Centerfire: Choosing The Correct Cleaner
Bore Tech’s line of premier bore cleaning products includes multiple cleaners that have been specifically formulated to remove even the most severe fouling from your barrel. One of the most common questions we receive revolves around three of our bore cleaners that are geared towards centerfire platforms; Eliminator Bore Cleaner, C4 Carbon Remover, and Cu+2 Copper Remover.
"I have a centerfire rifle that I want to clean, but I see that Bore Tech has 3 different cleaners available. Do I need all three or can I just use one?”
The answer to this question will vary depending on the severity of the fouling in your barrel. A few questions that we will initially ask are:
- How many rounds have been fired through the barrel?
- When was the last time your barrel was cleaned?
- How often do you clean your barrel?
- What type of ammunition are you shooting?
The answers to these questions will provide us the necessary information in determining the condition and fouling severity in your barrel. This in turn allows us to recommend the best cleaner for your barrel and situation.
Eliminator Bore Cleaner
Let’s start with our most popular product - Eliminator Bore Cleaner. Approximately 90% of the time, the Eliminator Bore Cleaner is what we recommend for cleaning your barrel. For most fouling situations, Eliminator will remove stubborn carbon, lead, and copper fouling as well as neutralize corrosive residues from deep within the pores of the barrel. If you regularly keep up with your cleanings then this cleaner is for you.
TIP: Be sure to apply a quality gun oil such as our Friction Guard Gun Oil to the barrel once it's clean to protect from rust & corrosion.
C4 Carbon Remover & Cu+2 Copper Remover
Our individual cleaners are more effective than the Eliminator Bore Cleaner, but only at the respective fouling types that they are formulated to clean. The C4 Carbon Remover and the Cu+2 Copper Remover are recommended for extreme fouling situations such as:
- Barrels with high rounds counts
- Corrosive / dirty ammunition
- Firearm's not properly cleaned and left in storage
These cleaners directly target and effectively focus on removing their respective fouling types. When using the separate cleaners, the cleaning process will always start with the C4 Carbon Remover first, followed up by the Cu+2 Copper Remover. One thing to keep in mind when using these individual cleaners is that you do not want to mix them together. Nothing dangerous or damaging would occur but combining these cleaners will significantly reduce the cleaning capability.
To prevent mixing the cleaners simply push a few dry patches through your barrel before switching from the C4 Carbon Remover to the Cu+2 Copper Remover.
Our C4 Carbon Remover also has a built in copper softener that assists the CU+2 Copper Remover in being even more effective. The amount of copper fouling removed by the C4 Carbon Remover is very minimal, so it can still be used if trying to retain copper fouling in the barrel.
Can I use these cleaners on other parts of my firearm?
Absolutely! Our cleaners can also be used to remove fouling from other areas such as:
- Actions
- Chambers / Throats / Carbon Rings
- Lug Recess/Barrel Extensions
- Bolt Carrier Groups (BCG’s)
- Revolver Cylinders
- Gas Pistons
- Muzzle Devices
Bore Tech recommends using the C4 Carbon Remover for the areas mentioned above as these locations will typically not contain copper. You can use the Eliminator Bore Cleaner here if you do not have the C4 Carbon Remover, but the C4 is more effective at removing carbon thus reducing your cleaning time.
The best way to remove carbon rings is by using our Centerfire Action Cleaning Tool Kit in combination with the C4 Carbon Remover. This kit comes with multiple items to assist in applying the C4 Carbon Remover and getting rid of stubborn carbon rings. Simply let the carbon remover soak for approximately 10-15 minutes before using dry patches to clean/dry the area. Depending on how bad the carbon ring is, this may take a few cycles and extended soaks to properly remove it from the barrel.
In very severe situations it is best to use our Chameleon Gel to remove carbon rings. Chameleon Gel is our 100% barrel safe, micro silica abrasive gel that contains all the same cleaning technology of our bore cleaners. Its sole purpose was to tackle the severe fouling situations such as stubborn carbon rings. In terms of tiers, this would be the next step up from the C4 Carbon Remover.
The best way to use the Chameleon Gel is to use an undersized nylon brush (Ex: For a 6.5mm you would want to use a 6mm), wrap a patch around the brush, apply the Chameleon Gel, and then short-stroke the area with the carbon ring. The barrel safe micro silica abrasive will loosen the top layer of fouling and allow the cleaner to get underneath and break up the carbon ring. After letting this cleaner soak for approximately 10-15 minutes, remove the gel from the barrel with a few wet patches of either C4 Carbon Remover or Eliminator Bore Cleaner. Depending on the severity of the buildup, this may take a few cycles to remove the fouling.
