Testing LOTS of gun cleaners effectiveness at carbon removal

[igolfat8]

You may or may not find this interesting so consider exactly how much you paid for it …. I started this test a few years ago and since I’ve added a few more products to my shelves I decided to dust it off and update my test results. I used every liquid (oils, CLPS and you name it) that I had on the shelf and decided to see which ones removed burnt gunpowder the best.

I prepared stainless steel plates by sanding them to 320 grit so the surfaces would be the same for each test. Next I dropped 1/8 teaspoon of Titegroup Gun powder onto the plates at evenly spaced distances. Then I took the plates outside and ignited the powder with a small hand held propane torch. After the burn there was carbon residue and a golden sticky circle around the burned area.

Next I saturated the burned area with each liquid and allowed it to soak for 7 minutes. After the timer went off I wiped the surface with a clean paper towel simulating what a patch would do inside a bore. Granted this does not apply to removing copper or lead fouling and only applies to removing carbon build up. The results were quite interesting. After wiping I observed that some liquids completely removed all traces of the surface ever being burned while other liquids showed light, medium or dark stains left behind. The medium and dark stains still had that same stickiness that the original golden area exhibited and I attributed the medium and dark stained areas were less effective at removing carbon residue.

 

[igolfat8]

Here are pics after it’s soaked and wiped off.

 

[igolfat8]

Simple Green (full strength), Valuecraft brake fluid, BoreTec Eliminator and BoreTec Rimfire Blend were the top 4 performing products I tested in the previous tests. Therefore, I decided to increase the grunge by making 4 individual burn piles and then burning 6 different powders, one on top of the next. Then I saturated each burned area to see if these 4 performed the same.

 

[igolfat8]

To my surprise, these 4 products removed every bit of carbon fouling with zero stains left behind.

 

[igolfat8]

Here is a spreadsheet with every product I tested and the results.

LIQUID PRODUCT TESTED:	TITEGROUP
Bore Tech Elinimator	No Stain
Bore Tech Rimfire Blend	No Stain
Simple Green (full strength)	No Stain
Valucraft brake fluid	No Stain
Ballistol	Light Stain
Denatured Alcohol	Light Stain
Lucas Upper Cyl. Lube	Light Stain
M.D.T. Stoning Oil	Light Stain
Pro Shot 1 Step	Light Stain
Sea Foam Deep Creep	Light Stain
Sta-Bil gasoline treatment	Light Stain
Strike Hold	Light Stain
Coleman Fuel	Medium Stain
Ed's Red	Medium Stain
Eezox	Medium Stain
Fastex Action & Barrel Treatment	Medium Stain
Fastex Trap Maint. Lube	Medium Stain
Hoppe's #9	Medium Stain
Hornady One Shot Gun Cleaner	Medium Stain
Sea Foam	Medium Stain
1/3 Hoppe's #9, 1/3 Kroil, 1/3 Turps	Dark Stain
Boeshield T-9	Dark Stain
Carquest ATF Dexron	Dark Stain
Di-Citrusol (Citrus Paint Solvent)	Dark Stain
Fastex FSM	Dark Stain
Goof Off	Dark Stain
Klotz Super Techniplate 2 cycle oil	Dark Stain
Kroil	Dark Stain
Marvel Mystery Oil	Dark Stain
Mobil 1 ATF	Dark Stain
One Shot	Dark Stain
ProLong engine treatment	Dark Stain
Rem Oil	Dark Stain
Royal Purple Maxfilm	Dark Stain
Slip 2000 EWL	Dark Stain
Stihl HP Ultra 2 cycle oil	Dark Stain
STP	Dark Stain
Super power steering fluid	Dark Stain
Super Slick Slick Stuff	Dark Stain
WD-40	Dark Stain
Weapon Shield	Dark Stain
Zippo lighter fluid	Dark Stain
PROCEDURE:
Equally prepare Stainless Steel test plates by sanding surfaces to 320 grit.
Clean SS test plates with brake clean and paper towel to remove any surface contaminates.
Scoop and drop 1/8 teaspoon of gun powder, in visually spaced piles, onto SS plates.
Carefull ignite powder (outdoors) with butane BBQ grill lighter or propane torch.
Stains & burnt powder carbon residue will be left on surface of plates.
Thoroughly wet each burnt / stained spot with liquid test product.
Ensure test products don't migrate on surface of test plates and cross contaminate other liquids.
Allow product to set on each burnt spot for 7 minutes.
Do not scrub test plates with brush.
Wipe test plate surfaces clean with paper towel to simulate what patch would do.
Observe what the [cleaned] surface looks like.
Write visual observations on spread sheet.
Visually catagorize observations by rating stain as; light, medium, dark or no stains left behind.

