Bore Brush Maintenance Question

[bookworm]

What do you do to clean and maintain your bore brushes? I assume that the harsh copper solvents will attack the bronze brushes and I'm wondering what are some best practices for keeping your brushes in good shape.

How long should I expect a good quality brush to last if well maintained?

 

[preacherman]

I clean my bore brushes with lighter fluid... get one more session, then toss it.

 

[Boss Hoss]

I shoot competitively so this is a big issue for me---easy fix! As soon as you are finished, brushing (every time during the process) just a short blast of brake cleaner will do the job plus, it cleans the fouling and carbon off of the brush. Do this a few times and you will be amazed.

 

[cowboy]

Depending on the solvent you are using - the brake cleaner works really good as previously mentioned. If you are using a water soluable solvent - not ammonia based - I keep a gal. jug of winter non freeze windshield water solution next to my bench - take the cap off , swirl the brush still on the rod around and you are clean and neutalized. I seem to not use airosol in my reloading room as I tend to spray stuff that I wasn't aiming at.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Dont use brushes... dont need to....

 

[bookworm]

Cowboy - what water soluble solvents have you found to be effective on copper?

MontanaRifleman - do you just use jags and patches then? What solvents?

 

[JUDD]

I also use brake cleaner...just watch whereabouts you are when you use it...I have a buddy who took the finish off a Remmy pss stock with this stuff!

 

[Boss Hoss]

Dont use brushes... dont need to....

If you owned a Bore Scope you would.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

MontanaRifleman - do you just use jags and patches then? What solvents?

Bookworm,

Yes, I use an amonia free very effective copper remover (Bore Tech Elininator) with a nickel plated jag and patches. It's very effective. No scrubbing.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

If you owned a Bore Scope you would.

I wish I did have a borescope and plan on getting one someday. But I have used Wipeout without brushes to clean a VERY bad fouling factory barrel Ruger. When the patches finally came out white, I took it to a smith to get it bore scoped. The bore was completely cleaned down to bare shiney metal. Not a trace of copper or powder. BTE is also very effective. I haven't borescoped after cleaning yet, but if a BTE soaked bore dry patches out white after sitting a few of minutes, you can be sure there is no copper.

I did a little test with it (BTE) once. I took a wet patch and placed it on a brass jag. Then I took my thumb and fingers and squeezed down over the patch and jag. The patch immediately turned blue. If there is copper in the bore, the BTE will act on it immediately.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Bookworm,

Yes, I use an amonia free very effective copper remover (Bore Tech Elininator) with a nickel plated jag and patches. It's very effective. No scrubbing.

I use BTE but have brass/bronze jags which makes it nearly impossible to determine if the bore is copper free. Where did you get the nickel plated jags from?

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Midway

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[old_heli_logger]

I use Wipeout too and it works great on copper, but I had to use a brush and TEC to get the carbon ring out of the throat of my rifle.
Good luck!
Steve

 

[MontanaRifleman]

I use Wipeout too and it works great on copper, but I had to use a brush and TEC to get the carbon ring out of the throat of my rifle.
Good luck!
Steve

I dont worry about getting all the carbon out at the range. BTE will get most of it. I only use BTE at the range for breaking in a barrel or cleaning between different types of loads. At home the bore gets a good treatment(s) of Wipeout, then it will get a couple of patches of gun juice followed by a round down the tube.