Cleaning Fluids ???

Double barrel, side by side, over-under, semi-automatic, straight-pull and lever action shotguns.

Cleaning Fluids ???

Post by Die Judicii » 12 Jul 2018, 10:21 am

Hi all,
I don't do much in the way of shotties, and am wondering what cleaning fluid/s are mostly used or recommended.

In my cleaning drawer I have, Sweets 7.62, Hoppes No 9, and (KG-12 which I've never used)

It would seem they all have draw backs.

1) KG-12 eats bronze, but is apparently good for removing copper. (not a problem in shotties)
2) Hoppes No 9 isn't apparently very friendly to Nickel plating, but does say it's good for lead fouling.
3) Sweets 7.62 is ammonia based but good for copper fouling, but again not problem in shotties.

I use sweets in all my center fires, but not much point in using it in the shottie.

What does the simple "clean/remove lead" without side effects for shotguns ??
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Re: Cleaning Fluids ???

Post by RoginaJack » 12 Jul 2018, 11:00 am

I use Butch's Bore Shine, copper, lead etc., with a copper wire brush etc

I don't think that lead is a big a problem as it use to be back in the days where paper or felt wads were used in shells for Shotties.

PS: should be bronze wire brush... I think)
Last edited by RoginaJack on 12 Jul 2018, 3:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Cleaning Fluids ???

Post by No1Mk3 » 12 Jul 2018, 2:48 pm

I use Ed's Red in my hammerguns, works well. Leading shouldn't be an issue if you have chrome bores, but even steel will clean up with a bronze brush and a good oil. Use the Hoppes, smells better than Sweets and will do the job. The main reason I use Ed's is the price, Cheers.
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Re: Cleaning Fluids ???

Post by No1_49er » 12 Jul 2018, 3:46 pm

I use Robla Solo-MIL, a Ballistol product. Wouldn't use anything else now. But, you really ought to use aluminium or s/steel jags else you'll get false copper/brass/bronze indication.
Only problem; comes in 100ml bottles. 1 litre would be the way to go.
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Re: Cleaning Fluids ???

Post by pomemax » 12 Jul 2018, 11:08 pm

make up some eds red look it up on youtube
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Re: Cleaning Fluids ???

Post by Mitch » 13 Jul 2018, 5:42 am

G96 is good for me
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Re: Cleaning Fluids ???

Post by straightshooter » 13 Jul 2018, 8:52 am

Die Judicii
For a shotgun you just need something like Carb/Throttle body cleaner or Acetone to soften any plastic wad fouling and act as a surfactant for powder fouling dislodged by a bronze brush.
For any cleaner to be effective on copper it must contain an ammonium compound or something similar that will attack the copper but not steel.
Now ed's red is just a mixture of oil and hydrocarbons and does nothing to copper but it no doubt acts as a useful surfactant for powder fouling dislodged by a brush. Although fine for use in a shotgun the trap with it's prolonged use in rifles is that a bore might look clean and shiny after it's use but over years there will be unseen electrolytic action between the fouling metal that it can't remove and barrel steel. This only becomes apparent when the metallic fouling is finally removed by an effective cleaner. What you will see is an etched area if you are lucky and pitting if you are unlucky. The user's reaction then is to blame the cleaner that they have just used to remove the metallic fouling and not the lack of removal over the years.
I would be very wary of using KG-12 as it contains cyanide.
The very best cleaner I have used was Hillver 'Bisley Bore Cleaner' but only the version made when the brand name was owned by Tetra Pharmaceuticals.
Unfortunately I used up my last drop 7-8 years ago and am now working my way through other brands a bottle at a time although I always have some sweet's on hand.
A note on Sweets.
It was developed many years ago for cleaning 303's using Mk7 ammunition where it was an ideal cleaner. The cordite used was very clean burning so powder fouling was never a problem and it worked rapidly and effectively on any copper fouling present. It didn't work on nickel fouling from older marks of 303.
Modern powders have different fouling characteristics, some worse than others, and need bronze brushing and aggressive hydrocarbons to aid their removal.
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Re: Cleaning Fluids ???

Post by Die Judicii » 14 Jul 2018, 12:11 am

Thanks heaps fellas,,,,,,, I will take all that info on board over the next day or so.
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