Is Hoppes 9 enough?

[yankee-pete]

I have always cleaned all my guns with just Hoppes 9. One of the guys at the LGS tells me its not enough, and that I should be using something else in addition to remove the copper fouling. Is this true? Is it a big deal? If so, what product do you recommend?

[beerman]

Its FUD...#9 will work on copper fouling. Although if I have a really leaded up BBL,I will use some Butch's Bore Shine. That said #9 works 99% of the time.

[Wallabing]

Dont believe him. Hoppes + oil of your choice is enough.

[mif_slim]

You HAVE to use anything with a "tactical" label to work. Last I checked, Hoppes active ingredient isnt Tactcial, wont work.

[TheExiled]

I have always cleaned all my guns with just Hoppes 9. One of the guys at the LGS tells me its not enough, and that I should be using something else in addition to remove the copper fouling. Is this true? Is it a big deal? If so, what product do you recommend?

Is he selling some form of amphibian or otherwise "tactical" labeled product by chance?

Hoppes will work fine. I use their copper cleaner on my bolt gun and used Reg old #9 for a long time.

[JoshuaS]

Hoppes is fine. I don't use it personally anymore, only because when I first got into firearms and bought Hoppes, I was living in Berkeley. And eventually my apartment manager warned me that he didn't want me cleaning my gun on the patio (I lived spitting distance from the entrance to UC Berkeley). And Hoppes was just too strong of a smell for my tiny apartment.

But it works just fine.

[Calif Hunter]

I like Hoppes for powder fouling. If I've been shooting lead in my handgun, I run a patch soaked in Kroil through first. It does seem to get "under" the lead and then it comes out easily with a copper brush. Then I clean with Hoppes. In centerfire rifles that may copper foul more, I use Hoppes, followed by Wipe Out. Finish with an oiled patch if it's going to be put away for a while.

[Divernhunter]

I used it for years when I was young. There was not much else out there then.
There are so many better products for you to use now.
If you want: change to something else if not it is your choice.

[357magnum]

Been using Hoppes #9 for 40 years now, still gets the job done.

[yj4x4]

Years ago, I saw a recipe for home made bore cleaner. I don't remember all the ingredients, but among them were equal parts acetone, kerosene, and atf. I mixed up a gallon which I've kept in a tightly sealed laboratory grade brown glass gallon jug. Stuff still works as good as the day I first made it. Cleans out the lead and copper like crazy.

[Jimi Jah]

It works. Slip carbon cleaner is good if that smell is too much.

[2761377]

for high power rifles shooting projectiles with copper/bi-metal jackets-

-after your patches come out clean with Hoppe's, run a patch with Sweet's 7.62 through it and let it soak 5 minutes. you'll see what Hoppe's is missing. if you're diligent and patient, you can get the visible copper on the lands to go away.

then lightly oil for storage.

[Caribouriver]

After using Hoppes with a brush and patches just coming out light gray, I usually say good enough and just run a CLP soaked patch through. The other day, I tried Sweet's 7.62 after the Hoppes. I put in a liberal amount spreading it with a nylon brush and let it soak for 5 minutes. I was amazed at the blue green mud the first patch took out.

[speedrrracer]

As with everything, it depends.

If you're talking about your Glock, yes, Hoppes is enough. If you're talking about your 6mm benchrest rifle for competition, no, it's not enough.

[Kablemodem]

Hoppes does remove some copper, but I can clean my barrel with Hoppes all day until the patches come out as clean as they went in, and then I can run a patch with Butch's Bore Shine and it comes out solid black/blue.