[Dave P]

Is it October yet? Can I ask my first dumb question of the month??

I am using bore paste on a good bbl, kreiger I think. It comes out nice and black. Question is: will it always come out dark? Does it ever come totally clean?

Thanks
Dave

PS No, I don't want to wear out the bbl, I just want to get it super clean and try shooting it again it before replacing it.

[Clark]

It will alway come out dark, so when you wipe your hands on your pants, they will help you remember that you cleaned your barrel with paste.

[Walt Sherrill]

You might want to go over the The Firing Line and do a search there on Bore Paste.

One of the big-name custom barrel builders personally warned against using Bore Paste in rifle barrels, and explained in detail why he felt that way. He claims it will destroy barrels quickly.

(I don't remember his name -- "Mc" something? -- but do remember that his opinion was highly regarded by other long-gun shooters.)

You should be able to find the message chain.

[Old Pa]

I like and use JB bore paste. There is almost always some dark, but there are degrees of grunge. After the grunge lightens up, I go back in with more solvent, as the paste has usually exposed additional deposite upon which solvent works best.:)

[Walt Sherrill]

I found the link doing a Google Search. the "MC" in question was Gale McMillan, a highly regarded gun maker/barrel maker who, I think, died recently. The following stuff was written in 1999. Try this link:

www.loadyourown.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/000148.html

The pertinent stuff starts about two screens down... If the link doesn't work right, just key it in -- or do a search for "loadyourown.com"

He does NOT like Bore Paste...

[bountyhunter]

Paste has some amount of abrasion, but so does anything you run down a barrel. I use J+B but only rarely. For the most part, bores don't have to be 100% cleaned (especially in the grooves) because it does not affect accuracy. You spend 90% of your arm strength going after that last 10% of dark stuff.

[C.R.Sam]

Like the late master barrel builder and shooter Gale McMillan put it...
If a premium barrel has a finish smoother than the cleaner;
The cleaner will degrade the finish of the barrel.
Or words to that effect.

Plus...if a barrel is dead straight inside and equal dimension full length;
draggin an abrasive sock through it will correct that.

Opinion...
How to turn a lilja or McMillan tack driving barrel into a rack grade fair shooter.

Mediocre barrels can be improved with a bit of home polishing. Not fine barrels.

Sam

[Steve Smith]

I and many other Highpower shooters have found that we must use paste and a brush in the throat to remove a carbon ring that inevitably develops. If the ring is not removed the long loaded 600 yard cartridges are pressed into it. We typically only use the paste in the throat.

[C.R.Sam]

I'll definately go for using it to clean the chamber and throat.

Sam