I started using CLR a few weeks ago after watching one of your other videos. I had horrible accuracy issues with my rifle. After one time my accuracy snapped right back. Thanks for the advice.
An alternative method taught to me by a military armorer that is good on blued parts. Fill a large utility sink or kitchen sink with the hottest water you can stand. A) Cover drain grills or any area that small parts can fall into. B) Add a hefty amount of Dawn dishwashing soap. C) Throw the entire broken down gun into the sink. D) Thoroughly scrub everything. It takes about 3 passes with a bore brush and a barrel brush respectively. Smaller parts anout once with the "toothbrush". E) Ensuring all parts are secure, drain the sink. F) Refill the sink with super hot water and make sure all parts are rinsed. The Dawn breaks down any carbon or oil buildup. The hot water serves two purposes; it helps with the soiling buildup and, this is the biggest point, when you take the pieces out, the high heat helps them dry quicker. Oil everything. While every other unit struggled for hours to pass an armory inspection, we turned our weapons in and were able to walk away to the shock of the armorers. Our weaponswere as clean as if they just came from the manufacturer prior to firing. Still use this method on my AR to this day.
Will it work on polymer frames? I need to clean my tx22 but dont want to do anything to harm it since I hear not to clean polymer with any gun solvent. Say it dries it up over time and cracks.
I used it on my dad’s Remington 700 30-06 blued. It worked great on the bore but it started to take of the finish off the action. I got scared and took the barreled action out of the stock and rinsed the entire thing with a garden hose.🤣 No major issue on the finish and it shot really well afterwards.
I love your channel. I am not a match shooter and was never in the military. Your content really helps an old varmint hunter like me. Thanks for showing us tips and tricks
Lol I’m a mechanic an shoot a ton of long range. I dropped a alternator in that stuff that wasn’t charging over night rinsed it with water put it back on the truck an been driving it for 2 years now haha
Along the same lines, Zmax engine treatment works wonders on keeping stainless barrels clean. On a clean barrel, saturate the inside and then heat the barrel with a heat gun. While still hot, saturate again, and apply more heat (about 200F). Then just let it cool. Patch out the excess. This penetrates into the barrel and helps prevent the carbon from getting a hold. Works wonders on engine valves, so I tried it on one of my guns. It cleans super easy. Some of the best gun products aren't even marketed as such.
Works fast. No need to let it sit. Get it in scrub with brush patch out with 99% alcohol. Patch dry. One damp patch of Remclean and another dry patch.... Done! Blued cromo barrel no issues.... Back to 1/2 MOA... THANK YOU ERIC.....
Agreed. I have been a massive fan of clr for years. Great on stainless, caution with factory coatings. ie pistol slides etc etc, it can take it back to bare steel. Absolutely great on stainless barrels just be sure that's all its on.
If you shoot a revolver you know how the carbon builds up around the forcing cone and on the outside of the cylinder and cylinder face. The CLR wipes the cylinder clean with little effort. Unbelievable. Wet a patch and it wipes away.
Hey Eric, I recently found this page “ like yesterday” and I’ve been following you on Texasbarndominiums but I enjoy this more. Thanks for the vids. Big fan.
I would like to thank you for your excellent advice. I am not referring to CLR because I feel that I cannot use it on my blued chrome moly barrel - but rather for advice to use Teslong borescope as a cleaning assessment tool. Based on the borescope it turns out that my normal cleaning regime already removes all the carbon for me - but I found had a big problem with copper fouling. So I did an overnight soak using “Wipe Out” foam which turned all that copper to very dark inky blue liquid residue. It looks great now. Thanks again!
For what it’s worth.. My normal cleaning routine is to start with swab dipped in “Ed’s Red” thru bore guide, let the “Ed’s Red” soak an hour, then 20 strokes with my dewey rod with bronze brush, then push patches soaked in mineral spirits until it comes out clean, then dry patch. Turns out this works great for my carbon but not so much for copper.
Have used CLR for at least 30 years, cleaning house and janitorial work off and on. Great stuff. Would never have thought to scrub a barrel or parts with it. Thank you very much for the idea! You have a new subscriber.
Good thing you said to follow with 92% alcohol... Gotta have something to neutralize the acid in the CLR... or you will develop pits in the metal. cheaper the metal, the more likely to pit.
I have been using CLR to remove carbon from my breaks and barrels without any adverse effects for the past few years good to see someone of Erick Cortina's pedigree else uses it also.
I used some CLR I had after seeing your previous video and also ordered the patch-out. Shot the next day and had a .26MOA group with ES 10 and SD 3.6.... thank you sir.... I take what you say to the bank
AMAZING, absolutely amazing ! I have a barrel that just wouldn't let go of the icky barrel smeg, and now I'm victories. Ram-rod a tornado brush & CLR, then jag a few times, then repeat. Beautiful results !
I know this is an older video, but I appreciate the info. I’m gonna give it a try. I recently learned that CLR is great for getting carbon off of exhaust tips so this makes a lot of sense.
‘May all your groups, be one hole.’, for me that’s the classic! It’s old school, I miss it already! Great video, gonna use this added to my cleaning regimen from now on! Thank you!
I tried lemishine and water in an ultrasonic cleaner and was amazed at how well it worked on a stainless muzzle brake. Very fast, zero scrubbing. Cheers!
Do NOT leave CLR on carbon steel for more than a few minutes at a time. CLR will attack the carbon in the carbon steel. No issues with stainless steel. It is an awesome carbon cutter.
The great thing about CLR is it works faster in the barrel than anything I ever tried period. And then alcohol will rinse it out with a couple of patches.
When I worked out in the mines I ran out of washing powder, I found "truck wash" in the company store, and as it was free, I figured it would be great to wash my clothes in. The first time I wore my clothes, I became itchy in the nether regions, but it wasn't really a problem. When I got home I realised all the skin on my balls started to peel off and my nuggets were red raw, the funny part was I didnt think it was from the truck wash, so I went and saw the company nurse about it, and it was only then the penny dropped about what had happened.
As you said “major changes before big match”. I think changing from beer to pure alcohol is big. Hehe just joking. Would like to hear more of these. Thanks for sharing.
