Made this cleaning stand today

LukeA · March 27, 2010, 02:45 PM

Copper's been building up in the bore of my 700. I use ammonia to dissolve the copper, so I can't do it inside because of the strong smell. After the first few hours, holding the barreled action by hand can become quite tiring, so today I took a few minutes to whip up a little stand that hangs over my basement door's block wall.

I just used some scrap 12mm plywood, a piece of maple, and a piece of clear pine, and I didn't really worry about squareness. It's just held together with screws right now. I will probably go back and glue the boards together as well. I drilled the holes such that the scope mounts don't take any of the rifle's weight.

SIGSHR · March 27, 2010, 03:12 PM

Very interesting. Do you use a plug in the barrel to fill it completely and let chemistry do the hard work?

LukeA · March 27, 2010, 03:40 PM

Yep. It's not really clear in the picture, but that plastic bag at the muzzle is rubber banded around the barrel to plug it. I just checked and it's leaking, but very slowly. At the rate it's going, it will take 6 or 7 hours for the chamber to empty, and it doesn't matter if there's any ammonia in there.

twhidd · March 28, 2010, 07:37 PM

Necessity is the mother of invention.

fhwiggins · March 31, 2010, 10:07 AM

How do you know when this needs to be done?

Edward429451 · March 31, 2010, 10:47 AM

(the voices tell you)

That's pretty nice. You didn't mention caliber but somehow I am thinkink it is a 22 bore in which case I found that the plugs for Bic pin tops fit well in 22 bores to seal it off

kenno · March 31, 2010, 02:07 PM

You can get silicone rubber plugs through Brownells.

HiBC · March 31, 2010, 02:26 PM

Maybe what you are doing is just fine,and maybe I do not have it right,but my understanding is:
Ammonia type bore cleaning solvents,(Sweets,etc) say on the instructions do not leave it in the bore more than 15 minutes or the steel may be etched.
I cannot give you science or tests,but "lore" says soaking for long periods of time with ammonia may damage your bore.

LukeA · March 31, 2010, 09:45 PM

fhwiggins: It's pretty simple: the groups started getting bigger. I don't have a 'before' picture, but copper streaks were visible both in the grooves and on the lands when looking at the rifling at the muzzle.

HiBC: Before I did this, I polished a drill bit shank I had (high-carbon steel, similar to the barrel) and I put it in a cup full of ammonia, put the cup in a plastic bag and left it overnight. There was no evidence of etching or any effect on the steel whatsoever. It might be the other chemicals in those solutions that cause problems.

HiBC · April 5, 2010, 03:38 AM

No disrespect intended,OP,but I asked the question "Is ammonia a good thing to use in bores over in the Smithy department..I am not about an arguement,its just good to discuss the other side before some bores get harmed.It is still a nice fixture!!

March 27, 2010, 02:45 PM	#1
LukeA Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2009 Posts: 542	Made this cleaning stand today Copper's been building up in the bore of my 700. I use ammonia to dissolve the copper, so I can't do it inside because of the strong smell. After the first few hours, holding the barreled action by hand can become quite tiring, so today I took a few minutes to whip up a little stand that hangs over my basement door's block wall. I just used some scrap 12mm plywood, a piece of maple, and a piece of clear pine, and I didn't really worry about squareness. It's just held together with screws right now. I will probably go back and glue the boards together as well. I drilled the holes such that the scope mounts don't take any of the rifle's weight.

March 28, 2010, 07:37 PM	#4
twhidd Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2005 Location: Athens, Georgia Posts: 757	Necessity is the mother of invention. __________________ Todd NRA Life Member

March 31, 2010, 10:07 AM	#5
fhwiggins Member Join Date: July 14, 2009 Posts: 35	How do you know when this needs to be done? __________________ "Law abiding citizen" is not a synonym for "Sheep to the slaughter." CCW!

March 31, 2010, 10:47 AM	#6
Edward429451 Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,457	(the voices tell you) That's pretty nice. You didn't mention caliber but somehow I am thinkink it is a 22 bore in which case I found that the plugs for Bic pin tops fit well in 22 bores to seal it off __________________ "Always place your clothes and weapons where you can find them in the dark" Lazarus Long "Understand that the enemy is not the enemy in his own eyes ;this may offer you an opportunity to make him your friend. If not, you can kill him without hate, and quickly." Lazarus Long

March 27, 2010, 03:12 PM	#2
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 2,585	Very interesting. Do you use a plug in the barrel to fill it completely and let chemistry do the hard work?

March 27, 2010, 03:40 PM	#3
LukeA Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2009 Posts: 542	Yep. It's not really clear in the picture, but that plastic bag at the muzzle is rubber banded around the barrel to plug it. I just checked and it's leaking, but very slowly. At the rate it's going, it will take 6 or 7 hours for the chamber to empty, and it doesn't matter if there's any ammonia in there.

March 31, 2010, 02:07 PM	#7
kenno Junior member Join Date: November 3, 2008 Posts: 180	You can get silicone rubber plugs through Brownells.

March 31, 2010, 02:26 PM	#8
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 3,031	Maybe what you are doing is just fine,and maybe I do not have it right,but my understanding is: Ammonia type bore cleaning solvents,(Sweets,etc) say on the instructions do not leave it in the bore more than 15 minutes or the steel may be etched. I cannot give you science or tests,but "lore" says soaking for long periods of time with ammonia may damage your bore.

March 31, 2010, 09:45 PM	#9
LukeA Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2009 Posts: 542	fhwiggins: It's pretty simple: the groups started getting bigger. I don't have a 'before' picture, but copper streaks were visible both in the grooves and on the lands when looking at the rifling at the muzzle. HiBC: Before I did this, I polished a drill bit shank I had (high-carbon steel, similar to the barrel) and I put it in a cup full of ammonia, put the cup in a plastic bag and left it overnight. There was no evidence of etching or any effect on the steel whatsoever. It might be the other chemicals in those solutions that cause problems.

April 5, 2010, 03:38 AM	#10
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 3,031	No disrespect intended,OP,but I asked the question "Is ammonia a good thing to use in bores over in the Smithy department..I am not about an arguement,its just good to discuss the other side before some bores get harmed.It is still a nice fixture!!