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Thread: I think I ruined the bathtub!

  1. #1
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Default I think I ruined the bathtub!

    I decided to try and save a couple of barrels on the old surplus rifles and filled them up with some hi-powered copper dissolving foam.

    The barrels have to stay horizontal while the stuff works and I decided the bath tub was the best choice rather than have the stuff drip out on the floor.

    Now I have a huge puddle of green ooze that represents about 100 years of copper fouling near the drain of the bathtub.

    That's OK. A new tub will be cheaper than 2 new barrels. Last estimate I got on one of the replacements was $400 + cost of the barrel.

    I sure hope this stuff works! Both of those rifles were key-holing at 25 yards even though the rifling looks decent.


  2. #2

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    At least you only have to deal with it yourself.
    I was watching a Youtube vid on someone cleaning the barrel of a black powder rifle in the bathtub.
    Over my shoulder I hear,
    "NO! Not in MY bathtub! You go use YOUR shower for that!"
    If we are to have another contest in…our national existence I predict that the dividing line will not be Mason and Dixon's, but between patriotism & intelligence on the one side, and superstition, ambition & ignorance on the other…
    ~ President Ulysses S. Grant

  3. #3
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Copper is recyclable. If you get enough of it then chip it out and recycle it!

  4. #4
    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    Default

    looking forward to seeing the results
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?

  5. #5
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    I am looking forward to the results myself. This is the first time I have used this chemical.

    I have several old rifles with frosty bores but I am especially concerned about the two in the tub right now.

    In neither rifle is the bore horrible in appearance, they just will not shoot.

    By not shoot I do not mean 4-5 inch groups, I mean key-holing at 25 and being lost off the paper at 50.

    If this chemical works I am going to buy a gallon of it!

  6. #6
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Back with a continued report.

    This stuff is great! It is called Wipeout. It comes as a foaming airasol which is much like shaving cream. There is also an accelerator that helps the process along. I used the accelerator with each application. I believe both cost me $25 but for the job they did I consider them worth the price.

    I used the stuff on 4 rifles. All of the guns had seen heavy use under unknown circumstances before I ever laid hands on them. All the military rifles had some measure of neglect, evidence of use with corrosive ammo and appeared hopeless.

    The Wipeout application resulted in production of a good amount of "blue goo" that ran from the muzzle and breech from all the rifles except the 30-30. The 30-30 showed black goo, so I know there was a chemcal process involving copper going on with the military hardware. I was amazed at the amount, and it kept coming out with every application.

    Also be advised that this is not a "one application deal". On the bad bores I did several applications and I am still working on one of the .303 rifles simply because each application shows a slight improvement over and above "horrid".

    That also means that I have obtained 15-20 applications from one can of the spray and I still have more in the can. I really do feel that I saved at east 3 rifles and returned them to active use with $25 investment in this chemical. That is really saying something from cheapskate me! I buy Hopes #9 in bulk, cut cleaning patches from old tee shirts, and mix my own lubricants using stuff from Walmart.

    One Enfield SMLE Lithgow, dated from WW1. No telling where this rifle has been or what has been shot out of it! WW1/WW2/Korea/surplus market and civilian use for 100 years! This one was bubbaed up when I bought it and I did more foolishness to it. It is the rifle in my avatar. The bore was deplorable! It is still not pristine but it is a lot better than it was. The lands are now standing up, although the entire bore is frosted.

    I am still working on this one. I think I can polish some more out of it.

    SMLE #2= 60 plus years old Indian production. Also bubbaed but only the fore end cut down. This bore returned to "reasonable" condition. Lands are still a bit frosty but the grooves are shiny. I was really amazed at the improvement since I thought this rifle was trashed and it has returned to a hopefully usable condition.

    After a 24 hour soak in the foam copper fouling turned into a "sand like grit" and was pushed from the bore with a tight patch. More patches and more foam followed with improvement each time.

    1895 Mauser 7x57mm, also 100+ years old= This one was old and well used with a frosty bore. Three applications of the foamy magic and the bore looks like new. I had stopped shooting this rifle due to groups growing to 8"@100yards. I am anxious to see if there is improvement.

    30-30 Winchester= not an old or exceptional rifle. It has been my cast bullet rifle for years and was showing streaks of lead that normal cleaning would not remove. 24 hour soak in the foam and some elbow grease and the bore is clean.

    I intend to keep some of this stuff on hand from now on. It has really paid for itself.


    https://www.midwayusa.com/product/78...t-5-oz-aerosol

    I will post some firing results as soon as the weather breaks again. I am hoping the newly clean bores will give me some good groups.
    Last edited by kyratshooter; 04-04-2018 at 01:52 PM.

  7. #7
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    The weather will never break. This has been the longest winter of our discontent ever! It may remain winter until next winter. Bah! Humbug.

  8. #8
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    What does this cold snap have to do with a discount tent?

    Really, the weather is no different this year than any other.

    Our growing season in my area, I am only 20 miles further south than you, does not start until mothers' day and never has. (Yep, my part of KY is only 20-30 miles further south then Indy)

    That change in growing season was a real shock to me when I first moved up here since I had always planted second week in April down in TN. Up here it can be a full month latter.

    Which brings to mind the fact that we had freezing snaps the first week in April down in TN too, so this weather is not unusual.

  9. #9
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    This winter just seems so much longer than past winters. I had plants in the garden already this time last year. We had a late killing freeze that took care of them but still...Back to your regularly scheduled program.....

  10. #10
    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    the wipeout sounds pretty good, I'm going to try some. I have a 41 swiss that has been soaking in kroil. Wipeout sounds the better option
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?

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