I have a cerakoted wrench that was just a test piece when I was trying to figure out cerakote. I'll dump the wrench in a bottle this weekend to test. (Heat cure FDE)
4 days in, and the CLR has degraded the metal in the wrench. Around every nick in the coating, the metal corroded and expanded slightly, loosening the Cerakote's hold on the surface. The FDE cerakote is also slightly discolored green. In all, cerakoted parts may be good for a short soak, but I wouldn't go long.
I ran this through my Bergara HMR Pro's barrel yesterday afternoon. Ran 3 wet patches from breech to bore using a bore guide and let set for about 15 minutes. The 3 wet patches were black as all get out. Patched it out and then used a bore solvent on a patch. Noticed an increase in filth from the wet patch of bore solvent showing that this did a good job. Scrubbed the barrel about 10 passes and patched it dry. Finished with a patch of alcohol and then a few more dry patches. This will now be my cleaning regiment. My break is blued steel, so I quickly wiped it down after the CLR patches inside and out. Probably should have taken it off, but its a pain to time right. Break looks fine after 24 hours too. Thanks man!
I take everything Eric says as gospel, till I dropped my MDT carbon steel brake in the CLR for 2 hr . When I removed & washed the brake it had a black brown rust film all over . Took 30 min scrubbing with tooth brush & soap & water to clean it up .
Thanks Erik. New drinking game...every time Erik says carbon...take a drink. Great info lately, keep it going. Would really enjoy some more F-class loading and shooting. Enjoyed the PRS stuff.
Just tried CLR on my 1911 pistol barrels... WOWZA!... best carbon removal I have ever experienced! Thank you Mr. Cortina... absolutely love your educational youtube channel.
Eric, you are the hardest worker on You Tube right now. Collaborating with Jerry and Matt, video recording competitions that does create distraction for a competitor that shoots at your level. Sharing your "secret tips" to help the shooting community. After watching you for some time I know you will just say something short and laugh it off and move on because you are too busy to waste your time on something you have little or no control over. Myself however can say what you tube is doing to gun related content creators is not only wrong it is unconstitutional which also makes it illegal. I see down the road a mass action law suit for damages against channels that have been discriminated against by You tube and the like. I like the new Keep em centered idea. Thanks for all your hard work! Mike B
Dude! I feel like I need to add you to my Christmas Card list. This works amazing, absolutely amazing! Thanks so much for taking the time to post this. You're the man!
Well..... CLR is not the end all of cleaners. If you are stainless, it's OK, however, and it's a big however, the R stands for Rust, and you know what bluing is, that's right it's Rust. It may clean your barrel nicely, but it will also remove bluing down to bare metal in a second. Do not use if you have and blue steel that might be exposed to CLR. Yes, I've done that and will remove your blue finish wherever it touches. I don't use it even on my stainless weapons as I might forget and also use it on the blue steel ones.
I tried it on my brake. It cleaned the crap out of it however it did slightly discolor the polished finish. Few passes across some 1000 grit wet or dry sand paper (wet) and the finish was restored. I found coating the muzzle of my stainless 1911 with a couple coats of One Shot helps stops the carbon tracing. I applied a couple coats to my brake. Haven’t put it to the test yet.
I've heard about using CLR. I was afraid of using it until I was this video. Thanks for sharing. I'm going to give it a try. I have learned the hard way that carbon fouling really sucks!
Just tried it after getting my Borescope (Teslong Semi Rigid) and that'll explain why my 22-250 lost the handle. Oh my the copper and carbon... Spent a couple hours making it better... Seemed almost copper plated bore was achieved... This system works amazingly well..
Great work Eric! I try this recently after you mentioned it in a previous post! Amazing how it strips the carbon out, and... best groups yet out of the 338 Edge!
I don’t know how it compares but I use motor oil. It absorbs carbon fouling. Maybe it isn’t as fast. I can take the bolt carrier group out of my AR, remove the bolt, and then stand the bolt carrier upright in a plastic container. Put motor oil on and in the carrier. Come back next day and there will be a pool of jet black motor oil in the plastic pan. Wipe as much off as possible and good to go. Same thing with bolt.
@@ErikCortina I remember reading about a story about barrel cleaning told by a Special Forces guy embedded with a Afghan mujahideen fighters with the Northern Alliance. This was shortly after the war broke out and part of the Horse Soldiers period www.army.mil/article/181582/first_to_go_green_berets_remember_earliest_mission_in_afghanistan Every night the US SF guys would break their weapons down and do the full nine yards of cleaning them. After the second night of watching them, the Afghan guy pulled out is AK, got a boot lace with some knots in it, dunked it in a can of motor oil, fished it thru the barrel a couple times, pointed the gun up so the oil would run into the action, cycled the action two or three times, dry firing it, wiped it down with a rag and looked up with smile at the Army guys.
@@JayKayKay7 my cleaning regime for my AR is i pop the rear pin, pull the BCG out, drop a boresnake down the barrel with a little bore cleaner on it, replace the BCG, and close it up. A reasonably well-built AR will survive a lot of firing without any cleaning. All you really have to do is add more lube to the rifle. Unlike the AK, the AR is well-sealed which prevents dirt from entering the rifle. As long as your ammo is clean, the gun will run fine. If your ammo is dirty, even an AK will seize quickly.
My experience is that CLR has a HCL (hydrochloric acid) component. HCL will attack carbon, rust and aluminum aggressively. With that in mind you can expect CLR to attack the the carbon in barrels made of a steel with a high carbon content. Will actually leave microscope pits in the steel. Not good for a carbon steel barrel. Will also remove bluing as bluing is actually a type of rust. So my input is, its a great cleaner but use only on stainless steel components. Keep it off anything steel, aluminum, brass, wood, coated or painted.. Clean up quickly with plain water or alcohol on anything you don't want it to attack. A mild solution of backing soda and water also makes a great neutralizer.
Well if that were true its not listed in the SDS. The SDS lists 5-18% lactic acid and a surfactant. clrbrands.com/CLR/media/PDF/proline/sds/CLR-PRO-SDS-64P0216-1-16-19.pdf
@@mikebrumbelow3245 Phosphoric acid will do the same thing to bluing so what is your point?....The SDS would have to have HCL listed and it does not. Lactic acid will remove bluing if the concentration is high enough. The fact is...there is no HCL in it so you are wrong about that part but thats ok.
