Hoppe's removes more copper than Sweets?

[DMK]

A few weeks, ago I left Hoppe's #9 soaking in one of my rifle barrels overnight. The next morning the patches came out dark blue/green. "Hmm, excessive copper fouling" I though. I patched the bore dry, ran a patch of Sweets 7.62 and let it set for the maximum 15 min. Just a little blue/green on the patch. I figured I got it all. I patch the barrel dry and soak it with Hoppe's overnight again. Next morning, dark blue/green patches again. I do the Hoppe's soak for a few more nights and it finally comes clean.

I tried this again on another barrel, starting with Sweets, then an overnight soak of Hoppe's. Again the Hoppe's seemed to remove much more copper fouling even after the Sweet's showed hardly anything. I even tried an application of Wipeout Foam overnight and Hoppe's showed more copper the next night.

Seems to me like these other cleaners are a waste of money when all you need is Hoppe's and some time to let it work.

Comments?

 

[Dr. Dickie]

I too have seen the copper green-blue when using Hoppes on my rifles; however, I have always seen more with Sweets 7.62. I don't leave the Hoppes in overnight so there is no surprise there.
On a practical note; for the most part I don't worry about copper fouling anymore since I shoot mil-surp rifles off-hand with slings. A little copper in some of the older mil-surp barrels probably increases my accuracy! I suspect that the washing out with Hoppes 9 I do after shooting is going to keep the copper low enough that I have no worries.
One thing that can complicate things (not saying you are doing this, just FYI for others), if you are using a brass brush, or jag, or even have a brass piece that your brush or jag screw into, you will likely never be completely rid of the copper blue-green, even when your barrel is pristine.

 

[DMK]

I have always seen more with Sweets 7.62. I don't leave the Hoppes in overnight so there is no surprise there.

Yes, you have to leave it soak all day or overnight. I tried coming back after a few hours and it didn't show up, but the next morning, the patch was heavy with copper fouling.

One thing that can complicate things (not saying you are doing this, just FYI for others), if you are using a brass brush, or jag, or even have a brass piece that your brush or jag screw into, you will likely never be completely rid of the copper blue-green, even when your barrel is pristine.

I thought this too, but the blue/green got less with every treatment and then went away completely. I don't think the Hoppe's reacts with the copper fast enough to pull it from the jag. (I always wipe the jag down with CLP after cleaning just to be sure it's not dissolving it long term)