Remington model 700 LH barrel crud.

[skidder]

I have a 1981 Remington model 700 LH 30-06. This is my main hunting rifle and I can't seem to get the barrel clean. I've cleaned it over and over and still get black on my patches. I've been using Hoppies 9 with brass brushes for years. My other rifles are just fine, I can run the brushes and patches through them just a few times and they're clean. I tried again the other day and still more black on the patches. The gun remains accurate. Any ideas?

 

[jeepnik]

I'm thinking you've got some copper built up in the barrel. It doesn't always come out with Hoppes. Hoppes does have a copper solvent Benchrest 9. But I like Ed's Red, it works well and is economical too boot.
http://www.handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=9

 

[PedalBiker]

Another possibility is that the brass brush bristles are rubbing off on the barrel. Try cleaning with only patches (or a nylon brush).

The way to tell if it's copper build up is to leave the Hoppes in the barrel overnight and look for green the next day.

CR-10 or any of the stronger solvents will also show green. Use a plastic jag or a steel loop. Otherwise the brass jag will leave green on the patch.

 

[skidder]

Thanks guys, I will try your suggestions.

 

[hardluk1]

Something to try thats a bit easier on the barrel is Kroil oil. Soak and set over night, scrub with a bronse brush and then a nylon brush and patch.

 

[HILLBILLY-06]

I had an old milsurp rifle like that I had gotten at a pawn shop. "It was full of copper fouling" I used several treatments of that foaming bore cleaner, with patches. I finally got it to the point they came out clean. I lube'd it up good with clp and couldn't believe how shiney the bore was when I got finished.

 

[Skyshot]

Try some Butch's Bore shine and JB bore paste

 

[GooseGestapo]

Also, Wally World sells some Remington Bore cleaner. Place a cleaning patch on a brush and apply the bore cleaner to the patch. Run it through the bore about 10 times. Run a dry patch followed by a solvent patch. Repeat the brush/patch bore cleaner again. This should have gotten all the copper out. Repeat 1-2x more for a really bad copper build up. I did this 2x to a Mauser MkX in .270 I recently aquired. It was sold new in '70's and has apparantly not been shot much (but hunted a lot...). It cleaned up very easily with 2x application of the Remington bore cleaner.
It works more or less the same as the JB bore cleaner......

 

[cyclopsshooter]

"wipeout" foam bore cleaner from brownels. nothing better