I've been cleaning my own guns for years but there's one thing I'm not sure about. When cleaning the bore I've been taught to clean from the breach end, which I know to be correct. The one thing I'm not sure about is when you run your brush through I know it has to completely exits the barrel never reverse inside the barrel. But once you push it through do you unscrew the brush pull the rod out and start over or do you pull the brush back through?
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
proper cleaning methods?
- Thread starter coyotewsm
- Start date
I have modified the way I clean guns all these years. There is no proper way per se. We like what we like.
1. I only use nylon brushes made by hoppes. In fact I use them more as solvent spreader. I leave the solvent in the bore for at least 15 min before I patch. Give the chemicals a chance to do what they can do.
2. I used to push brush from the breech only. I stopped doing that real fast. All that unscrewing is pretty silly and tiring. In fact I only brush sparingly. Most of the time I just use soaked patch as spreader.
3. Tight patch pushed by a jag is not working well. If you want the patch to soak up fluid, it should be relaxed, not compressed. I like Otis pull through cables for that.
4. I don't clean guns after each use, not any more. Only do it when they are back to the safe for long period of time.
5. Stopped using bore guide. It helps somehow, but the hassle putting it on and storing it, I can do without.
6. Always wear gloves when cleaning guns. I am not as tough as other men, and I will be harmed by the chemicals and lead. Actually I put a plastic bag over the muzzle when I brush. It catches the fine mist when the brush exits.
7. Don't use hoppes #9 any more. That thing sucks.
That's just what I do. It may not be proper to you, but to me it is.
-TL
1. I only use nylon brushes made by hoppes. In fact I use them more as solvent spreader. I leave the solvent in the bore for at least 15 min before I patch. Give the chemicals a chance to do what they can do.
2. I used to push brush from the breech only. I stopped doing that real fast. All that unscrewing is pretty silly and tiring. In fact I only brush sparingly. Most of the time I just use soaked patch as spreader.
3. Tight patch pushed by a jag is not working well. If you want the patch to soak up fluid, it should be relaxed, not compressed. I like Otis pull through cables for that.
4. I don't clean guns after each use, not any more. Only do it when they are back to the safe for long period of time.
5. Stopped using bore guide. It helps somehow, but the hassle putting it on and storing it, I can do without.
6. Always wear gloves when cleaning guns. I am not as tough as other men, and I will be harmed by the chemicals and lead. Actually I put a plastic bag over the muzzle when I brush. It catches the fine mist when the brush exits.
7. Don't use hoppes #9 any more. That thing sucks.
That's just what I do. It may not be proper to you, but to me it is.
-TL
I've used a bare steel rod to push patches and bronze brushes in and out both ends of the barrel without any damage to the rifling at both ends. It does protect the origin of the rifling if you use a proper rod guide at the breech end.
Cleaned four Garand barrels to worn out at 4000+ rounds with a steel rod from the muzzle and it lapped away the lands enough that no copper wash was on them for the last 3/4" of the bore. Accuracy was not degraded by that "belling" of the bore and groove diameters at the muzzle.
Cleaned four Garand barrels to worn out at 4000+ rounds with a steel rod from the muzzle and it lapped away the lands enough that no copper wash was on them for the last 3/4" of the bore. Accuracy was not degraded by that "belling" of the bore and groove diameters at the muzzle.
oldmanFCSA
New member
I use Brownell's SS bore brushes and stroke both ways to loosen the carbon fouling in my 50BMG's, then wipe out with a cotton patch wrapped around brush. I use 28% aqueous ammonia to dissolve the copper/brass fouling in the bore from my solid brass bore-rider projectiles. I only clean after about 200 rounds fired and a properly cleaned barrel takes about 22 rounds to properly dirty the bore before it starts shooting accurately again.
I set back the barrel 1/4" every 1000 rounds and recut the crown at same time.
Y.M.M.V.
I set back the barrel 1/4" every 1000 rounds and recut the crown at same time.
Y.M.M.V.