Brush for handgun cleaning.

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ANATION

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I don’t use a brush for my rifle barrels and never had a problem with fouling or copper. Am I ok to skip the brush on a handgun, revolver, as long as I run jacketed reloads? Thanks.
 
You'll get every different response .
I don't use a "brush" but I'll use patches (cut from old t-shirt) and I'll wrap copper chore boy around the patch with some oil if it's really dirty or has lead fouling. It kind of makes a brush.
 
It depends on the condition of the chambers and barrels. Sometimes you don’t need them, other times you may.
Stay safe.
 
Brushes are cheap. It’s nonsensical to be without them on hand. You don’t HAVE to use them every cleaning if you don’t believe you need to do so, but this thread is kind of a matter of wringing your hands over $5.
 
Varminterror said:
Brushes are cheap. It’s nonsensical to be without them on hand. You don’t HAVE to use them every cleaning if you don’t believe you need to do so, but this thread is kind of a matter of wringing your hands over $5.
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Not sure if it's the $5 for the OP, it isn't for me. My aversion to buying brushes is getting one for each diameter, brass, plastic, cotton - whatever, finding the one I need , cleaning them up and replacing them as required (hassle ). That's why I opt for generic components I can just throw out when I'm done . I'd bet I've bought more than 10 cleaning kits and just got tired of getting little tiny brushes I never use, giant ones and a couple I actually use then promptly misplace , only to find it as soon as I bought more.
 
ANATION said:
I don’t use a brush for my rifle barrels and never had a problem with fouling or copper. Am I ok to skip the brush on a handgun, revolver, as long as I run jacketed reloads? Thanks.
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It depends... on the powder and loads you shoot as well as the type of bullet. Some powders leave quite a bit of residue and a brush is pretty helpful in quickly cleaning it out. You'll just have to see what works for your set-up. A brush is not harmful to the bore if you are careful with the cleaning rod. As mentioned above, copper chore boy strands can make a patch or an old brush very effective at safely removing deposits.
 
@Obturation - it is really not so complicated.

3 packs of Tipton nylon bore brushes are $5.

The Tipton 13pc set, one of each caliber, is only $17.

*Note - I find it foolish to ever buy any cleaning kit, as they are ALL half-filled with unneeded or low quality components. But the money does work out when buying the SETS of brushes instead of individual multipacks.

If you need multiple calibers, buy a set of brushes. If you need two or less calibers, buy individual caliber brushes. If you need six calibers and want to whine about having bought 13, throw the 7 which you don’t need into the trash and stop whining about the fact you’ve spent/wasted less than the cost of the box of ammo you fired to necessitate cleaning...

My point remains true - brushes are an insignificant cost relative to the total cost of ownership to own and use guns, especially under the premise - a ridiculous argument - “I hAvE mUltiPle gUnS, so I hAvE tO buY muLtIPlE bRusHes.” I own tens of thousands of dollars in firearms, and fire tens of thousands of rounds through them every year - I buy new 3 packs of 22, 6mm, and 9mm/357 ever other year or so, and have used the same brush set for at least 10 years for everything else. I’m not sweating the $100 I spend PER DECADE on brushes. I spend more on patches and cleaning solvents, probably by two orders of magnitude.
 
Ok I should have worded my question different. If I shoot cast more often, which up to this point I haven't, is it advantageous to use a brush? As I mentioned, I don't use them on my rifles. (I guess I'm lying because I've used them with high round count 22 centerfires before--different topic--but generally I eschew brushes.)

And for the record, I am not brush poor. I do own multiple ones. :cool: They just tend to gather dust.
 
As I said above about the cost opportunity comparison for brushes, determining whether you should brush or not also is not so complicated.

Clean with patches and solvent - if the barrel comes clean quickly and easily, then you know you did not need to brush that day. If the lead persists, try brushing. If you are brushless cleaning and you aren’t satisfied by the speed the lead strips, try brushing to break free larger deposits more aggressively. We have two means to clean barrels - chemically and mechanically. Conventional cleaning oils are a mild chemical method, while aggressive solvents are, obviously, more aggressive chemical methods. Patching is a mild mechanical method - brushing is a more aggressive mechanical method. If mild methods meet the need, then being more aggressive isn’t necessary. If mild methods fail, you have aggressive escalation options.