@@Evilgrin45So whats your point? Ther are all acid. I don't care what type it is. My point is don't put anything with an acid component on steel gun parts. Especially blued parts. When are you going to put CLR with latic acid on your best blued gun and let everyone know what happened?
I didn’t have Evaporust on hand but I did have CLR and used it to remove a little surface rust from an older Stanley needle nose pliers made from boron vanadium steel alloy. Several hours soaking and brass wire brushing did the job.
I use it all the time and it works great. I always soak my titanium suppressor in it that is cerakoted black and it doesn’t hurt the cerakote at all. Good stuff and another great video.
You could probably have just rinsed the brake off at the tap and gotten most of the carbon off after the CLR soak. We've used it to clean lime from the pans under some bunny cages and rust from plumbing fixtures (city water and the toilet is NASTY!). I think the "demonetizer" was actually showing the barrel of your rifle.
CLR solution WILL remove the cerakote. I made the mistake of soaking my muzzle brake without taking it off the barrel and the CLR removed the cerakote from the barrel (looks funky but still shoots).
Erik I have a used rifle with a muzzle break much like yours in stainless. Even though the prior owner did pretty good cleaning the barrel I don't think he ever cleaned the muzzle break. I will try CLR as you did but since the muzzle break is welded to the barrel. I will have to hang it over the cup and use CLR like you did. Thanks for the tip!
Reminds me of when an air guard unit used simple green to clean landing gear and it worked great until they discovered cracking because of hydrogen embrittlement caused by the simple green on nonferrous metal. Since, they have made an aerospace formula.
I did have some concerns about CLR but I'll give it a try. I've had great luck with a product called "Free All". It's in a spray can so I just give the barrel a shot, soak a couple patches and run them out the barrel.
When you said nothing cleans carbon better than CLR...I got the idea to try CLR in my brass tumbler. My pistol brass test batch came out so clean, the brass glides through the dies. Noticeable difference.
A follow-up - I leave the CLR solution (4:1) in my tumbler with the stainless steel pins. The pins have been sitting in CLR for months. There is no damage to the pins.
@@PrezUSMC sorry it has take me so long to post the video of the procedure. I made the video I just need to do the voiceover. Use a 4:1 ratio of CLR to water in your tumbler with pins and nothing else. 15 min for pistol brass and 30 for rifle to get the pockets good and clean. Make sure you rinse the brass well because the CLR will eat brass. You can reuse the CLR water several times.
@@C8geyB You risk etching the zinc out of the brass.... I have found that a hot water{near scalding} with dish soap and 10ml of Boretec sonic cleaner + a sprinkle of Lemishine as a pre-soak over night then hot water, dash of LemiShine, 15ml of BoreTec sonic cleaner and squirt of dish soap {any brand really... Forget the "Dawn" myth} into the tumbler for about 1 1/2hrs delivers beautiful clean brass that also has some tarnish resistance due to the sonic cleaner I think. One more thing, clean your SS pins at least every 3-4 uses with some enzyme laundry soaker and hot water as they collect residue and load rubbish back onto the cases. An hour or even over night will restore them to "new" {:~)
I tried CLR on an MDT muzzle brake with nitride finish and it did react with the finish. It turned it from shiny to flat. So… be advised… not compatible with nitride finishes!
I’ve been using this on non-alum parts of my rimfire suppressor. It doesn’t dissolve the lead but by the time it interacts with the carbon the lead is so much more softened/brittle that it flakes off relatively easily. The heavy deposits take a bit more work but much less than untreated parts. The titanium parts stay in for hours or overnite. The ss parts I take out a bit sooner as they will take on a little browning that scrubs right off with a toothbrush and #9. The cerakote finish doesn’t just come right off but it’s aging is accelerated. I don’t really care, it’s a suppressor, not a piano. The package cautions against exposure to aluminum and any acid will damage bluing. I’ve been using the same jar of clr since I first filled it. It’s dark and full of nasty sediment but the parts still seem to bubble vigorously as soon as they go in. CLR = carbon and lead remover 😉. If I had an ultrasonic cleaner I’d set the jar in the bath for a bit after the parts had soaked. I think all but the worst might rinse right off.
I was thinking the same thing that it would be good for rimfire cleaning.....until you mentioned aluminum and bluing. So I'm guessing not good idea for use on a ruger 10/22 or a savage model 64?or anything blued for that matter?
I’m not going to step in so far as to offer an opinion on where else this could be used. Personally, I’m not going to use it on blued surfaces or on precision steel parts (barrels, bolts). I do drop in things like the muzzle adapters for pistols but these are not projectile contact. It helps the lead to scrape out more easily. But I don’t want to damage the threads here, either. Ive found no cause to use this on anything 22 related other than the suppressor since it collects sooo much lead in pistol use.
Fantastic results, thanks for sharing my friend. I'm going to give this a try on my Oculus SS baffles. After a few hours in the wet tumbler with SS pins & Simple Green (full strength,) I'm not too impressed. It did well with my DA Mask SS baffles though. The Oculus baffles are stubborn little devils! Thanks again for the CLR demo.
@@Merk21 Works great, albeit a bit more work.. just needs a little more soak time. Still, no big deal, CLR is the way to go! Hope you're NFA jail time is short my brother! :)
I bought a bottle of Boretech carbon remover. I will tell you just one thing. TRY IT! its magic! Doesn't hurt the metal, have almost no smell and really work.
Use wipe out foam cleaner after running a nylon brush with accelerator. Cleans steel safer and better than anything on the market. I let it sit overnight.
Brake cleaner is the best thing out there IMO. Doesn't matter what you're doing, it has you covered. Cleaning automotive parts? Got it. Killing wasps and other creepy crawlies? Got it. Cleaning firearms? Got it. Need some starting fluid but don't have any? Got it. It does it all! lol
I use a Dremel with a medium stone and rod extension to remove the carbon from my barrels but will try clr to help with the pesky little scratch marks LOL clr great idea thanks erik PS people I DONT REALLY USE A DREMEL. lol
Maybe the demonetized is because of how you are filling out the selection of what type of gun video. Use the one that says proper use in a gun range type of setting. For my cleaning I use Hoppes #9 these days but I have used Simple Green in a vibratory heated tank type of thingy to clean guns and it does a good job too. Not sure how it would be if you have any aluminum parts though.
