- Thread starter SilentStalkr
- Start date
I saw and wondered the exact same thing regarding APA's directions/recommendations, but sure enough I can see some pink hues just barely starting to form on my hellfire brake after using this method once. Nothing to go crazy about, but enough that it doesn't seem to be a method I want to continue with over time.
I have only cleaned my LB once. Used a shot glass filled with Hopped. It soaked for two days. Used plenty of work with Qtips and a dental pick. No changes to the finish. I picked up some Lemishine but I won't use it after reading this thread
Too much Lemishine / too long of a soak is corrosive. They only used a small amount for somewhere around 20 minutes if I remember correctly. I soaked my BN APA LB as per the video. It came out fine, just not clean. The surface did have a small amount of oxidation that if left for a long time would have looked pink.
A proper BN coating is impregnated into the steel. If the surface is worn, like what happens to a bolt, it is still protected even though the black is gone. I am not sure if loss of BN from improper chemical exposure is the same, but I suspect not.
A proper BN coating is impregnated into the steel. If the surface is worn, like what happens to a bolt, it is still protected even though the black is gone. I am not sure if loss of BN from improper chemical exposure is the same, but I suspect not.
I have a brake I pulled off my Ruger precision rifle that I wanted to repurpose onto a different rifle. I dropped it into a cup of full strength CLR for 10 minutes. It bubbled pretty good for a while then tapered off. I thought it maybe squeaky clean when it came out. The CLR didn't really touch the carbon buildup. It knocked some off, but there's way more that remained. Well, carbon is not calcium, lime, or rust so I'm not that surprised. But, this little experiment reminded me that bluing IS rust. Yeah, it started to remove the finish on the brake. A brake doesn't need to be squeaky clean so I'm not really concerned. But, I'm not jumping on the CLR bandwagon for gun cleaning.
I recently cleaned my APA FB for the first time after 1300 rounds.... I think that was too long cause it was a major PITA to get clean. I had not noticed a decline in accuracy prior to cleaning but interestingly, once I got it clean, I saw an ~30 fps increase in MV. Was wondering if this is something that you or others might have observed as well? Do you think the accuracy decline you have observed could be due to a decrease in velocity?
Thanks,
Stephen
I’m 99.9% sure your muzzle brake didn’t effect velocity unless it was pinching the bullet which would have led to horrible accuracy.
In the evolution of brake cleaning for me I have recently jumped onto hydrogen peroxide & vinegar, yes the dip. For my stainless brakes I mix up a 50/50 solution and submerge my brake for hours if not days. It’s really clean, maybe occasionally swapping out the mix and agitating the brake to get all the crevices. After a while it’s clean, I use a q-tip to remove the rest or small pic. It’s really made this not a chore. I don’t know what it will do to regular black brakes but on stainless it just removes everything leaving a clean undamaged finish.
That's helpful ... thanks so much. ?
In full disclosure, I did use a borrowed chrono (Labradar) for the after cleaning velocity measurements and need to confirm with my own (Magnetospeed - i.e., the same one I used to get pre-cleaning velocities) but 30 fps seems like more than just differences in chrono readings - especially when you consider that the post-cleaning readings (~2750) were taken in 30 degree cooler temps than the pre-cleaning readings (~2720).
Well I’ve seen those velocity differences from lab to magneto on more then one occasion.
unless your brake had a choke point it’s really really hard for a brake to decrease velocity. Did your brake before cleaning have marks that it wash hitting a bullet ? But you said it didn’t effect accuracy. So I’m going to assume not.
This is why I like non coated SS brakes.
I drop mine in SS tumbler and let it run for however long. Take it out, rinse it very good and let it dry. Zero scrubbing or color loss. Comes out like new. I pretty much do it whenever I burn out barrel and using the brake on another barrel.
Also, the brake clean vs not didn’t affect MV in the above example. There’s already way too many extra variables for the clean vs not clean to even remotely be considered the reason.
I drop mine in SS tumbler and let it run for however long. Take it out, rinse it very good and let it dry. Zero scrubbing or color loss. Comes out like new. I pretty much do it whenever I burn out barrel and using the brake on another barrel.
Also, the brake clean vs not didn’t affect MV in the above example. There’s already way too many extra variables for the clean vs not clean to even remotely be considered the reason.
I have not seen any change in velocity with cleaning.
I have a couple of black LB, I wish I had the stainless instead.
It was shooting great before cleaning and I didn't notice any place that bullets were hitting it (as you said it probably wouldn't have shot well if so). I am definitely going to try again with my chrono (only used my buddy's bc I forgot to bring mine with me to the range).
I doesn't make sense that there would be any change - just trying to figure out an explanation for my observations. Will definitely retest with my chrono when I get to the range the next time but was just trying to get some feedback in the meantime.
Thanks,
Stephen
Experimented with some Berryman Chem-Dip #0996. I have been dropping my brakes in a glass jar with this stuff and letting it sit. Not sure how long it really needs, but I put them in on Saturday or Sunday night and then pull them out a few days later when I remember.
Longest that have gotten left is 5 days. Q-tips are all that is needed for the most part, but if they were really bad and you want to be anal about it, a pick can be used to flake off older crud. I supposed a brush would be the right way to go about it but I am not interested in slinging that crap everywhere. I have been following with a warm water rinse and an air compressor.
By far the easiest and most complete cleaning these things have had since they were new.
Not sure what it may do to Cerakote.
Longest that have gotten left is 5 days. Q-tips are all that is needed for the most part, but if they were really bad and you want to be anal about it, a pick can be used to flake off older crud. I supposed a brush would be the right way to go about it but I am not interested in slinging that crap everywhere. I have been following with a warm water rinse and an air compressor.
By far the easiest and most complete cleaning these things have had since they were new.
Not sure what it may do to Cerakote.
