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Thread: Cleaning a Nasty Rifle Bore

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub Tom in Pittsburgh's Avatar
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    Question Cleaning a Nasty Rifle Bore

    I have inherited a WW2 bringback - an 8MM Mauser rifle that was originally a pre-WW2 commercial German hunting gun, but was unfortunately bubba-ed once it got into the US. A late uncle used this gun as his deer rifle for years, and I would like to take it out for deer here in PA later this year.

    An experienced rifle shooter has told me that, scrub and scrub as I may, the bore is still barely shootable. I think that's due to years of improperly cleaned/removed powder and copper fouling and not actual bore corrosion.

    I was going to attempt to cobble together one of those low-voltage electronic bore cleaners (plenty of DIY instructions online), but another experienced shooting friend has counseled against that - he's afraid it would remove actual metal from the barrel. So - before I go off and buy an iron rod, ammonia, wires, etc. - I would like to try one of those modern "miracle" foaming bore cleaners. Supposedly an overnight application will remove all kinds of fouling/gunk. There are several brands out there (Sharp Shoot R Wipe-Out, Shooters Choice, Red Devil 0921 Foam & Fill, Allen Company Cyclean, etc.)

    Important to note - I don't believe this gun was ever fired with "plain" lead bullets, just jacketed ones. As a result, I don't think any of the old fouling in the bore is lead or lead alloy.

    Just thought I would see what kinds of experience/recommendations some of you may have?

    TIA

    PS Apologies if this has been covered before...
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  2. #2
    Boolit Master derek45's Avatar
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    KROIL for starters
    .


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  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    I've used the electrolysis method to clean a nasty 8mm barrel before. The barrel was a take-off from an action that I was sporterizing, and rather than toss it I decided to experiment with cleaning it just to see how it would work. I used a TIG rod as the electrode. I put a piece of electrical tape on the end of the rod, in the middle, and on the rod where it came out of the muzzle so that the electrode wouldn't ground to the barrel. I stuck a cork into the chamber, put the electrode in the bore, then stood the barrel in a vise with the muzzle facing up. I used a small funnel to fill the barrel with windex (because it contains ammonia). Next I used some wire with a pair of alligator clips and hooked the barrel and electrode to a small 9 volt battery. If I remember right the barrel was + and the electrode was -. The windex started to fizz so I left it for an hour to see how it would do.

    After an hour there was a layer of black goo on the electrode. I wiped the nasty goo off with a paper towel, then dumped out the windex, inserted the electrode back in and refilled the barrel with new window cleaner. I hooked it back up to the battery for another hour. I did this 3 times. Afterwards I used a regular cleaning rod with patches and brushes to clean the barrel normally. Before I started the barrel was dark as a chimney inside and looked awful. After the electrolysis & cleaning the metal was bright and shiny. Too bad it was so badly pitted that it looked like the craters on the Moon. But those craters were super clean. (The experiment completed, I then unceremoniously tossed the barrel in the trash.)

  4. #4
    Boolit Master Hannibal's Avatar
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    I would buy about 10 bore brushes, some Shooter's Choice MC #7 Bore Cleaner and some Bore Tech Copper Remover. Follow the label directions on both alternating between the two solvents because you are going to have staggered layers of copper and carbon fouling. It'll take several hours in all and probably wind up stretching out over a week or more because you're going to get worn out from all the brushing and patching. Also, something that old and poorly cared for will have all kinds of corrosion damage in it so it's highly unlikely it will be very accurate when you're finished. Probably good enough for a deer at 100 yards but maybe not.

    I doubt this is what you wanted to hear but old mistreated barrels can't simply be restored by a though cleaning and removing years of deposits takes time and elbow grease and a lot of both.

    Good luck with your project. I hope it works out for you.

    Edit to add - I've tried several of the 'miracle' bore cleaners and found them to be lacking. I have a borescope and when you are able to actually see inside a barrel then you know what is in there rather than just looking at a patch trying to decide if you're done or not. You can buy a Teslong that will work with a smartphone pretty cheaply but if you don't have a background there is a learning curve to interpret what you are seeing. An old, mistreated military rifle bore will probably look like a rusty sewer pipe inside but that does not *necessarily* mean it will not group. However it probably won't group very well and will probably copper foul quickly. If you get 2 MOA then that may be as good as it will get.
    Last edited by Hannibal; 09-18-2022 at 03:19 PM.

