Does anyone have a lot of experience with Hoppes 9 for cleaning the bore and chamber? I’ve read somewhere that it’s an ammonia based cleaner. Is this a bad thing? Would CLP be a better option?
I just put some Hoppes 9 on a boresnake, run it through a few times, and leave it be.
Edit: this is specifically for chrome lined barrels.
It’s probably fine the way you are using it, but I would avoid ammonia based products personally. I definitely wouldn’t let it sit for a while. I’d think the back end of the bore snake should get most of it out of the bore.
I only use M-Pro7 Copper Remover. It works very well and is ammonia and odor free. I highly recommend it.
Ammonia will dissolve the copper over time. It won’t harm the Cr.
Not a chemist, but I believe ammonia is a base, and relatively safe on metals… OK, this is where one of you smart folks, who paid attention in chemistry class, lights up the guy who didn’t…
Ammonia ions react with water and copper to create copper hydroxide(a water soluble salt with a blue to blue-green color).
Due to the electronegativity of copper, it reacts, but iron and chrome will not, at least to an extent to worry about.
Many bases are very aggressive with metals, most notably cyanide compounds.
Thanks for being gentle:)
Hoppes #9 has a tiny amount of ammonia - hard to put it into the same category as Sweets 7.62 or similar aggressive anti-copper blends.
If you have it, use it, and run a patch with some CLP or other lube through the bore when you’re done cleaning.
I use Hoppes 9 to clean all my firearms. Even with all these CLP products Hoppes is still my favorite
I haven’t been running anything else through after using the Hoppes. I’ll be sure to start running a CLP patch through after the cleaning.
Thanks, everyone.
I moved from Hoppes 9 to Hoppes 9 Elite it is odorless, non-toxic, non-flammable and biodegradable.
Always use some type of oil made for rust protection after the Hoppes 9. Not saying Hoppes 9 will cause it to rust but it’s a cleaning solvent not really made for protecting. Also check out Hoppes 9 Synthetic Blend which is biodegradable and less harmful for you to breathe or get on your skin
There is also a product called Hoppe’s AR.I know because my wife bought me some. It appears to not leave any residue behind so I’ve been using it to soak my bolt in, then afterward cleaning, lube with my favorite lube of the day.
First time I ever cleaned a gun was with my father about 1951. We used Hoppe’s 9 then, and I still use it today. I did buy some Breakthrough recently and am still experimenting with it. Looks like water and is odorless, but I’m not sold on it yet.
I just use breakfree foaming bore cleaner. Leave it in for 30 minutes and it pukes all of the crap out of the muzzle.
I use slip 2000 bore cleaner and it’s amazing for my needs. Cheap and comes in a pretty nice size bottle it’s a copper remover.
I always thought ammonia-based solvents were bad for chrome lining, at least if you let it sit in there for any appreciable length of time.
For a long time, I’ve been using Hoppes to clean, then following with CLP, and more recently, M-Pro 7. I’m going to give Fireclean a try when this bottle of Hoppes is done.
Also, I use grease for my Sig slides. Specifically, Slide Glide. I used in on my AR bolts for a time, but have since gone back to straight lube oil. It worked very well, but tended to suck up a lot more filth from the powder discharges.
I use hoppes when Im serious about cleaning the gun (3-4x a year) but after every range trip i will clean with M-pro 7 gun cleaner and oil with lpx. In all reality we are probably harder on our guns with solvents and brushing than we are shooting them.
AINT THAT THE TRUTH!
Always used Hoppe’s #9, then started using Butches Bore shine. Great in shotgun barrels after lots of plastic wadding deposits left in the chamber and choke areas.
Ed’s Red is good and easy to make up yourself