 

[stiller]

Now that is a damn good scientific test that has good data and logic. Thank you for your effort. A similar test for minor leading would be of interest. I am not sure how to go about getting a test specimen. Maybe shooting a plate at a course angle?

 

[striperfisher]

I have and use to use Boretech Rimfire blend!.....It work's so dam well.....jst the use of it will cost a extra 20 rounds for the gun to come back IN.....ProShot is the only thing required.....along with a bronze brush....and some occasional Remington 40x Bore Cleaner....

 

[igolfat8]

I'm no chemist or expert on the subject. I had some spare time to kill and was only doing this to satisfy my own curiosity and found it interesting that two of the top four were brake fluid and Simple Green which are not something I'd even consider as a bore cleaner. Then if you also consider some of the products sold that are specifically "marketed" as bore cleaners don't perform as well as one might think. I tested another brand of brake fluid years ago and it did absolutely nothing to the carbon so there is something in the Valuecraft's brake fluid formulation that sure works well to break down carbon?

As stated earlier this test can't tell which product works better at removing lead so that needs to be factored in too as lead may be likely more detrimental to poor accuracy than powder fouling. Although the .22 rimfire carbon ring would be applicable in this test group.

 

[tselfe11]

Here is a spreadsheet with every product I tested and the results.

LIQUID PRODUCT TESTED:	TITEGROUP
Bore Tech Elinimator	No Stain
Bore Tech Rimfire Blend	No Stain
Simple Green (full strength)	No Stain
Valucraft brake fluid	No Stain
Ballistol	Light Stain
Denatured Alcohol	Light Stain
Lucas Upper Cyl. Lube	Light Stain
M.D.T. Stoning Oil	Light Stain
Pro Shot 1 Step	Light Stain
Sea Foam Deep Creep	Light Stain
Sta-Bil gasoline treatment	Light Stain
Strike Hold	Light Stain
Coleman Fuel	Medium Stain
Ed's Red	Medium Stain
Eezox	Medium Stain
Fastex Action & Barrel Treatment	Medium Stain
Fastex Trap Maint. Lube	Medium Stain
Hoppe's #9	Medium Stain
Hornady One Shot Gun Cleaner	Medium Stain
Sea Foam	Medium Stain
1/3 Hoppe's #9, 1/3 Kroil, 1/3 Turps	Dark Stain
Boeshield T-9	Dark Stain
Carquest ATF Dexron	Dark Stain
Di-Citrusol (Citrus Paint Solvent)	Dark Stain
Fastex FSM	Dark Stain
Goof Off	Dark Stain
Klotz Super Techniplate 2 cycle oil	Dark Stain
Kroil	Dark Stain
Marvel Mystery Oil	Dark Stain
Mobil 1 ATF	Dark Stain
One Shot	Dark Stain
ProLong engine treatment	Dark Stain
Rem Oil	Dark Stain
Royal Purple Maxfilm	Dark Stain
Slip 2000 EWL	Dark Stain
Stihl HP Ultra 2 cycle oil	Dark Stain
STP	Dark Stain
Super power steering fluid	Dark Stain
Super Slick Slick Stuff	Dark Stain
WD-40	Dark Stain
Weapon Shield	Dark Stain
Zippo lighter fluid	Dark Stain
PROCEDURE:
Equally prepare Stainless Steel test plates by sanding surfaces to 320 grit.
Clean SS test plates with brake clean and paper towel to remove any surface contaminates.
Scoop and drop 1/8 teaspoon of gun powder, in visually spaced piles, onto SS plates.
Carefull ignite powder (outdoors) with butane BBQ grill lighter or propane torch.
Stains & burnt powder carbon residue will be left on surface of plates.
Thoroughly wet each burnt / stained spot with liquid test product.
Ensure test products don't migrate on surface of test plates and cross contaminate other liquids.
Allow product to set on each burnt spot for 7 minutes.
Do not scrub test plates with brush.
Wipe test plate surfaces clean with paper towel to simulate what patch would do.
Observe what the [cleaned] surface looks like.
Write visual observations on spread sheet.
Visually catagorize observations by rating stain as; light, medium, dark or no stains left behind.

I'm no chemist or expert on the subject. I had some spare time to kill and was only doing this to satisfy my own curiosity and found it interesting that two of the top four were brake fluid and Simple Green which are not something I'd even consider as a bore cleaner. Then if you also consider some of the products sold that are specifically "marketed" as bore cleaners don't perform as well as one might think. I tested another brand of brake fluid years ago and it did absolutely nothing to the carbon so there is something in the Valuecraft's brake fluid formulation that sure works well to break down carbon?