  5. #5
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    I got a Garand like that.
    Just for a project, I ran a wet patch with Hoppe's #9 down it every day, or every other day until it wasn't green any more.
    It took about two months, but it looked new again.
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  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    boreteck eliminator, worked Mirical's for me, better than anything else I have tried. just use a nylon brush, It will destroy a brass or bronze brush in minutes.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    an electrolysis bore cleaner will not remove metal, no matter how long you use it. They are safe to use, ive biult them and used them over the years
    That said for a crusty old bore, The best/fastest method Ive found is to scrub the bore good with bore solvent and a brush, spray brake cleaner down it, then scrub it with a brush soaked in phosphoric acid primer, aka "ospho, metal prep, etc". This stuff will remove bluing so careful with it but simply scrub it in, let sit for 10 mins, then scrub with bore cleaner and brake cleaner again and repeat for 2-3 cycles. upon completion scrub with JB bore paste to take the sharp edge off ot he cleaned out rust pits , then clean again. This is the best the barrel ever will be. FYI just cause a bore is dark or nasty, doesnt mean it wont shoot well, lot of old mosins and mausers were bought for cheap years ago were hammers with sewer pipe bores.
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  8. #8
    Boolit Bub Tom in Pittsburgh's Avatar
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    Thanks - will that phosphoric acid etch attack the barrel itself?
    If somebody were down on the corner handing out $20 bills, someone else would be complaining that it wasn't two $10s.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master elmacgyver0's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom in Pittsburgh View Post
    Thanks - will that phosphoric acid etch attack the barrel itself?
    Given enough time it will.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Not in that time period , or really at all
    It only reacts with rust.
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  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    Be careful with phosphoric acid. I use it to make Parkerizing solution. It will take the blue right off of gun parts. It may be a good cleaner, but you'll need to be extra careful not to get any on the barrel or receiver.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master Hannibal's Avatar
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    Any method that removes rust/corrosion will strip off the bluing/patina also.

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master


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    I've been down that road before. After judicious cleaning I still ended up with a rough bore, which fouled badly and gave poor accuracy. I had it rebored by JES Rebore and never looked back. There should be enough material in the barrel to punch it out to 35 Whelan or 338/06.
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  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    I’ve had good luck using a previously used bronze bore brush wrapped with a patch soaked with Kroil and finally covered with JB bore paste. That combo cleaned up my 1943 Remington ‘03.

  15. #15
    Boolit Mold
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    For really bad bores, I’ve had some luck wrapping 0000 steel wool around a bronze brush and scrubbing with just some light oil in the bore.

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Do targets agree with the experienced shooter?

    Continued overnight applications of standard bore solvents with a couple passes of a brush and a dry patch in between will eventually remove any fouling. Time to soak is the key.
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  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy 414gates's Avatar
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    Bronze brushes is the key.

    If you apply patches with solvent at this stage, you're just wasting time.

    First, bronze brush with any penetrating oil.

    Do this until there is no black on the patches. It may need repeating many times, so pace yourself.

    Then decide what is left and what solvent to apply.

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
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    Windex. Never thought of that. I had one of those kits some years ago. Wonder where it is now?

    I've done two badly copper-fouled WW2 milsurps with Barnes CR-10. Don't leave it in the bore for too long.
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  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    when all thats done I would go after it with a bronze brush wrapped as tight as you can get with steel wool and some polish (i use Brasso cuz its already in stock) take maybe half an hour (depending how fit you are) you will feel it smooth up as you progress - might need to re wrap the steel wool a couple times to keep it a tight fit in the bore - when thats done I finish off with some jewellers rouge on the brush then a thorough clean to get rid of the last of the polish. Have brought several back like this including a shot out 22/250 - dont know how long that one will last - dont shoot it much now - there was obvious erosion three inches or so ahead of the throat but it came back as good as it ever was. Not a bench gun but can do three inside an aussie ten cent (quarter) out the truck window if I try real hard.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master pertnear's Avatar
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    I'm no expert, but here is what I've had the best luck with on very rough & fouled bores. Use the high strength liquid bore cleaners with multiple over night soaks, etc. or whatever the directions recommend. Then for the coup de grace, JB bore paste. Scrub until you're tired & can't do more. Finally, clean any paste goo out with Hoppe's & accept that now your barrel is as good as it gets.
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