cleaning guns

kentucky hareraiser · Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 12:23 pm Post subject: cleaning guns

what is everyone cleaning order of cleaning barrells. wire brush first then swab,,or swab first then brush .just curious how everyone else cleans their guns

shrpshtrjoe · Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 2:05 pm Post subject: Re: cleaning guns

I use a patch soaked with solvent first run it down the barrel a couple times let it sit a minute or two and then bronze brush it, then a couple of dry patchs I do this a couple times and when it's clean I run a good clean mop through it to make sure .
Joe

Gil Martin · Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 2:48 pm Post subject: Re: cleaning guns

I run a few solvent patches down the barrel followed by a wire brush then more solvent patches and dry patches. If still not clean, I put Rem Bore Cleaner on a cloth wrapped around a brush and run it up and down the bore. This is followed by solvent patches, dry patches and oil patches. If the gun is going into storage, I run a grease patch down the bore a few times. All the best...
Gil

Vince · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 3:42 am Post subject: Re: cleaning guns

Same as Joe.

Patch wet with solvent...leave it a minute, either a nylon or bronze brush depending on the solvent used (never use a bronze brush with a copper solvent like Sweets) followed by as many clean patches as necessary.

I stop when they come out clean, then I apply a light coat of oil to the bore with a clean patch.

I sometimes revisit the bore the next day with the same procedure.

Cheers Vince

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5946

Every 20 rounds. Or ever time I am done shooting for the day, what ever comes first. And yes I clean it when I get home after not shooting out on a day of hunting.

1 pass of your soaked patch of bore cleaner.
10 passes of a copper brush.
2 passes of clean patches to pick up the solvent.

Dimitri

SingleShotLover · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:59 am Post subject: Re: cleaning guns

And make sure that your jag for your wet patch isn't too tight in the bore. I usually use a jag one caliber smaller and a substantial wet patch so that the patch doesn't get squeezed dry in the first couple inches of the bore. Final patches are pushed through with a proper caliber sized jag.

chambered221 · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 5:16 am Post subject: Re: cleaning guns

I highly recommend the use of a bore guide!!!
The improper use of a cleaning rod can cause permanent damage to the throat and bore.

I use Sinclair Int. gun/caliber specific guides made of delrin.

allenpmw · Member Joined: Mar 09, 2009 Posts: 35 Location: utah

I clean every 20 rounds on light rifles.
10 rounds or when done hunting heavys.

1 wet patch shooters choice
brush wet shooters choice 10 passes
2-3 dry patches
1 wet patch let stand 5-10 min
2-3 dry patches

your powder fouling will be gone the first dry patch after you let stand for 10 min. will come out blueish thats copper.

to remove copper

1 wet patch sweets or barns copper remover let stand 10-15 min
2 dry
look at first dry patch only if blue repeat intell no blue

to finnish
1 wet shooters choice
3-4 dry
oil bore
remove bore guide clean chamber oil chamber

alt methed

clean powder same as above
1 wet shooters choice let stand 4-8 hours
2 dry
repeat intell no blue

always use a bor guide
never clean from mozzle end
if you have to clean from muzzle end use a muzzle guide

Dawgdad · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 7:23 am Post subject: Re: cleaning guns

Dear me... it seems that some of you are wearing out your barrel by cleaning it more than shooting it...

I shoot Service rifle matches that are typically 88 rounds. I will run a bore snake right after shooting to beak out the easy loose stuff. When I get home I swab the bore with a 1:1 mix of Butches Bore shine and Kroil on a patch and let it sit AT LEAST 30 minutes. I will then push dry patches through with a tight jag until they come out clean. About once a month or 250-300 rounds I will use the Gunslick foaming copper cleaner and let it sit for a couple of hours then dry patches until clean. NO wire brushes until I can feel a carbon ring starting to build up in front of the throat which is maybe twice a year or evry 800-1000 rounds. When the 600 yard accuracy starts to fade the throat can be polished a bit with JBpaste but I have not hit that spot on this barrel yet and it has 2400 rounds down it.

Because of this experience with no accuracy issues for up to 80 rounds.... My coyote rifle will ony get cleaned when I start missing coyotes or when I put it up for the season. I usually load up 60 rounds of .243 in the fall and it lasts me all year. It may get a bore snake run down it but no solvents or scrubbing.

A17Shooter · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:28 am Post subject: Re: cleaning guns

You fellows seem to clean way more often than I do. Really don't have a hard fast rule, except when the high velocity guns start blowing bullets I know it's time to clean. Very Happy

Elvis · Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 12:18 am Post subject: Re: cleaning guns

man you fellas sure do clean em a lot. I was slack for alot of years but a article in the rod n rifle magazine changed my thinking. now i put oiled copper brush through a few times then dry cloth until clean then a clean oiled cloth I them wipe the outside down with that cloth.I dont use solvents as have never seen the need.the best idea we had was a can of crc or wd40 in the truck a good spray down the barrel after a wet day in the bush especially if around salt water is good to hold it till a decent cleaning session.

ElyBoy · Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:18 pm Post subject: Re: cleaning guns

I clean my guns alot, but until now, I never knew that it should be such a complicated and scientific type of duty.

Without having a Doctorate in barrel cleaning, I have somehow managed to accidentally keep my guns in fairly good working order.

Eric Sniper

SingleShotLover · Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 4:47 am Post subject: Re: cleaning guns

I've reaped the benefits of improperly cleaned rifles many, many times. I have lost count of the rifles I have been offered at bargain basement prices because "the barrel's just shot out" when in reality a good thorough cleaning revealed fine accuracy. Some of these required cleaning over several days, but in each case copper fouling was the real culprit. Ir's just easier to do a decent cleaning on a regular basis than wait until it becomes a major project.

Joe Boleo · Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:42 pm Post subject: Re: cleaning guns

I clean the same way Gil does and it works well. Take care...
Joe

fnuser · Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:32 pm Post subject: Re: cleaning guns

The 30-06 I use was aquired kinda like single shot said it regularly prints 3/4" after some intense sweets 7.62 treatment and a glass bedding. I bought it as a parts gun for a 35 Whelen. The owner claimed it was shot out and wouldn't group under 4" and was getting worse all the time, I decided to try it first, a real good cleaning got groups that were close to 1.5" then I decided it was worth keeping as is, bedding fixed the rest. What a bargain! I've never heard of anyone wearing a gun out cleaning it. I don't use strong solvents or abrasives everytime but again I would have to agree w single shot why wait till its a problem when a little maintenance prevents the problem ever occuring.