Best Carbon ONLY Cleaner?

[*Kemosabe*]

I want to conduct my own experiments on barrel cleaning, so can anyone help me get started by recommending what they think is the best liquid/spray carbon only cleaner for barrels?

Rust and plastic concerns are not a deal breakers, but please mention the possible harm they can cause.

Thank you.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Hot soapy water.

 

[1KPerDay]

You're looking something that is touted to clean carbon only and nothing else?

Hmmm.....

 

[LKLive13]

I use Otis O-12C Carbon remover and I think its like magic!
Here is a link...
http://www.otistec.com/pc_product_detail.asp?key=632ED05FD99C4BC6A6F0B294F046EE72
Hope this helps.

 

[d2wing]

Fuel injector cleaner. Easy off oven cleaner. Use with caution.

 

[Walkalong]

Slip 2000 Carbon Killer

http://www.slip2000.com/slip2000_carbon_killer.php

 

[*Kemosabe*]

ColtPythonElite - Hot Soapy Water. Works for getting the crud out of my charcoal burners, so it makes sense to try it on smokeless barrels... thanks for reminding me.

LKLive13 - First I've ever heard of Otis products and I'm definitely going to consider them. The link that you provided has a lot of videos relating to gun cleaning that were interesting as well... thanks for the the heads up.

d2wing - Fuel injector cleaner. Makes sense: Lots of carbon in engine cylinders to foul the injectors. Worth a try... thanks.

Walkalong - Slip 2000 Carbon Killer. Seems similar to the Otis product with the additional removal of lead and plastic. Otis also claims plastic removal as well. Slip has a good reputation and a good FAQ section... thanks.

Anybody with experience using brake cleaners?

 

[Hurryin' Hoosier]

I'm a fan of aerosol non-chlorinated brake parts cleaner. Be careful with it around plastics, though. (I'm not sure if it cleans only carbon as I've never bothered to filter and analyze the residue. )

 

[Walkalong]

I wasn't aware of the Otis products either, but I imagine they are similar to the Slip 2000, which gets under carbon to loosen it. Slip 2000 CK will get the face on stainless revolver cylinders clean with no wear to them. Gotta be patient though.

Nothing melts away carbon, period, no matter what the advertising hype says.

 

[rcmodel]

http://www.handloads.com/articles/?id=9

rc

 

[DoubleMag]

I think Wipe-Out has a carbon removal product,aerosol

 

[Tirod]

Non chlorinated brake cleaners are the formula that is plastic friendly, at least for the brief time it's in contact.

Chlorinated cleaners apparently have a solvent action on certain plastics that damage them, exactly why the industry had to come up with an alternate - plus whatever EPA directives were involved.

The move by the shooting public to using auto industry cleaners and lubes is based on performance and price. Generally, gun themed cleaners and lubes are much higher, and a long look at the labels and ingredients show a lot of the same things are being used in both. So, you can buy some "gun oil" for $4.99 a 2 ounce bottle, or, an auto lube for $4.99 a quart. Same with cleaners.

Your choice. If it works for you, fine, there's no Consumer Reports much to sort it out. Be advised, tho, that having a weapon absolutely clean in and of itself to guarantee it's function is not a given in some circles. The saga of Filthy#14 comes to mind, over 50k rounds with nothing more than lube and a wipedown. That might shock the precision crowd, but for those who find 2MOA does all they need, it's acceptable.

 

[*Kemosabe*]

Hurryin' Hoosier - If it is an organic solvent it will also affect oil and most other organic compounds. I have no interest in collecting residue and analyzing it either and that's why I asked members for their knowledge. I appreciate the heads up on non-chlorinated brake cleaners... thanks.

Walkalong - "Nothing melts away carbon, period..." Read you loud and clear... can't get away from the scrubbing the bore -- I was expecting that.


rcmodel - Economy is one of my objectives and I've been using Ed's Red since the late 90s. ER also removes copper and I don't want to do that. Leaving the copper alone is part of my experimental plan... that is after the complete initial removal of it.

DoubleMag - I was unfamiliar with Wipe-Out so I went to their web site ( http://www.sharpshootr.com/wipeout.htm) to see what they had to say. Contrary to what Walkalong had to say and what I believed, they say it does melt carbon and they definitely recommend that a brush should NOT be used. There are many claims and explanations, so I was wondering in your experience if you could affirm them. Their claims notwitstanding, this product deosen't meet my needs because it removes copper.

Tirod - "The move by the shooting public to using auto industry cleaners and lubes is based on performance and price." Agreed. As a precaution, I've collected many kinds of gun plastics (not claiming ALL plastics) to test non-chlorinated brake cleaners. Thanks for your participation and your comments... they are appreciated.

 

[klausman]

MPro7 is also supposed to be good at carbon removal, and it is not harmful to plastics, and it does not have a heavy solvent odor. I use it, and the only thing that it does not seem to do well is copper & lead fouling.

 

[DoubleMag]

I use the basic Wipe-Out which also cleans carbon. And everything else. The Carb-Out product is whats new to me, this is the one I was referring to (sorry) and is dedicated carbon only.
I bought it as a quicker alternative to JB or Remington 40-x.

 

[Drail]

Breakfree Bore Cleaner works very well for me but seems to evaporate away even in a sealed bottle - while you watch.

 

[Walkalong]

MPro7

cleaner is very good stuff. It gets under things to loosen them up as well. It completely wipes out oils, so relubing is needed. I like it for completely broken down parts where I can relube every little spot. The Slip 2000 gun cleaner is very similar, and also works well. The MPro7 oil is also very good stuff, but nothing special IMO. It is thin and creeps well, and I have been using it on revolver innards. I wipe them down with a home made Rig Rag.

 

[oneounceload]

Brake cleaner works well, but watch it on some plastics and use with good ventilation. The green 50-state version at Wally World is about $3 a can and I use it on shotguns, rifles and handguns

 

[*Kemosabe*]

klausman - mPro7 does remove copper so it's not what I'm looking for, but thanks for participating.

DoubleMag - No need to be sorry. You put me on to another option for other gun cleaning chores... thanks again.

Drail - "...seems to evaporate away even in a sealed bottle - while you watch." Too funny!

oneounceload - "The green 50-state version at Wally World is about $3 a can and I use it on shotguns, rifles and handguns." Works - Cheap - Easily Available... this is where I'm going to start. Thanks!

 

[*Kemosabe*]

Just one more question please...

Thank all of you for being so helpful. If the posters are still on board this post, I would like to take advantage of your experience by asking a part two question to my original post:

Is there a liquid/spray that removes lead, but NOT copper.

 

[donaldspark]

Slip 2000 carbon killer...

+100 i use this on all my firearms.works great and doesnt have a toxic smell.

 

[homatok]

Since copper and carbon are usually built up in alternating layers I wonder how you think you will be able to remove the layers of carbon and have the copper stay in the bore?? A solvent/cleaner that will only affect one or the other will (I believe) remove the layer specific to its purpose and then nothing further will be removed due to blockage by the other (copper/carbon) layer. Good luck in any case!

 

[Hurryin' Hoosier]

Just wondering why you are so focused on removing only carbon. Is it okay to leave a build-up of other nastiness?

 

[jerkface11]

I would imagine a true carbon solvent would be very nasty to be around.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Carbon clean only.

I used seafoam beck when I cared about such things for my bench gun.

There's also a "top engine cleaner" available through GM.