Removing copper fouling

Huh12345 · May 24, 2017, 11:26 PM

Hi,

In the past month or so I have put about 1500 rounds through my ruger mark iv and after few small issues it has been working flawlessly with the exception of the screw on the takedown bar coming a bit loose on it's own, which isn't a huge deal. While cleaning it after putting a ton of copper plated ammo including CCI mini mags and even 50 rounds of CCI copper 22 I believe the barrel is starting to get mucked up with copper. While cleaning it most recently the barrel seemed reluctant to get clean. Every time I put a wet patch through it, the barrel visably became more dirty and dripped out this weird greenish/blue fluid. After about 60 or so patches I became fed up and ran several dry patches through it and called it a night.!Is copper fouling this quickly normal and how urgent is it to remove it? As well how do I remove it most effectively? (I assume it is copper fouling) Is it best to use non plated ammo in a 22 to avoid this fouling?

Thanks so much.

Bill DeShivs · May 24, 2017, 11:40 PM

Are you using a copper bore brush?
Copper fouling is not usually an issue with .22s.

**JohnKSa** · May 25, 2017, 12:03 AM

If you use the copper plated/washed rounds then you can get copper fouling in a .22LR.

I used to shoot this exclusively in a .22LR pistol I owned years ago. I sold that pistol and before I bought another, the particular copper "plated" loading I had been purchasing was discontinued.

I started shooting plain lead ammo and found that the gun not only didn't copper foul with the plain lead rounds, it didn't foul much at all and I didn't need to clean it nearly as much as I had cleaned my old .22LR pistol.

The only negative I noted was that the copper "plated" loading I had been using seemed to feed a little better than the plain lead rounds.

Bill DeShivs · May 25, 2017, 01:18 AM

I didn't say it was impossible-just not the norm.
If he is using bore cleaner and a copper brush, he will get copper sulphate out of the bore until his brush is eaten away.

Try a wad of 0000 steel wool shoved down the bore a couple of times. Then a few clean patches. It won't hurt the bore and should remove any copper.

AzShooter · May 25, 2017, 02:08 AM

I use MPro-7 on my brush and patches. When I have a stubborn fouling I run a wet patch and let the liquid sit for at least an hour. I will get all the fouling out after that.

There are other good cleaning agents as well. Some need you to heat the barrel. Most will give you a good cleaning after that sit for a while. Use the MPro-7 foaming bore cleaner for more stubborn fouling.

rebs · May 25, 2017, 06:12 AM

I use Gunslick foaming bore cleaner and find it works great. Fill the bore with the foam, let sit about 15 to 20 minutes and run a nylon brush through it several time, then patches til they come out clean.

Huh12345 · May 25, 2017, 07:42 AM

It's a stainless steel gun so I'm not sure steel wool is a very good option

rickyrick · May 25, 2017, 09:18 AM

I use janitorial grade ammonia, found in hardware stores.

Bill DeShivs · May 25, 2017, 02:27 PM

Steel wool won't hurt your stainless barrel. Just a couple of passes should do it.

Hal · May 26, 2017, 03:40 AM

Quote:

I use janitorial grade ammonia, found in hardware stores.

Yeah - ammonia is the ingredient on all those bore cleaners that cuts the copper,so, might as well just go right to the source....

Personally, I avoid anything with ammonia since I have a bunch of nickle plated guns.
I switched over to using Ballistol for everything.

As far as putting steel anything in the barrel/bore...um....no thanks.
I'll pass on that one.
I don't even use those nylon brushes with the wire handles.

Bill's always shown himself to be a stand up guy, so, I doubt he'd give any harmful advice,,,but,,,,I just don't think it's for me.

SIGSHR · May 26, 2017, 02:30 PM

I have always found chemistry works better that elbow grease. A cork or stopper in the muzzle, another in the chamber, let it soak.

Bob Wright · May 26, 2017, 08:30 PM

Quote:

As far as putting steel anything in the barrel/bore...um....no thanks.
I'll pass on that one.
I don't even use those nylon brushes with the wire handles.

Not to be argumentative, but I've used those Pro-Shot stainless steel bore brushes for over thirty years in my guns.

Bob Wright

Hal · May 27, 2017, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Not to be argumentative, but I've used those Pro-Shot stainless steel bore brushes for over thirty years in my guns.

I'll say the same for you as I said for Bill.
Bob's also shown himself to be a stand up guy,,,but,,,steel in the bore?

No thanks, not for me.

JoeSixpack · May 27, 2017, 12:12 PM

Im probably in the minority here but I don't worry about copper fouling.
It does not seem like it really builds up to be a problem.. I don't shoot long range so I can imagine it might have some effect on those that do.

