How clean is clean?

[kkrezz in az]

Been cleaning some rifles and trying to get all of the carbon traces removed. I have always thought that the barrels where clean when the last patch came out spotless, until the purchased a bore scope! Now I have become obsessed about getting every trace of carbon out of the groves, am I going to far?

Way to far. A rifle barrel shoots best with fouling in it. When finished shooting for the season clean it like you always did and put it away. After next shooting use a bore snake with a little oil on the end of it. Done.

 

[ButterBean]

Were you happy with the way the rifle shot before you got the bore scope?

If so, and cleaning it until the scope shows all clean doesn't improve it then I would go back to the process that you used prior to getting the scope.

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This is the correct answer

 

[25WSM]

26teload the brush itself is a normal brush but the rod is about 24 inches long and has 2 90° bends in the back to make a handle for spinning it like an old fashioned drill without the palm rest. You have to make one yourself I've never seen one for sale. I personally use a short sinclair rod that the handle doesn't spin on. I put the brush up in and just twist the handle. I use the same short rod with a mop to dry my chamber when done.
Shep

 

[ButterBean]

26teload the brush itself is a normal brush but the rod is about 24 inches long and has 2 90° bends in the back to make a handle for spinning it like an old fashioned drill without the palm rest. You have to make one yourself I've never seen one for sale. I personally use a short sinclair rod that the handle doesn't spin on. I put the brush up in and just twist the handle. I use the same short rod with a mop to dry my chamber when done.
Shep

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I do the exact same thing

 

[26Reload]

I have a pistol timney rod..pull the handle put it on my drill....but I am trying to use firm nylon brush..doesnt do so well...and with rl26 or rl23 the carbon builds very easy at the end of the brass...

 

[DSheetz]

Shooters choice makes a nice chamber brush as well as a chamber mop . I use a short rod that the handle doesn't spin on it to turn the brush and mop . One time I had an action bedded when I got it back there was cured bedding compound in the chamber so I used a drill to spin the brush on a short section of a rod with # nine hoppies as a lube and dissolver to clean the chamber never went back to that smith . I will regulary plug my bore with patches and spray the chamber full of prolong SPL100 . It's a penetrating oil that dissolves carbon and doesn't harm metals use caution to not let it get on your stock . I use some patches on my rod to soak up the oil after it has set muzzle down over night .

 

[25WSM]

Best thing for a carbon ring is to not get one to begin with. Once you get things clean just keep up with it and it will clean up pretty fast. I've never seen people clean as much as the 1k shooters. I always ask Joe if he still has rifling in the barrel when he is done. He runs that brush at least 200 strokes. With the right size rod and good bore guide your not going to hurt your barrel. One more thing is that you will find so many different cleaning agents being used but the one common item between them all is JB bore paste. Almost every BR shooter I see has it in their cleaning kit. Iosso works too for bad carbon.
Shep

 

[25WSM]

26reload I don't really think it matters so much if your brush is nylon or not. Most people are using bronze but I see both being used.
Shep

 

[RODSTRADLEY]

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This is the correct answer

The group was about 2moa before the deep cleaning. After cleaning is shot .5

 

[ButterBean]

The group was about 2moa before the deep cleaning. After cleaning is shot .5

That's awesome, I'm glad to see that it helped you out

 

[RODSTRADLEY]

Shooters choice makes a nice chamber brush as well as a chamber mop . I use a short rod that the handle doesn't spin on it to turn the brush and mop . One time I had an action bedded when I got it back there was cured bedding compound in the chamber so I used a drill to spin the brush on a short section of a rod with # nine hoppies as a lube and dissolver to clean the chamber never went back to that smith . I will regulary plug my bore with patches and spray the chamber full of prolong SPL100 . It's a penetrating oil that dissolves carbon and doesn't harm metals use caution to not let it get on your stock . I use some patches on my rod to soak up the oil after it has set muzzle down over night .

I use an penetrating oil called Free All and it works great also.

 

[ButterBean]

I use an penetrating oil called Free All and it works great also.

SeaFoam spray works well too

 

[25WSM]

Proper barrel cleaning is very important to accuacy and the sad truth is most people have no clue. It's just not taught to new shooters unless they are being mentored by a BR shooter. I was lucky that the club I went to as a teen had a huge BR following and the guys taught me right from the beginning. Its what made me become a Gunsmith in the quest for accuacy. I've said this before but the compatition shooters are some of the nicest and helpful people you could ever meet. They will do anything to help you out. They genuinely want you to get better. One time I ran out of patches at a match and I said out loud "dang last patch I'm out" within 30 seconds there were enough patches on my table to clean my gun for weeks. The people on this sight are very much the same way.
Shep