I’m building a 6 GT as my first precision bolt gun. I’ve been reading some stuff about carbon rings showing up in some of the 6mm cartridges, especially the 6 GT, but most just go in to how you can clean to get rid of them. Is there any way to prevent a carbon ring?
Carbon ring prevention
- Thread starter HTFSIK
- Start date
Yeah. Cleaning before they develop.
The longer you go the more it gets cooked and pressured on and the harder it is to remove. Clean every few hundred and you’ll be alright.
The longer you go the more it gets cooked and pressured on and the harder it is to remove. Clean every few hundred and you’ll be alright.
If you're spending the money to build a custom rifle then spend the 10 to 15 minutes to clean the barrel after shooting it. Preventive maintenance is easier and cheaper than corrective.
I'd stay away from CLR, except for some suppressors. The debate on clr for ss rifle barrels still goes on. Barrett says no and they use something similar to Boretech eliminator. That does a great job with proper maintenance. Boretech also makes a carbon and copper remover too. I found the Boretech line works very well.
CLR has worked for me for lots of years. The trick is to neutralize it with several alcohol patches after getting rid of the carbon. I'm no Barrett, but I do use premium barrels and they always come back around after getting rid of the carbon on a regular basis. After matches, or long shot strings.
I use it on cans too. Works better than anything else out there.
Xdeano
I use it on cans too. Works better than anything else out there.
Xdeano
Just curious................How do you know that the alcohol neutralizes the clr? Not trying to be argumentative here. I like to save money just like the other guy. Arguments that show pitting from clr on ss using a borescope, but a lot of guys are using it. Many say to only let it stand for 15 min tops.
Iv've been using CLR for several years in all my barrels and it does a fantastic job at keeping carbon rings a bay. I never let it sit more than 15 minutes before following it up with Wipe Out Patch Out. Its my first step in my cleaning regiment. Never had an issue with etching, barrel longevity or accuracy. You just need to use it wisely. Nothing out their I've found works as well as CLR.
I do not think I have seen this ring. I maybe cleaning too often. 200 rds. ish
I start with a wet patch. Then a mop wet and cram it well in. It sits a short while then a brush three one way strokes. Wet and dry patches allHopes only.
some barrels may be tough. Like stripping copper. I don’t keep these.
I start with a wet patch. Then a mop wet and cram it well in. It sits a short while then a brush three one way strokes. Wet and dry patches allHopes only.
some barrels may be tough. Like stripping copper. I don’t keep these.
I only let mine sit for 15min also. Ive looked down my pipe with a borescope also. I'm no chemist but I'm pretty sure that isopropyl alcohol 91% does a pretty decent job at wiping out the water based cleaning agent. CLR has lactic acid and gluconic acid, those are the main ingredients according to their site.
Im guessing with composition of lactic acid and isopropanol, the Oxygen atoms and hydrogen atoms break off and create water. Its been 20 years since I took a biochem class. Thats just a quick hypothesis without actually testing it out.
I think the worst thing is to leave it in the barrel for long periods of time. With it breaking down and turning to water a guy might create pitting from that. OR, the pitting is caused by the 100 rounds of 6mm combusting at 60k or pressure and the make up of the powder and what happened to that powder as it combusts and changes chemical composition. Then adding in microscopic amounts of water in the form of cooling and any environmental water. It could cause another acid that etches the barrel worse than the CLR. Just a thought.
Xdeano
I do not think I have seen this ring. I maybe cleaning too often. 200 rds. ish
I start with a wet patch. Then a mop wet and cram it well in. It sits a short while then a brush three one way strokes. Wet and dry patches allHopes only.
some barrels may be tough. Like stripping copper. I don’t keep
ETA; I shoot mostly H4831 and Varget, some H4895.
I start with a wet patch. Then a mop wet and cram it well in. It sits a short while then a brush three one way strokes. Wet and dry patches allHopes only.
some barrels may be tough. Like stripping copper. I don’t keep
ETA; I shoot mostly H4831 and Varget, some H4895.
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Shooting fast and hot contributes as well. Some powders seem to cause them more than others also.
I clean my centerfires between 100-200 rounds fired, and bore scope clearly shows a carbon ring starting. Not enough to affect anything, but @spife7980 said it earlier: easier to prevent a thick ring from forming than to get it out when it's thoroughly pressure-cooked to diamond-like hardness.
Without going into all the cleaners and machinations I've tried to clean out carbon without a huge amount of time/effort, bottom line is putting a CLR-wet patch on a sub-caliber brush (e.g., .17 for .224, .22 for .264, etc) and letting the patch sit in the chamber throat for five (5) minutes. Five minutes is plenty. I then run a couple of dry patches through and then clean with products such as Hoppes, CLP, and others.
There was a particularly good thread about ring removal a couple of months ago. Frank Green of Bartlein Barrels weighed in at some length... basically said his testing shows CLR WILL hurt barrels if misused.
Without going into all the cleaners and machinations I've tried to clean out carbon without a huge amount of time/effort, bottom line is putting a CLR-wet patch on a sub-caliber brush (e.g., .17 for .224, .22 for .264, etc) and letting the patch sit in the chamber throat for five (5) minutes. Five minutes is plenty. I then run a couple of dry patches through and then clean with products such as Hoppes, CLP, and others.
There was a particularly good thread about ring removal a couple of months ago. Frank Green of Bartlein Barrels weighed in at some length... basically said his testing shows CLR WILL hurt barrels if misused.
so will humidity.... Just use it with moderation.
