Any insight on foaming bore cleaners?

[C. Latch]

There must be a dozen of these on the market now. Do they work? Do they remove copper?

Anyone using them and have any reviews to offer?

[selmerfan]

I've used Wipe Out, Gunslick, and Outers versions. They all work slicker than owl snot and remove copper, definitely. They are all I use to clean rifles after shooting jacketed loads through them. Simply spray in the foam, wait a few hours (or less or more), then wipe out. I've tried doing it a second time with each product and also tried following up each product with Sweets 7.62 copper remover. It's pointless. The first time with the foaming cleaners completely removes copper fouling for me. I've been using them for years and I highly recommend them.

[wddodge]

I've used the Gunslick product for years. I fill the bore, leave the rifle pointed slightly downhill and come back in a few hours. There's always a little puddle of blue/green stuff on ground when I return. Run a couple of patches to clean it out and call it good. It's the best cleaning product that I've ever used.

Denny

[jmort]

Wipe Out excellent

[CHeatermk3]

+1 for Wipe-out. I've used it to clean out the bores of several old milsurps--amazing how much copper comes out--may take several applications but hey after 100 yrs whaddya expect?

[M-Tecs]

Wipe Out is my preferred of the foam cleaners. It works very well.

[Dryball]

Since wipe out came out that's all I've been using. Do yourself a favor...use the activator. You patch with that then use the cleaner. It is quicker and works better

[C. Latch]

Thanks, guys.

I've never used any of them until a couple weeks ago, when I was in a local store and they had the Birchwood Casey stuff on sale. I used it on several rifles over the last weekend, but on one, I noticed that after using it, there were still copper streaks at the muzzle. I'll try to get some wipe-out.

[colchester]

Ive been using the the gunslick stuff for several years, works great. Fill it forget it it for a while push a few patches and done. Sometimes you will need to repeat but not usually

[tdoyka]

+1 for gunslicks

[Mr Peabody]

A+ for Gunslick, I'll have to try Wipe Out.

[Lloyd Smale]

they work great but make sure you get the overspray out of your bolt, action ect as it will gum them up bad.

[gwpercle]

I used the Gunslick foam on two surplus military rifles , a 303 British Enfield and a 7.5 Schmidt - Rubin, prior to shooting cast in them. Did two foam treatments on each...a lot easier than just rods, brushes, steel wool and JB bore paste. They both came clean . I did finish up with some JB Bore paste just to make sure , but didn't have to scrub them until my arms wore out.
I set the rifles in a vice on my bench with a slight tilt to the muzzel , set a pan undermuzzel to catch any foam drippings, make sure it doesn't run back into action, Then filled the bore with foam. Let stand , swabed out and then did it again. Then used JB bore compound just for good measure.
Gary

[Jack Stanley]

I like the Wipe out better than the other foaming cleaners . I tried a gel type cleaner that I forget who makes it but was much less than impressed with it .

Try to keep a can of wipe out on the shelf at all times .

Jack

[repeat]

I have used wipe out since they hit the market and love it.
I put a water bottle on the end so the foam does not get all over everything and have little copper strands in the bottle when cleaned.
I use Elimator to check to see if I need to re-do the wipe out but almost every time I clean the stuff out and oil the barrel and I'm done!

[18Bravo]

I’ve been wanting to try Wipe Out. For those of you who use the product is there a difference between the foam and the patch out? I would be using the accelerator as others have recommended.

[roysha]

I don't want to rain on anyone's parade but as far as I'm concerned, wipeout should be named wipebutt because it is the biggest PITA I have ever used in regard to bore cleaning materials. Plus it doesn't clean any faster or better than some of the brands of "conventional" (ie: non-foaming) I have tried. Obviously there are a lot of folks that like it since it is going strong and even has a couple of competitors. Fine and dandy. I'm not suggesting not to use it. Buy it, try it and if you like it use it.

I am acquainted with the distributor of that product and he came over to the house to demonstrate it for me when it first became readily available. By the time we got finished dinking around with this that and the other, I could clean a comparably fouled bore in the same time with a lot less hassle using good ole Sweets. I had the sample cans of the stuff setting on my shelf for a couple of years and thought it couldn't have been as bad as I thought. Tried it again. WRONG! All in a grocery bag and off to the dumpster with the rest of the trash and junk.

My experience and my opinion.

[upr45]

I have used Wipe-out since shortly after it came out. I have had a few phone conversations with the owner. My experience was nothing but really good. Everything has it's limitations -- both good and bad.

The good -- it works great -- use as directed: I dry patch first then a wet patch. About an hour later patch out then another wet patch. Let is sit several hours. If patch is clean: dry patch then use a couple patches with Ballistol oil to neutralize. Clean chamber before firing with dry patch.
the bad-- have to clean spills on wood finishes and plastic and anything but bore/chamber as soon as possible. Also due to the pH of wipe out -- use Ballistol to counter the low pH of wipe-out.
The summary: wipe-out removes the copper layers better than any other product I have tried, does not have an odor that offends my wife. Longest time it ever took was a couple of days on a 6.5 Sweede 4 grove, porous metal in bore (which used to take me > 1 week with Shooters Choice). If you are just shooting lead, no copper, it may not be as effective than other cleaners, however it works fantastic to remove the copper layers so you can shoot lead in a copper free barrel. This is what I have observed -- you may have a different experience!

[knifemaker]

I have used Wipe Out and like it. I will use cotton patches to plug the rifle chamber to prevent the wipe out from getting into the action of the rifle. Spray in the foam with the rifle in a horizontal position, wipe off any excess that comes out of the muzzle and let it sit for 4 or more hours. Remove the cotton plugging the chamber with a bore cleaning rod and clean the bore and light oil. Most times one application is all that is needed. On some heavy fouled rifles, a second application may be needed.

[500Linebaughbuck]

i use gunslick.

[ole_270]

Wipe out is my goto for heavy copper fouling. I've use Barnes, Sweats, Montana Extreme and the Bore Tech Eliminator,but none matches the foam for me. One thing to remember, the foams don't do much for powder fouling, especially burned on cake so you need a different solvent for that.
I simply put a good rod guide in the action/chamber and squirt the stuff into the bore through a soda straw till it comes out the muzzle. The stuff tends to puddle in the bottom of the bore after the foam starts breaking down, so I lay the rifle down horizontally for 6 hours to overnight. Then I patch it out, maybe brush a couple strokes to roughen up any carbon cake, run a couple patches with brake cleaner and foam it again. Then lay it on the opposite side for a few hours. Works every time without all that many strokes with a cleaning rod and it's potential to wear the rifling.

[Tripplebeards]

I use the foam. when the foam brakes down to a liquid and you have copper fowling blue liquid will drip out of your barrel. The only issue I've had is if you don't clean out the left over in your action it litteraly glues your action shut and gums every thing up. Spray your action with something like rem oil and wipe it out afterwards.