Copper and Carbon Barrel Cleaners

[RC20]

I wrote up results on Bore Tech Eliminator and Carbon Killer 2000 in the vendor area.

Both products work very well and vastly better than what I had been using (combo of Kroil and Hoppes)

While the Bore Tech Eliminator seemed about equal to low level copper, its non toxic, bio degradable and zero odor.

Carbon Killer 2000 (nice orange smell) picks up where Bore Tech leaves off for tough carbon problems, though Bore Tech has a good carbon cleaner as well.

Pretty much settled on using the Bore Tech for barrel break in cleaning and Carbon Killer for routine and an occasionally check with Bore Tech to see if any non detected copper is building up (it was in one barrel that seemed to be carbon only)

[Robinhood]

You mention Copper in the title but gave no results of Copper cleaning and how you determined the effectiveness.

[RC20]

I referenced the post in the Vendors section, happy to discuss of course.

I don't have a Boroscope so I did a sort of a cross check.

I was seeing copper on the Lands of the XC barrel, took sweets to it (before the Bore Tech Came in)

I had not seen copper in the 12FV barrel, but as Bore Tech came in first I thought an interesting test, I ran it through that barrel.

I got gobs of carbon crud out of it as well as strong copper indications and took repeated patches before it cleared up. Sans a boroscope that's a bit tough to see it.
Its been described as a rusty color at times rather than copper looking. Still was one session rather than leaving it soak overnight (carbon not copper)

I then used it on the XC barrel and while I got carbon out of it, no copper.

My take is the Sweets is as good as the Bore Tech on at least some types of copper, but does not clean carbon and may not get some types of copper.

The guys who wrote that article that caught my attention did a lot more in depth and the results seem accurate with their more fouled (copper and carbon ) barrel as well as effectiveness of both product.

https://www.boretech.com/docs/articles/precisionshooting_jan.pdf

Its well written and explained and they list the Carbon Killer that is not a Bore Tech product as the best carbon eater. As they did not go with Bore Tech as a single solution I think that gives it credulity (I do think the getting the Carbon Killer sample was a bit odd/awkwardly written . in that if its any good any vendor would do that for the publicity)

Results I got were in line with application not needing the extensive cleaning that I have been doing and failing to get all the carbon out.

I had not been getting all the carbon out, 12FV had built up copper since the last Sweets or it did not get what was in there (possibly under a carbon layer), hard plated or..... get into conjecture.

Between ok odor or no odor and effectiveness that matched what they had written its my go to and will see how it all works out on the next barrel.

I had done serious cleaning on the XC barrel at break in from 3 shots then 5 and not just a quick patch or two, wet patches, brass brush, dry patches, repeated wet etc. Still could not get clean. Carbon Killer got it clean.

[RC20]

I am now running the Carbon Killer 2000 exclusively, I continue to get a lot of crud out of both barrels.

The X Caliber is worse, takes more cleaning but it does come clean. The OEM Savage Varmints less so.

Both do quit coming out dirty. Its possible the powder and load levels are a factor.

It will be interesting to see how the Shilen barrel does with 30-06.

Their take on cleaning and procedures is worth reading. It seems to be the best balance I have seen.

[Robinhood]

Look into wipe out

[Texas10]

Look into....your barrel. No, i mean really look into your barrel with something like this Snap-On BK5500A video camera/endoscope. I've had one for years and find it quite useful to look into the chamber as see the carbon buildup on the lead, or into the muzzle and see copper streaks on the lands and grooves. You don't have to rely on green stains on patches, simply LOOK and see.

They're not expensive, and you can find other models built in China that are quite cheap. With one of these you can stop guessing about what and how well cleaners work. You know immediately how much copper or fouling is left.

[RC20]

I am keeping an eye out for that tool. Have not seen one yet, boroscope too expensive So doing the best I can with what I have right now




Look into wipe out

I am going with what I have, put some research and significant money into (not available up here (one a 50 mile trip up North) haz freight is costly) it and its working far better than what I had.

Also its a two pronged approach that I can clean copper out and carbon with one if needed and just carbon with the other.

I think the Eliminator makes for a good barrel break in product and then see how it progresses as far as further treatment goes.

[Texas10]

I immersed a copper jacketed bullet in various products I bought to see how they reacted. Got some interesting results. Some did hardly anything, some really etched the bullet.

Some here will agree that removing all the copper from a factory Savage barrel is detrimental to accuracy, and that is what i found in my Savages. So I remove copper only when it is really built up, as seen with my Snap on video tool mentioned above.

[Robinhood]

I immersed a copper jacketed bullet in various products I bought to see how they reacted. Got some interesting results. Some did hardly anything, some really etched the bullet.
Do tell your results....

[RC20]

I immersed a copper jacketed bullet in various products I bought to see how they reacted. Got some interesting results. Some did hardly anything, some really etched the bullet.

Some here will agree that removing all the copper from a factory Savage barrel is detrimental to accuracy, and that is what i found in my Savages. So I remove copper only when it is really built up, as seen with my Snap on video tool mentioned above.

I did not clean the Savage barrel when I first shot it (cleaned it before but not during). So the copper was a reset for it and had copper on the Lands of the XC barrel.

Right now unless I see indicators I am just carbon cleaning.

I did do my Model of 1917 Eddysonte with the JA barrel, got a lot of goo out of it and it shot some nice 4 shot gorups today. I have to get enough loaded up for 5 shots, I had one of 4 the same, three with 3 the same and a couple of strys that had gotten shufled so shot them all up.

1 inch on two of the three, 1 1/4 on the 5, all at 105 yds, iron sights, pretty tickled.