Rifle Cleaning Problems and their New Solutions.

The Problem with “Traditional” cleaning methods:

Traditional barrel cleaning products may have a pleasant smell, but are not totally effective for cleaning a firearm. Loss of accuracy is normal in all firearms after they have been used in a prolonged shooting session. The barrel will become fouled with powder residue as a result of combustion. Additionally two other materials are deposited internally to the barrel: carbon and metal fouling from bullet material. These two are the most difficult to remove and are the greatest cause for the loss of accuracy in a firearm. The standard practice has been to dunk a brush into a cleaner and stroke the cleaning rod the length of the bore. A good deal of the evidence of fouling removal comes from the bristles in the brush itself, (copper or bronze.) A more recent approach has been to product products with heavy amounts of acid and ammonia. While acid and ammonia will remove metal fouling and carbon they are dangerous to you and your firearm. Products containing large amounts of acids and ammonia still require large amounts of brushing. The major problem also is a horrible smell, and they can be very dangerous to the steel used in gun barrels and quite harmful to you and your skin. There are many sad shooters who have pitted a barrel using cleaners of this type. It is quite easy using these products to permanently damage the interior of the barrel with pitting.

The Solution:

We offer 4 new products non abrasive chemical cleaners that help to prevent and solve the problems encountered with conventional bore cleaners in all types of firearms.

1)                   WIPE-OUT – A foaming compound in a pressure can.

2)                   WIPE-OUT/PATCH-OUT – A liquid cleaner version of WIPE-OUT

3)                   WIPE-OUT/ACCELERATOR – A liquid that greatly enhances the ability of WIPE-OUT & PATCH-OUT

4)                   CARB-OUT – A liquid that specifically removes carbon fouling.

1) WIPE-OUT

Instructions for use:

Start with a firearm that you believe to already be clean. Simply hold the applicator tip against the muzzle or bore guide and apply the WIPE-OUT. All that is necessary is a short burst, generally a count to two works. WIPE-OUT is designed to rapidly expand into the barrel, like shaving cream, until the barrel is full.

(Note the blue stain on the patch and on the product dripping off the muzzle)

(The applicator tip may also be reversed for large calibre firearms or muzzle loading firearms up to 62 calibres. WIPE-OUT may be applied to the breech end by removing the adapter on the nozzle and replacing it with a plastic drinks straw.)

WIPE-OUT tells you when your firearm is fouled with powder residue, carbon, and metal fouling by the colour left on a patch. What you are trying to achieve is a clean barrel, where you have no colour showing on a patch. Powder fouling (both smokeless powder and black powder) will be greyish black on the patch. Copper fouling will be deep navy blue. Carbon will be tannish to brown in colour. Please be aware that large amounts of fouling on a very dirty firearm can build up in layers.

Set the firearm on the bench horizontally, never muzzle-up. Let it sit for 60 minutes. Heavily fouled guns or those cleaned with other products should be left overnight on the first cleaning. Patch out in the morning. Re-apply WIPE-OUT and wait 30 minutes. Patch out and check for any colour. If colour is present re-apply and let set overnight. Repeat the morning procedure. Once the gun is really clean a normal shooting session (20 to 60 rounds) can be cleaned in one hour.

The reason we ask you to start with a gun you think is clean is so that you will understand what ineffective cleaners have been leaving in your barrel. Also there may be a distinct layering effect of fouling which is caused by ineffective cleaning. The barrel may actually have as many as 7 or 8 layers of fouling which is probably the most difficult to remove. The barrel with this type of fouling may take 3 or 4 overnight applications of WIPE-OUT to finally get to a clean patch with no colour.

WIPE-OUT RESTORES BARREL LIFE AND ACCURACY TO THESE GUNS. It is odourless and non-flammable. It contains a rust inhibitor, and will not stain hands or clothing. It is safe for all modern paint, gunstock finishes and steels.

However, it is not safe for varnish, shellac or old oil type finishes. It will remove them. It will dissolve brass, bronze, and copper. Most aluminium receivers and all aluminium pistol frames are safe with WIPE-OUT, but some will discolour to a dull grey. If you have any doubt try a test area where it will not be visible.

