Cleaning new gun

[grubbylabs]

I have a new Marlin XS7 308 and I am cleaning it for the first time after shooting it and I can't count the number of patches I have ran through it. I have even let it sit over night. How fussy do I need to be? It is driving me nuts that I am still getting dirty patches.

 

[Kernel]

Could tell you more if you told us more. What's your equipement, solvent, and procedure? Are you scrubbing with a bronze brush between patches? Could be your just seeing residue left by the brush, or a poorly fitting aluminum rod.

 

[grubbylabs]

I am using a bronze brush.

I am also using a steel rod.

I put fresh Hoppe's #9 on a clean patch then run it through the bore then I run the brush through a few times and then run a clean patch through it it brings out some pretty nasty looking gunk.

I am pretty good at not letting the rod tough the barrel and I go from the breech end first.

 

[Uncle Mike]

I am using a bronze brush.

Don't!

More than likely what your seeing is, as Kernal said, it contamination from the bronze brush itself.

Just use some copper removing solvent such as Sweets 7.62, or Accubore, once the patches come out fairly clean, your good.

You don't have to clean your barrel back to factory new squeaky clean each time you shoot, and often times a rifle will exhibit better accuracy with a slightly fouled barrel.

When you notice your accuracy starting to degrade, then it's time to clean, until then, shoot it!

The steel rod is OK, and your technique is right on! Have fun.....

 

[grubbylabs]

Are the brushes bronze or copper? It looks like house hold electrical wire. Its got the copper color to it.


But I guess it does not need to be spot on clean?

 

[Uncle Mike]

Copper, bronze, whatever...the copper solvent cleaners will eat em' up! and leave residue behind.

 

[Buzzard]

Nylon brushes work very well to scrub copper out of a bore when you use something aggressive like Sweet's. Whatever you do, don't get a stainless steel brush. You'll booger the bore all to hell and gone.

 

[ArmedBear]

Hell, 30 minutes with Outer's Foaming Bore Cleaner will do fine, too. No brushing, no harsh stuff that dissolves brushes, gets copper out just fine if you do it regularly.

A few patches, then maybe a few passes with CLP, and it's done. You can't use the stuff on a semiauto, but on a bolt gun, it's worked great for me. Fill barrel with foam, go eat dinner, come back, clean out, done.

 

[grubbylabs]

Ya almost picked up a SS brush then decided I did not need it.

 

[Big Bill]

If ya didn't clean it before ya went out, some of the crud tends to get burned in. It takes more to clean it afterwards. I agree with the copper cleaner and nylon brush. Good Luck!

 

[Murphys Law]

Here's a link to a good article on barrel cleaning,
http://www.6mmbr.com/borecleaning.html

 

[Al Thompson]

Plink, no. As AB said, now that foaming bore cleaners are available, cleaning is a snap.