Anyone not use Bore Brushes for cleaning their Firearms?

[Trunk Monkey]

I guess I'll be the heretic and admit that I use Dawn and a tooth brush

 

[Skeptic13]

I am in the camp of only using a bore brush when I need one.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Getting close to half a century of shooting and cleaning guns for me. I've yet to have a patch come out of a rifle "pure white", maybe someday.

 

[d2wing]

I used brushes up until last week. See thread in rifles about Teslong borescope. I have switched to using Wipeout borecleaner and cleaning pellets. Using a borescope confirms that this is much easier and far more effective than other cleaners and brushes. I wish I had known this before I spent a small fortune on other cleaners and equipment that are way more work and don't work very well.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I've yet to have a patch come out of a rifle "pure white", maybe someday.

Agree. Even with my over the top cleaning I don't think I've ever actually pushed a patch through and had it come out completely clean.

 

[Aim1]

I guess I'll be the heretic and admit that I use Dawn and a tooth brush

How do you clean the inside of the barrel with that?

 

[Aim1]

I used brushes up until last week. See thread in rifles about Teslong borescope. I have switched to using Wipeout borecleaner and cleaning pellets. Using a borescope confirms that this is much easier and far more effective than other cleaners and brushes. I wish I had known this before I spent a small fortune on other cleaners and equipment that are way more work and don't work very well.

I didn't know what the "cleaning pellets" were until I googled it.....looks like sections of a Boresnake......


Now maybe I'll have to try this method too instead......lol

 

[d2wing]

I didn't know what the "cleaning pellets" were until I googled it.....looks like sections of a Boresnake......


Now maybe I'll have to try this method too instead......lol

The ones I found are KGB I think, ordered from Midway. I like them better than patches. You need an adapter for your cleaning rod.

 

[HPCadm17]

Depends in the situation. After a short range session of shooting a box of FMJ or JHP, I like the simplicity of CLP and a bore snake. A properly sized bore snake with the integral brush seems to take care of all but the dirtiest barrels. I soak the bore with CLP and let it sit while cleaning the rest of the gun, then make a few passes with the bore snake, followed by patches until they come out clean.

The times when I use a dedicated bronze bore brush are when there's copper fouling (along with the appropriate solvent), on any gun I just bought used even if it looks "clean" (in my limited experience used guns are almost always filthy), and after shooting lead bullets through a revolver.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

How do you clean the inside of the barrel with that?

Have you ever seen one of those Army brushes that they use for cleaning an M16?

I use the small end.

 

[film495]

I always do - of the cleaning process, the brass bore brush process does not add significant enough time or effort to not do a quick brush.

 

[Aim1]

Have you ever seen one of those Army brushes that they use for cleaning an M16?

I use the small end.

Correct....but how do you get all the way down the barrel unless you are cleaning a pistol?

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Correct....but how do you get all the way down the barrel unless you are cleaning a pistol?

I'm cleaning a pistol

 

[d2wing]

Unless you use a borescope you don't really know what's in there. It was an eye opener for me.

 

[Grumulkin]

So, anyone not use Bore Brushes for cleaning their Firearms?

I rarely use a bore brush but have occasionally found it necessary. When I use one, it's either bronze or Nylon and NEVER steel.

I do not oil the bore but use Prolix instead.

Hoppe's and Rem Oil, in my opinion, are pathetic products. I use Wipe-Out and Wipe-Out Accelerator almost exclusively.

I'm also not a big fan of Shooter's Choice or Butch's Bore Shine as I believe they're toxic and getting it on your fingers could eventuate in health problems.

 

[25-20 WCF]

I am in the camp of only using a bore brush when I need one.

Do tell - how do you know that you need one? Psychic powers?




.

 

[herrwalther]

Only after I have been shooting do I use the bronze brush. If I am just knocking pocket lint out of a carry weapon on a routine cleaning, I don't use a bronze brush.

 

[DoubleMag]

IF (big if) your bore is extra fouled then yes, using a brush for a few strokes is warranted. Most ppl (well, not the crew here ) DO NOT shoot their firearms enough to get to this level IMHO. If you purchase a used firearm then 'deep clean' it including bronze brush. , if you are going to coat the bore with any semi-permanent coating i.e. ceramic, moly, Militec-1 etc. ...

My suggested method, sop up a patch with your solvent and push through back & forth in the bore. Let it set a few minutes. Heavy wet a good brush, take 5-10 strokes through, patch till dry.

Bore Snakes have become a easy way to do something that most ppl do not want to do i.e. cleaning.

But I agree with many here, patches work just fine and the REAL issue is the cleaning solution used. To that, try this; clean whatever barrel whatever method you like. After you are positive of your cleaning, put another patch through with a little Sweets, wait 5 minutes and put a dry patch through, watch the gunk come out dark blueish.

Or bypass allll dat dare & use the WipeOut bore foam, set 2-3-10 hours, muzzle end slightly tilted down & something to catch any ooze coming out, patch out the weirdest blueish stuff you've ever seen. Followup with a touch of oil or Barricade on a patch if you must.


And as an aside Brownells has the hard felt pellet cleaning system also, combine it with JB bore paste IMHO

 

[Chuck R.]

Do tell - how do you know that you need one? Psychic powers?
.

In my case, nothing so dramatic....I simply use a borescope (Teslong) or IF my normal routine of tight fitting patches with Sweets continue to come out blue, then I ratchet up to a brush, 1st nylon, then when that fails, bronze. If the bronze won't work, then I go to JB Bore Paste.

As I said in an earlier post, I've got a few barrels that are very, very, easy to clean; custom handlapped, then I've got a couple rifles on the other extreme. My cleaning regime is tailored to the barrel and it's use.

 

[Hokkmike]

Snakes first, patches second, brushes last... If I do use a Brush of course I follow with a patch. A slightly oily patch is always that last thing through the barrel.

 

[quartermaster]

I will use brushes to clean my 17 HMR and my 204, both of which are factory barrels and copper up fairly fast. I hate to do it but patches are too hard to deal with in these small bores. I feel a bit guilty about doing it as I don’t have the patience to take the brush off b-4 pulling the rod back, so it is through the barrel and back through the muzzle. It has been said that doing it this way may damage the crown. Can’t attest that this is true or not.

My custom barrels just require solvent and patches. Occasionally, I will take an under sized bore brush with a patch on it and scrub the throat out.

i guess no matter method we use, if our rifles maintain their accuracy, we will all continue to keep doing it our own way.

QM

 

[FL-NC]

I use quality bore brushes on rifles and handguns. Shotguns are cleaned only with a bore snake.

 

[jmorris]

I have a number of firearms that have never hand anything down the bore except bullets since the barrels were rifled.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I use them, but I don't clean very often.
When I do, it really needs it.

 

[Ugly Old Guy]

I use a brush in my compact 1911's barrel if it needs it.
For my muzzle loaders, I just pump soapy water in and out, patches to dry, and a mop to apply a wee bit of lube or oil to prevent rust in the bore.
Brushes do not like to change directions in a barrel. I am too "lazy" (or maybe "too smart"?) to pull the breach plug when I clean my traditional sidelock muzzleloaders.