Outers Foul Out 3 Bore Cleaning System?

[Sgt. Mike]

I am considering the purchase of the Outers Foul Out 3 Bore Cleaning System. This unit would be used to clean everything from handguns to semi-auto rifles. Has anyone had experience with this unit? All opinions appreciated.

I am religious about cleaning my guns with a brush if the gun is fired. I don't know if this is enough cleaning our the Outers Foul Out 3 would help. I also shoot moly coated bullets. I have used RGS as the final test and the patch comes back clean. Any help on cleaning would be appreciated. Thank you in advance. Sgt. Mike

[ssilicon]

Should be a good product. Maybe it gets it cleaner than you need though?

[Unclenick]

Mike,

I own one, but usually only use it on the most extreme metal fouling build-up in old rough barreled military guns and the like. It takes a number of hours to work. You can't use it in a gas gun without plugging the gas port. You also have to know that a gun with any rust in the bore will contaminate the electrolyte in a way that allows it to etch the steel instead of just removing metal fouling, so you have to check the color of the liquid to be sure that isn't happening.

The patent ran out on this device last year, and you don't see anyone jumping in with another version. I think the reason is that the cleaning chemicals are getting so much more sophisticated, and they are less bother to use. The Wipe Out brand has been very successful, and they have a separate special lead remover now. BoreTech Elimenator is another. KG-12, sold by Jim Owens (jarheadtop.com) is probably the most dramatically effective copper remover. All these are water-base and non-rusting.

Merrill Martin reported some years ago being able to make out bronze brush marks in bores with a bore scope, and recommended finding ways to work without a brush. He would put a one-size too small brush on his cleaning rod and wrap a couple of patches around it and use it with what is now called Remington 40X cleaner. But none of the water-based chelating chemistries for removing metal fouling were available when he wrote that.

I shoot moly too. I found my AR barrel tends to get a build-up if carbon and moly mix at the corner where the neck portion of the chamber ends and the freebore begins. I was unable to remove it by Martin's method or with a chamber brush. Too hard. I bought a bottle of Gunzilla at Camp Perry in 2006 and started using it. One patch loose on an eyelet jag and an overnight soak. Two more patches the next day and the borescope showed every trace was gone. Gunzilla is vegetable oil based and is designed to break down bonds in carbon and other non-metallic fouling. It was designed for armorers who clean lots of guns and whose skin is damaged by the chemicals. This stuff is easy on the hands. It seems to turn hard-caked carbon into soft sludge that wipes away, even when moly is in it. It leaves a lubricating film behind when it dries.

Anyway, I think you'll find the cleaning products I mentioned are fast, except the overnight in Gunzilla. But if you're willing to set up and wait for the Foul Out to finish (2 to 4 hours, plus checking the rod for build-up to clear it of short circuiting metal deposits), then just letting the gun rest overnight isn't a big deal. But if you insist, check my do-it-yourself design at Father Frog's, here. Use it with neoprene stoppers, a stainless weld rod electrode and O-rings to center the rod and buy just the solutions from Outers. There is also a recipe for the original Outers solutions on the page.

[10 Spot Terminator]

I havent used the #3 system but have used the #2 product and would have to say it was great for what it is intended for but I am sure evey day cleaning wasnt what they had in mind especially if you are using moly. I bought mine to use on used rifles for their initial clean up as I on more than one occasion bought a nice used firearm for the right price because some one said they wouldnt shoot for spit only to find they never cleaned the bores . Trust me on this , you can wear a handful of brushes out on some of these guns and still not have them totally clean. The outers system takes care of this nicely in one or two sessions of letting them set overnight soaking in their solution with the majic wand down the barrel while you are spending time doing other things. Most guns need only one treatment if they were only slightly abused. Having some guns I use moly in my cleaning regime is as follows. Clean the barrel down to bare bones before you ever start to use moly. treat the bore with moly bore prep as per the instructions and do not rush the drying time. Using moly coated bullets fire a string of 10 rounds through the gun and then run a patch of mild cleaner such as Hoppes #9 through the bore, wait for 5 minutes and run dry patches until clean. repeat this proceedure 2 or 3 more times over a period of time ( doesnt need to be one day ) and save the patches keeping them seperated and labled 1st, 2nd, and so on so as to be able to inspect them several hours later. If there was copper fouling present the once black patches will get a turquoise tint to them. When no more green shows up your barrel has been thoroughly treated with moly and you can quit using copper solvents and go to a less frequent cleaning regime of say 20 rounds and use just powder solvents and periodically a nylon brushing to keep it clean. Your only concern now is not to get too much moly buildup in the bore. I personally after the barrel has had say 200 rounds fired through it and repeated minor cleanings drop back to a wet swabbing of the bore with rubbing alcohol and a nylon brush and dry patches to finish only and after 30 or so shots fired. If at that point I am done shooting I will run a patch wetted with a very small amount of tri flow lubricant several times before storing the gun. I do this because moly when it gets exsposed to moisture will gather rust. Tri flow has a teflon make up to it and does not tend to get tacky when allowed to set around for long periods of time and has not as of yet softened any of the moly coating in any of my barrels. Its my own techniche not derived from any gun guru articles but I will say I have not had any of the build up concerns in my barrels sometimes refferenced from prolonged use of moly coated bullets but then again I coat my own bullets and it does not rub off on my fingers either like commercially coated bullets I have seen. Take your time, do it right, shoot straight, keep the larder full, have fun doing it .
10 Spot