What is the best solvent for cutting powder and plastic residue from shotgun bores?
Thank you,
Jim

I have never found shotgun bores to be difficult to clean.I was using Hoppes # 9 on them 50 years ago and didn't have any complaints then or now.

What raym says, except I use WD-40....inside and out, never any problems.

Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber

Shooter's Choice Bore Cleaner

Hoppe's #9

Break Free CLP

They all work well.

I throw a soaked patch onto a brush on the end of the cleaning rod, attach the cleaning rod to my cordless drill and go to town on the bore.

When clean, run a dry patch through and then oil accordingly.

Spotless, rust free non-pitting bores.

I find the plastic fouling much more stubborn now then it was 30 years ago. Most barrels now are backbored so you have to get a really good bronze brush that is a bit oversized. Brownells will help in that regard and I buy a Bore-tech jag for each of the gauges I own. Shooters Choice,Rusty Duck Shotgun patches work real well. But I find a really good brush works best when applying the above. For the Choke tubes just buy Brownells choke tube cleaner and I use Special Tech GM cleaner on the gas piston parts when using a Semi-auto.

SempreElk,
The plastic really builds up if you let it.That is what I was meaning to ask.Is there a solvent specifically for plastic build up?
Thanks to all.
Jim

Brownells makes a wad cutter fluid, but I find that CLP works just fine, if you let it sit for a few minutes.

My routine is to run a few patches (on a jag) down the bore with Butch's (that's what I have, Hoppe's or something else would be fine, too). Then, patch out, and follow up with a soaking with CLP, followed by a brush and a patch. Seems to do the trick quite well. HTH, Dutch.

Plastic wad residue--Paint striper

I have had plastic wad buid up. Nothing I had would get it out.

Then I thought, its melted plastic, how about trying some paint striper, it desolves epoxy finishes.

I used some Jasco striper on it and, presto, the plastic wad residue bubbled up, and wiped right out

Chuck your 12ga bore brush into an electric drill, wrap a bit of 0000 steel wool around the brush, dip in Hoppes (or whatever) and get that plastic outa there.

quote:

Originally posted by yeti:
Chuck your 12ga bore brush into an electric drill, wrap a bit of 0000 steel wool around the brush, dip in Hoppes (or whatever) and get that plastic outa there.

Ding, Ding, Ding. Excellent way to do it.

Bill

I use MP 7 with a bronze brush (Dewey). 1 squirt & 10 strokes with the brush, the MP 7 goes frothy - leave for 10 minutes. MP 7 gets the carbon out & the plastic you will find sticks to the carbon and comes out with it.

Patch out with a Bore tech jag (will be black)then another patch with oil (I use CLP)the bore and you are done. After you use MP7 a few times it gets easier & quicker to clean.


MP7 totally smell free & non toxic. Great stuff. Invented to clean F14 cannons.

Regards,
JohnT

A reasonably tight bronze brush on a 18 to 20 some odd inch rod chucked in a drill. Spray it with WD40 or similar, spray the barrel and in about 10 seconds from each end you've got a clean barrel.

quote:

A reasonably tight bronze brush on a 18 to 20 some odd inch rod chucked in a drill.

I do that but wrap the bore brush with fine bronze wool, soak it WD-40 and run it in and out a few times.

Just be cautious when running towards choke tubes, it can unscrew them and buff up the barrel threads which probably isn't a good thing.

I use a short rod with a brush to clean the choke tubes out, the steel shot wads smear a lot of plastic in those tubes.

All of this is well and good, but as a member in good standing of the minimal work for maximal pleasure Krewe, I just want to add that I think cleaning shotgun barrels is essentially a waste of time under normal conditions. Not referring to when you drop the gun in salt water or the duck slough, or live next to the ocean, where water might get under some of the edges of the plastic crud in the barrel, but, in general, I don't know how long you'd have to leave a modern shotgun barrel uncleaned to harm it, but in my experience in the relatively humid climates of Texas and Oklahoma, several years at a minimum. At most, for hunters, I'd clean a shotgun bore at the end of the seasons for that year and that's if I felt extra energized that day.