the blue from the bronze brush you are using. Are you getting blue even if you are pushing a soaked patch through with a plastic jag? That is my first inclination anyway.