Cleaning from the muzzle end

[Guvnor]

I have a couple rifles in which I can only clean the bore from the muzzle end. I worry about damaging or creating wear on the muzzle crown with a cleaning rod and negatively affecting my accuracy.

Is there a safe procedure to send patches down the bore from the muzzle end? Do those muzzle guides really help?

 

[USSR]

Do those muzzle guides really help?

Yep, wouldn't do it to a rifle I cared about without one.

Don

 

[R.W.Dale]

Muzzle guides help

but honestly a little care, common sense and not using the cheapest segmented rod wally world sells will go a lot further toward preventing crown damage

 

[VegasAR15]

How well do the boresnakes work?

 

[Guvnor]

I use the one-piece tipton carbon fiber rods. Is it still possible to damage the crown with this type of rod?

I guess ill just get one of those guides.

 

[Avenger29]

Quality rod + muzzle guide + care. Also, drop the cleaning rod down the muzzle and attach your implements/patches at the breech end if you can and pull it back through instead of trying to push the brushes/patches down.

I use the one-piece tipton carbon fiber rods. Is it still possible to damage the crown with this type of rod?

I guess ill just get one of those guides.

I'm pretty sure it's possible to still damage the crown. The muzzle guide will help you.

 

[Art Eatman]

Without a guide, you can have the rod rubbing on the inner edge of the muzzle whether pushing or pulling. Less of a problem when pulling, of course. The main thing is to not have grunge buildup on the rod itself, and a nylon/teflon coating is a help. I generally use a 2x2 patch or a shop rag to keep the rod clean.

 

[Jon_Snow]

How well do the boresnakes work?

Boresnakes will remove some fouling but leave a lot behind. They can be handy when you want to quickly wipe down a bore at the range or as soon as you get home, but they are no substitute for a real cleaning. You can always try for yourself. Take your favorite gun to the range then run the boresnake through a couple of times. Then properly clean it with solvents and patches. See how dirty the patches are. When I did this, they were plenty dirty.

 

[Rokman]

Check out Sinclair International. They have a lot of good gun cleaning stuff that may help. I would definately use a muzzle guide and a good quality rod.

 

[briansmithwins]

Otis.

Plastic coated steel cable that works perfectly fine with the M1 or AK, where you really need to clean from the muzzle. BSW

 

[earplug]

Surplus Russian cleaning kit

If your lucky to have a 30 cal rifle such as my 99 Savage. A surplus cleaning kit from a AK works fine. Drop the heavy end down the bore from the breech and pull it.
Won't remove stuck snow or dirt if you take a fall. but it will quickly spread your favorite bore cleaner and cleaning patch.

 

[slowr1der]

So which muzzle guides are recommended?

 

[earplug]

I'm interested in what weapons you have that need muzzle cleaning only?
Perhaps a pull through would work fine.

 

[MachIVshooter]

but honestly a little care, common sense and not using the cheapest segmented rod wally world sells will go a lot further toward preventing crown damage

+1

Just use a good, coated, one-piece rod and clean carefully, not ramming the thing back and forth like a cracked-out monkey.

I'm interested in what weapons you have that need muzzle cleaning only?

That's gonna be just about everything that isn't single shot/bolt action, or an AR. Most autos, pumps and leverguns do not allow access to the chamber end for running a rod down the bore.

 

[eastbank]

you can hold the rod between your fingers at the muzzle as you use it, that will hold the contact to a minimum and by useing a good rod will keep the crown in good shape. i have done that for years on muzzle only cleaning rifles with no harm,don,t get in a hurry that helps to. eastbank.

 

[DMK]

I found that it helps to remove the barreled action from the wood and clamp it in a vice using pine blocks around the barrel to protect the finish. That keeps the barrel from moving on you and allows you to use both hands to carefully guide the cleaning rod down the bore.

Also allow the solvent to soak a while and it will require fewer passes with the cleaning rod.

I'm interested in what weapons you have that need muzzle cleaning only?

For me it's an M1 Garand, Marlin 60 (and the Marlin Camp 9 that I used to have).

 

[doubleh]

I would like to see a scientific study done to determine just how many thousands of strokes it would take with a quality cleaning rod to show measurable wear of a barrel at the muzzle. Also the same study done with one of the cheap, screw together aluminum rods. I'll bet you would really be surprised at the number.

I still don't take chances. I use a bore guide and clean from the chamber if possible. I do have a couple of .22 rimfires that were cleaned many times with just ordinary care and they are as accurate today as they were when new.