Happy and Sad

[GFK]

Got my H009 back from Henry today. Ya! The bore seemed fouled when I first purchased it. So, Henry took it back to straighten it out. Well, I cleaned it just to get a baseline and get it ready for my first shot this weekend. So, I let some Hoppe's 9 Bore Cleaner set for about 15 minutes (twice). That is when I became sad. It was not as I would expect:

DSCN0473.JPG

So, I thought I would let some Hoppe's set overnight. Question: Is that a good, bad or ugly idea? I thinking it should help loosen whatever is in the bore and not harm it. Any thoughts would be appreciated. I ran a mop with Hoppe's through my Marlin just for a comparison. Let it set for about 15 minutes. Then, ran a patch. I have only shot about 200 round through it so far, but it came out clean as expected.

However, my inner loading tube and scope mount filler screws concerns where addressed as expected.

Thanks,

[JEBar]

I use Ballistol and seeing patching like that is fairly routine .... so long as the bullet is on target, I don't worry about it

[GFK]

Thank you for your feedback. I have typically become to expect something different. When I was in the Navy, it was stressed to keep weapons cleaned to ensure reliability and for preservation. While a correctional officer, I was trained to keep weapons cleaned to ensure reliability and for preservation. Mostly everything I have read so far has stressed the importance of a clean firearm for safety, reliability, preservation and accuracy. This is the fourth new firearm I have purchased. The others have been clean from day one. This is the only one so far that I have been cleaning from day one. It is also the one I have paid the most for. I would expect something like that from a used gun. But, not for a new one. I don't buy a particular brand. If I like it and the price is acceptable, I buy it. So, none of my current firearms are of the same manufacturer. I expect this firearm to be not different in that respect to the others.

[clovishound]

I'm no expert, but from what I have been able to ascertain, it would only be a problem on a chrome plated bore. The reason is the plating process uses a thin coat of copper to get the chrome to stick and a nick in the chrome could allow the ammonia in the bore cleaner to degrade the copper plating in between the steel barrel and the chrome plating.

I fought the copper battle with an old mauser, and found that foaming bore solvent was the most effective. Make sure the blue/green staining on your patches is not from a brass jag or brass brush. Have you put a bore light in the breech and looked down the barrel to see if you can see streaks of copper? It was very obvious in my mauser barrel. Once I finally started getting fairly clean patches out of it, I could no longer see the streaks of copper in the barrel.

[JEBar]

While a correctional officer, I was trained to keep weapons cleaned to ensure reliability and for preservation. Mostly everything I have read so far has stressed the importance of a clean firearm for safety, reliability, preservation and accuracy.

well understood .... my first career was in corrections where, among other things, I was a certified instructor .... well cleaned actions (moving parts) should be the norm .... here is a link to an article covering barrel care and cleaning ===> https://www.shootingsoftware.com/fouling.htm .... I find the SHOOT IN THE BARREL section to be well worth consideration

[GFK]

Thanks for the feedback. Yes (clovishound), I am able to see brown (copper) streaks in the barrel. I will consider trying the foam next. I have also used a nylon brush and plastic patch pull loop as an attempt to avoid faults positives. I thinking about seeing what the gun shop has to say about it also. It probably should have been my first contact. But, I had already contacted Henry about a shoot-in process. So, it was sent in as a follow-up to that contact. Which, I am glad it was sent in.

Thanks for the link (JEBar). I will check it out.

[GFK]

Yes, I have read this link before. It is informative. It is one of the reason I thought about a shoot-in process. But, I don't think it is necessary for my purposes. Having a clean gun should work fine. I figure if I shoot and clean it enough, the pits will get filled in anyway. If not, it is still all good.

[clovishound]

I don't know if I missed it in the other thread, but did Henry say what they did to the gun when they worked on it? I would have thought that they would have thoroughly cleaned the barrel somewhere in the process. If the barrel still had heavy copper fouling when it was received back from Henry, I would be on the phone talking with Henry CS. It should have been clean as a whistle when returned, unless it was repaired for other issues.