Great video... I was hoping that you would do this video. I have an extra MPA muzzle brake nut in nitrate finish that I am going to test in the CLR when I return from vacation. I will report the results...
Hi , i have alway shot dirty on the farm and when serving in the ADF . Whats your thoughts on shooting dirty ; oppose to regularly cleaning all the copper and lead build up ? By Shooting dirty i mean allowing copper and lead to build up rapidly to increase pressure and consistantcy (or as the theory goes ? ) Eventually cleaning the lead and copper when accuracy goes out , to then start the process again . I keep in mind my rifle is lapped and polished and i loose warranty if i use any corrosive to remove lead or copper ? I find this is such a divided issue and respect your opinion ... Using Rifle for hunting more then competitive shooting , so my barrel will have a very long life compared to competition ... Cheers Troy 👍🏻
You will find that a brand new barrel, or one that is totally stripped to bare steel with some sort of aggressive cleaner, has poor accuracy for 5-10 rounds. Lead and copper fill in the pores and scratches in the steel or chrome surface of the bore. The pits get filled in and become smooth. That disturbs the bearing surface less and less, eventually allowing for a smooth, even, uniform engraving of the rifling lands. You'll see benchrest shooters do a string of 3-5 "fouling shots" before shooting the target for scoring. Benchrest shooters use insanely tight chambers and bores. They scrub the fuck out of their barrels each range session. The fouling shots are needed to do this plating again so they have consistent and accurate shots when it's actually time to shoot for points. The fouling shots also warm up the barrel which helps accuracy and consistency too. But...there is one constant in life: too much of a good thing becomes harmful eventually. You can absolutely build up too much lead, copper, and carbon fouling which harms accuracy and eventually makes a gun unsafe. I've seen .22LR bores PACKED FULL of so much lead that the rifling almost wasn't visible. Undersized shitty .22LR ammo is very common. Undersized bullets cause fouling in the start and middle of the barrel. Overspeeding lead and copper bullets causes fouling deposits in the muzzle end because lubricant melts or wears off, and the extreme heat melts the jacket. I like to clean a barrel very thoroughly, and then fire 25 or 50 copper jacketed bullets to plate those imperfections with copper. Then I shoot lead after that and the lead fouling will be less severe and it'll come out easier. When the bore has so much fouling that you can see it as visibly thick, it's unsafe. Scrub/dissolve/electrolysis it out and start over again.
show us a bore scope pic of your barrel before an after...I used it on my 6xc with a hot barrel bronze brush...it removed alot of carbon and fouling...but really no more than I shoot it's all good..it worked great on my Br 28 brake, that's code for md 27
best youll find is stuff called Brulin 512 but its in a 5 gallon pail, gotta bum some from a turbine helicopter operator using small Bell or Md500 helis.. its made for that exact purpose..
...and demonetized! 😂
Of course
RUclips is just focking useless for posting great content ... SMH
Why, because of CLR?
I’m guessing because there are comments about AR’s. I uploaded this video yesterday and has been monetized the entire time. Comments is my guess.
@@ErikCortina Wow, I never knew they we're that strict. Completely ridiculous.
I started using CLR a few weeks ago after watching one of your other videos. I had horrible accuracy issues with my rifle. After one time my accuracy snapped right back. Thanks for the advice.
An alternative method taught to me by a military armorer that is good on blued parts.
Fill a large utility sink or kitchen sink with the hottest water you can stand.
A) Cover drain grills or any area that small parts can fall into.
B) Add a hefty amount of Dawn dishwashing soap.
C) Throw the entire broken down gun into the sink.
D) Thoroughly scrub everything. It takes about 3 passes with a bore brush and a barrel brush respectively. Smaller parts anout once with the "toothbrush".
E) Ensuring all parts are secure, drain the sink.
F) Refill the sink with super hot water and make sure all parts are rinsed.
The Dawn breaks down any carbon or oil buildup. The hot water serves two purposes; it helps with the soiling buildup and, this is the biggest point, when you take the pieces out, the high heat helps them dry quicker.
Oil everything.
While every other unit struggled for hours to pass an armory inspection, we turned our weapons in and were able to walk away to the shock of the armorers. Our weaponswere as clean as if they just came from the manufacturer prior to firing.
Still use this method on my AR to this day.
Had a pistol and a few mags that were oily fall into sand, hell to clean up and i resorted to super hot water sand dawn, worked perfect!
I do the same thing. The HOT water is the key!
I was taught that way too back in the 80's.
Will it work on polymer frames? I need to clean my tx22 but dont want to do anything to harm it since I hear not to clean polymer with any gun solvent. Say it dries it up over time and cracks.
@@TwentyTwoSigma Should work fine. I mean, being honest polymer is just a fancy way of saying plastic.
Do not get it near anything blued. Any finish that is a rust oxidized type finish. It will be gone quickly! That is the R of CLR.
Do not use it on aluminum either
It loves the bluing. Eats it for breakfast 🤣
@vettelover2009 its ok on carbon steel I think. Just not on the bluing
I used it on my dad’s Remington 700 30-06 blued. It worked great on the bore but it started to take of the finish off the action. I got scared and took the barreled action out of the stock and rinsed the entire thing with a garden hose.🤣 No major issue on the finish and it shot really well afterwards.
Good for stripping blue to refinish?
I love your channel. I am not a match shooter and was never in the military. Your content really helps an old varmint hunter like me. Thanks for showing us tips and tricks
Lol I’m a mechanic an shoot a ton of long range. I dropped a alternator in that stuff that wasn’t charging over night rinsed it with water put it back on the truck an been driving it for 2 years now haha
Love this stuff!!! Ran it through truck heater core!! Works wonders
Along the same lines, Zmax engine treatment works wonders on keeping stainless barrels clean. On a clean barrel, saturate the inside and then heat the barrel with a heat gun. While still hot, saturate again, and apply more heat (about 200F). Then just let it cool. Patch out the excess. This penetrates into the barrel and helps prevent the carbon from getting a hold. Works wonders on engine valves, so I tried it on one of my guns. It cleans super easy. Some of the best gun products aren't even marketed as such.
Works fast.
No need to let it sit.
Get it in scrub with brush patch out with 99% alcohol.
Patch dry.
One damp patch of Remclean and another dry patch.... Done!
