What solvent ???

[Die Judicii]

I have a ? brass/bronze bristle 30 cal brush and, it has "blue" copper crystal/powder showing over most of it.
Residue from Sweets 7.62

I try to wash it after every use with boiling water,,, but soons it dries ,,,,,, its back again.
I've tried soaking and rinsing it in Metho,,,,,,, but that doesn't work either.

Any suggestions how to clean it properly ?
I'm not a chemist

[disco stu]

You wash it after using with copper solvent, is that what you mean?

A weak acid will likely remove like vinegar. Just leave it in for a few minutes so you aren't eating away the brass.

[Die Judicii]

You wash it after using with copper solvent, is that what you mean?

A weak acid will likely remove like vinegar. Just leave it in for a few minutes so you aren't eating away the brass.

Thanks Mate, I'll give that a try.
I thought there should be a simple answer, but had no idea myself.

[disco stu]

I say that all from chemistry perspective. Your WAY more experienced than I am with cleaning rifles

[straightshooter]

Not a good idea to use a bronze brush with Sweets Solvent especially if it is bronze bristles with an iron core.
That is true to a lesser or greater extent with solvents whose main active ingredient is Ammonium Hydroxide.
The best results with Sweets can be had by using a Nylon brush and repeated agitation, ie; many strokes backwards and forwards with a well wetted Nylon brush.
If you use a patch instead of a brush the results aren't quite as good if there is any more than very light fouling.
So it seems from my experience.

[Oldbloke]

Yeh, I also use a nylon brush with Sweets.

[mchughcb]

I have a ? brass/bronze bristle 30 cal brush and, it has "blue" copper crystal/powder showing over most of it.
Residue from Sweets 7.62

I try to wash it after every use with boiling water,,, but soons it dries ,,,,,, its back again.
I've tried soaking and rinsing it in Metho,,,,,,, but that doesn't work either.

Any suggestions how to clean it properly ?
I'm not a chemist

Hot water and it clean. The reaction of the ammonia on the copper/brass is always going to happen. It won't affect the mechanical process of cleaning the barrel but obviously will consume some of the chemical required to dissolve the copper in the barrel.

If it annoys you I'd recommend getting a stiff nylon brush with an aluminium base. Stopped using Sweets and moved to KG12. Its less offensive on they eyes and chest and a far better copper cleaner.

[Die Judicii]

Not a good idea to use a bronze brush with Sweets Solvent especially if it is bronze bristles with an iron core.
That is true to a lesser or greater extent with solvents whose main active ingredient is Ammonium Hydroxide.
The best results with Sweets can be had by using a Nylon brush and repeated agitation, ie; many strokes backwards and forwards with a well wetted Nylon brush.
If you use a patch instead of a brush the results aren't quite as good if there is any more than very light fouling.
So it seems from my experience.

Yeah thanks Mate ,,,,, for some reason I never even thought about getting a nylon bristled one.

But,,,, taking you at your word,,, "many strokes backwards and forwards" eh ?
I'll have to make sure I don't clean my rifles at night time when I might cast a shadow through the curtains.

[Die Judicii]

Stopped using Sweets and moved to KG12. Its less offensive on they eyes and chest and a far better copper cleaner.

That eats certain stuff too doesn't it ?
I seem to remember reading some situation where it's not advisable.

[bigrich]

Yeh, I also use a nylon brush with Sweets.

same here

i still use some bronze brushes , i just give them a swirl on the end of a short brass cleaning rod in a bottle of metho . the metho goes a nice blue colour after a while and the bronze brushes stay clean . it's interesting to see how much blue powder has built up in that jar after a few years

better that than in my barrel

[mchughcb]

Stopped using Sweets and moved to KG12. Its less offensive on they eyes and chest and a far better copper cleaner.

That eats certain stuff too doesn't it ?
I seem to remember reading some situation where it's not advisable.

I haven't had any problems but I'm pretty careful with what I use. I also used to avoid dropping sweets anywhere except in the barrel.

