Hey Guys, I am sure this subject has been debated ever since the dawn of ages, but I have been told by Windham's tech support to only use CLP and a patch to clean their chrome lined barrel. He then said once in a while use a copper brush because you don't want to remove all the copper from the barrel so it will stay more accurate. I have never heard this before. They said do not use any cleaner that has amonia in it.

I have been using non Chlorinated brake clean to get rid of a lot of the soot out of my Chrome lined barrel. And it was customary that without even allowing that to dry fully, I would follow up with Hopps 9 and then on some occasion I would just leave it at that but if I remembered I would run some dry patches. I never oiled the inside to coat it.

Do you all think I damaged the Chrome Lining and if so is there any way to measure it?

The brake cleaner would not have damaged the chrome. Hoppes #9 is advertised to remove metal fouling. That's the one I would worry about.

Nothing you can do about it at this stage of the game. If it still shoots well, just change the way you clean.

The only way to be sure if your bore is damaged is to use a borescope on it to see for certain. If it shoots well, don't worry about it, and start following the manufacturer's recommendations for cleaning.

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So many S&W's, so few funds!!

I'm certainly no expert and agree that you should follow the recommendations of the manufacturer for cleaning and maintenance. I am under the impression that chrome lined barrels are fairly indestructible and have seen no damage to the ones on my SKS or AK.

Some rifles are more accurate when not totally clean. Benchrest shooters often use a "fouling shot" or shots to get the best results. Some do not clean their barrels at all. So the statement that some copper in the barrel may enhance performance may be accurate.

Again, I stand to be corrected as this is all hearsay and not from my personal experience.

Non chlor is basically mostly acetone, around a third toluene, the rest methanol, and propellant gas. Just basic solvents, they won't hurt your barrel.

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Straight shootin'
SWCA#2439

I've heard the fouling shot thing for years and question it's validity. I believe the shot affects accuracy more by bringing up the temperature of the barrel than the fouling does. Temperature causes metal to move. Granted, one shot won't heat the barrel, but it will heat up the lands and grooves that contact the bullet. But I'm not a BR shooter, nor do I play one on TV.

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So many S&W's, so few funds!!

When it comes to Chemicals since almost no one here is a chemical engineer (certainly not I) I always sort of stick to what has been designed for Firearms. The manufacturers that make gun products are more sensitive and aware of what will not harm them as opposed to automobile chemical company's are. Yea, most "gun chemicals" are probably twice the price of brake cleaner but at least you know where and when to use them if you read the labels. To me it's worth the few extra dollars and you won't get flak from gun company's that the product you have used was the reason your gun was ruined.

If one owned a Gun store and used cases of the stuff every month than I could see cost being a major concern, but for just us enthusiasts it is probably more of a non issue.

Brake cleaner and other similar chemicals are much more harmful to your health than your gun's internals. Not only very flammable and volatile, but this type of formulation can damage your eyes, your lungs, and gets absorbed into your system right through your skin.

Windham probably knows best what products to use on their firearms, parts, and barrels. I would certainly follow their recommendations.

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Ret. LE, FA Instr, S&W Armorer

i called and got replies from Noveske, Arrow Precision, and others and some said Brake Clean can be used, hopps 9 can be used, others said no you should never use brake clean and only CLP. MY guess is, I know alot of people use brake clean and if it was so harmful, you would have barrels coming back wrecked. I usually use brake clean followed up with hopps 9 even before it dries, my barrels look fine and shoot very tight groups. I will probably buy spare barrels one for each in case and to be on the safe side.

I would avoid the ammoniated bore cleaners on a chrome-lined bore. But that's just me.

Well after getting 10 different answers from many different gunsmiths, I think if Brake Clean was so distructive, you would have thousands of AR owners with ruined barrels. I have never heard anybody who used Brake Clean damage a chrome lined barrel from using it.

I have a Barstow Match barrel that was improperly fitted so I am going to soak that with brake clean for a month along with hopps 9 to see if any damage or pitting will occur.