It contains no acid nor ammonia and CANNOT CAUSE RUST. It will not gum, or form solids in either the action or the barrel. It is safe for all barrel steels, both stainless and carbon steel. It will remove Molybdenum.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:

WIPE-OUT is low in ph and because it is odourless it appears to be quite safe. However, prolonged contact may cause damage to the eyes and skin. Be careful to clean hands and skin well after using the product. Flush, immediately if the product gets into the eyes. Always follow good safety procedures with this product. Do not ingest. Keep out of the reach of children. Do not incinerate the can. Do not store in temperatures above110 degrees Fahrenheit.

Black Powder, Lead Fouling & Plastic Fouling

Black Powder shooters have found that they have some specific problems that most other shooters do not. A large number of shooters today using shotguns and black powder weapons, either use a plastic sabot with a jacketed bullet, or are shooting lead alloy bullets. We specifically state that WIPE-OUT does not dissolve lead.  Most chemicals that dissolve lead produce a galvanic reaction.  This reaction in effect acts like a battery.  In most cases it will etch steel (both stainless and carbon steel).  It is for this reason that we don't use chemicals that specifically work on lead. We use chemicals that will dissolve the other metals (tin, antimony, zinc, etc.) that are incorporated in most bullet alloys.  So we work to destroy the integrity of the bullet alloy, and it begins to come apart in small black flakes so that it can be pushed out with a tight patch. This is true for all handguns as well as all long guns firing lead or lead alloy bullets. This process takes about 24 to 36 hours. The penetrants and cleaners in WIPE-OUT also get below the plastic fouling of sabots and allow these deposits to be pushed out with a tight patch. It is this unique property which makes WIPE-OUT a good choice for removing plastic fouling from the chambers of modern shotguns.

2) PATCH-OUT

PATCH-OUT is the new easy to use, non-aerosol version of WIPE-OUT.  It works in the same way but it is FIVE times more effective than the foaming version. Like WIPE-OUT it is a brushless cleaner, although a couple of strokes with a nylon brush will produce dense rich suds. PATCH-OUT can be used with ACCELERATOR and is extremely easy to use, being a liquid rather than aerosol.

NOTE: PATCH-OUT contains powerful anti-corrosives that make it unnecessary to put oil in the barrel. It will remain active for as much as 24 hours with no harm to the barrel.

Instructions for use:

The first firearm you clean should be one you already believe to be clean. Set the firearm on the bench horizontally. Simply apply the PATCH-OUT with a mop or a loose patch or a nylon brush to the chamber (with the use of a bore guide) until the barrel is well coated. Don’t use a jag and a tight patch, because that method will squeegee out the entire chemical. The nylon brush is best because it holds the most liquid and it allows the cleaner to froth up. If you do use a patch make sure it is very loose and very well soaked. Allow to set for 20 minutes. Push a clean patch through the bore. Now apply a second application, and allow it to set for 10 minutes. If you get no colour on the second patch, you have proof that the barrel came clean in the first 20 minute session.

PATCH-OUT tells you when your firearm is fouled with powder residue, carbon, and metal fouling by the colour left on a patch. What you must do is get to a clean barrel, where you have no colour showing on a patch.

When cleaning normally, simply apply PATCH-OUT Let it sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes has elapsed, push a clean cotton patch on a jag through the bore. Heavily fouled guns or those cleaned with other products should be left overnight on the first cleaning. Patch out in the morning. Re-apply PATCH-OUT and wait 10 minutes. Patch out and check for any colour. If colour is present re-apply and let set overnight. Repeat the morning procedure. Once the gun is really clean, a normal shooting session (20 to 60 rounds) can be cleaned in less than one hour. You have to get the barrel clean to start with. Powder fouling (both smokeless powder and black powder) will be greyish black on the patch .Copper fouling will be deep navy blue. Carbon will be tannish to brown in colour. Please be aware that large amounts of fouling on a very dirty firearm can build up in layers.

3) ACCELERATOR

NEW ACCELERATOR for WIPE-OUT & PATCH-OUT

This product is to be used with the improved version of the "original" Wipe-Out Brushless Bore Cleaner. ACCELERATOR is NOT meant to be used by itself or with ANY other cleaning product. The new sister product is an answer to a problem where the shooter has a limited time in which to clean his firearm. We have seen that there are a number of special situations where speed and extra cleaning is needed. ACCELERATOR is designed to speed up the effect of WIPE-OUT within a given time period. It will double the amount of Carbon and Copper dissolved within that period.