[straightshooter]

.......
But,,,, taking you at your word,,, "many strokes backwards and forwards" eh ?
I'll have to make sure I don't clean my rifles at night time when I might cast a shadow through the curtains.

What an observer lurking outside your window thinks they are seeing is entirely their own business.

[mchughcb]

Stopped using Sweets and moved to KG12. Its less offensive on they eyes and chest and a far better copper cleaner.

That eats certain stuff too doesn't it ?
I seem to remember reading some situation where it's not advisable.

I cleaned a few 30 cals this weekend. KG1, followed by a nylon brush and KG12. Then finally with some JB borepaste. I've got a hawkeye borescope and the carbon and copper was out and the barrel was back to clean steely metal finish. I have used sweets for many decades but its not even close to KG12.

[Die Judicii]

McHughCB,,,,,,,,,,,,
Thanks for that, next time I'm needing cleaning stuff I'll give it a go.

[disco stu]

Did you end up getting the brush clean?

[Die Judicii]

Did you end up getting the brush clean?

Sort of,,, I soaked it in Metho again,, and this time I can only see faint traces of blue in the spiral.
But before I try the vinegar I might try an old worn out bronze bristle brush,,, in case it does eat it.
Cheers,

[Oldbloke]

Did you end up getting the brush clean?

Sort of,,, I soaked it in Metho again,, and this time I can only see faint traces of blue in the spiral.
But before I try the vinegar I might try an old worn out bronze bristle brush,,, in case it does eat it.
Cheers,

it will ne no different to putting a penny in vinegar for a few hours.

I have just used hot soapy water. But that was while it was "fresh". Nylon brushes now.

[LawrenceA]

Don't use a bronze brush with sweets. Not needed.
Sweets is big on copper but not so much on powder.
Use whatever to get rid of the powder with your brush if you want.
Just use a patch for the sweets then dry patch then oil.
Personally rarely use a brush anymore.

[mchughcb]

Don't use a bronze brush with sweets. Not needed.
Sweets is big on copper but not so much on powder.
Use whatever to get rid of the powder with your brush if you want.
Just use a patch for the sweets then dry patch then oil.
Personally rarely use a brush anymore.

I used to do that when I was shooting fullbore. However since then I have spent many hours with a professional gunsmith who used to use sweets before he changed to KG12. The secret with sweets is to work it with the nylon brush until it starts aerating. You will see what I mean when it works up to a lather, that's when the copper is getting dissolved. This guy would check every barrel before he started with a hawkeye borescope and would let me look and I'd watch him turn a black, then copper the clean steel barrel through each part of the process.

[LawrenceA]

Don't use a bronze brush with sweets. Not needed.
Sweets is big on copper but not so much on powder.
Use whatever to get rid of the powder with your brush if you want.
Just use a patch for the sweets then dry patch then oil.
Personally rarely use a brush anymore.

I used to do that when I was shooting fullbore. However since then I have spent many hours with a professional gunsmith who used to use sweets before he changed to KG12. The secret with sweets is to work it with the nylon brush until it starts aerating. You will see what I mean when it works up to a lather, that's when the copper is getting dissolved. This guy would check every barrel before he started with a hawkeye borescope and would let me look and I'd watch him turn a black, then copper the clean steel barrel through each part of the process.

Yeah that could work better. It does work to a lather with a brush.
Dunno.

I do know that I only get a really blue patch from my 7mm mag and then only 1.
After that no real copper at all.
Also dont leave sweets sit too long. A few minutes is really enough

[mchughcb]

McHughCB,,,,,,,,,,,,
Thanks for that, next time I'm needing cleaning stuff I'll give it a go.

I made this real time video a while ago to show if you put enough, even without using a brush it would dissolve the copper before your eyes. Sometimes I just make a coffee, come back and its all done, no scrubbing required, although if you use a bit less with tough nylon brush it will scratch the top of the copper, expose more fresh copper and work faster if you can be bothered scrubing.

https://youtu.be/soFJxb4zJ78