As stated earlier this test can't tell which product works better at removing lead so that needs to be factored in too as lead may be likely more detrimental to poor accuracy than powder fouling. Although the .22 rimfire carbon ring would be applicable in this test group.

I use transmission fluid and Bore Tech C 4 mixed together . Seems to work better then the Bore Tech products alone.

 

[tim simbari]

I'm no chemist or expert on the subject. I had some spare time to kill and was only doing this to satisfy my own curiosity and found it interesting that two of the top four were brake fluid and Simple Green which are not something I'd even consider as a bore cleaner. Then if you also consider some of the products sold that are specifically "marketed" as bore cleaners don't perform as well as one might think. I tested another brand of brake fluid years ago and it did absolutely nothing to the carbon so there is something in the Valuecraft's brake fluid formulation that sure works well to break down carbon?

As stated earlier this test can't tell which product works better at removing lead so that needs to be factored in too as lead may be likely more detrimental to poor accuracy than powder fouling. Although the .22 rimfire carbon ring would be applicable in this test group.

Very interesting about the Simple Green. One of the prime ingredients on the MSDS is sodium citrate, and a common component in some other solvents for 22’s such as Rimfire Blend….. citrus, very effective at cutting wax/ lube, specifically useful for rimfire
Shame you didn’t get to C4. Maybe a follow up?

 

[igolfat8]

I don’t have any C4 and never saw any at LGS. I think I found a way to test lead removal. I took an old Folgers steel can and cut it into strips. Then dipped the strips in my lead boolit casting pot which left a thin coating of lead on the strips. I hope to post some test results later this week.

 

[Benchman]

Good testing, Thanks!

Im surprised Zippo lighter fluid didn’t do better .. …..

 

[Pullit]

Very good info and thanks

 

[igolfat8]

Very interesting about the Simple Green. One of the prime ingredients on the MSDS is sodium citrate, and a common component in some other solvents for 22’s such as Rimfire Blend….. citrus, very effective at cutting wax/ lube, specifically useful for rimfire
Shame you didn’t get to C4. Maybe a follow up?

I've got a small bottle of C4 on the way. Its one that I have been curious to try. Thanks for jogging my memory.

 

[eidolon]

I've got a small bottle of C4 on the way. Its one that I have been curious to try. Thanks for jogging my memory.

Cancel the order.
Thursday I will bring enough C4 for you to experiment with.
Bring a already tarnished piece.

 

[igolfat8]

Cancel the order.
Thursday I will bring enough C4 for you to experiment with.
Bring a already tarnished piece.

Great, I’ll look forward to meeting you and doing some experimenting between cards. Look for an old guy with white hair and mustache or ask for Tim.

 

[igolfat8]

Well I have disappointing test results. I tried several products and nothing even phased the lead. Not sure if it’s the way it’s “ dipped” in the lead pot or perhaps it’s bonded to my steel strips verses how the lead is bonded to the bore by the bullets? The lead in my pot is soft lead from reclaimed JSB pellets. The alloy is likely 99/1 or 99/2 or perhaps 100 percent lead?

Initially I let each product soak on top of the lead for 7 minutes and nothing wiped off. Then I let it soak 30 minutes and same results. Perhaps the C4 test tomorrow will yield better results?

 

[eidolon]

Well I have disappointing test results. I tried several products and nothing even phased the lead. Not sure if it’s the way it’s “ dipped” in the lead pot or perhaps it’s bonded to my steel strips verses how the lead is bonded to the bore by the bullets? The lead in my pot is soft lead from reclaimed JSB pellets. The alloy is likely 99/1 or 99/2 or perhaps 100 percent lead?

Initially I let each product soak on top of the lead for 7 minutes and nothing wiped off. Then I let it soak 30 minutes and same results. Perhaps the C4 test tomorrow will yield better results?

C4 is for carbon. They make no claims about lead.
a bronze brush?

 

[Bluecat]

What about cutting the edges off the strips after their dipped so the test products have a chance to penetrate and hopefully loosen the bond between the led and steel. Just a thought.

 

[igolfat8]

Thanks for bringing that up Bluecat. I had applied all the test products on top of the lead and also at the top where the bare steel meets the lead. Since Kroil is advertised as a great penetrating oil I thought I might get lucky and see some loosening there but nothing happened after 30 minutes. Perhaps it will take an over night soak. I will cut them tomorrow with tin snips and repeat the test.