Blued cromo barrel no issues....
Back to 1/2 MOA...
THANK YOU ERIC.....
Agreed.
I have been a massive fan of clr for years.
Great on stainless, caution with factory coatings.
ie pistol slides etc etc, it can take it back to bare steel.
Absolutely great on stainless barrels just be sure that's all its on.
If you shoot a revolver you know how the carbon builds up around the forcing cone and on the outside of the cylinder and cylinder face.
The CLR wipes the cylinder clean with little effort. Unbelievable. Wet a patch and it wipes away.
Yup, I've been cleaning my super redhawks this way for years.
I gotta try it on mine now!
Hey Eric, I recently found this page “ like yesterday” and I’ve been following you on Texasbarndominiums but I enjoy this more. Thanks for the vids. Big fan.
I would like to thank you for your excellent advice. I am not referring to CLR because I feel that I cannot use it on my blued chrome moly barrel - but rather for advice to use Teslong borescope as a cleaning assessment tool. Based on the borescope it turns out that my normal cleaning regime already removes all the carbon for me - but I found had a big problem with copper fouling. So I did an overnight soak using “Wipe Out” foam which turned all that copper to very dark inky blue liquid residue. It looks great now. Thanks again!
For what it’s worth.. My normal cleaning routine is to start with swab dipped in “Ed’s Red” thru bore guide, let the “Ed’s Red” soak an hour, then 20 strokes with my dewey rod with bronze brush, then push patches soaked in mineral spirits until it comes out clean, then dry patch. Turns out this works great for my carbon but not so much for copper.
Have used CLR for at least 30 years, cleaning house and janitorial work off and on. Great stuff. Would never have thought to scrub a barrel or parts with it. Thank you very much for the idea! You have a new subscriber.
Good thing you said to follow with 92% alcohol... Gotta have something to neutralize the acid in the CLR... or you will develop pits in the metal. cheaper the metal, the more likely to pit.
I have been using CLR to remove carbon from my breaks and barrels without any adverse effects for the past few years good to see someone of Erick Cortina's pedigree else uses it also.
Brakes
Does it work on brakes other than Stainless Steel. I have a black APA Fat Bastard. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Great question. I would also like to know?
Works great on suppressors as well...takes lead right off baffles... works especially well on dirty 22 cans
I used some CLR I had after seeing your previous video and also ordered the patch-out. Shot the next day and had a .26MOA group with ES 10 and SD 3.6.... thank you sir.... I take what you say to the bank
AMAZING, absolutely amazing ! I have a barrel that just wouldn't let go of the icky barrel smeg, and now I'm victories. Ram-rod a tornado brush & CLR, then jag a few times, then repeat. Beautiful results !
Works great for titanium suppressor parts too. I usually cut mine with 50/50 distilled water.
I know this is an older video, but I appreciate the info. I’m gonna give it a try. I recently learned that CLR is great for getting carbon off of exhaust tips so this makes a lot of sense.
‘May all your groups, be one hole.’, for me that’s the classic! It’s old school, I miss it already!
Great video, gonna use this added to my cleaning regimen from now on! Thank you!
Thanks for the info. CLR has been deemed a carcinogenic agent so heed that warning about the gloves. Thanks for another great tip!
I tried lemishine and water in an ultrasonic cleaner and was amazed at how well it worked on a stainless muzzle brake. Very fast, zero scrubbing.
Cheers!
Do NOT leave CLR on carbon steel for more than a few minutes at a time. CLR will attack the carbon in the carbon steel. No issues with stainless steel. It is an awesome carbon cutter.
Most stainless steels do contain carbon.
The great thing about CLR is it works faster in the barrel than anything I ever tried period. And then alcohol will rinse it out with a couple of patches.
Denatured alcohol or isopropyl alcohol for rinsing?
People keep asking and I’m happy to share the story. I’m thinking when Erik and I get together at Nationals I will tell the story.
When I worked out in the mines I ran out of washing powder, I found "truck wash" in the company store, and as it was free, I figured it would be great to wash my clothes in. The first time I wore my clothes, I became itchy in the nether regions, but it wasn't really a problem. When I got home I realised all the skin on my balls started to peel off and my nuggets were red raw, the funny part was I didnt think it was from the truck wash, so I went and saw the company nurse about it, and it was only then the penny dropped about what had happened.
We would like to hear that story 😁
@@Ceiszi it’s in here ruclips.net/video/O0it8x6qFYs/видео.html
As you said “major changes before big match”. I think changing from beer to pure alcohol is big. Hehe just joking. Would like to hear more of these. Thanks for sharing.
I have yet to hear this story. Did I miss something, or did you? 🤔
I have a cerakoted wrench that was just a test piece when I was trying to figure out cerakote. I'll dump the wrench in a bottle this weekend to test. (Heat cure FDE)
24 hours in and it doesn't look discolored or anything. Gonna let it sit for a week.
4 days in, and the CLR has degraded the metal in the wrench. Around every nick in the coating, the metal corroded and expanded slightly, loosening the Cerakote's hold on the surface. The FDE cerakote is also slightly discolored green.
In all, cerakoted parts may be good for a short soak, but I wouldn't go long.
@@number6mbw Thank you!
I ran this through my Bergara HMR Pro's barrel yesterday afternoon. Ran 3 wet patches from breech to bore using a bore guide and let set for about 15 minutes. The 3 wet patches were black as all get out. Patched it out and then used a bore solvent on a patch. Noticed an increase in filth from the wet patch of bore solvent showing that this did a good job. Scrubbed the barrel about 10 passes and patched it dry. Finished with a patch of alcohol and then a few more dry patches. This will now be my cleaning regiment. My break is blued steel, so I quickly wiped it down after the CLR patches inside and out. Probably should have taken it off, but its a pain to time right. Break looks fine after 24 hours too. Thanks man!
Haha. That movie reference is prime!
I take everything Eric says as gospel, till I dropped my MDT carbon steel brake in the CLR for 2 hr . When I removed & washed the brake it had a black brown rust film all over . Took 30 min scrubbing with tooth brush & soap & water to clean it up .
Thanks Erik. New drinking game...every time Erik says carbon...take a drink. Great info lately, keep it going. Would really enjoy some more F-class loading and shooting. Enjoyed the PRS stuff.
