After work today I was browsing through the sporting good store, looking for sling swivels. I found some and happened to look down at the cleaning supplies. I'm always buying the odd bag of patches, but I noticed something called Hoppe's Benchrest #9 Copper Solvent. I've been a Hoppe's user for years, relying on their old standby #9 Solvent, so I thought I'd give the copper solvent a try.
I cleaned that Remington 700 on Monday, so I dragged it back out, soaked a patch in copper solvent and ran it through the bore, then played with the dog a few minutes to let it soak. I put a clean patch on the jag and pushed it through, and it came out green. Lordy!
So, I got out the bore brush, soaked the bore again and gave it a good brushing. Then soaked it again and started running patches. Thirty minutes later they were coming out clean. So, I soaked another patch in copper solvent, ran it through the bore, then put the rifle away. I'll do it all again tomorrow and hope that bore is clean.
I wonder how many of my other rifles could use a good scrubbing?
I have used Hoppe's Copper Solvent for many years. Unlike some other copper solvents, Hoppe's will not harm the bore if left in overnight. I run a couple of wet patches through to soak the bore and then stand the rifle in a corner muzzle down on a folded up paper towel. The next day it only takes 3 or 4 patches till they come out clean. Then I run a few patches of regular #9 through to clean out the copper solvent.
ReplyDeleteI've been using Butch's Bore Shine, but I'll give the Hoppes a try, thanks for the update!
ReplyDeleteI'll bet it will be green again tomorrow too. Been using it for years, too. Like anonymous said, good stuff and unlike some of the nastier copper solvents, it's pretty safe. It doesn't eat brushes as fast as they do either though it does eat them. Myself, I don't use brushes with it because it doesn't seem to go any faster. First time I use it(after buying a used rifle), I clean with just patches for three days, by then all the copper is out, even if it was really, really nasty. Wet patch, sit overnight, two dry, and repeat is my procedure. After that, I do like anonymous and that's usually all you need.
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