Aluminum Solvent?

[56hawk]

Anyone know of a good solvent to remove aluminum fouling? All the normal copper solvents just come out clean, but I still have visible fouling in the bore.

 

[TurtlePhish]

What kinda ammo were you shooting?

Mix up equal parts vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. I don't think it'll harm the steel, and it'll dissolve aluminum. Hear what others have to say first, though. They'll probably have more input.

 

[56hawk]

What kinda ammo were you shooting?

Some 460 Weatherby I reloaded with bullets I found on the internet. Got some pretty amazing velocity with them.

 

[TurtlePhish]

Some 460 Weatherby I reloaded with bullets I found on the internet. Got some pretty amazing velocity with them.

Now THAT sounds like fun. What speeds? And did you ruin anything's day with 'em?

 

[56hawk]

4600 fps out of the Weatherby. Also got them up to 3900 fps out of a 458 Lott. The Lott didn't get fouled at all. Pretty sure it's the extra velocity that caused the fouling. It's only in the last few inches of the barrel.

Stopped shooting them after I figured out I couldn't clean the barrel. Might load some more up for the Lott and take it varmint hunting.

 

[56hawk]

4600 fps out of the Weatherby. Also got them up to 3900 fps out of a 458 Lott. The Lott didn't get fouled at all. Pretty sure it's the extra velocity that caused the fouling. It's only in the last few inches of the barrel.

Stopped shooting them after I figured out I couldn't clean the barrel. Might load some more up for the Lott and take it varmint hunting.

 

[TurtlePhish]

Holy...

I'd love to see what you shoot vaporize when it gets hit... You'll be left with nothing but a red mist.

 

[zxcvbob]

Mercury will dissolve aluminum. A strong lye solution might be safer and easier to acquire.

 

[T Bran]

Be careful playing with a lye solution in combination with aluminun as it creates hydrogen gas.
Not saying dont do it just be careful to avoid an ignition source remember the Hindenburg.

 

[56hawk]

I had forgotten about mercury chloride. Should be able to get some at work since we have an account with a chemical supplier. However checking the MSDS:

DANGER! MAY BE FATAL IF SWALLOWED. HARMFUL IF INHALED OR ABSORBED THROUGH SKIN. CAUSES SEVERE IRRITATION TO EYES, SKIN AND RESPIRATORY TRACT; MAY CAUSE BURNS. MAY CAUSE ALLERGIC SKIN REACTION. MERCURY COMPOUNDS AFFECT THE KIDNEYS AND CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. BIRTH DEFECT HAZARD. CAN CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS.

SAF-T-DATA(tm) Ratings (Provided here for your convenience)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Health Rating: 4 - Extreme (Poison)

 

[rcmodel]

I'd just get some JB Bore paste and clean the dang thing with it.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=...87_a_7c3466_a_7c083065025_d_083065025_d_10167

JB will eat aluminum fouling for breakfast.

And you and your Weatherby might live longer then fooling with mercury or Lye.

rc

 

[56hawk]

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

 

[56hawk]

I've been trying the JB bore paste, and it doesn't seem to be making much headway. Maybe with a couple straight days of scrubbing it might get clean. Any other ideas?

 

[YankeeFlyr]

Sodium bicarbonate will take it out.

 

[56hawk]

Sodium bicarbonate will take it out.

Thanks, that sounds like a much safer option.

 

[saitek]

cleaning

well a long time ago whem i worked in a machine shop when we got in a a cankshaft that started to spin a bearing and was stopped in time some time's it transfered soft alumanum and babbat to the jurnal and i used to use a little bit of liquid drano on a strip of card board to lightly apply and it it would remove it slowly with out damaging the steel just wash it off to neutrolize it .

 

[56hawk]

Any idea if Drano would be safe on bluing? Looks like it might be a good choice otherwise.

 

[Blanco]

Drano is Lye
See above posts... will make explosive Hydrogen gasses .. BIG BOOM

 

[saitek]

cleaning

i would hazard a guess it would remove bueing .remove the barrel and use a bore mop in a well ventalated open air invronment .

 

[Nathan Detroit]

Ignore all of the comments about hydrogen gas generation. You do not have enough aluminum in your bore to be a problem.

For the record, crystal Drano contains aluminum pellets in it. They are there to react with the sodium hydroxide once it goes into solution. They rely on the reaction to add heat as the aluminum/sodium hydroxide combo is exothermic and to release the hydrogen gas to agitate the mix.

BIG BOOM? I don't think so. You will not release enough hydrogen to notice.