Bore Cleaning Technique - Harmful?
- Thread starter Jim567
- Start date
It's only the top of the lands that are the problem with copper fowling.
Spinning and pushing brush leaves everything else spotless.
It absolutely works.
It's not speculation.
I use a nylon brush in a rapidly rotating electric tooth brush everyday,twice a day---
The drill was spinning low speed as it was pushed back and forth.
Spinning and pushing brush leaves everything else spotless.
It absolutely works.
It's not speculation.
I use a nylon brush in a rapidly rotating electric tooth brush everyday,twice a day---
The drill was spinning low speed as it was pushed back and forth.
Last edited:
Just tried a very unscientific test that proves nothing but -
I rotated the nylon brush between my fingers and a metal brush.
The metal brush was much harder, uncomfortable on my fingers.
I then wiped the nylon brush on a clean white rag, then a used metal brush.
The metal brush left discoloration on the rag.
The nylon virtually none.
Again just an observation not scientific.
I rotated the nylon brush between my fingers and a metal brush.
The metal brush was much harder, uncomfortable on my fingers.
I then wiped the nylon brush on a clean white rag, then a used metal brush.
The metal brush left discoloration on the rag.
The nylon virtually none.
Again just an observation not scientific.
Last edited:
Wrong....
Bits of unknown debris - most likely a ferrous metal - can be drawn to a plastic rod and cling to it.
Copper and/or brass are non-ferrous & they are also much softer than the steel of the barrel.
Move plastic and it generates a static electric charge.
That static charge can attract debris - some of which may be harmful to the steel of your gun barrel.
Honestly?
I don't give a flying one through a rolling one if you believe it or not.
What you put in your guns that you bought with your hard eanred money is up to you.
Sand blast or soda blast them for all I care.
You asked this question:
"Is it harmful long term? "
I answered based o information I believe to be accurate - that plastic cleaning rods attract nasty abrasive crap.
I answered based o information I believe to be accurate - that plastic cleaning rods attract nasty abrasive crap.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Hal, by no means am I attempting to be difficult - But the plastic cleaning rod never touched the bore or barrel.
Respectfully,
Jim
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Hal, by no means am I attempting to be difficult - But the plastic cleaning rod never touched the bore or barrel.
Respectfully,
Jim
Dude - that's why they refer to those pleasant little moments in life, when something horrible goes wrong, as "Oh S^#T" moments.
(If I had a buck for every time a Dremel caused misery to a firearm, I could probably buy IBM.)
You're saying it all yourself - 4 passes on low speed.
Low speed on my DeWalt is 450 RPM.
Let's say you spend 30 seconds, that's still 225 times that rod is spinning around in the bore - -or - - 225 times more chances it's going to knock against the side or the crown.
(If I had a buck for every time a Dremel caused misery to a firearm, I could probably buy IBM.)
You're saying it all yourself - 4 passes on low speed.
Low speed on my DeWalt is 450 RPM.
Let's say you spend 30 seconds, that's still 225 times that rod is spinning around in the bore - -or - - 225 times more chances it's going to knock against the side or the crown.
Bob Wright
New member
I have often used a bronze bore brush to clean leading from the charge holes in the cylinder. However, I have a short section of old cleaning rod, about 6" in length to hold the bruch, chunking the rod in the drill chuck. Prevents getting the chuck too close to the cylinder.
Bob Wright
Bob Wright
Another unscientfic experiment.
I took a break from work, went out in the garage and put an old 1970 era surplus M-16 cleaning rod in the vice. I used this because it had a finish covering the metal that I could observe wear to and also so I could bear concentrated pressure on a small visable area.
It had a sort of a parkerized finish on it.
I chucked a piece of the plastic cleaning rod in the drill I was using and ran it with pressure against the metal rod for 2 minutes in the same spot.
It VERY slighty polished the metal rods finish, it did not remove the finish at all.
An accidental 1/2 second touch to the steel in a gun barrel would do damage?
Then I chucked the nylon bristle directly in the drill so I could apply pressure.
I ran it against the metal rod for two minutes at high speed moving it back and forth. Didn't even touch the finish on the rod, seemed to clean the grunge off a bit but didnt even polish the finish.
I am having a hard time seeing how a lubricated nylon brush would hurt a hardened gun barrel with a few low speed passes.
Or that a quick accidental touch of a plastic cleaning rod would do the same.
Thank you for the opportunity to work my gray matter.
I respect all opinions.
I understand this goes a bit against the grain, no pun intended
Respectfully,
Jim
I took a break from work, went out in the garage and put an old 1970 era surplus M-16 cleaning rod in the vice. I used this because it had a finish covering the metal that I could observe wear to and also so I could bear concentrated pressure on a small visable area.
It had a sort of a parkerized finish on it.
I chucked a piece of the plastic cleaning rod in the drill I was using and ran it with pressure against the metal rod for 2 minutes in the same spot.
It VERY slighty polished the metal rods finish, it did not remove the finish at all.
An accidental 1/2 second touch to the steel in a gun barrel would do damage?
Then I chucked the nylon bristle directly in the drill so I could apply pressure.
I ran it against the metal rod for two minutes at high speed moving it back and forth. Didn't even touch the finish on the rod, seemed to clean the grunge off a bit but didnt even polish the finish.
I am having a hard time seeing how a lubricated nylon brush would hurt a hardened gun barrel with a few low speed passes.
Or that a quick accidental touch of a plastic cleaning rod would do the same.
Thank you for the opportunity to work my gray matter.
I respect all opinions.
