Bore cleaning with over size brush.

[stchman]

I have been doing this lately. On my 9mm, .357, .40 I have been using a .45 caliber bore brush. On my .45s I use a .50 caliber bore brush.

It really seems to clean the bores with just a few passes. The only downside is that it tears the brush up pretty quickly, but brushes are cheap.

For .22 I use a 22 caliber brush.

 

[340PD]

I have been using 40 cal brushen in my 38 and 9mm guns for years. before than chamber brushes which were just slightly oversize.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I do very little brushing.

 

[1KPerDay]

Can't remember the last time I used a brush, especially for handguns.

 

[stchman]

Can't remember the last time I used a brush, especially for handguns.

How do you clean the bore then?

 

[someguy2800]

I rarely use brushes, but when I do I usually use a size or two over.

 

[1KPerDay]

How do you clean the bore then?

Wipe down with solvent patch, wipe out with clean patch. The rare times I clean the bore. I mostly shoot plated so they don't get very dirty.

 

[1KPerDay]

BTW for rifles you dudes be careful going over bore size with brushes. Few things are more annoying than a stuck brush in a rifle barrel.

 

[BobWright]

I shoot heavily, in excess of 100 ~ 200 rounds per session, and do use cast bullets. I have a good bit of residue in my bore after shooting, both leading and soot. I use correct size stainless steel bore brushes for the bore, oversize bronze for the chambers.

And before you go criticizing me for using the SS brushes, be aware my guns have in excess of 15,000 rounds fired through them, and most are over forty years old, some over fifty. They still shoot better than I can hold, so I'm not about to change now.

Bob Wright

 

[243winxb]

BTW for rifles you dudes be careful going over bore size with brushes. Few things are more annoying than a stuck brush in a rifle barrel.

So true. I now check brush diameter with a micrometer before using it.

Last batch of 10 - 6mm brushes had a wide spread of diameters.

For handguns, chamber brushes are available.

There is an M16/AR chamber brush & 308, 30-06 , may be others. Mostly for semi or full autos.

 

[GBExpat]

I have never used much brush-action in any of my standard cleaning regimens. Just a few passes with a correct-size phosphor-bronze brush to knock loose the crap and then complete the process with patches.

As brushes become worn I use them for smaller bore/chambers.

In addition, I accept the fact that some of my bores ( I have a LOT of milsurps) will never again produce a clean patch.

 

[Mizar]

Bore brushes are already oversized by about .04 to .08" - why would you want larger than that? With an oversized brush you bend the strands at more extreme angle as it passes thru the bore and it wears faster (as you already found out). Especially if you reverse the direction while the brush is still in the bore. I use Ballistol for carbon build up and from time to time Hoppe's 9 for copper/brass removal - never needed more than a couple of quick strokes to just break the build up. Not that it is really needed, but to spare me some extra cotton swabs and to speed up the process a little bit.

 

[nettlle]

I always give the bore a few swipes with a bore brush. These aren't oversize but do the best job with the fewest amount of strokes of all that I have tried. And one of these brushes will last a very long time.

https://www.brownells.com/gun-clean...k-3-sku084142137-1244-4359.aspx?sku=084142137

 

[doubleh]

Brushes, bore or other wise, clean with the tips of the wire. An over sized brush means you are cleaning with the sides of the wire and reducing efficiency.

 

[cougar1717]

By the responses, it doesn't sound like many people have had the pleasure of shooting lead bullets. It requires a little more vigorous cleaning and an oversized brush simply works better. Anyone who says they shoot lead all the time and has perfectly sized bullets, with a perfect Brinell hardness, with no leading whatsoever is probably an avid fisherman also. A little barrel leading is the price to pay and the oversized brush makes quick work of it! Brushes are inexpensive.

 

[readyeddy]

Taking strands from a chor boy and wrapping around the bronze brush adds to the scrubbing power and works wonders on lead.

 

[John Joseph]

I prefer a Boresnake on revolvers where I can't use a cleaning rod from the breech, same deal with lever action rifles.
I don't like Boresnakes, but for this situation I find them gtg.