I don't even usually use brushes anymore.. I just run some eezox soaked patches down the barrel unless there is some sort of lead fouling.. but since I usually am shooting FMJ and not lead thats not really an issue.

T. O'Heir · May 27, 2017, 12:49 PM

"...weird greenish/blue fluid..." Copper mixed with solvent. No big deal.
Like SIGSHR says, chemistry is your friend. Plug the muzzle, fill the barrel with regular solvent and leave it for a few hours. Then clean as per normal.
.22's usually do not need or get cleaned as often as a cf does. Once a year is normal.

May 24, 2017, 11:26 PM	#1
Huh12345 Member Join Date: October 7, 2016 Posts: 55	Removing copper fouling Hi, In the past month or so I have put about 1500 rounds through my ruger mark iv and after few small issues it has been working flawlessly with the exception of the screw on the takedown bar coming a bit loose on it's own, which isn't a huge deal. While cleaning it after putting a ton of copper plated ammo including CCI mini mags and even 50 rounds of CCI copper 22 I believe the barrel is starting to get mucked up with copper. While cleaning it most recently the barrel seemed reluctant to get clean. Every time I put a wet patch through it, the barrel visably became more dirty and dripped out this weird greenish/blue fluid. After about 60 or so patches I became fed up and ran several dry patches through it and called it a night.!Is copper fouling this quickly normal and how urgent is it to remove it? As well how do I remove it most effectively? (I assume it is copper fouling) Is it best to use non plated ammo in a 22 to avoid this fouling? Thanks so much.

May 24, 2017, 11:40 PM	#2
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,987	Are you using a copper bore brush? Copper fouling is not usually an issue with .22s. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

May 25, 2017, 12:03 AM	#3
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,994	If you use the copper plated/washed rounds then you can get copper fouling in a .22LR. I used to shoot this exclusively in a .22LR pistol I owned years ago. I sold that pistol and before I bought another, the particular copper "plated" loading I had been purchasing was discontinued. I started shooting plain lead ammo and found that the gun not only didn't copper foul with the plain lead rounds, it didn't foul much at all and I didn't need to clean it nearly as much as I had cleaned my old .22LR pistol. The only negative I noted was that the copper "plated" loading I had been using seemed to feed a little better than the plain lead rounds. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

May 25, 2017, 01:18 AM	#4
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,987	I didn't say it was impossible-just not the norm. If he is using bore cleaner and a copper brush, he will get copper sulphate out of the bore until his brush is eaten away. Try a wad of 0000 steel wool shoved down the bore a couple of times. Then a few clean patches. It won't hurt the bore and should remove any copper. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

May 25, 2017, 02:27 PM	#9
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,987	Steel wool won't hurt your stainless barrel. Just a couple of passes should do it. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

May 25, 2017, 02:08 AM	#5
AzShooter Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2006 Location: Surprise, Az. Posts: 766	I use MPro-7 on my brush and patches. When I have a stubborn fouling I run a wet patch and let the liquid sit for at least an hour. I will get all the fouling out after that. There are other good cleaning agents as well. Some need you to heat the barrel. Most will give you a good cleaning after that sit for a while. Use the MPro-7 foaming bore cleaner for more stubborn fouling.

May 25, 2017, 06:12 AM	#6
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	I use Gunslick foaming bore cleaner and find it works great. Fill the bore with the foam, let sit about 15 to 20 minutes and run a nylon brush through it several time, then patches til they come out clean.

May 25, 2017, 07:42 AM	#7
Huh12345 Member Join Date: October 7, 2016 Posts: 55	It's a stainless steel gun so I'm not sure steel wool is a very good option

May 25, 2017, 09:18 AM	#8
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,238	I use janitorial grade ammonia, found in hardware stores.

May 26, 2017, 02:30 PM	#11
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	I have always found chemistry works better that elbow grease. A cork or stopper in the muzzle, another in the chamber, let it soak.

May 27, 2017, 12:12 PM	#14
JoeSixpack Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2017 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,048	Im probably in the minority here but I don't worry about copper fouling. It does not seem like it really builds up to be a problem.. I don't shoot long range so I can imagine it might have some effect on those that do. I don't even usually use brushes anymore.. I just run some eezox soaked patches down the barrel unless there is some sort of lead fouling.. but since I usually am shooting FMJ and not lead thats not really an issue.

May 27, 2017, 12:49 PM	#15
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...weird greenish/blue fluid..." Copper mixed with solvent. No big deal. Like SIGSHR says, chemistry is your friend. Plug the muzzle, fill the barrel with regular solvent and leave it for a few hours. Then clean as per normal. .22's usually do not need or get cleaned as often as a cf does. Once a year is normal. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!