Instructions for use:

WIPE-OUT ACCELERATOR is extremely easy to use. You wet a patch with WIPE-OUT ACCELERATOR and push it through the barrel. While the ACCELERATOR is still wet in the bore you simply apply the WIPE-OUT to the barrel from the muzzle towards the receiver or from the breach end by means of a bore guide. Stop the application when WIPE-OUT is present at either the muzzle or the chamber. Place the firearm down horizontally on the bench. Then after 15 or 20 minutes you put a clean cotton patch on a good jag and push through the bore. The ACCELERATOR is not meant to be used by itself as a cleaner, but is a catalyst that enhances the action of WIPE-OUT. The use of a bore brush is not necessary, ever.

WIPE-OUT ACCELERATOR is available in an 8 ounce plastic bottle with a flip top lid. This bottle is capable of cleaning the amount of firearms that can be cleaned with 4 or 5 cans of WIPE-OUT.

4) CARB-OUT

CARB-OUT is a non-aerosol cleaner for the specific removal of carbon. This new product is an answer to a problem where the shooter has to use specific chemical solvents for the removal of stubborn carbon deposits. This exciting new product dissolves and removes carbon on contact. It’s easier to use and is considerably less messy. It has no complicated method of application. You simply put it on a patch or a mop and swab it thru the barrel. No Mess No Fuss! CARB-OUT leaves behind a protective coating that prevents future carbon adherence. This coating is less than 100^th of a micron in thickness; it will not affect first shot accuracy

CARB-OUT has been designed to be a maximum strength product for dissolving carbon without brushing. In our testing we found that it was capable of dissolving more carbon fouling than any product currently on the market. This product has been designed to be totally brushless, and the strongest formula available. It is a conventional carbon cleaner that is applied to a patch or mop and allowed to soak while it dissolves the fouling left in the barrel.

Instructions for use:

With the breech open apply CARB-OUT into the barrel by means of a patch which has been wetted with the solution. Place the firearm down horizontally on the bench. Wait for 5 to 10 minutes. Put a clean cotton patch on a good jag and push through the bore. The use of a bore brush is not necessary, ever.

Simple and easy with no complication.

RUNNING-IN A BARREL – Using WIPE-OUT, PATCH-OUT & ACCELERATOR

Before we get to the actual procedure, let’s first start by discussing the particular nature of the inside of a barrel in a modern firearm. There are practically no set standards for barrel material (which may be carbon steel or stainless), nor are there very many standards in the methods of producing the rifling inside. With this in mind it is easy to understand why there are not many "givens" in the process of running-in a barrel. Most of the barrels produced fall into two classes. "Factory barrels" are those that come fitted to your major brand complete firearm. "Custom barrels" produced by independent custom manufacturers that offer a wider range of selection and generally a much higher degree of quality. The "Custom barrel" is usually installed by your favourite gunsmith or custom rifle maker.

The rifling process starts with through-drilling a blank of barrel steel. The straightness of this primary hole drilling is just as important as the following methods of rifling are. Barrel makers have a varied number of grooves in the rifling they can produce. This process is usually achieved by either one of three methods. The way most barrels were made for centuries was to "Cut" rifling in the barrel by the means of a Hook and Broach. Today most barrels produced by this method are called "Cut Rifle Barrels". The second method of producing rifling in a barrel is called "Button Rifled Barrels". A button made usually of a carbide steel alloy, is forced through the barrel to produce a "Button Rifle Barrel". Lastly is the "Hammer-forged barrel" which is produced by first through-drilling an oversize hole, placing a mandrel inside which has the rifling on its exterior. The barrel blank is then "hammered" with tremendous pressure in a 360 degree manner to shrink the barrel down around the mandrel. All of these processes are capable of producing barrels that can produce incredible accuracy.

