Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Bore Fouling and Bore Cleaners--What Is The Truth?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Posts
    1,013
    Feedback Score
    0

    Bore Fouling and Bore Cleaners--What Is The Truth?

    Videos talk about copper fouling, inaccuracy, and bore cleaners. Other vids. talk about microscopic imperfections in the bore being filled in by copper as you shoot, increasing accuracy. These latter people say no bore cleaners. CLP is not known as a copper remover and it is what I use. I have never done the bore cleaning thing with harsh solvents.

    Many of you guys are/were military and or law enforcement and so use the M4 as your tool of trade. What do you guys do? Do you use a designated copper/bore cleaner? If so, after how many rounds? Or do you subscribe to the theory that no copper cleaner is necessary?

    What do you do?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Posts
    2,062
    Feedback Score
    9 (100%)
    Solvent as needed. Copper cleaner if you start noticing accuracy issues.

    Be aware of what context your cleaning advice comes from. If it’s from precision rifle guys, some can be very extreme. Like cleaning the bore every 5 rounds. You’ll find many here that only clean when they have to when it comes to the AR platform.

    You can cleaning after each range session. You can cleaning it every thousand rounds. You can clean it however you want.
    AQ planned for years and sent their A team to carry out the attacks, and on Flight 93 they were thwarted by a pick-up team made up of United Frequent Fliers. Many people look at 9/11 and wonder how we can stop an enemy like that. I look at FL93 and wonder, "How can we lose?". -- FromMyColdDeadHand

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    suburbs of Philly Pa
    Posts
    6,189
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Sounds like your info is coming from guys in precision shooting or guy who think they're precision shooters.

    Putting aside any extreme situations there's no practical difference in when you clean or what you clean with.

    Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Posts
    13,115
    Feedback Score
    2 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Bullseye View Post
    Videos talk about copper fouling, inaccuracy, and bore cleaners. Other vids. talk about microscopic imperfections in the bore being filled in by copper as you shoot, increasing accuracy. These latter people say no bore cleaners. CLP is not known as a copper remover and it is what I use. I have never done the bore cleaning thing with harsh solvents.

    Many of you guys are/were military and or law enforcement and so use the M4 as your tool of trade. What do you guys do? Do you use a designated copper/bore cleaner? If so, after how many rounds? Or do you subscribe to the theory that no copper cleaner is necessary?

    What do you do?
    I have a variety of weapons, and am not typically doing shooting for extreme accuracy. With that in mind, I clean weapons when they start to get noticeably dirty. If a weapon is dry and malfunctions, it gets a wipe down and more lube. For my "real" weapons, they stay well lubed and ready to go on a moments notice, but I don't do anything fancy with cleaning the barrels.

    I should point out, I am not the norm when it comes to weapons, but my LE and former MIL experience in conjunction with being an armorer has given me a pretty good insight to what is or isn't needed for the particular weapon I'm using at the time.
    Stick


    Board policy mandates I state that I shoot for BCM. I have also done work for 200 or so manufacturers within the firearm community. I am prior service, a full time LEO, firearm instructor, armorer, TL, martial arts instructor, and all around good guy.

    I also shoot and write for various publications. Let me know if you know cool secrets or have toys worthy of an article...


    Flickr Tumblr Facebook Instagram RECOILMAGAZINE OFF GRID RECOIL WEB

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Montana
    Posts
    803
    Feedback Score
    0
    Even in the precision world, its debatable. I just had a barrel made up for a PRS build in 6.5x47 Lapua. When I asked about barrel break in, the guy who cut and chambered it said drive it like a stolen Corvette...In other words, shoot the heck out of it.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    AZ
    Posts
    32,830
    Feedback Score
    14 (100%)
    I never run a copper remover in a chrome lined barrel. The few times I have yielded nothing. It's a waste of time. I periodically run copper removal in my Rem 700. But only to the point where it knocks it down a little. I don't patch it til it's completely gone. I just try to keep it in balance.
    "What would a $2,000 Geissele Super Duty do that a $500 PSA door buster on Black Friday couldn't do?" - Stopsign32v

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Posts
    1,013
    Feedback Score
    0
    OK guys, I'm just not going to worry about it anymore.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    179
    Feedback Score
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by markm View Post
    I never run a copper remover in a chrome lined barrel. The few times I have yielded nothing. It's a waste of time. I periodically run copper removal in my Rem 700. But only to the point where it knocks it down a little. I don't patch it til it's completely gone. I just try to keep it in balance.
    This is a pretty good practice for most shooters. A little copper "seasons" (for lack of a better term) your barrel. When it builds up to the point of degrading accuracy it's actually starting to fill the grooves and it's time to take some out. This is why benchrest shooters do a few fouling shots to "settle it back in" after meticulously removing it all. It's actually putting a little back. Every individual barrel has it's own preference.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •