newbie question, bore cleaning

WillHunt

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Dec 22, 2011
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23
Location
Charleston, SC
Not really new to hunting or shooting, but not a "gun expert" either. I allowed my 7mmRemMag (factory model 700, not custom) to go about a year (maybe 10 rounds fired) without cleaning the bore. The other day I ran a rag through it and upon inspecting it with naked eye and pointing bore toward lamp, noticed that it did not come completely clean. I have yet to run a brush through it or try any other remedy. I'm hoping/assuming I havent done any permanent damage - what are your thoughts? Can some of you more technically sound shooters give me the "for dummies" version of cleaning a rifle bore - I've been taught different things over the years? Keep in mind I'm not a competitive shooter - just a recreational mid-range hunter. thanks in advance for your input, and I apologize if this thread is better suited for a different forum; I wasn't sure.
 
I'd bet that the rifle is fine. 10 shots shouldn't be enough to effect mid range shooting much at all. It might take a bit of work to get all the fowling out if the barrel was never broken in propperly, but with a little time and elbow grease, you should be able to get it cleaned up just fine. Gunwerx has a pretty good video on basic gun cleaning, I think it's on their website (maybe youtube, I can't remember where I saw it) youtube has a couple vids on rifle cleaning that are pretty good too. If I were you I'd watch several of them and learn what you can from each. There are a few different schools of thought on the matter, so I wouldn't get too wrapped up in any one of them, unless you're going to start shooting longer ranges where accuracy becomes even more important. Just stick to the main points and you'll be fine.

Good luck
Cody
 
couple key points to keep in mind.

1. never clean from the muzzle.

2. Always use a bore guide.

3. Buy a good solid 1 piece rod, Dewey, Pro shot etc.

4. as for cleaners you have copper removers, carbon removers and combo.

IMO WipeOut is about the easiest and simplest for your use.

5. Use the rod slowly and easily. You are not whipping up a cake by running it back and forth as fast as you can.
 
Set up rifle in a cleaning vice, like a Tipton.

spear a patch on a proper fit jag on a 1 piece rod

soak patch in your solvent of choice (I like Warthog bore cleaner): http://warthog1134.com/

push rod/patch through bore guide and soak bore a couple of strokes. Repeat with 2 new soaked patches.

Push one dry patch

push bore brush (wet with more solvent) through bore about 10-20 times. If you are really anal about the crown, unscrew the brush prior to drawing it back through the muzzle and reattach before each pass. I drag it over the crown very slowly myself.

push 2 dry patches, then another soaked one, then another dry one and check color of patch for fouling. If cleaned to your satisfaction, push a patch with oil on it through the bore prior to storage.

I also like KG supplies. I like their carbon solvent and copper solvent. follow their directions.

OR, Finally, get some wipeout or gunslick foam and fill the bore. Let it sit for as long as you want, even til the next day. Push dry patches through. Keep in mind, the longer a foam sits in the bore, it will lose the foam consistency and turn to liquid, settling on the downside of the bore due to gravity. I did some foam cleaning on a rifle with wipeout 2 days in a row, laying the rifle on each side and upright in a Tipton vice. That worked pretty well. No brushing needed on that occasion.
 
+1 on the Tipton one-piece rod and bore guide. I usually set my rifle in my rifle rest so the muzzle is at a slight downhill angle so the solvent doesn't run back into the action. I soak a couple of patches and push them through. I use Butch's bore solvent. I then let it set in the barrel for about half an hour or so. Then I push another soaked patch through. Then I use a phosphor bronze brush and slowly push all the way down and back. My brush only makes it about 1/4 of the way out the muzzle, so I feel ok with pulling it back through. I usually do one brush stroke for every round fired. Then I will push another wet patch through and then dry patches until it's dry. I then push a patch with some Remington spray oil on it followed by a final dry patch to mop up the excess oil. Just beware that a lot of the bore solvents are pretty harsh to stuff like counter tops and hard wood floors, just don't ask me how I know. I also wear rubber gloves when using this stuff because I don't want that stuff soaking up through my skin.
 
