CLR is an effective carbon cleaner

[RandyD]

[hunterb]

Have you tried Slip 2000 carbon cutter, OP? Love that stuff. Good tip on the CLR!

[The Gleam]

CLR contains acids - I would not put it on anything with bluing - would remove it in short order.

But since you noted that the subject gun "most of the bluing has worn off" I guess it doesn't matter, but should be noted just in case anyone gets the idea to run it all over their nice but needs-a-clean S&W Model 29.

[Fizz]

Word of caution.

CLR is a combination of acids. The 'rust' removing qualities will also strip bluing and most anything else considered an oxide. It can also cause oxidation in and of itself, so be sure that the black stuff you're continually getting out isn't caused by the CLR.

It will likely cause flash rusting on any unfinished steel. It's a rust remover, but in some applications it may be too good at its job.

[Brush Guard]

I’ve had good luck with the KG line of products. The carbon remover easily removes the carbon from the inside of AR bolt carriers.

The copper remover works well too.

[divingin]

I tried cleaning the rear interior of a SS muzzle brake (exposed section - nothing that would make a functional difference.) I wanted something with largely baked on carbon that had been neglected, and the brake fit the bill.

Hoppes #9: No effect.
Boretech Eliminator: Removed a small amount
Some sort of foaming gun cleaner (Gunslick?): No effect.
Kroil (with a decent soak): No effect
Boretech Carbon remover: Little effect
CLR: Cleaned it to about 90% with a minute or so dwell time.

Yeah, it seems to work. I've also used CLR on the carbon ring that forms between the case mouth and the leade, though I seems to get varying results (SS barrel.) It will clean up with no effort one time, and not do much the next. As far as I can tell I use the same procedure, but the results vary.

I find it's not a cure-all for carbon, but it remains a valid tool in my cleaning regimen.

[aklon]

I'd like to put in a good word for "Blue Wonder." This stuff is non-toxic and acts chemically. Great gobs of greenish blackish crud comes out of your bore every time until it doesn't.

[TimRB]

Are you sure you don't have a pitted barrel? After such vigorous cleaning, seems like carbon should be gone by now, but you can scrub pitting til you're blue in the face and the barrel will still look black.

Tim

[hermosabeach]

Old guns tend to have
1- heavy lead build up in the bore
Or
2-heavy copper jacket build up in the bore

Glad your method worked

I prefer the more modern Kroil and J.B. Bore paste cleaning method to get barrels back to clean metal.

[Dan_Eastvale]

Warnings say gtg on stainless steel and chrome but can etch other steels. But who knows? Maybe only if it soaks too long.

[RandyD]

As a follow-up on CLR staining the steel, I did experience some staining on the muzzle. I removed the stain with a rag and CLR and then applied some oil to prevent further staining.

On the barrel being pitted, I don't have a bore scope to verify. I am working on the barrel every night and I am still getting carbon out. I doubt that there is any pitting, the rifle was in Western Washington State where it is really dry. Even the farm machinery out there does not rust.

[Dnele928]

Randy,

It may be old oil you’re seeing at this point. The barrel metal is porous at the microscopic level. If the barrel had been oiled many years ago, it may have penetrated well into the metal over the years. It seems that you have scrubbed off the surface carbon, and are now getting the old oil to leach up and out. It sounds like you have gotten the barrel surface and rifling clean enough. If that’s the case, it is probably ok to give it some fresh oil and commence using it.

Don from LJ.

[divingin]

On the barrel being pitted, I don't have a bore scope to verify.

$50ish will get you a Teslong borescope from Amazon. Well worth it if you have several guns. Apple-compatible units are a little more (as they require a wireless connection; no idea why.)

[SharedShots]

At some point you'll wear out the barrel from excessive cleaning. Even a patch pulled back and forth and not just once through is more like an abrasive than cleaning.

You can plug the barrel, pour in your cleaner and let time do the work instead of going at it over and over again. Then if you can, slug the barrel and check dimensions. Once they are good start using it.

[RandyD]

At some point you'll wear out the barrel from excessive cleaning. Even a patch pulled back and forth and not just once through is more like an abrasive than cleaning.

You can plug the barrel, pour in your cleaner and let time do the work instead of going at it over and over again. Then if you can, slug the barrel and check dimensions. Once they are good start using it.

I tried this twice. I plugged my barrel with a foam earplug and filled the barrel with CLR and let it sit overnight. When I drained the CLR from the barrel the next morning into a clean tub, I was surprised to see the CLR was relatively clean. I don't believe letting the CLR sit for a prolonged period did anything extraordinary. The best method is to soak a patch with CLR, run it down the barrel, let it sit for 10 minutes, then use a bore brush and then clean up with a series of patches. I intend to continue following this process until there is no more carbon.