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Ammonia

DENWADENWA Member Posts: 390 ✭✭✭
edited September 2002 in General Discussion
Does anyone use straight ammonia from a bottle to clean a barrel? I bought a bottle and was thinking of using it. I see that bore cleaner is about 4% ammonia. Is it safe to use?

You are what you eat? I guess I'm a beaver!
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Comments

  • DancesWithSheepDancesWithSheep Member Posts: 12,938 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Why not just use bore cleaner? Maybe the other 96% of ingredients not in ammonia serves a purpose?

    Why does man kill? He kills for food. But not only for food; frequently, he must have a beverage.
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  • MobuckMobuck Member Posts: 14,163 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I guess if you are looking forward to a complete refinish job, use the ammonia.

    Mobuck
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  • Iroquois ScoutIroquois Scout Member Posts: 930 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You can use straight ammonia to clean copper fouling from your rifle bore. Many of the old time target shooters used it to clean their '03 Springfields. Just be sure that you don't get any on the outside finish or on the stock and don't leave it in the bore very long. All in all it is a lot easier just to use a commercial bore cleaner.
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  • Judge DreadJudge Dread Member Posts: 2,372 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Comercial ammonia contains soap , soap contains caustics = barrel cancer to your gun.....

    400 million cows can't be wrong ( EAT GRASS !!! )
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  • mark christianmark christian Member Posts: 24,443 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    DENWA, STOP! DO NOT USE STRAIGHT AMMONIA! The process that is under discussion was known as ammonia doping and straight ammonia was never used. The Ordnance Department formula for doping was 1 oz of Ammonia, 200 grains of Amonium Carbonate and 4 oz. of water. This was then blended and added to another solution containing 28% ammonia and water. When combined together this stuff was the dope. Are you with me so far????
    When you used this solution the the breech of the gun was plugged and a rubber tube slipped over the muzzel, so that when the barrel was filled the muzzel could be entirely covered with no part of the metal making contact with the dope and the air at the same time. If it did- DISASTER! The barrel would be ruined in minutes and the old gentleman who told me about this process said it was no lie. After 20 minutes the the dope was removed and the barrel quickly dried and oiled. Fresh dope had to be mixed every day because stale dope was even more corosive.
    By the late 1920' Frankfurt Arsenal developed a new gilding bullet jacket the eliminated the cooper fouling that I. Scout described. I can't rember the exact date that doping was discontinued by the military, but it certainly did not extend into the 1930's. I have to thank my late boss "Mr. Sam" for telling me about this many years ago. I found it so interesting that I wrote it down. I wish I'd have written down EVERYTHING the man told me! God rest his soul.


    "Trust me, Mr. Sam knew what he was talking about!"




    Mark T. Christian
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  • groundhog devastationgroundhog devastation Member Posts: 4,495
    edited November -1
    mark christian, I just want to be the first to tell you, THAT WAS A GREAT ANSWER!! We need more posts like that here! I try to tell what I know and answer concisely but that was super!! GHD
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  • lokdok1lokdok1 Member Posts: 383 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Waytogo Mark!
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  • DENWADENWA Member Posts: 390 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks to all of you for the valuable info, I will certainly heed your warnings and just use the bore cleaner, I was just hopeing It would be a bigger, better, faster, solvent. Thanks again to all.

    Now what do I do with this ammonia? Just kidding, I'll give it to my wife.



    You are what you eat? I guess I'm a beaver!
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  • njretcopnjretcop Member Posts: 7,975
    edited November -1
    Mark, where the he** have you been? Your posts are the most clear, concise and knowledgeable I have ever read on this board.

    We are blessed with other experts as well, but it never hurts to have another one. Stick around awhile will you!!

    Charlie the impressed

    "It's the stuff dreams are made of Angel"NRA Certified Firearms InstructorMember: GOA, RKBA, NJSPBA, NJ area rep for the 2ndAMPD. njretcop@copmail.com
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  • 218Beekeep218Beekeep Member Posts: 3,033
    edited November -1
    I`m always looking for something bigger and cheaper.Being in the painting bussines,I always have solvents,and use them for cleaning guns.

    A lot of products are a scam though:

    Ever look at the ingrediants of a can of
    ciggerette lighter fluid?:

    -Pint- Ronsonal (Naptha)$4.00 to $6.00
    -Gallon- Naptha(from the paint store)$6.95
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  • Shootist3006Shootist3006 Member Posts: 4,171
    edited November -1
    When you say "straight ammonia" do you mean industrial, strength or chemically pure or household ammonia. Household ammonia is about 10% pure ammonia in water and can be used to clean copper BUT it will ruin most finishes!!!
    For a good way to use it go to http://www.storm.ca/~debin666/html/projects9.html

    Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem.Semper Fidelis
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