I've been using hoppes #9 on my bore along with a boresnake, but I overheard you should also run a copper cleaner through ever 1,000 rounds or so? Hoppes #9 doesnt clean copper out, but they have a new product called "Semi-Auto Solvent" that is supposed to do it all, powder and copper, etc. I also came across Kleenbore "Copper Cutter" as well. Is that a good product? Natchez is backordered on Hoppes copper cleaner and semi-auto solvent, so I was wondering about the Copper Cutter, or hell, if I even need to worry about copper buildup at all.

Thanks,

- rem

get a penny put a few drops of hoppes no. 9 on the penny. report back what you find in 24 hours.

Get yourself a good one piece rod like a Dewy and a bronz brush/jag. Then use something like Mil-Comm MC25 or Slip 2000 725 cleaner for carbon and powder removeal and then something like Butches Bore Shine, Tetra Copper cutter, Sweets and scrub the bore. That will get everything out of your barrel. The Bore snake is ok for a quick field cleaning but in reality it does not come close to the above for cleaning. You do need to get that copper, lead out of the barrel.

If you want a great copper solvent try "Bore Tech Eliminator"...best damn copper solvent I've ever used even better than sweets , it doesn't have that ammonia stench and it will not harm a chrome lined bore either. The only place I know that carries it is Hart rifle in PA. but if you contact Bore Tech I'm sure they will help you find a source.

A good cleaner to get out copper is Sweets 7.62 solvent. I use it in my AR and it removes all the copper. After that I use Hoppes 9 Powder Solvent to neutralize it. Follow all the directions on the bottle because it's strong stuff. I was recommended Sweets from my local gunsmith that uses it.

Pretend I had... what would have happened?

- rem

Quoted: get a penny put a few drops of hoppes no. 9 on the penny. report back what you find in 24 hours.

It eats it up.

So what you are saying is that Hoppes No. 9 "Powder Solvent" eats copper as well? It doesnt say it anywhere... I thought you had to buy Hoppes No. 9 Copper Solvent to get at the copper.


- rem

Hoppe's is now a powder solvent because of the reformulation, it doesn't specifically say it removes lead or copper last time I checked.  The semi-auto solvent and Copper solvent are formulated with chemicals designed to remove copper.

The most common chemical used is Ammonia.  The higher the ammonia content, the more aggressive it will be on copper.  Sweet's 7.62 is one I use for large amounts of copper - it has a higher ammonia content.

There are other alternative copper removers that are less harsh on the barrel.  If using an ammonia based copper solvent, especially a strong one, do not let it sit in the bore too long otherwise it will start to attack the barrel itself.

Pennies aren't just copper, they are mostly zinc if I remember correctly.

Oh, don't use a bronze brush when removing copper.  You know when copper is being removed because it will come out a greenish blue on your patch.  If you use a bronze brush it will never end as the copper solvent is desolving your brush as well.  Use a plastic, stainless, or mop instead.

there copper plated, well anything after 1986 (i think). What will happen is the solvent will turn green. Green is copper oxide. hoppes no. 9 will remove copper it just takes about 8 hours insted of 15 mins like  a true copper solvet (sweets 7.62).

Exactly, low ammonia content.  While copper oxide is green, I find my patches always come out a more blue than green for some reason.  Copper oxide is of course why the statue of Liberty is green.

Yes, the penny is copper coated.  I didn't realize it wasn't homogenous, nor that other coins had so much copper in them.

"72.  What are current circulating coins made from? Quarters, dimes, and half dollars are cupro-nickel clad. Each coin has a copper core and an outer layer, the “clad,” made of 75 percent copper and 25 percent cupro-nickel alloy. Nickels are made from the same 75-25 alloy. The Golden Dollar is also a clad coin. The alloy layers on each side of the copper core are manganese brass, a golden-colored material composed of 77% copper, 12% zinc, 7% manganese, and 4% nickel. The cent, once a copper coin, is now composed of copper-plated zinc. Copper-plated cents cost less to manufacture, and at 2.5 grams each, they weigh about 20% less than the older cent, which was 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc. For more information see the specification chart for circulating coins. "


Hoppes is good for general cleaning but you may need a more aggressive solvent for copper, just be judicious in it's use.  When the copper fouling is heavy, I like Sweet's.  For benchrest type barrels, I normally just use Butches Bore Shine.  I still use a lot of Hoppe's as I bought it by the gallons before they altered their formula and took out the trich.