OK. I’ve been reading several of the forums here for awhile now and keep coming across discussions regarding the cleaning of weapons and how it is/can be bad for the gun. So I’m gonna ask right here, in front of God & everyone, just where did this particular theory/idea/whatever get its start? References, please.
I’ve been shooting for over 40 years, clean my weapons religiously, and ain’t wore out a barrel from cleaning it yet. Seems to me that someone either came up with a theory, or employed some smart marketing hype, to get folk all concerned over barrel damage so they’ll immediately run out & buy some gizmo to prevent this.
Now the only way I see crown/land damage possibly occurring from cleaning is the repeated use of GI MILSURP multi-jointed cleaning rods (steel). Manufactured by the lowest bidder these things aren’t exactly cutting edge tech, and those joints, unless perfectly aligned, are eventually gonna burnish the muzzle and/or abrade the ends of the lands. Some say that even aluminum rods do the same thing, but from what *I’ve* seen the lands take material off the rods, not the reverse.
Personal experience says the whole thing is a load of hooey. About the only way I know of to really wear out the lands is thousands of rounds, rusting from low or no maintenance, and those steel cleaning rods.
I’ve been shooting for over 40 years, clean my weapons religiously, and ain’t wore out a barrel from cleaning it yet. Seems to me that someone either came up with a theory, or employed some smart marketing hype, to get folk all concerned over barrel damage so they’ll immediately run out & buy some gizmo to prevent this.
Now the only way I see crown/land damage possibly occurring from cleaning is the repeated use of GI MILSURP multi-jointed cleaning rods (steel). Manufactured by the lowest bidder these things aren’t exactly cutting edge tech, and those joints, unless perfectly aligned, are eventually gonna burnish the muzzle and/or abrade the ends of the lands. Some say that even aluminum rods do the same thing, but from what *I’ve* seen the lands take material off the rods, not the reverse.
Personal experience says the whole thing is a load of hooey. About the only way I know of to really wear out the lands is thousands of rounds, rusting from low or no maintenance, and those steel cleaning rods.