What is this stuff on my patch?

Bernie Lomax · May 8, 2016, 03:03 PM

Maroon spots. Was cleaning my rifle today after leaving it to sit around dirty for about a month and one patch came out with these weird maroon-colored spots. I don't know if it's dislodged copper fouling or rust. I doubt it's rust because I only shoot non-corrosive ammo, have a chrome lined bore, and live in a very dry climate. On the other hand, I don't think it's copper fouling either because it looks like no other copper fouling I've ever seen. (copper fouling that's been dissolved by solvent comes out blue and copper fouling that's dislodged by a jag and patch presumably comes out copper-colored, which isn't maroon.)

Suggestions?

ETA: it was only one patch that came out like that and it came out near the end of the cleaning after many passes had been made. This is what leads me to believe it's some kind of fouling and not rust, because one would think that rust is fairly easy to dislodge, unlike copper fouling. If there were rust in the bore, one would think it would start showing up on the patches right away..

9x45 · May 9, 2016, 11:07 AM

Was there supposed to be a pic?

FrankenMauser · May 9, 2016, 11:42 AM

Is it the finish flaking off of a coated cleaning rod?

Bernie Lomax · May 9, 2016, 02:09 PM

Was there supposed to be a pic?

No, don't have a camera phone.

In any case, this has been figured out on a parallel thread over on THR. It's probably bullet sealant. (I was shooting a lot of cheap, steel cased Russian ammo.)

May 8, 2016, 03:03 PM	#1
Bernie Lomax Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2010 Posts: 178	What is this stuff on my patch? Maroon spots. Was cleaning my rifle today after leaving it to sit around dirty for about a month and one patch came out with these weird maroon-colored spots. I don't know if it's dislodged copper fouling or rust. I doubt it's rust because I only shoot non-corrosive ammo, have a chrome lined bore, and live in a very dry climate. On the other hand, I don't think it's copper fouling either because it looks like no other copper fouling I've ever seen. (copper fouling that's been dissolved by solvent comes out blue and copper fouling that's dislodged by a jag and patch presumably comes out copper-colored, which isn't maroon.) Suggestions? ETA: it was only one patch that came out like that and it came out near the end of the cleaning after many passes had been made. This is what leads me to believe it's some kind of fouling and not rust, because one would think that rust is fairly easy to dislodge, unlike copper fouling. If there were rust in the bore, one would think it would start showing up on the patches right away.. __________________ "People in Arizona carry guns. You better be careful about who you are picking on."--Detective David Ramer, Chandler police spokesman

May 9, 2016, 11:07 AM	#2
9x45 Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2000 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,089	Was there supposed to be a pic? __________________ Sometimes my Glock forgets where to look.....

May 9, 2016, 11:42 AM	#3
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	Is it the finish flaking off of a coated cleaning rod? __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

May 9, 2016, 02:09 PM	#4
Bernie Lomax Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2010 Posts: 178	Was there supposed to be a pic? No, don't have a camera phone. In any case, this has been figured out on a parallel thread over on THR. It's probably bullet sealant. (I was shooting a lot of cheap, steel cased Russian ammo.) __________________ "People in Arizona carry guns. You better be careful about who you are picking on."--Detective David Ramer, Chandler police spokesman