I know that using ammonia on brass is a definite no-no. BUT. Does anyone see anything wrong with puting a drop or two in cleaning solvent or just on a patch to detect copper in the bore? Would it help dessolve any copper build up in the bore?
I know that using ammonia on brass is a definite no-no. BUT. Does anyone see anything wrong with puting a drop or two in cleaning solvent or just on a patch to detect copper in the bore? Would it help dessolve any copper build up in the bore?
That's exactly the active ingredient in most copper removing bore cleaners. It does no harm to the barrel, though it might react with certain stock finishes - many solvents do. Full strength ammonia is not the most fun substance to be working with, so your eyes and nasal membranes may appreciate diluting it a bit. I know more than one shooter who uses it full strength on patches and with PLASTIC bore brushes.
"Stand your ground.
Do not fire unless fired upon.
But if they mean to have a war let it begin here."
- Capt. Parker, Lexington Militia, April 19, 1775
SWEETS 7.62 solvent has enough Amonia in it to make ya socks rot off your feet ! It removes copper fouling beautifully ! You must swab out the bore with what we call Metholated spirt s after though (I'm not sure of what you call Metho over your side of the pond ) Be warned though if you ue it (Sweets ) on a copper brush make ure you clean it in the metho after use ! I forgot once with a brand new brush & the next time I went to use it I was rewarded with a stem of brass threaded on one end but minus brissles !!!! !
Dave
All times wasted wot not spent shootin
Barne's CR 10 is much like Sweet's 7.62. d-o-k I'm fairly sure what you call methylated spirits down there is what we call denatured alcohol. Interesting idea using that stuff; I generally just use a couple of dry patches followed by some oil, then wait around an hour and repeat. I'll have to give the alcohol a try.
-Klaus
I have read here that some guys fill their bores up with Ammonia and leave it over night. The other day a guy up here says to me that Ammonia will react with steel and I should not leave it overnight. What is the real skinny here. Will it harm the barrel if left over night or not?
Used some the other day to clean up one of my rifles. Don't think I have a nasel hair left!
Take care
Bob
Bob-
I am not a big fan of leaving anything in a bore overnight, I'm not sure what the real skinny is but I wouldn't leave anything stronger than say Hoppe's in there for any length of time. If it's fouled to the point I'd be thinking about it, I generally break out the JB's and use that.
-Klaus
I've heard talk of leaving Sweets in overnight ! But who ever did this would be a gamer man than me ! The longest I ever leave it in is about 30mins ! That was to clean out really bad fouling on rifles I've just brought & then I swab out the barrel with patches soaked with metho to remove the solvent completely !
Dave
All times wasted wot not spent shootin
Ammonium hydroxide, the proper chemical name for what we call ammonia, is an alkali (the opposite of an acid). The more concentrated it is, the more damage it can do to living tissue. From what I remember of my college chemistry, it will have negligible effect upon barrel steel at low "household" concentration. You wouldn't want to be handling it at reagent grade without a gasmask and a fume hood. But seriously, if your bore is so fouled with copper that you need to consider an overnight soak, you should be using an electrolytic remover like Outers Foul Out2 or an inexpensive homemade version to do the job. Shooters Choice is strong enough for most shooters, Sweets is stronger still for tougher jobs, but nothing beats a little current to pull copper and lead fouling right off of the steel quickly and easily.
"Stand your ground.
Do not fire unless fired upon.
But if they mean to have a war let it begin here."
- Capt. Parker, Lexington Militia, April 19, 1775
Thank you all. If I every use ammonia full strength I'll be sure to have plenty of ventelation (like in a hurricane). I do have a couple of rifles that have copper fouling. This will be a great help.
Ammonia if left on steel too long, can and will etch it. What reprecussions will be derived from that, I don't know. That is why I use Blue Wonder. Check out their website, following their directions worked wonders (pun intended) for me.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |