A question for VEPR owners

[Roger Williams]

What do you guys use to clean your VEPRs?

I cleaned mine last night and used Hoppes no. 9 in the bore and Breakfree everywhere else. The Hoppes ate the paint off the crown of the muzzle. Not a big deal, but I didn't know it would do that! Now I'm starting to wonder if it will hurt the chrome lining of the bore.... will the Hoppes hurt the chrome lining?

Any suggestions would be great. I'd like to keep the finish intact!

 

[JohnKSa]

If you leave #9 BENCHREST in the bore for a LONG time it might cause problems.

The standard Hoppe's #9 isn't going to hurt it at all.

 

[cslinger]

I have used, Hoppes #9, Breakfree CLP, 3in1 Oil, Gun Scrubber and others and have never had any of the finish come off at all. Hoppes is very very mild and should not have done that.

Chris

 

[Victor Romen]

More then likely the paint was gone before you started cleaning (from muzzle blast) or was chipped off by the cleaning rod (if that is what you used). Hoppes will not damage the chrome lining. I don't think the finish on the VEPR barrels is all that durable.

 

[ny32182]

I clean my VEPR with Hoppes all the time, never a problem. I have the muzzle break though, I'm assuming you don't. The finish on the barrel seems pretty durable to me, but I can't really comment on the crown specifically. I have a pinhead sized flake of paint missing from the the receiver from where a spent case hit it, but the finish is perfect other than that.

 

[Roger Williams]

Thank you all for the replies!

I used a pull-through line with patches to clean the bore. After I was done with that, I noticed that there was some powder residue on the crown. I soaked another patch in Hoppes and wiped it down... as I was wiping it, the paint "melted"! It sort of shocked me! Oh well, the crown is fine, and the chrome lining is visible spilling out of the end of the muzzle... so no big deal, it just took the paint off the crown.

I'll just keep the muzzle end oiled up when I'm not shooting the rifle, and next time I'll be more careful with the bore solvents on the exterior of the rifle.

I sure am glad I didn't wipe anything else down with the Hoppes!

 

[ny32182]

Seriously, Hoppes shouldn't hurt any finish on the rifle. Its a powder solvent, not specifically a bore cleaner.

It probably had more to do with the finish adhereing to the chrome at the end of the barrel that you mentioned.

 

[Harry Tuttle]

i would not be surprized if Robinson Arms retouches the barrel end with cheap paint while they are making the rifle US complient

the .308 vepr is a complete Molot product and the paint finish seems strong

 

[cslinger]

Harry Tuttle,

I have both a VEPR .308 and a VEPR II U.S. compliant full capacity magazine legal 7.62x39.

Both seem to be built like tanks and the finish or both is extremely robust. I have not had the barrel problems on the VEPR II and I have used some stuff a might nastier than Hoppes .

The only finish wear I have is the ole' AK saftey curve scratch.

 

[Harry Tuttle]

i think the crown on my .308 is clean metal

is the 7.39 vepr's crown painted?

Vepr
Strong like bull
Smart like rock

 

[JohnKSa]

I think what happened is that the crown was covered with black powder residue and that's what "melted" when you wiped it with the solvent.

My VEPR II .308 muzzle is not painted, the chrome plating from the bore continues over the crown and covers the entire muzzle.

 

[Roger Williams]

Seriously, it WAS paint and it DID come off. Right off, instantly.

I can tell the difference between powder residue and paint. I cleaned the rifle with CLP before I took it to the range... the crown was nice and black - painted. When I got back from the range, I used the Hoppes, and poof, the paint was gone. No big deal at all - the crown looks fine and the chrome is still there. I will just have to watch it using that stuff in the future.

Take some Hoppes and rub it on your VEPR and find out! I recommend a spot inside the receiver.

Maybe they changed paint somewhere in production?

 

[JohnKSa]

I wonder when they started painting over the chrome on the crown--and why?

 

[cslinger]

Roger,

Was this the Hoppes that comes in the little glass jars? Again the only reason I ask is because I have pretty much bathed both my VEPRs in that stuff and the finish looks great.

I will have to take a peek at the business ends though to see if they are painted or bare.

Chris

 

[Roger Williams]

cslinger - yes sir, it was the plain ole' Hoppes no. 9 that comes in a brown glass bottle. The same Hoppes I have relied on for about 20 years to clean my guns! Like I said, I was absolutely shocked when I saw the paint just rubbing away before my eyes. I'm seriously hoping it was just some type of "touch-up paint" they used only on the crown of the rifle, because I'd really hate to see the rest of the weapon wind up like that.

I think this is how I'll clean it from now on: BreakFree CLP and Bore Snake down the bore (followed by dry patches, then oiled patches) up to about 1000 - 1500 rounds. Then I'll use Hoppes (CAREFULLY), followed by dry patches, then oiled patches. (the Hoppes will ONLY be used in the bore)

I do absolutely LOVE the VEPR! It is one of the finest rifles I have owned. (what a sweet trigger! and great accuracy!) I will just be careful not to let bore cleaners get outside the bore.

 

[ny32182]

I've never cleaned mine with anything else but hoppes. Inside receiver all around the trigger parts, outside receiver, bolt, carrier, inside barrel, inside/outside the muzzle brake ports... everywhere. Many times. I can't see the actual crown on mine though, because of the muzzle brake.

I don't think any finish would be too likely to adhere to chrome in the first place. Thats one of the ideas behind the chrome... nothing adheres to it. If there was finish on top of a chromed crown, it was probably just a (short) matter of time before it came off anyway. Is the gun fairly new?

 

[Roger Williams]

ttbadboy - yes the gun is brand new. I fired a total of 60 rounds through it. I would hope that something like Hoppes (a solvent I know and love) would not eat the paint off the crown, but it did.

The paint on the crown would have probably come off of the crown anyway just from heat and cleaning, and like you said, the paint looks like it was put on over the chrome...

Maybe the paint just came off the crown because it was put on over the chrome, and the paint did not adhere fully to the chrome in the first place? I did not test the Hoppes anywhere else on my brand new $600 gun...

 

[MaceWindu]

VEPR?

Can someone post a pic. of one?


MaceWindu

 

[ny32182]

VEPR K 7.62x39 w/muzzle brake:





Its an AK variant built on the RPK receiver (50% thicker than normal AKM receiver) with an extra heavy hammer forged chrome lined barrel. Note the slant cut receiver.

Available in 7.62x39, .223, 5.45x39, and .308win. RW, what is yours chambered for?

 

[cslinger]

VEPRs

VEPR II 7.62x39 on the bottom.

VEPR .308

The crowns on both of my VEPRs are very thin as far as paint goes. There did seem to be some on there but they are thin. I would think it is because of the Chroming of the barrels.

As I have said I have used Hoppes on other parts with no problem what-so-ever. My VEPR II probably has three thousand rounds through it by now.

Chris