My brush only makes it about 1/4 of the way out the muzzle, so I feel ok with pulling it back through.

I've been advised by 3 bbl makers and 2 smiths not to do that. I was told to make sure the brush never changes direction inside the bore.
 
In theory the brush could harm the inside of the barrel. I can only theorize, perhaps reversing it while still in the bore might cause the steel center to be pushed off center scraping the rifling? Maybe any grit would be forced into the rifling scratching it? Who knows?

I know I have read many shooters cringing at the thought of pulling the bore brush back into the crown after it comes out.

I think it would be interesting for an inquisitive bore scope owner to see if they could find any damage caused to the steel barrel.
 
You can do a lot more harm to a barrel by improperly cleaning it than you ever will by shooting it a bunch.

One of the biggest mistakes I see people do all the time is not let the solvent work. They soak a patch run it down the bore and immediately run a dry one down. LET THAT SOLVENT SOAK AND WORK 15 OR SO MINUTES. Never use a steel brush. Bronze or copper is OK but don't use them with copper solvent because it will eat them and leave the leftovers in your bore. I don't even use a cleaning rod. I use weed eater line. Cut you a piece about a foot longer than your barrel and action. Sharpen one end and with a flame melt the other end and push it against a piece of glass to form a button. It will not stick to glass. :D You can file the edges of the button to just under your bore diameter if you need to. Speer a patch with the sharp end and push it to the button end. Place solvent on the patch and place the sharpened end into the chamber end and push it out the muzzle end and pull the patch through the bore. LET IS SOAK. Then repeat with a dry patch until clean. You will not harm your bore or your crown and you can clean anything from the chamber end with this method. Best of all the cleaning rod only cost you a few cents. :D
 
Why is that? Just wondering what damage that could cause.

One barrel maker stated he really doesn't understand the concept of cleaning with a bronze brush to begin with because running it down the bore is like lapping it further, especially over the crown.

You can skip to the 4 minute mark and listen to Krieger speak on cleaning and dragging a bronze brush against a crown. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwhOXV7lmYk]Barrel-maker John Krieger Interview - YouTube[/ame]

Now as to changing directions of a brush inside a bore, if the brush is a good fit, it should be tight, so tight in fact that I don't think you should be able to change directions. I cannot tell you the mechanism of damage, but I've heard it from sources smarter than me that it is part of the "DO NOT EVER..." list. So, I don't do it.

To me, the real purpose of brushing isn't so much to rid the bore of copper but to break up the carbon/black build up and get rid of it.
 
Great info folks. I appreciate it.
What about "scrubbers" that I assume are alcohol based (because they evaporate so fast and feel cold) that you can get from Walmart? The one I have now is Winchester Break Free Powder Blast, and I've also used Remington Action Scrubber. Usually follow up with RemOil. Bad?
 
Great info folks. I appreciate it.
What about "scrubbers" that I assume are alcohol based (because they evaporate so fast and feel cold) that you can get from Walmart? The one I have now is Winchester Break Free Powder Blast, and I've also used Remington Action Scrubber. Usually follow up with RemOil. Bad?

I've never used scrubbers. I don't use RemOil. I use G96 or the KG oil for follow-up and storage.
 
One barrel maker stated he really doesn't understand the concept of cleaning with a bronze brush to begin with because running it down the bore is like lapping it further, especially over the crown.

You can skip to the 4 minute mark and listen to Krieger speak on cleaning and dragging a bronze brush against a crown. Barrel-maker John Krieger Interview - YouTube

Now as to changing directions of a brush inside a bore, if the brush is a good fit, it should be tight, so tight in fact that I don't think you should be able to change directions. I cannot tell you the mechanism of damage, but I've heard it from sources smarter than me that it is part of the "DO NOT EVER..." list. So, I don't do it.

To me, the real purpose of brushing isn't so much to rid the bore of copper but to break up the carbon/black build up and get rid of it.



Pretty interesting information. Thanks for the link. I may just have to rethink my process.
 
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