Just tried CLR on my 1911 pistol barrels... WOWZA!... best carbon removal I have ever experienced!
Thank you Mr. Cortina... absolutely love your educational youtube channel.
Pro shooter solves cleaning issues with this one easy trick, overpriced gun cleaning product companies hate him!
😂
@@ErikCortinaWhat's it do to copper fouling?
timing is perfect, was just researching CLR after seeing it on your bench
Eric, you are the hardest worker on You Tube right now. Collaborating with Jerry and Matt, video recording competitions that does create distraction for a competitor that shoots at your level. Sharing your "secret tips" to help the shooting community. After watching you for some time I know you will just say something short and laugh it off and move on because you are too busy to waste your time on something you have little or no control over. Myself however can say what you tube is doing to gun related content creators is not only wrong it is unconstitutional which also makes it illegal. I see down the road a mass action law suit for damages against channels that have been discriminated against by You tube and the like. I like the new Keep em centered idea. Thanks for all your hard work! Mike B
Thank you
Dude! I feel like I need to add you to my Christmas Card list. This works amazing, absolutely amazing! Thanks so much for taking the time to post this. You're the man!
CLR is amazing stuff! I use it on auto parts all the time. Wasnt sure how safe it would be on barrels... but now I know!
As many are, awaiting for the replacement for youtube! Eric best content available! Keep it up.
Well..... CLR is not the end all of cleaners. If you are stainless, it's OK, however, and it's a big however, the R stands for Rust, and you know what bluing is, that's right it's Rust. It may clean your barrel nicely, but it will also remove bluing down to bare metal in a second. Do not use if you have and blue steel that might be exposed to CLR. Yes, I've done that and will remove your blue finish wherever it touches. I don't use it even on my stainless weapons as I might forget and also use it on the blue steel ones.
Extra points for the "band camp" joke...
😂
@@ErikCortina Please see my post.
👍👍🤣🤣🤣🤣gotta love the classic
Just a tip for you Erik! Do not leave CLR on your hands for extended times.
Just saying! Don't ask who did it or how I know!🤣🤭
I tried it on my brake. It cleaned the crap out of it however it did slightly discolor the polished finish. Few passes across some 1000 grit wet or dry sand paper (wet) and the finish was restored. I found coating the muzzle of my stainless 1911 with a couple coats of One Shot helps stops the carbon tracing. I applied a couple coats to my brake. Haven’t put it to the test yet.
I am stunned. If this works that great in barrels then no more Iosso is needed unless you have a copper mine barrel. Thanks for your insight.
I've heard about using CLR. I was afraid of using it until I was this video. Thanks for sharing. I'm going to give it a try. I have learned the hard way that carbon fouling really sucks!
Lemishine and CLR are fine for stainless, but shouldn't be used with anything else. The citric acid can turn nitride pink, and can strip bluing.
Just tried it after getting my Borescope (Teslong Semi Rigid) and that'll explain why my 22-250 lost the handle. Oh my the copper and carbon... Spent a couple hours making it better... Seemed almost copper plated bore was achieved... This system works amazingly well..
Yes!! CLR!! I have been using this stuff for 2 years and any time I tell guys to try it, they look at me like I have no idea what I am talking about
I recently viewed a video using CLR in a sonic cleaner of sorts cleaning an aluminum fuel valve shut off. The results were fantastic.
I use to have mates in short range bench rest and full bore 1000 metres who were using CLR in the early 90s here in Australia.
@Erik Cortina - Pro Shooter Sir I truly appreciate you taking the time to answer questions
Great work Eric! I try this recently after you mentioned it in a previous post! Amazing how it strips the carbon out, and... best groups yet out of the 338 Edge!
I don’t know how it compares but I use motor oil. It absorbs carbon fouling. Maybe it isn’t as fast. I can take the bolt carrier group out of my AR, remove the bolt, and then stand the bolt carrier upright in a plastic container. Put motor oil on and in the carrier. Come back next day and there will be a pool of jet black motor oil in the plastic pan. Wipe as much off as possible and good to go. Same thing with bolt.
Have you, or are you going to do a full video on barrel cleaning...the Cortina way?
Yes, working on it right now actually. It will be uploaded to Patreon this week.
@@ErikCortina I remember reading about a story about barrel cleaning told by a Special Forces guy embedded with a Afghan mujahideen fighters with the Northern Alliance. This was shortly after the war broke out and part of the Horse Soldiers period
www.army.mil/article/181582/first_to_go_green_berets_remember_earliest_mission_in_afghanistan
Every night the US SF guys would break their weapons down and do the full nine yards of cleaning them.
After the second night of watching them, the Afghan guy pulled out is AK, got a boot lace with some knots in it, dunked it in a can of motor oil, fished it thru the barrel a couple times, pointed the gun up so the oil would run into the action, cycled the action two or three times, dry firing it, wiped it down with a rag and looked up with smile at the Army guys.
@@JayKayKay7 my cleaning regime for my AR is i pop the rear pin, pull the BCG out, drop a boresnake down the barrel with a little bore cleaner on it, replace the BCG, and close it up. A reasonably well-built AR will survive a lot of firing without any cleaning. All you really have to do is add more lube to the rifle. Unlike the AK, the AR is well-sealed which prevents dirt from entering the rifle. As long as your ammo is clean, the gun will run fine. If your ammo is dirty, even an AK will seize quickly.
Thank you for sharing CLR cleaner I never thought of using this clear on your barrels . I’ll have to give them a try
Follow up with 91% alcohol.
My experience is that CLR has a HCL (hydrochloric acid) component. HCL will attack carbon, rust and aluminum aggressively. With that in mind you can expect CLR to attack the the carbon in barrels made of a steel with a high carbon content. Will actually leave microscope pits in the steel. Not good for a carbon steel barrel. Will also remove bluing as bluing is actually a type of rust. So my input is, its a great cleaner but use only on stainless steel components. Keep it off anything steel, aluminum, brass, wood, coated or painted.. Clean up quickly with plain water or alcohol on anything you don't want it to attack. A mild solution of backing soda and water also makes a great neutralizer.
Well if that were true its not listed in the SDS. The SDS lists 5-18% lactic acid and a surfactant.
clrbrands.com/CLR/media/PDF/proline/sds/CLR-PRO-SDS-64P0216-1-16-19.pdf
@@Evilgrin45 The proof is in the results. Try it on your best blued firearm and let me know how it works for you.
