Do borescopes cause etching/pitting and rust? I think the OP has a genuine concern.
CLR and Chrome Moly Barrels
- Thread starter MW204
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
Do borescopes cause etching/pitting and rust? I think the OP has a genuine concern.
The 300 WSM shoots good, I'm still working on the 308 to get the carbon out.
ThorroClean and a nylon brush will cure your carbon/copper woes.
ThorroClean Bore Cleaning System - 118ml Bottles - Bullet Central
ThorroClean Bore Cleaning System – 118ml Bottles
www.bulletcentral.com
I used clr....filled the barrel from muzzle to shoulder of chamber....
Proof cf barrel.....set it there for 1/2 hour...unplugged muzzle and bright as could be.....still brushed it like it was dirty..scrubbed with nylon brush, wipeout....then alcohol pads and oil....
While hunting with it, moisture brought some of the clr I missed back to haunt me.....brass discolored from being wet in chamber while hiking in snow....or condensation......another thorough cleaning and no more tarnish.....
Clr definitely cleaned the barrel....but I think I will stick with gunk carbon/carburetor cleaner for nasty stuff...
Never saw white spots.....
Proof cf barrel.....set it there for 1/2 hour...unplugged muzzle and bright as could be.....still brushed it like it was dirty..scrubbed with nylon brush, wipeout....then alcohol pads and oil....
While hunting with it, moisture brought some of the clr I missed back to haunt me.....brass discolored from being wet in chamber while hiking in snow....or condensation......another thorough cleaning and no more tarnish.....
Clr definitely cleaned the barrel....but I think I will stick with gunk carbon/carburetor cleaner for nasty stuff...
Never saw white spots.....
Thank you.
ThoroClean was the cleaner I was trying to remember in my original op.ThorroClean and a nylon brush will cure your carbon/copper woes.
ThorroClean Bore Cleaning System - 118ml Bottles - Bullet Central
ThorroClean Bore Cleaning System – 118ml Bottles
I have tried it in the 308 without any success, but I did not use a nylon brush. My son-in-law evidently hasn't been cleaning the rifle as it should have been. It didn't take long to get the copper out but the carbon has been a bear. Even after the CLR, it's still spitting out carbon on the patches. He told me about 2 weeks ago that he might have to get a new barrel, I told him if I can ever get the carbon out you'll have a new barrel. It is getting better, until 2-3 days ago whenever I push out a patch with whatever cleaner I used at the time the patch was solid black with carbon, today it's gray so I'm getting closer. I just wished the spots would go away and is why I made this post, I was hoping someone else had the same problem and they could tell me what they used to make them go away.
Muddyboots
Well-Known Member
I had a stubborn old rifle a buddy dropped off to me to clean since he gave up. I looked into muzzle and OMG it was horrific. I didn't even push brush down bore. I plugged muzzle and poured Hoppes 9 down barrel until chamber 1/2 full. I let it sit for 2 full weeks
and when I unplugged muzzle yuch came out. I then started brush and got it down to copper. CR10 got it to clean bore. I bet I had hundreds of strokes down barrel. It was an old 721 that shot pretty darn good afterwards. My point is sometimes patience can help getting barrels cleaned by using old school let the barrel soak for long periods of time measured in weeks not days.
My buddy was going to use CLR but since it was CM I told him no so he said then you clean it!
and when I unplugged muzzle yuch came out. I then started brush and got it down to copper. CR10 got it to clean bore. I bet I had hundreds of strokes down barrel. It was an old 721 that shot pretty darn good afterwards. My point is sometimes patience can help getting barrels cleaned by using old school let the barrel soak for long periods of time measured in weeks not days.My buddy was going to use CLR but since it was CM I told him no so he said then you clean it!
Last edited:
While I agree with what you said, the one gun that belonged to me that I used CLR on because nothing else was working was a new barrel. It was shot #4 that I could not get the carbon out of even though I cleaned the barrel between each of the previous 3 shots.
