Wipe Out "rust" problem

MeatAxe556

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Minuteman
Feb 28, 2013
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Although I have used Wipe Out and related products (Patch Out, etc.) and have generally had good results with it as a bore cleaner, I did get a batch with problems:

Before deer season, I cleaned my usual deer rifles (Tikkas with stainless barrels) which had been in storage since the previous year. To my horror, after using Wipe Out, out came this reddish brown material on the patch that I took to be rust from the barrel. No matter how many times I cleaned, the cleaning patch always came out with this "rust" material on it -- very frustrating. I tried several other cleaning products (e.g. Butch's Bore Shine) which seemed to come out clean, but when I used the Wipe Out, it always came out with this reddish brown residue. It about drove me crazy!:mad:

Then I noticed when I happened to get some Wipe Out foam on a clean rag, that IT had a reddish brown tint when it dissipated and dried. So, obviously, it was the Wipe Out itself and not "rust" in the barrel. :mad:

So I called the guy at Sharp Shootr (or whoever makes Wipe Out) who admitted that they'd had some problems with some of the Wipe Out aerosol cans: apparently over time the Wipe Out dissolves the red plastic linings in certain cans, which causes the bores to appear to have rust in them when cleaned. Wow -- would have been nice to hear about some product recall on this!:mad:

Anyway, if you're using Wipe Out and you think you're getting rust in your bore, it may just be the Wipe Out itself!!!!
 
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Sounds like whatever discoloration you´re getting is non-essential. If it actually ate at the bore, that would be a different story, but this? If it performs well otherwise, don´t be too picky :)
 
Sounds like whatever discoloration you´re getting is non-essential. If it actually ate at the bore, that would be a different story, but this? If it performs well otherwise, don´t be too picky :)


Well, of course, the discoloration is "non-essential." The problem is that it looks like rust continually appearing in the bore, which, if you didn't know better, is extremely aggravating and a waste of time and energy cleaning the bore umpteen times to get the "rust" out.

Also, I'm sure dissolved plastic particles aren't doing your rifle any good if you meld them to the bore when you shoot.

Sharp Shootr sent me some replacement cans of Wipe Out for the contaminated product, but there's no way I'm going to accept contaminated Wipe Out or use it in my rifles.
 
The brownish orange that collected in my barrels only did it in my chrome moly barrels and actions. No deposit at all in my stainless guns. The "plastic" residue once removed also left pits that are visible in my 20 power bore scope. Left long term is also pitted stainless bolts with no color other than the pits. If it indeed was plastic from the cans it would show on every patch. Not just the ones from prolonged soaking. I'll pass on Wipeout.
 
I have never used this product(and never will) but I just read another thread here on the Hide about this very same issue (red/rust coloration). Apparently, the manufacturer identified that the liner in the can they were using was disolving and causing the strange rust/red coloration issues people have been reporting. None in that thread made any mention of any damage being seen though.

As an aside, I would recommend people look into FireClean as it works far better and faster than this product, plus it is not only a cleaner, it is also a lubricant and a protectant. The result is carbon wipes off of parts like food wipes off of a teflon pan.
 
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I assume there's a reason the can was lined to begin with. My question would be, is the can steel? If so, I would have to wonder if the "reddish brown" is really dissolved plastic liner, or did the steel rust once the liner was penetrated. If rust, it is an issue, as rust promotes rust. I wouldn't use it in my barrel if that is the case. I thought Wipe-Out had a rust inhibitor in the mix though.
 
None in that thread made any mention of any damage being seen though.



I posted pictures of extensive rust damage to my new Rem MLR 700P 338LM. I have pitted Bat action bolts and my Weatherby bolts's are all stained up like they were left outside. Wipeout is not a rust preventative at all.

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This left pits from this overnight soak. Stainless guns done the same day did not get it.
 

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Never had a problem with butch's or now with boretech. I do, after cleaning bore hose down the chamber and bore with non chlorinated brake cleaner. Mop chamber and run a dry patch down the bore. If it is long term storage it gets a rem oiled patch down chamber and bore
 
I honestly have never had an issue whatso ever with wipeout. I have used it for yards on both stainless and CM barrels and put a borescope in two of them no pitting. That looks like just trash that needs to be wiped from the bore.

But I'm no gun smith, but if it caused problems for the last 5 or so years that I have used it I think I would have noticed it. Across all the guns I use it in I have around 10k rounds in the last 5 years and no problems with accuracy, rust or anything else.
 
That trash accumulated overnight every night until we quit using Wipeout. The stainless guns took weeks to pit. When you pit up a couple $7000 customs and 3 Weatherby's you might be a bit soured on it too. I still use it from time to time to test with but am super dilligent on getting it all out. Bore Tech Eliminator is my solvent of choice now. As a gunsmith I believe I have about all of them on hand. I even have Warthog which will etch stainless in just a few minutes.
 
That trash accumulated overnight every night until we quit using Wipeout. The stainless guns took weeks to pit. When you pit up a couple $7000 customs and 3 Weatherby's you might be a bit soured on it too. I still use it from time to time to test with but am super dilligent on getting it all out. Bore Tech Eliminator is my solvent of choice now. As a gunsmith I believe I have about all of them on hand. I even have Warthog which will etch stainless in just a few minutes.

Did you call the manufacturer about the pitting? If so, what did he tell you?

I have to say, I've left Wipe Out in various bores for days at a time and never got any pitting. The rusty looking residue, yes (as shown in your photo), but no pitting. However, the residue I got came directly out of the can (from only one or two cans out of several that I bought). Also, I've noted a similar residue coming out of the red straws that Wipe Out includes with their product.
 
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It all started when some customers we had built rifles for brought in their rifles to examine the pits did we finally put together the common denominator. Then I went into my safe and found the stains and pits in my own rifles. Previously I always thought, well we must have missed some water or something. The final straw was the MLR rifle putting out the never ending brown patches and then rusting heavy overnight. I called and they said it was not possible even after looking at pictures I sent them. They recommended that we use a good oil to help protect our guns even though it says you can use it as a rust preventative. We ran further tests and it is certainly no metal preservative. Since then we have had pretty good luck with the Bore Tech Eliminator for soaking but it to will rust if left long term. (6-12mo) No replacement for a good oil protectant.

I'm done with this topic.