Bore Cleaners & Type 4 Trigger Housings - Oops

[INLAND44]

The only thing you have to be aware of when cleaning a brazed trigger housing is to not use anything like Phosphoric Acid which will 'bleach' out the Parkerizing on the steel parts. What you did didn't permanently damage the braze. There are several ways of cleaning the residues off the braze without harming it or the adjacent finishes. It depends on what the 'gummy' build-up is. Probably hot soapy water and a toothbrush would do it.

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[DaveHH]

I would only add that some copper fouling in a barrel isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I would go for months, many months with my rifle barrels and they shot just the same. On a pitted barrel, the fouling actually helps smooth it out. Point being, these 30 cal barrels just don't need to be cleaned to that extent to shoot well. Some match rifles need to be cleaned between shots, some once a year. with these 30 calibers, it just isn't that important to get all excited about it. A hoppies soaked patch followed by a couple of clean ones and done.

[Bill Hollinger]

I would only add that some copper fouling in a barrel isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I would go for months, many months with my rifle barrels and they shot just the same. On a pitted barrel, the fouling actually helps smooth it out. Point being, these 30 cal barrels just don't need to be cleaned to that extent to shoot well. Some match rifles need to be cleaned between shots, some once a year. with these 30 calibers, it just isn't that important to get all excited about it. A hoppies soaked patch followed by a couple of clean ones and done.

Dave, albeit this is correct for the most part, corrosive fouling trapped under the copper fouling will do nothing but eat on the steel of the barrel. Cleaning the barrel completely is a must.

Fellas, I only offer this information because since working in a custom barrel shop and talking to the owner about barrel care I thought I would pass that info on to my milsurps family.

[DaveHH]

Dave, albeit this is correct for the most part, corrosive fouling trapped under the copper fouling will do nothing but eat on the steel of the barrel. Cleaning the barrel completely is a must.

Fellas, I only offer this information because since working in a custom barrel shop and talking to the owner about barrel care I thought I would pass that info on to my milsurps family.

I have a question: What do you consider to be "Corrosive Fouling" and how does it get in the bore? I ask because when I received my SA 12/65 rebuild in 1983, it was all new. I shot it for almost a full year and never once used a chemical copper remover. As a matter of fact, I rarely used a brush. I would clean the bore with Hoppies and patches. The barrel was perfect and remained that way. I won five bench rest shoots with that M1 using handloads of 4064/Sierra 168 Internationals. My main concern was barrel preservation as I was taught to fear the rod and brush by Drill Instructors. I was determined to not clean it to death. I suppose I might feel different about it if I owned a barrel shop.
Thanks Bill.