Personally, at this point I would clean the barrel to the point of removing all the copper fouling. This may take several days of cleaning. I know with the mauser, I would clean it several times a day until I finally got clean patches out of it. I tried standard bore solvent, copper fouling eraser, a tornado brush, and finally the foaming bore cleaner. The last one was recommended by the gunsmith at my LGS. That seemed to be the one that finally got me to clean patches, but it took several days of use.

With a lever gun, be careful to stand the rifle on the muzzle and insert the tube from the foaming cleaner well into the breech. You don't want to have to disassemble and clean the action to remove all the foaming cleaner from the action.

[GFK]

Thanks for the feedback clovishound. Yes, the work order stated that the bore was cleaned, inner load tube replaced and scope dummy screws were replaced. Based on how much effort it now takes to cycle the lever, I think it was replaced also. I did send a e-mail to Henry WI on the 11th about what was done. I have not received a response yet.

Yes, I would expect for it to be clean as a whistle also. A clean patch was included in the return. But, I could still see brown streaks in the bore. I don't know what was used to clean it. I did pick up and use some Hoppe's foam last night. I put a towel in the receiver and went from the muzzle end though. Hoppe's 9 with a brush and elbow grease seems to be putting a dent in it. As you pointed out, it is taking some time though. I can see some improvements. I still have some work to do though. The patches are cleaner. I have spent about 3-4 hours the past two nights cleaning it. I may take a break for a day.

[RanchRoper]

That's unfortunate for sure. Hope you get it sorted out soon.

[GFK]

That's unfortunate for sure. Hope you get it sorted out soon.

Thanks!

[RanchRoper]

Won't be long until lead is flyin'!

[GFK]

Well, I did not take a break. I only spent a couple of hours tonight though. I plan to let it set with bore cleaner overnight. The patches are getting cleaner:

DSCN0476[1].JPG

I have been running a mop with cleaner through the bore. Let it set for about 20 minutes, then run a brush. Then, I repeat the process. Next, I run a couple of patches with cleaner. I think I can see light at the end of the tunnel. The brown streaks are lighter and smaller.

[GFK]

Won't be long until lead is flyin'!

Amen!! I thinking about this weekend. But, I will see how things go. My wife has made plans for us to take our daughter out to dinner for her birthday. However, it is about a 4 hour round trip to where she wants to go. The other day I may still be cleaning, hopefully not though.

[GFK]

I only spent about an hour cleaning tonight. But, this gives an idea about what I am working on for about 12 hours or so. It is blurry though.

DSCN0479[1].JPG

[GFK]

Well, it looks like my new Henry is copper free now. I went to the LGS where I purchased it from for ideas. First, the owner could not believe such patches came from a new gun. He wanted me to forward him the pictures, so he could pass them on. Next, he suggested I should try Tetra Gun Copper Solvent. Yes, I thought it could have been an opportunity to make money. But, the stuff worked. I applied it five times as directed (more or less: My wife wanted to go to the store, so I let it set for about an hour instead of 30 minutes one time.) This is the patches I get now:

DSCN0484.JPG

I think I am ready for the range now and see what the H009 will do at its best:

DSCN0483.JPG

If nothing else, I did learn something. When I am considering purchasing a gun new or used, I should look down the barrel (regardless of the manufacturer). So, I could be partly responsible as well. But, I did look at a new H009 at the LGS today. And, the barrel was clean. So, it seems that some guns do come from Henry clean and does not require 20 or so hours of cleaning before using. To me, a clean gun should give a true indication of what it can do at its peak.

[dave77]

I only spent about an hour cleaning tonight. But, this gives an idea about what I am working on for about 12 hours or so. It is blurry though.

DSCN0479[1].JPG

If your taking closeups with your smart phone one of these will take some pretty impressive closeups, very narrow depth of field though.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XK ... UTF8&psc=1

Here's a photo I took of my PX4 slide with it.

[GFK]

I only spent about an hour cleaning tonight. But, this gives an idea about what I am working on for about 12 hours or so. It is blurry though.

DSCN0479[1].JPG

If your taking closeups with your smart phone one of these will take some pretty impressive closeups, very narrow depth of field though.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XK ... UTF8&psc=1

Here's a photo I took of my PX4 slide with it.

Thanks! Good idea.