Cleaning MilSurp Barrels

[swheeler]

What solution do you use? For how long?

Slim

Just saw your post here, 1 part white vinegar, 1 part household ammonia, 2 parts distilled water. I would run it 30 minutes and if the light was still on would change out the solution and run it again, when clean it will be out or barely visible. Be sure red+ is hooked to the barrel and black- to the rod. I got this info off the internet quite a few years ago 10-15, built it and have used it on several of my milsurps and several friends, everyone satisfied. Google may find it for you?

[smoked turkey]

This information is so good. I sure hope I can find it when I need it later. It may not have what it takes to be a "Sticky", but it sure is good information. Thanks to all.

[Andy]

the electrolysis cleaner really works and you can make a low power (low risk of any damage) unit really simply off an old cell phone charger and a straight piece of metal rod with electrical tape spaced on it. It's still kind of a pain to set up though getting out the stuff and plugging barrel so I only bother with it when something is pitted enough to where I don't think a brush can make good contact with all surfaces in the barrel, otherwise a thorough brushing/patching seems quicker or at least easier.

The other thing is if you're using the copper fouling cleaner and following up with a brass/bronze brush you'll never stop getting a slightly blue patch from the copper solvent, every time you brush it it leaves enough residue from the brush in there (more if the bore is pitted) to make your patch blue the next pass and make you still think you're getting copper out of the barrel. Learned that the hard way. That's my experience at least with my brushes & sweets cleaner. The only reliable gauge I feel like I can really trust to know if the copper is out is to look in with a borescope or if you don't have one just take a close look at the end of the barrel by eye and once you can't see copper streaks there maybe do a few more sessions and you probably got most of it.

[smithnframe]

I plug the muzzle of the barrel and fill it with Kroil.......leave soak overnight and drain. Then use bronze brush and patches with Hoppes bench rest solvent.

[Geezer in NH]

Sweet's 7.62

[Eddie1971]

Sweet's 7.62

I second the Sweets use.