Ketchum for copper fouling?

[Dolph92]

Anyone ever hear of using ketchup to clear up copper fouling. I had some crotchety old gunsmith tell me that is what he uses when I was looking over the various chemicals to remove fouling. Not sure if I should give it a try or not I think the old dodger was feeding me a line of bull.

 

[rcmodel]

Never heard of it.

Sounds like a crotchety old gunsmith was yanking your chain.

All ketchup would have in it that would do anything is Acetic acid, Suger, and Salt.
Don't think I would want any of them in my barrels.
Or clean up the sticky stuff off of everything after I used it.

I'd put the ketchup on a burger and use Coke for bore cleaner.

Actually I wouldn't.
I was just yanking your chain too!

rc

 

[chevyforlife21]

the acid in the ketchup would harm the bore

 

[rcmodel]

Probably make an excellent bluing remover too!

rc

 

[Jim K]

A mild acid should eat copper before it would harm steel, but it sounds strange to me.

Still, I knew a world class Marine Corps shooter who swore by Gleem Toothpaste for cleaning copper fouling out of M1/M14 rifles. I haven't seen him since Gleem was discontinued, so I don't know what he uses now or even if he is still shooting. I don't use it now, but I did try it (I think I used Pepsodent) and it does work; most toothpaste contains a mild abrasive that won't harm steel.

Jim

 

[Drail]

My mother used to use tomato juice or ketchup to clean the bottom of copper bottomed pans. It made it look like new copper but I don't think it actually etched into it. Maybe if you left it on there long enough it would....it definitely eats all of the oxidation off of it.

 

[Roccobro]

Brownell's article on how Bench Rest winners use JB Bore Paste.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=12950/guntechdetail/Benchrest_Shooting?mc_ID=2033

Justin