I understand this goes a bit against the grain, no pun intended
Respectfully,
Jim
Last edited:
Heavy Metal 1
New member
OP you appear to be trying to justify and defend your method and rejecting the opinions you are asking for. If you are happy with your method then just go with it. Wipe Out foaming bore cleaner is really easy to use and requires nearly no effort. It isn't cheap, but it is easy.
I just wasn't buying the answers I was getting about a lubricated nylon brush and plastic rod damaging the bore so I did my own experiment.
Could have gone either way.
Still have not entirely convinced myself and as I keep saying my test was unscientific.
I may experiment with an old gun barrel today.
That it worked very well and fast cheaply - there is no question.
That there are other ways to accomplish the task was never in question.
Respectfully,
Jim
Could have gone either way.
Still have not entirely convinced myself and as I keep saying my test was unscientific.
I may experiment with an old gun barrel today.
That it worked very well and fast cheaply - there is no question.
That there are other ways to accomplish the task was never in question.
Respectfully,
Jim
Last edited:
Just took a new unused Springfield Armory mil-spec barrel to the garage.
I placed it in my vice.
Chucked up the plastic rod, inserted it in the barrel from the muzzle and applied downward pressure.
I ran it in the same spot for two minutes at high speed.
No visible wear to the finish. All pressure on the crown and rifling.
Did not wear even the finish there.
Chucked the nylon bore brush directly into the drill.
Ran it for two minutes in the muzzle.
High speed never moving it from the first inch of the muzzle, the barrel became warm to the touch.
Never even wore the finish.
The SA finish on the barrel I experimented on can't touch the Sig and Glock finish for durability in my opinion.
I have my answer . Thanks to all who contributed,made me cautious, and think.
I am not recommending this method to anyone. Not trying to change the world.
Your miliage may vary.
Respectfully.
Cheers,
Jim
I placed it in my vice.
Chucked up the plastic rod, inserted it in the barrel from the muzzle and applied downward pressure.
I ran it in the same spot for two minutes at high speed.
No visible wear to the finish. All pressure on the crown and rifling.
Did not wear even the finish there.
Chucked the nylon bore brush directly into the drill.
Ran it for two minutes in the muzzle.
High speed never moving it from the first inch of the muzzle, the barrel became warm to the touch.
Never even wore the finish.
The SA finish on the barrel I experimented on can't touch the Sig and Glock finish for durability in my opinion.
I have my answer . Thanks to all who contributed,made me cautious, and think.
I am not recommending this method to anyone. Not trying to change the world.
Your miliage may vary.
Respectfully.
Cheers,
Jim
Last edited:
Cheapshooter
New member
An electric drill is completely inappropriate for cleaning the bore of your pistols. This would be much better!
Jim,
Obviously this could ping pong back and forth until eternity.
I'd started to look up links to people and companies within the industry that recommend against the use of plastic rods, then figured, why bother?
I'm not going to change your mind & you have as much of a chance of changing mine as you do talking me into parachuting again.
(slim to none & slim just left town)
Good luck to you and I hope you never run into an "Oh crap" moment.
As I admitted above, in my younger and dumber years (~ 40 years ago) I tried an electric drill and a wire brush myself, so, your method isn't anything new.
Over the years, I've read and heard that plastic cleaning rods can attract/trap abrasive debris.
The people that said/wrote this were people that made a living in the firearms industry, so, I tended to believe what they said/wrote.
Getting away with something once twice or even a hundred times really doesn't amount to much.
Look at how many people waddle out of their favorite watering hole after having a few too many and make it home just fine.
Must be tens of thousands of them a week.
Just because they get away with it doesn't mean it's not something safe to do.
Obviously this could ping pong back and forth until eternity.
I'd started to look up links to people and companies within the industry that recommend against the use of plastic rods, then figured, why bother?
I'm not going to change your mind & you have as much of a chance of changing mine as you do talking me into parachuting again.
(slim to none & slim just left town)
Good luck to you and I hope you never run into an "Oh crap" moment.
As I admitted above, in my younger and dumber years (~ 40 years ago) I tried an electric drill and a wire brush myself, so, your method isn't anything new.
Over the years, I've read and heard that plastic cleaning rods can attract/trap abrasive debris.
The people that said/wrote this were people that made a living in the firearms industry, so, I tended to believe what they said/wrote.
Getting away with something once twice or even a hundred times really doesn't amount to much.
Look at how many people waddle out of their favorite watering hole after having a few too many and make it home just fine.
Must be tens of thousands of them a week.
Just because they get away with it doesn't mean it's not something safe to do.
No worries I just wanted to satisfy my self not recruit any converts.
Your last paragraph although not gun related --
Is well said and - well, well said !!!
Expressing your opinions on a forum can be difficult.
The same opinions spoken to someone in person over a beer would be much easily ( less stressfully ) bantered back and forth.
So - I apologize in advance for this lol!
I just read where some Glock and Sig barrels went 30,000 rounds. Hard to worry about a few passes with a lubricated nylon brush.
Glock and Sig and other manufacturers issue nylon rods and brushes.
Ok
ok you don't have to buy the next round of beers now.
Cheers to you.
Liked the brush mounted to the cabinet idea.
Jim
Your last paragraph although not gun related --
Is well said and - well, well said !!!
Expressing your opinions on a forum can be difficult.
The same opinions spoken to someone in person over a beer would be much easily ( less stressfully ) bantered back and forth.
So - I apologize in advance for this lol!
I just read where some Glock and Sig barrels went 30,000 rounds. Hard to worry about a few passes with a lubricated nylon brush.
Glock and Sig and other manufacturers issue nylon rods and brushes.
Ok
ok you don't have to buy the next round of beers now.
Cheers to you.
Liked the brush mounted to the cabinet idea.
Jim