@@mikebrumbelow3245 Phosphoric acid will do the same thing to bluing so what is your point?....The SDS would have to have HCL listed and it does not. Lactic acid will remove bluing if the concentration is high enough. The fact is...there is no HCL in it so you are wrong about that part but thats ok.
@@Evilgrin45So whats your point? Ther are all acid. I don't care what type it is. My point is don't put anything with an acid component on steel gun parts. Especially blued parts. When are you going to put CLR with latic acid on your best blued gun and let everyone know what happened?
I have been cleaning my muzzle breaks with CLR for a few years already great stuff, like Erik said I had only use it on SS muzzle breaks.
Does it work on non stainless steel or would it damage a black break for example ?
@@terryblenkinsop8329 Carbon steel which is not very corrosion resistant might not like it too much.
I didn’t have Evaporust on hand but I did have CLR and used it to remove a little surface rust from an older Stanley needle nose pliers made from boron vanadium steel alloy. Several hours soaking and brass wire brushing did the job.
Hmmm, I'm thinking for using on the breech plug on my muzzleloader ?
Thanks Erik!
Im going to try it on my old blued steel factory Savage barrel.
I may try this on the face of my stainless revolver cylinders and on the frame at the top strap above the forcing cone. Thanks!
Wow! I’m adding that to my cleaning routine now! Thanks for another awesome video, Erik.
I use it all the time and it works great. I always soak my titanium suppressor in it that is cerakoted black and it doesn’t hurt the cerakote at all. Good stuff and another great video.
Was wondering about titanium- have an aac 300ti that needs cleaned. - RED
You could probably have just rinsed the brake off at the tap and gotten most of the carbon off after the CLR soak. We've used it to clean lime from the pans under some bunny cages and rust from plumbing fixtures (city water and the toilet is NASTY!).
I think the "demonetizer" was actually showing the barrel of your rifle.
Thanks for these videos, the time & effort that goes into them is appreciated.
Do not use CLR on the nitride coated EC Tuner Brake - 13 hrs bleached the nitride coating to a splotchy rust color.
No experience with stainless but it will etch regular steel if left submerged for a couple days.
I think it would damage bluing which is just rust.
You can neutralise it quickly and get away with it if you're game.
CLR solution WILL remove the cerakote. I made the mistake of soaking my muzzle brake without taking it off the barrel and the CLR removed the cerakote from the barrel (looks funky but still shoots).
Erik I have a used rifle with a muzzle break much like yours in stainless. Even though the prior owner did pretty good cleaning the barrel I don't think he ever cleaned the muzzle break. I will try CLR as you did but since the muzzle break is welded to the barrel. I will have to hang it over the cup and use CLR like you did. Thanks for the tip!
Reminds me of when an air guard unit used simple green to clean landing gear and it worked great until they discovered cracking because of hydrogen embrittlement caused by the simple green on nonferrous metal. Since, they have made an aerospace formula.
I did have some concerns about CLR but I'll give it a try. I've had great luck with a product called "Free All". It's in a spray can so I just give the barrel a shot, soak a couple patches and run them out the barrel.
When you said nothing cleans carbon better than CLR...I got the idea to try CLR in my brass tumbler. My pistol brass test batch came out so clean, the brass glides through the dies. Noticeable difference.
A follow-up - I leave the CLR solution (4:1) in my tumbler with the stainless steel pins. The pins have been sitting in CLR for months. There is no damage to the pins.
@@C8geyB any more follow up? I just saw this video and comment.... gonna give it a try
@@PrezUSMC sorry it has take me so long to post the video of the procedure. I made the video I just need to do the voiceover.
Use a 4:1 ratio of CLR to water in your tumbler with pins and nothing else. 15 min for pistol brass and 30 for rifle to get the pockets good and clean. Make sure you rinse the brass well because the CLR will eat brass. You can reuse the CLR water several times.
@@C8geyB You risk etching the zinc out of the brass....
I have found that a hot water{near scalding} with dish soap and 10ml of Boretec sonic cleaner + a sprinkle of Lemishine as a pre-soak over night then hot water, dash of LemiShine, 15ml of BoreTec sonic cleaner and squirt of dish soap {any brand really... Forget the "Dawn" myth} into the tumbler for about 1 1/2hrs delivers beautiful clean brass that also has some tarnish resistance due to the sonic cleaner I think. One more thing, clean your SS pins at least every 3-4 uses with some enzyme laundry soaker and hot water as they collect residue and load rubbish back onto the cases. An hour or even over night will restore them to "new" {:~)
Seams like a cheat to clean brass.. lll have to try
Gunsmiths buddy of mine showed me how well it works
Going to have to try that with the brake on my 6.5 and AR.
Calcium, Lime, and RUST remover.... what is BLUING? It is a controled "rust". Now, think about that for a moment.
I tried CLR on an MDT muzzle brake with nitride finish and it did react with the finish. It turned it from shiny to flat.
So… be advised… not compatible with nitride finishes!
Thank you Eric. Lovin the channels.
Had great results with cleaning SS baffles. I’d never use it on a barrel though. Way too aggressive imo.
thanks now I gotta go check every gun barrel after you planted that in my head. Simple things work better sometimes
That stuff flat out works Erik! What powder are you running in your 284 shehane?
I’ve been using this on non-alum parts of my rimfire suppressor. It doesn’t dissolve the lead but by the time it interacts with the carbon the lead is so much more softened/brittle that it flakes off relatively easily. The heavy deposits take a bit more work but much less than untreated parts. The titanium parts stay in for hours or overnite. The ss parts I take out a bit sooner as they will take on a little browning that scrubs right off with a toothbrush and #9. The cerakote finish doesn’t just come right off but it’s aging is accelerated. I don’t really care, it’s a suppressor, not a piano. The package cautions against exposure to aluminum and any acid will damage bluing.
I’ve been using the same jar of clr since I first filled it. It’s dark and full of nasty sediment but the parts still seem to bubble vigorously as soon as they go in. CLR = carbon and lead remover 😉. If I had an ultrasonic cleaner I’d set the jar in the bath for a bit after the parts had soaked. I think all but the worst might rinse right off.