The other two barrels belong to my son-in-law and since I had such good luck with my barrel he used it on his 300 WSM to deep clean it even though it was a new barrel with less than 50 shots in it. The other was his 308 which is about 15 years old, the copper took no time to get out, but the carbon has been another thing altogether. I have to assume that during those 15 years he got the copper out but really never got the carbon out and it has built up and baked into the bore which is why I'm having such a hard time getting it out. idk how many rounds have been shot through the rifle but I'd say between 1K and 2K. The barrel is a 26" Douglas XX sporter 1-10 in 30 cal. He cleans the barrels after shooting them because he never knows when he will be back over to shoot again, but like I said I don't think he ever cleaned them well enough to get the carbon out and it has built up over the years.
The barrel is a 308, what do you use to plug the muzzle that won't leak the cleaner out?I had a stubborn old rifle a buddy dropped off to me to clean since he gave up. I looked into muzzle and OMG it was horrific. I didn't even push brush down bore. I plugged muzzle and poured Hoppes 9 down barrel until chamber 1/2 full. I let it sit for 2 full weeks
My buddy was going to use CLR but since it was CM I told him no so he said then you clean it.
Plus do you use CLR on your SS barrels, if so do you have any issues?
Depending on what you use them for.
Bob Wright
Well-Known Member
Passivation is a process used to remove "free iron" from the surface of certain stainless steels. It aids in adding a very thin layer of a "passive" surface, stopping the conversion of iron to iron oxide (rust).
If the chemicals in CLR (calcium, lime, rust) can remove iron oxide, you can bet in an uncontrolled soaking in CLR will remove the iron in the stainless steel chemistry.
Those "white spots" in the bore may be pits left from removal of iron. They are there until the bore wears enough to remove the pits, depending on how deep the pits are.
I would think CLR would really be aggressive on a steel barrel, hence how it removes bluing while you watch.
Nitric or citric acid are two of the chemicals commonly used to leach free iron out of the surface in passivation.
If the chemicals in CLR (calcium, lime, rust) can remove iron oxide, you can bet in an uncontrolled soaking in CLR will remove the iron in the stainless steel chemistry.
Those "white spots" in the bore may be pits left from removal of iron. They are there until the bore wears enough to remove the pits, depending on how deep the pits are.
I would think CLR would really be aggressive on a steel barrel, hence how it removes bluing while you watch.
Nitric or citric acid are two of the chemicals commonly used to leach free iron out of the surface in passivation.
Muddyboots
Well-Known Member
Thought about CLR but I am older than dirt so I embrace tennis elbow cleaning barrels with JB and bronze brush. Still my preference for carbon. I just never saw the need for CLR though I use it to clean shower heads. I borescoped the shower heads and they were clean....
Plugging barrels is not that difficult. I cut off finger of nitrile glove, tape crap out of it to muzzle, stand barrel up onto a sponge in a plastic tub to protect crown. Use a lab wash bottle to direct Hoppes 9 down into chamber until 1/2 full up chamber. Let it sit for weeks if need be. Hoppes will not harm barrel and will penetrate over time. I have a friend that swears Kroil does same. Time is your friend with cruddy barrels. Let em soak!!
Thanks for the idea.Thought about CLR but I am older than dirt so I embrace tennis elbow cleaning barrels with JB and bronze brush. Still my preference for carbon. I just never saw the need for CLR though I use it to clean shower heads. I borescoped the shower heads and they were clean....
Plugging barrels is not that difficult. I cut off finger of nitrile glove, tape crap out of it to muzzle, stand barrel up onto a sponge in a plastic tub to protect crown. Use a lab wash bottle to direct Hoppes 9 down into chamber until 1/2 full up chamber. Let it sit for weeks if need be. Hoppes will not harm barrel and will penetrate over time. I have a friend that swears Kroil does same. Time is your friend with cruddy barrels. Let em soak!!
Ive not used it myself.I do know Erik Cortina uses CLR to clean his barrels.
