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DeanoBeanCounter
01-28-2007, 10:07 PM
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? :???:

versifier
01-28-2007, 10:19 PM
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.

d-o-k
01-29-2007, 05:02 AM
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 !!!!:cry: !

Dave

klausg
01-29-2007, 04:20 PM
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

Canuck44
01-29-2007, 06:04 PM
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

klausg
01-29-2007, 08:44 PM
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

d-o-k
01-30-2007, 01:38 AM
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

versifier
01-30-2007, 03:38 AM
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

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.

DeanoBeanCounter
01-30-2007, 03:51 AM
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. :mrgreen:

Old Time Hunter
02-01-2007, 04:01 AM
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.

versifier
02-01-2007, 04:23 PM
Thanks, OTH, you make a good point. I wouldn't get the concentrated stuff near the steel (or me) anyway, and it serves as a good warning to be aware when leaving any solvents in the bore for long periods of time. My electrolyte solution is 50/50 household ammonia and white vinegar, and I have left the cleaner running overnight on severely fouled milsurps without any problems, but the vinegar (acetic acid) in it serves as a buffer to balance acid/alkali. I assume the pH is around 7 (neutral) but I have not tested it. Now you've gone and gotten me curious. I should send a sample in with my daughter to her chemistry class to find out.

lovedogs
02-01-2007, 10:17 PM
In my own home experimenting I've found Barnes to be slightly faster and stronger than Sweet's. Better yet is the new one... Montana Extreme 50 BMG solvent. It's really smelly but very fast. All of these will etch if left in too long. I always use acetone to swab before using anything else. It takes out a lot of stuff to let the solvents do their job. It will mess up any plastic and some finishes though so use with care. A couple patches of acetone after the solvents will also clean out all residue leaving the pores open to receive rust preventative oils, too. And it evaporates faster than alcohol and other cleaners so you're not waiting for it to dry up before applying oils, etc.

versifier
02-02-2007, 02:26 AM
Hmmm. With three daughters, I bet I can scare up some acetone (nail polish remover) pretty easily.

lovedogs
02-04-2007, 02:29 AM
I've heard that some nail polish remover has other ingredients in it so you might want to check that out and see what they are. Some things we don't want in our bores. Acetone isn't expensive. A $3 can from the hardware store will last you a long time.