Different lead remover and copper solvent strengths

[melanie]

From some recent conversations here people are saying they had solvent 1 and it looks to be good, then you put solvent brand 2 through and really cleaned it like the first wouldn't because it's a stronger solvent.

I don't know what the answer is but if you're making and selling this stuff it couldn't be hard to work out with your chemical company what the strongest solvent is for best results.

I guess I'm wondering why they do the half-strength stuff?

[Jack V]

There is no actual strength designations . Basically ammonia based solvents are the strongest . Something like sweets 7.62 is seen as stronger than say Hoppe's 9 .
A lot depends on how hard the barrel is to clean and how much you shoot before cleaning as to how much fouling will be present .
Some smooth barrels may only need a gentle solvent and other rough pigs will need Sweets . Clean more often and you can get away with less solvent action .

[BRNOmod2]

I remember few years ago seeing a comparison test where they used weighed projectiles soaking in different bore solvents then weighed them after to see how much copper had been dissolved off the projectiles - from memory it was a US thing, so some of the brands were ones we might not have seen here in OZ - but cant remember which one worked best/dissolved most copper. I myself use Butches Bore Shine as my standard cleaner in my target rifle,(Border stainless barrel) and about every 4th/5th clean I hit it with Sweets.

[bluerob]

The 2 lead remover brand cloths that are available blew my mind. I won't mention the bottled branded stuff, but, it was useless in removing crud,

The bottled stuff says, lead remover, yet, after numerous wet patches, then a dry patch, put the lead remover patch through and it looks as though the patch has spent the day, 4 yards up your back passage (after drinking rum and eating roo jerky).

[sha]

I think guys go for a gentler option to try and not be so harsh on the barrel.

Not sure how much stock I put in that though, I don't know that copper and lead solvent have any issues with steel so why would it matter?

[tiki]

Got told boretech stuff was good.

Bought some... works good... never worried about it again