Is it Rust? Salts? What?

[FourT6and2]

My rifle—which has a Barlein SS barrel—was in a drag bag, stored in my room while I was out of town. Before leaving, I cleaned it as I usually do (Bore-Tech Eliminator). I live in San Francisco, so it can get humid here. But I've never had a problem in the past and I've had this rifle for more than a year now. It's been a month since I last checked it.

Took a look, and there is green build up all over the barrel. What's weird is the brake is Cerakoted black, inside and out. And the green build up is even on top of and over the Cerakote. It looks like some kind of salt/crystal. The kind you might find on bronze or brass or copper. Maybe it's from the Bore Tech breaking down the copper fouling and then over time it's crystalized? I checked the inside of the barrel and there is also reddish/brown spots. So I'm guessing that's rust. What should I do? Try cleaning it like normal and see what happens? Go shoot it and see if it all just shoots out?

 

[FourT6and2]

Here's a photo:

 

[Mr. Z]

Yes that looks like copper fouling to me. As the solvent penetrates it pulls the fouling to the surface and as it was allowed ample time to penetrate, then evaporate the copper molecules simply gathered where they pooled. I'm no chemist but this seems like the most likely cause. If it was mine it would be cleaned up a bit and shot as usual. Good luck.

 

[Bradu]

That's the Bore Tech that was left in the ports. Take q-tips and clean the solvent out of the brake next time.

 

[TheGerman]

Bath salts

 

[FourT6and2]

Haha bath salts...

yeah I was hoping it was from bore tech and dissolved copper. I clean the brake out as best I can but there is usually a thin film left on. I've never gone this long without shooting the rifle so ta new to me.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

My brakes get white/greenish junk all the time, usually if I go a few days without shooting. And I don't clean them, especially not with solvents of any kind. Never had anything in the barrel though.

 

[Beneviolence]

oxidized copper deposits from the vaporized copper that flies out the barrel with the bullet. You see it a lot in suppressors as well. The white stuff is dried out cleaners though; make sure you wipe that crap out of your barrel/crown though as it'll cause the corrosion you're seeing.

 

[FourT6and2]

Ok, thanks everyone.

 

[vh20]

Are you running a lightly oiled patch down the bore after cleaning with a chemical solvent like Eliminator before storing the rifle? If not, you should be. If you just dry patch it out, those solvents will still be left, and will start to work on your barrel. That's what your picture looks like to me. The oil will help neutralize and stop the oxidation from occurring. You should dry-patch the oil out just before shooting, though. I'll skip the oil in the bore ONLY if I'm going to shoot again right after cleaning (as in, within the hour).

 

[FourT6and2]

Are you running a lightly oiled patch down the bore after cleaning with a chemical solvent like Eliminator before storing the rifle? If not, you should be. If you just dry patch it out, those solvents will still be left, and will start to work on your barrel. That's what your picture looks like to me. The oil will help neutralize and stop the oxidation from occurring. You should dry-patch the oil out just before shooting, though. I'll skip the oil in the bore ONLY if I'm going to shoot again right after cleaning (as in, within the hour).

No I don't run an oiled patch down the barrel. I was told by other folks to "never put any oil down the barrel or in the chamber ever. Never ever or else you'll die." Haha, I'm exaggerating but that's what the "experts" on the Scout Hide said... But yeah, I can certainly try that.

 

[vh20]

I know of no reason not to (on a CLEANED barrel only). I definitely think it's a bad idea to not patch it out dry before shooting, which could cause hydraulic fracturing if it was left in the bore. But, take any caustic chemical cleaner (like ammonia), clean a bare piece of metal with it, wipe it off, and leave the metal unprotected for some time and you get corrosion.

If you shot the rifle right after cleaning, that would probably burn out the residue and halt the process, so oil wouldn't be needed.

 

[FourT6and2]

I know of no reason not to (on a CLEANED barrel only). I definitely think it's a bad idea to not patch it out dry before shooting, which could cause hydraulic fracturing if it was left in the bore. But, take any caustic chemical cleaner (like ammonia), clean a bare piece of metal with it, wipe it off, and leave the metal unprotected for some time and you get corrosion.

If you shot the rifle right after cleaning, that would probably burn out the residue and halt the process, so oil wouldn't be needed.

Ok, good to know. I'll give it a try. I've had this rifle for a year now and I've never had this happen before and I've never oiled the barrel. But I don't think I've gone this long without shooting it. It's been about 45 days. Longest I've gone in the past is about 25 days maybe. But it's been more humid here lately.

 

[Bradu]

It can't be that bad of a cleaner since it says to dampen a patch and run it down the bore. Check out the instructions here

http://www.boretech.com/products/eliminator-bore-cleaner

 

[vh20]

I just use a bore mop after cleaning, with a very light coat of G96 on it.

By the way, I don't know what the previously mentioned advice not to oil the bore for storage was based on, but oil in the chamber IS a BAD thing. It can prevent the cartridge case from gripping the chamber wall when it expands under pressure. Proper use of a bore guide will prevent oil from getting in the chamber (and solvent too, which then means you don't have to worry about the chamber corroding anyway).

 

[vh20]

It can't be that bad of a cleaner since it says to dampen a patch and run it down the bore. Check out the instructions here

http://www.boretech.com/products/eliminator-bore-cleaner

I didn't mean that one specifically. I'm not familiar with it, but it says ammonia-free. Most of the really effective copper solvents have ammonia in them, and that's what I'm referring to. The Eliminator says it has a rust preventative in it (like CLP as well). I don't know how well it works though.

 

[FourT6and2]

Yeah, the bottle I have says you can leave it in the barrel and on other parts because it's protects from corrosion. But it definitely works on copper. Like instantly. Touch a q-tip to pretty much anything with even a trace amount of copper on it and instant blue/green.