Let’s get a couple of things straight in our thinking. You probably have heard about "rough" barrels, and very "smooth" barrels. We can tell you for a certainty that there are both "rough barrels "and "smooth barrels" that have great accuracy. The "rough barrel" will, however, generally allow fouling to build up quicker. You have to be aware of this fact when you are running-in your new barrel. You will be looking for factors that will help you determine which of the two groups this new barrel is going fit in. If it’s going to be in the "rough barrel" group you’re just going to have to clean more often. "Custom barrels" generally have been lapped to one degree or the other before they leave the factory. It’s a good idea to find out from the maker if this is part of their practice because lapping will start the running-in process. "Factory barrels" have no general rule either when it comes to lapping. You need to check this out in every instance. Lapping can smooth the barrel and help to minimize the build-up of fouling. Lapping by the way is achieved by using a mild abrasive on a patch and "working" on the rough spots, a process done exclusively by feel.

What comprises fouling? Well fouling in a barrel really could be considered anything that is deposited after a round has been fired. Fouling build-up is what causes a barrel to lose accuracy. Fouling is found in three major categories, and several minor ones. Lets look the “majors" first!

1)         Powder and primer fouling leave a gritty greyish black residue. Powder fouling generally has some degree of corrosive nature on any type of steel. Black powder fouling is highly corrosive and needs to be removed immediately. Shooting a black powder firearm can give you a much better understanding of what the negative nature of fouling is, because a black powder firearm will lose accuracy due to fouling after a very few shots ( 4 or 5 shots usually) Smokeless powder fouling is not as pronounces because it produces less residue than black powder. Clean burning powder is a good thing! There is still a lot of military ammunition around that uses highly corrosive primers and powder. This fouling like black powder needs to be cleaned and neutralized immediately. You also need to know what the fouling threshold is on any particular firearm. This is part of the education you receive in barrel running-in. By the way powder fouling is deposited over most of the inner barrel surface.

A particularly ugly sub-species of fouling is the residue of the deterrent coating on ball powder. This fouling is normally present in the area directly ahead of the throat. It is one of the most difficult forms of fouling to remove. It is powder fouling, but leaves a particularly nasty form of hard carbon fouling that is almost crystalline in nature.

2)         Carbon fouling is caused by the by products of burning powder. Carbon fouling can also be caused by the burning of any oil you left in the barrel. Carbon will always look brown on a patch, and it is distinctly different in colour from powder fouling. Carbon is usually deposited in the rear 20 percent of the barrel. You can see lots of carbon build-up in the “throat” area of the barrel. The throat is just forward of the chamber. A bore scope will also show you just what the flame temperature of the powder will do to the throat. You will see a lot of fissures and cracks in the steel, and these are generally filled with carbon. When the "throat" is gone or "shot out", so is the accuracy of the barrel. Carbon fouling is probably the most difficult to remove, because it has a great "cling" factor. Cool burning powders are a "good thing."

3)         Copper fouling in general has been one of the most over-looked areas of barrel fouling. Most of the old traditional "Powder Solvents" are just that. They get rid of most of the powder fouling, some of the carbon, and NONE of the copper fouling. I personally have seen many rifles that had as many as 6 or 7 distinct layers of fouling, just like a "Black Forest Gateau". There are many firearms, the dealers tell me; are traded in because the owner believes the rifle is "shot out." In most cases they are badly copper fouled, and are in need of a good cleaning. When the copper is removed these rifles return to their previous accuracy. Copper fouling is generally found in the last 20 percent of the barrel. The reason for this is that this portion of the barrel is where the bullet has achieved maximum velocity, and maximum friction. Believe it or not, most of the barrel heat is caused by bullet friction. Flame temperatures from burning powder can be felt in the chamber area. Bullet friction is felt at the end of the barrel. You should notice that the mid portion of the barrel is a bit cooler than either one of the previously mentioned. Rifle target shooters and varmint hunters for the most part have been long been aware of problems caused by copper fouling. If copper fouling is present it is easily visible to the naked eye. Look down the muzzle end of the rifle using a strong light. If it’s there, there will be pronounced copper streaks on the rifling. In the past the only way to remove copper has been with strong solutions containing lots of ammonia. The removal always required lots and lots of brushing. Along with that there have been lots of rifles that were not "shot out" they were "cleaned out." Just count the number of passes you take through a barrel using this stuff. Then multiply that number times the number of cleanings, and finally multiply that number times the age. The product is thousands of strokes through a barrel. There is NO way you can pass a cleaning rod through a barrel that many times and NOT compromise the quality of the barrel. Brushing is not a "good thing."

