Will Hoppe's #9 actually remove copper fouling?

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SilentStalker

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Ok, for those of you that are religious cleaners, will Hoppes actually remove copper fouling? I do not shoot hundreds of rounds through my rifles so this will most likely not be a huge problem as a quick clean should get most of the stuff out of mine from my use. However, I was curious as a friend of mine had a good shooting rifle that seemed to lose accuracy over time. At first he thought it was him and then others shot with it consistently with the same type of results, or results that were not up to par with their previous times with the rifle. Come to find out after it was finally taken to a gunsmith, the copper fouling inside somehow was throwing off the accuracy, like a lot. So, the gunsmith cleaned it with some more potent stuff and all seems to be fine now. He stated that Hoppes would not remove the fouling completely and that over time this would build up and ruin accuracy. Is this true?
 
look for something that says "removes copper fouling" on the label. I have been using a foaming bore cleaner and it seems to work, I get a lot of blue foam after an hour or so , the blue being copper. I have used Hoppes #9 and got copper build up too. #9 is good for powder residue and copper removing comes from the bore brush at best when you use that stuff.
 
It does; leave it in 15 minutes and you'll get blue patches. It's certainly not as aggressive as others though.


Also, don't dunk bronze brushes into the solvent bottle. Solvent doesn't work well in the barrel after you've been dissolving brushes in it.
 
They make the regular stuff, it will get some of it out, they make a copper fouling formula, it works better for that in particular, and then there is Sweets 7.62 Solvent. Pure (well, close enough to it) ammonia. Burns the nose, make sure to take a nice whiff when you get it! Anyway, you run that stuff through from time to time and use it as directed and you'll see the blue come out then. Pure blue and green. A bottle lasts a lifetime. It won't hurt the barrel if you use it properly.

I use that, JB bore paste to polish and clean now and again, but for just general cleaning, I use Hoppes 9 (the regular stuff in the quart jar --cheaper and I just replenish the small one) CLP, and/or some kind of super slick lube for moving parts. All my stuff works great and I get awesome groups, so I must be doing something right.
 
Same thing happened to me.
Hoppes sells a 'Bench Rest Copper Solvent' or somesuch. It works for the copper fouling that #9 won't get.
 
What about if you used it on a regular basis, in other words, never let it build up to being with, would it be ok then? I don't think he cleaned his well enough after each range visit IMO but I could be wrong. So, would it be safe to use Hoppes on it and then like some kind of foam cleaner once a year? My thing is I do not want to be prematurely wearing the barrel down to excessive cleaning either as my TRG replacement barrels are not cheap...
 
"use Hoppes on it and then like some kind of foam cleaner once a year"
Sure. That'll work.
 
I use the Breakfree bore cleaning foam every 6 months or 500 rounds or so.

It really removes carbon and copper fouling. It's also safe to use with gas systems, including ARs.

BSW
 
x2 on the Hoppe's #9 Benchrest. I run a very wet patch thru and let it sit over night. The next day a clean patch will come out bright green from the copper that it takes out.
 
Yes Hoppe's removes copper. It takes a long time (measured in hours)soaking in the barrel and then resoaking, but it will eventually get it all out. Sweet's 7.62 is excellent, and used as the directions state hasn't harmed any of my rifles.

I recently bought a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in 300 WSM that looked like it had never been cleaned by the previous owner. I mean chunks of crud in the bore. I have a suspicion it wasnt shooting well anymore and thats why he sold it. I ran a well soaked patch of Hoppe's down it and it IMMEDIATELY came out blue/green. I've never had that happen so pronounced before. Anyway, it took two full days of soaking with Hoppe's and scrubbing to get it totally squeaky clean. After going through that I used Sweet's copper remover just to make sure and it came out with no blue, so Hoppe's did the trick but it's not the most efficient way of getting rid of copper. Smells better than Sweet's though. :)

Rifle turned out to be a good one, BTW.
 
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Because the same chemical that takes out your copper fouling will eat up a bronze brush...With that said, I always use a bronze brush. As long as you rinse it right after using it, you will have no problems.
 
"All IMHO", I think Hoppe's regular solvent #9 is so-so any more, and dated. I have no experience with their other products. I grew up using #9 however now I believe there's better formulations. Bore foam is fab I like Sharp Shoot R Wipe-Out. I also prefer Shooters Choice liquid solvents.
The main thing is DO IT!
Because the same chemical that takes out your copper fouling will eat up a bronze brush...With that said, I always use a bronze brush. As long as you rinse it right after using it, you will have no problems.
ditto, I hit the brush with some cheepee WallyWorld non-chlorinated brake cleaner. As do all my cleaning utensils. Just makes sense to clean your brushes and not leave the crud on them for the next session.
 
^^^What brand foaming cleaner are you using, just out of curiosity?

gunslick foaming bore cleaner. FYI I just pulled a gun I used it on several months ago and there was what looked like dried shaving cream deposited in the barrel. I know I ran a dry patch through the barrel and even oiled it to. I might skip the foaming cleaner next time.
 
I agree that the original #9 is not good for removing copper, a waste of time I would say.

Hoppes now also makes "Copper Terminator", it's a gel and it is the best Hoppes product I've used for removing copper fouling. And unlike ammonia products, it can be left in the barrel without worrying about possible damage.
 
Hoppe's #9 Nitro Powder Solvent has some small ability to remove copper fouling.

Like you might get off copper washed .22 LR ammo.

It will not remove heavy jacket fouling from a centerfire given a month of Sundays.
It does try though, as you can see if you run a clean patch through a barrel that has had Hoppe's left in it several days.
The patch will come out green, and thats copper.

But for real copper fouling?
You need real Copper Solvent.

rc
 
Butch's Bore Shine

Butch's Bore Shine was recommended to me by a friend 10 or so years ago and I've used nothing else for serious copper removal since. It works like a charm.
 
I don't contend that it is the strongest, nor the best, but it certainly will dissolve copper to the extent of putting it in a solution. I have seen the green-tinted copper/Hoppe's solution leaking out of the gas holes on a barrel!
 
I use that, JB bore paste to polish and clean now and again, but for just general cleaning, I use Hoppes 9 (the regular stuff in the quart jar --cheaper and I just replenish the small one) CLP, and/or some kind of super slick lube for moving parts. All my stuff works great and I get awesome groups, so I must be doing something right.

I used to use the JB Bore paste. It would take every speck of copper out. After a couple of years I lost a barrel early.
 
Go easy with the JB.

The #9 works well for how I clean; I usually leave it in the barrel for 6+ hours at a pop since it seems like I'm perpetually being interrupted by kids.

I first wet a bronze brush from a dropper bottle and push it through about a dozen times, then rinse it in paint thinner. After that, just alternate wet/dry patches.
 
If you have a fouled bore which is particularly vexing, try KG-12, a non-ammonia, water based solvent developed for removing copper fouling from crew served artillery pieces. It is said to dissolve a copper penny but I haven't tried that trick. You can also try soaking the bore overnight in Kroil, a super penetrating oil which works by getting under the fouling & loosening it so that it can be removed by more conventional methods. If all else fails, there is Outer's Foul Out, which WILL remove all fouling, be it copper or lead, through reverse electroplating. This is more of a gunsmith's solution to a stubborn and time(and $) consuming problem bore. There may be a fouled bore which has defeated this system but I've yet to see or hear of it.

;)

Bruce
 
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