The full elapsed times on the Foul Out are shown in the accompanying table. Of the bore cleaners, the biggest disappointment was Product A, the foaming cleaner. Not only did this product require the longest session on the Foul Out (suggesting that it did not do a good job of removing copper), but it also took the longest time to use, as it required a 15-minute soak to let the foam work. On the other hand, it also took the least amount of effort to use.

I was admittedly surprised at how well Product B, the gel cleaner, worked. In my experience, so-called "green" products often sacrifice efficacy when they give up toxicity. That appeared to be the case with Product D as it required the second longest session on the Foul Out, though its session was a lot shorter than the foam.

In hindsight, using a rifle with Micro-Groove rifling may have been unfair to Product C, the bore cleaning paste. Being a paste, it doesn't flow deep into the grooves like a liquid cleaner, and the Micro-Grooves are so many that even a tight-fitting patch might not conform to the shape of the rifling to get the paste down into them.

Ultimately, which bore cleaner is best for you will depend on your gun and the condition of its bore, your ammo and the type of jacket material it has, and any special features you desire in a cleaner such as non-toxicity or biodegradability.

That brings us to Deaton's. According to elapsed time on the Foul Out, it was not the best at removing copper--being bettered by the gel cleaner by only 3 minutes. That said, by following the instructions, the physical cleaning process using Deaton's took a little less time than the gel, so which is better is probably a wash.

Ultimately, which bore cleaner is best for you will depend on your gun and the condition of its bore, your ammo and the type of jacket material it has, and any special features you desire in a cleaner such as non-toxicity or biodegradability. To find that "just right" bore cleaner, simply set up a comparative analysis that tests those attributes of importance to you, and give several products a try.