Gotta love those foaming bore cleaners...

[Dave R]

I've been using a foaming bore cleaner for about a year now, and I think I like it more now than I did when I started. Especially for my varmit rifles, which tend to get "rode hard and put away wet."

Old routine: wet patch with solvent, change to bore brush and scrub a while, let it sit, scrub a while, clean patches will still come out dirty, repeat process, etc.

New routine: bore snake to get out powder fouling. Squirt in foaming bore stuff. Go watch a show or hit The Firing Line for a while. Run 3-5 patches through. Run a patch with CLP through. End of story. Total work time is maybe 15 minutes, with a nice long break in the middle.

Makes life so much easier.

Sound off if you've been enjoying the new way of cleaning your rifle.

 

[hoghunting]

I have been using Wipe-Out - another foaming bore cleaner - for about a year and I won't go back to scrubbing a bore again. I spray the foam in the bore, let it sit overnight - doesn't contain ammonia so it's safe - then patch it out the next day.

 

[hodaka]

I bought a big can of the Outers stuff about a year ago. I shoot 2-3 rifles each weekend and use the foam on each. The can is still half full so it seems to go a long way. Sure saves time and energy, and it must be easier on the rifling than the brush/patch/brush method.

 

[StuntManMike]

I am glad somebody gets those things to work. I have tried four different brands and while they are decent copper solvents they don't seem to do jack for powder.

 

[sneaky pete]

Ditto On The Foam

I'v been using Sharp Shoot-R-Wipe-Out Brushless... and the Accelerator ever since they came out. I use MOLY in the tube and MOLY projectiles and everyone out there knows how messy molygets, yet using the Sharp product all my weapons get really clean. Won't use anything else THANX--SNEAKY

 

[Dave R]

I have tried four different brands and while they are decent copper solvents they don't seem to do jack for powder.

They do fine on powder for me. Like I said, I start with a bore snake to remove most powder fouling before putting in the foam. That sure gets the rest of it.

The stuff I use has a disclaimer that says it doesn't work well with lead. I don't care, as I only use jacketed bullets. And it works great for copper.

 

[shaggy]

I haven't really looked into this stuff yet, but now I'm curious...

Any issues using this stuff with chrome lined barrels? Will this stuff damage any other materials it may come into contact with on a firearm (aluminum, plastic, etc.).

 

[Airborne Falcon]

I've always wondered, and worried to some degree, that the foaming stuff might damage the furniture on my firearms ... wood, composites, etc. Anyone had any problems with stainings or finish harm or anything along those lines?

I just always thought that anything that sets and soaks to do it's job would have to be caustic to the furniture?

 

[sneaky pete]

?Possible Wood Stock damage

When I first got the product I did read about possible wood stock finish damage, SO my soklution is to take a sheet of paper towel (Bounty) ,tightly roll it up into a tube, fold the tube and stuff it into the receiver section by the chamber,but not too far into the chamber, THEN turn the rifle onto it's top (the side where the sights are) and then spray the foam down the muzzle. NO PROBLEMS. I use the foam to clean the bore of my 6.5 m-41/B Swed sniper which is an antique-collector and have NO worries about usng it. THANX--SNEAKY

 

[Airborne Falcon]

That's a good idea Pete. Thanks.

 

[Dave R]

I'm not aware of ANY issues with foaming bore cleaners and chrome-lined bores. Should do fine. After all, its designed to clean bores.

I've never had a problem with bluing, stocks, etc. My solution on overspill is pretty simple. By now, I have a pretty good idea of how much to squirt to fill the bore without a lot of overspill. I spray through the muzzle. What does come out the chamber, I just wipe off real quick. Then let it sit and do its job.

No worries.

 

[dgludwig]

In terms of any solvent doing damage or staining stock wood, Dave R's admonition says it best: "wipe off real quick". Unless the solvent has exceptionally fast-acting properties (in which case I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want it in my bore either), most "splash-over" residue shouldn't cause any harm if you attend to it quickly.

 

[madmag]

Let me ask you guys this.

Never used the foam bore cleaner, but have been thinking about using it to get that hard to remove powder ring you get when you shot .38spl in .357 mag. chamber. My GP100 (blued model) has that ring in the chambers. I have scrubbed and cleaned so it is not a function issue, but you can still see that slight ring of powder burn. Think foam cleaner and soak all night then brush would work?

 

[arizona hunter]

I have used one on a couple rifles, and it works pretty good-but I've found that if i run the brush through it with some solvent i realize the foam left a lot behind.

About three years ago I begin using Butch's Bore Shine, mainly because it does not have a strong odor like Sweets 7.62; but man Bore Shine is fabulous! I'm done in about 15 minutes and the bore is clean.

For travel, foam and a snake is ok, but for serious cleaning after lots of shots, I'll stick with Butch's Bore Shine.

 

[sneaky pete]

To Madmag

I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure that what you're discribing isn't FOULING but what we experience in center-fire rifle shooting and that is what we call THROAT EROSION. The .38spec is shorter that the .357mag and when ignitiion occurs a ring of VERY hot gasses etch the walls of the chamber. Perhaps someone on this thread might comment about this. THANX--SNEAKY

 

[dgludwig]

I think what madmag might be referring to or at least what I and others have experienced in the past when firing a lot of .38 Special rounds in a .357 cylinder, is that a ring of hard, almost carbon-like, residue is deposited right where the case mouth of the .38 brass is. Over time, as this "ring of carbon" forms, it becomes increasingly difficult to chamber .357 ammunition. The "fix" is by using an aggressive/abrasive cleaning technique, such as the Lewis lead-removing system or, what I do, use small sections of COPPER "Chore Bo y" commercial cleaning pad, dipped in a good bore solvent and applied vigorously but judiciously. The "cure" is prevention: being extra vigilant when cleaning the cylinder chambers after shooting. I've also found that shooting .357 ammunition more regularly seems to help to keep the residue from building up.

 

[madmag]

Thanks sneaky pete & dgludwig. I will try the polish and then do better at cleaning immediately after shooting.

 

[Zippy06]

+1 Dave R.
I use the same technique. Had great results with Hoppe Elite Foaming bore cleaner. Tried Gun slick first. When dry was sticky. Hoppe seems better.
Great stuff though.

 

[Lavid2002]

+1

+1...but ive always wondered....can one use this on his or her ar or any semi automatic using gas? Does the foam creep up into the gas tube and stay there unwipped....wouldnt that be bad when it blows back into your action like a grimy sneeze?
haha let me know!
thanks
Dave

 

[FirstFreedom]

So what's the best kind of foamer?