I've got a bottle of both but wasn't sure the differences between them and when you use one over the other? If someone can explain to me the uses and diferrences that would be great. I've been using the Copper Solvent, so I don't know what the power solvent is for. Thanks.
Take a whiff. The copper solvent has a lot of ammonia in it. Good for getting the copper or gilding-metal fouling out of the barrel, especially if you've been shooting a lot of copper bullets like the Barnes offerings. The powder solvent is what you want to use routinely, the copper only on occasion, and it's probably not going to be needed unless you're shooting the copper bullets a lot.
Oh man, you are gonna get a million different answers, but it is a good question. A clean well lubed gun is an absolute must. Gun scrubber is great for blasting away to majority of buildup. Sweet's 7.62 will clean a barrel like nobody's bidness, it hates copper so bad it will eat your brush too, so don't use a wire brush. As for lubrication: TW25B for a grease type lube and Militec or Hoppe's Elite/9 for a wet lube. There are also some other great lubes and solvents out there that I didn't or couldn't mention because I haven't used them, so this is not to say other answers won't be correct. New ones pop up all the time so it is a stick with what works for me type of deal for everyone. One of our machine gunners will buy a Windex-size bottle of CLP pop the top on his M240 and just starts liberally hosing her down. He is also known for his reliable machine gun!
This Site Might Help You. RE: Whats the difference between Copper Solvent and Powder Solvent when cleaning guns? I've got a bottle of both but wasn't sure the differences between them and when you use one over the other? If someone can explain to me the uses and diferrences that would be great. I've been using the Copper Solvent, so I don't know what the power solvent is for. Thanks.
I use Hoppes #9 Nitro Powder and lead solvent and Hoppes Benchrest Copper Solvent to clean. The powder solvent is petroleum based, but is milder than the copper solvent. The powder solvent cuts through powder carbon deposits and lead build up in the barrel by dissolving it. The copper solvent is more potent and has other chemicals and petroleum bases (like kerosene, in Hoppes Benchrest) to dissolve copper. When you shoot lead bullets, you get powder and lead residue left in the barrel. With copper-jacket lead-core bullets you get residue of the copper jacket and powder deposits left in the barrel. The copper is harder to get out than lead, so a good copper solvent and brush is needed to get it out and clean the barrel properly. Choose what to use by the bullets you are firing through your fire arm. If they have copper jackets or plating, use the copper solvent. If its just lead, use the powder solvent.