I was thinking the same thing that it would be good for rimfire cleaning.....until you mentioned aluminum and bluing. So I'm guessing not good idea for use on a ruger 10/22 or a savage model 64?or anything blued for that matter?
I’m not going to step in so far as to offer an opinion on where else this could be used.
Personally, I’m not going to use it on blued surfaces or on precision steel parts (barrels, bolts). I do drop in things like the muzzle adapters for pistols but these are not projectile contact. It helps the lead to scrape out more easily. But I don’t want to damage the threads here, either.
Ive found no cause to use this on anything 22 related other than the suppressor since it collects sooo much lead in pistol use.
I'm interested on how this will work on a chrome lined AR barrel.
I would be interested to hear how it works on Chrome lined barrels also
Works great on nitride as well brother.
Good info/video!
New F-class event title sponsor: CLR Household cleaner!
😂
Fantastic results, thanks for sharing my friend. I'm going to give this a try on my Oculus SS baffles. After a few hours in the wet tumbler with SS pins & Simple Green (full strength,) I'm not too impressed. It did well with my DA Mask SS baffles though. The Oculus baffles are stubborn little devils! Thanks again for the CLR demo.
Hey Jim, how did it work on the oculus baffles? I've got one that'll hopefully be out of jail soon!
@@Merk21 Works great, albeit a bit more work.. just needs a little more soak time. Still, no big deal, CLR is the way to go! Hope you're NFA jail time is short my brother! :)
@@MackDaddy8154 Thanks man! Praying but I've got another can that is getting close to 300 and nothing yet 😬
CLR does take the copper colored coating off (TiN?) of Oculus and Obsidian baffles. Definitely works on the carbon though.
@@jzeke1712 Maybe a little, but mine still have a copper color. I'm not certain they're Tin coated..
I bought a bottle of Boretech carbon remover. I will tell you just one thing. TRY IT! its magic! Doesn't hurt the metal, have almost no smell and really work.
Use wipe out foam cleaner after running a nylon brush with accelerator. Cleans steel safer and better than anything on the market. I let it sit overnight.
CLR is only advised for chrome and stainless steel no other metal I'd hate to have someone damage their barrel and or bluing. Research before using.
I’ve always used break cleaner to get the carbon out then douse everything in oil to keep it from corroding and rusting the weapon
Brake cleaner is the best thing out there IMO. Doesn't matter what you're doing, it has you covered. Cleaning automotive parts? Got it. Killing wasps and other creepy crawlies? Got it. Cleaning firearms? Got it. Need some starting fluid but don't have any? Got it. It does it all! lol
I use a Dremel with a medium stone and rod extension to remove the carbon from my barrels but will try clr to help with the pesky little scratch marks LOL clr great idea thanks erik PS people I DONT REALLY USE A DREMEL. lol
Thanks for the great tip Eric TC
Maybe the demonetized is because of how you are filling out the selection of what type of gun video. Use the one that says proper use in a gun range type of setting. For my cleaning I use Hoppes #9 these days but I have used Simple Green in a vibratory heated tank type of thingy to clean guns and it does a good job too. Not sure how it would be if you have any aluminum parts though.
Thanks Erik
Great video... I was hoping that you would do this video. I have an extra MPA muzzle brake nut in nitrate finish that I am going to test in the CLR when I return from vacation. I will report the results...
I have a black APA Fat Bastard break. Did it damage your nitrate finish or should this just be used with Stainless Steel ?
Our CLR in Australia is clear in colour. I wonder if it's a different composition. It still works well.
Hi , i have alway shot dirty on the farm and when serving in the ADF .
Whats your thoughts on shooting dirty ; oppose to regularly cleaning all the copper and lead build up ?
By Shooting dirty i mean allowing copper and lead to build up rapidly to increase pressure and consistantcy (or as the theory goes ? )
Eventually cleaning the lead and copper when accuracy goes out , to then start the process again .
I keep in mind my rifle is lapped and polished and i loose warranty if i use any corrosive to remove lead or copper ?
I find this is such a divided issue and respect your opinion ...
Using Rifle for hunting more then competitive shooting , so my barrel will have a very long life compared to competition ...
Cheers Troy 👍🏻
You will find that a brand new barrel, or one that is totally stripped to bare steel with some sort of aggressive cleaner, has poor accuracy for 5-10 rounds. Lead and copper fill in the pores and scratches in the steel or chrome surface of the bore. The pits get filled in and become smooth. That disturbs the bearing surface less and less, eventually allowing for a smooth, even, uniform engraving of the rifling lands. You'll see benchrest shooters do a string of 3-5 "fouling shots" before shooting the target for scoring. Benchrest shooters use insanely tight chambers and bores. They scrub the fuck out of their barrels each range session. The fouling shots are needed to do this plating again so they have consistent and accurate shots when it's actually time to shoot for points. The fouling shots also warm up the barrel which helps accuracy and consistency too. But...there is one constant in life: too much of a good thing becomes harmful eventually. You can absolutely build up too much lead, copper, and carbon fouling which harms accuracy and eventually makes a gun unsafe. I've seen .22LR bores PACKED FULL of so much lead that the rifling almost wasn't visible. Undersized shitty .22LR ammo is very common. Undersized bullets cause fouling in the start and middle of the barrel. Overspeeding lead and copper bullets causes fouling deposits in the muzzle end because lubricant melts or wears off, and the extreme heat melts the jacket. I like to clean a barrel very thoroughly, and then fire 25 or 50 copper jacketed bullets to plate those imperfections with copper. Then I shoot lead after that and the lead fouling will be less severe and it'll come out easier. When the bore has so much fouling that you can see it as visibly thick, it's unsafe. Scrub/dissolve/electrolysis it out and start over again.
great video Erik!
Look at all those chickens. That’s the only thing I could think of when he kept saying look at the carbon. 😂
show us a bore scope pic of your barrel before an after...I used it on my 6xc with a hot barrel bronze brush...it removed alot of carbon and fouling...but really no more than I shoot it's all good..it worked great on my Br 28 brake, that's code for md 27
best youll find is stuff called Brulin 512 but its in a 5 gallon pail, gotta bum some from a turbine helicopter operator using small Bell or Md500 helis.. its made for that exact purpose..
CLR will etch hardned steel, tread lightly