Thread: Barrel break-in

Originally Posted by Longranger

Problem with cleaning with a patch as evidence can be a false positive......a barrel can only be determined to be clean with a bore scope. How many times have we heard a gun has lost accuracy and hear anecdotally of a gunsmith restoring it with a good clean.

I have used many copper solvents like Hoppes #2, Sweets, KG line of products, many carbon solvents, and bore pastes of many descriptions, and thinking that must be clean now only to find upon inspection with a borescope it is not the case.

Just because the patch is clean doesn't mean the bore is clean. Try this little experiment for yourself to believe it .......use your usual cleaning method until you are happy the bore is clean, then using a bronze brush and Hoppes give the bore 20 strokes, leave it overnight and I would be willing to bet the patch is fouled, and it could be both blue and black.

Make sure you wash your brush out with a petroleum based solvent immediately otherwise next time you use the brush it will be on smaller calibre....best to leave it in petrol in a glass jar and change to solvent regularly.

I also wonder if some bore solvents loose their strength/potentcy as they age.

Im using boretech copper cleaner, an suspect it is not as effective now removing copper as what it was when I purchased it around about 3years ago.....