With all this in mind we now can turn to the task itself of running-in a new barrel. Generally we can say that most new barrels are "run-in" somewhere between 50 and 100 rounds. There are some factory barrels that will not settle down in to shooting good groups until 200 or so rounds had been fired. You should be able to see a marked improvement in grouping as the barrel "runs-in".

Firstly you need to make sure that your new barrel is dead clean. Apply Wipe-Out or Patch-Out and let it sit for 20 minutes. Patch out the barrel and re-apply WIPE-OUT or PATCH-OUT letting the second application sit for at least 10 minutes. This second application is a "Proof Test". It will show if the first application really got the barrel clean. Twenty minutes is long enough for the chemicals in WIPE-OUT to react if there is any fouling left in the barrel. Remember that copper will leave a blue patch. Powder fouling will leave a patch greyish black. Carbon will always leave a brown colour on the patch. If, after the second application of WIPE-OUT or PATCH-OUT there is still colour on the patch, you will need to re-apply and let it sit overnight. When you get a clean white patch, that means that the barrel is "dead clean".

THE ACTUAL RUNNING-IN PROCESS

We can now start the process. What we want is to let the barrel tell us how far we are in this process. I also recommend using a good coated one piece cleaning rod and a bore guide. Be sure to use a calibre specific jag and good 100% cotton patches.

What we are going to do is to always shoot for a group. It is group size that is a major factor in determining if your barrel is running-in. The groups should get progressively smaller as the barrel runs-in. You would have no idea of your progress if you were pinned to the old method of “one shot and clean”. Most good modern barrels will be run-in somewhere between 25 and 100 rounds.

Step # 1

With a clean barrel the first thing is to fire three shots, using ammunition that is known to be accurate. Remember that we are shooting for the best grouping possible. The concentration of shots into a small group will also tell us how far along the "running-in" process the barrel is. Then apply WIPE-OUT or PATCH-OUT and let the bore cleaner sit for approximately 20 minutes. Pay close attention to the colour left on the patches, because the colour will tell you what is going on in the barrel with regard to fouling.

Step#2 (No evidence of copper on the patch)

Apply the second application of WIPE-OUT or PATCH-OUT (this is the "proof test" application), and let it sit another 20 minutes. If you do not get any colour on the patch after this second application, you then know that the initial application really did clean the barrel. You may proceed shooting groups of three shots, cleaning after each group of three. It is suggested to normally fire around 10 groups of three shots and see if the groups are tightening. The barrel will tell you if it is copper fouling by the patch colour. If you are not getting blue on the patch, then increase to four shot groups, cleaning in between each fired group. If there is still no evidence of copper on the patch after a four shot group, then progress to five shot groups. The barrel will tell you if it is copper fouling by the evidence left on the patch.

Step #2A (Blue on the patch)

If there is evidence of copper on the patch after the second application, it will probably be best to drop down to shooting groups with 2 shots. Make sure that the barrel is clean, with no colour on the patches. Then begin shooting two shot groups. If the barrel is showing lots of copper (blue) on the patch with two shot groups, then it is time to use WIPE-OUT, PATCH-OUT and ACCELERATOR. This will speed the time it takes to remove the copper. Also it will speed up the time between firings. Repeat two shot groups cleaning between each group firing. When you get very little evidence of copper blue colour on the patch, it is time to go to three shot groups.

The barrel may still show evidence of copper after total 100 rounds has been fired in groups of two, three, four or five. That is not indicative of anything other than the fact that this barrel will copper foul easily and it will need to be cleaned more often.

Many custom barrels will show little or no copper during the "running-in" period. What is most important is that the barrel is clean between each group firing. As the barrel is running-in you will be able to realize a definite improvement in group size. Smaller for a change, is always better. The beauty using WIPE-OUT or PATCH-OUT in the running-in process is the fact that the barrel quality has not been compromised by endless amounts of brushing. Nor are you using a witch’s brew of 4 or 5 chemical products, each accompanied by more and more brushing.