It’s really that simple.
 
Shooting cast can be messier and a brush can be beneficial. I have found powder coated cast to shoot very clean in comparison to uncoated and lubed cast bullets.
 
I always use a bore guide and a Bronze brush.
I also use Bore Tech eliminator and C-4 Carbon remover aggressively because it works.
I should get a bore scope but then I’ll need a new barrel. Lol
 
Mr Schuemann doesn't clean his barrels.

My Personal Practice has become to never clean the bore of my barrels. I do use a brass rod to scrape the deposits out of the chamber. But, I've learned to leave the bore alone and it very slowly becomes shinier and cleaner all by itself. Years ago I occasionally scrubbed the bore with a brass bore brush. But, doing so always seemed to cause the bore to revert to a dirtier look with more shooting, so I eventually stopped ever putting anything down the bore except bullets...
 
I also use boresnakes a lot. They are quick, easy and effective. Every now and again I will throw them in the washing machine in a laundry bag and they come back clean as new. I usually use nylon brushes when I use a brush. Even though I have a good collection of brass brushes I usually only use them on something with a lot of build up, like a newly acquired used gun.
 
MikeInOr said:
I also use boresnakes a lot. They are quick, easy and effective. Every now and again I will throw them in the washing machine in a laundry bag and they come back clean as new. I usually use nylon brushes when I use a brush. Even though I have a good collection of brass brushes I usually only use them on something with a lot of build up, like a newly acquired used gun.
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I’ve used bore snakes, they are OK but not a replacement for a bronze brush. Gents’ carbon build up IS REAL with only a couple ways to get rid of it one is to not let it get started the other is a lot of aggressive scrubbing... Isso pastes works well combined with scrubbing!
Sounds like a few fellas could benefit from a motivational speaker, so let’s get a fresh Battle cry and clean those barrels and don’t forget to use a bore guide on yer rifles ..:):):)
 
I use brushes and a good solvent when I fire my VEPR using Russian surplus 7.62 x 54r or when I fire my Russian SKS using Russian surplus 7.62 x 39. Otherwise, I use a boresnake and lots of patches. YMMV, lol

Semper Fi

paul
 
If i have a lot of lead fouling i will use a brush with some Chore Boy rapped around it other then that no
 
ANATION said:
I don’t use a brush for my rifle barrels and never had a problem with fouling or copper. Am I ok to skip the brush on a handgun, revolver, as long as I run jacketed reloads? Thanks.
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no, get a set of brass/nylon brushes, and get in there and clean.
use patches to wipe out

then lightly lube the inside as well.
 
I use a soft bristle toothbrush. Dipped in a little solvent and gently applied to the carbone's up areas. Let it sit for a while and follow up with a stiffer bristle to brush to sweep the crud off. Wipe it all down with soft rag.

Do the same on bores only I apply solvent with a patch and let it sit. Follow up with clean patch. If there's some stubborn lead or copper fouling I apply more solvent and run a bore brush thru to dislodge it.
 
I have always used bronze bore brushes, nitro powder solvent, and patches in the classic manner.
Works well and does no harm.

.22 LR guns I clean less often.
 
I am another who gets good use out of Boresnakes. They are not much good for serious metal fouling, but I no longer put up with revolvers that foul badly.

For revolvers used with jacketed bullets, I wipe out the bore with a Boresnake coated with WD-40.Then I check for copper fouling. I don't mind if there is a bit of it, especially if I do not intend to use the gun with cast bullets in the future. If there is a lot of it, I will apply Sweet's with a mop, then wipe it out. This will continue until the fouling is gone, or reduced to my satisfaction. No brushes are used, especially as Sweet's will attack them anyway.

With lead, I still begin with the Boresnake, then inspect for too much leading. If it is present, I tear it out with Chore Boy on a brush, then another pass with WD-40 on the Boresnake to preserve the bore. (If the gun is to be stored for more than a month or two I will use RIG instead of the WD-40.)

At this point, I have either fixed or traded away guns which metal foul to a degree that I need to address it. So my standard cleaning method for revolvers is to wipe off powder fouling from the exterior, the chambers, and the bore, and then apply the appropriate preservative on blued guns. This takes no more than five minutes and involves no tools other than a Boresnake and a heavy paper towel.
 
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