Cleaning the bore of a .17 HMR

[savage22]

I just recieved a .17 caliber rifle not too long ago. For my first time cleaning it, it seemed a little more difficult and time consuming than my other rifles, and I assume its going to be that way since the bore is so small. I used a cleaning rod to push the patch through the barrel to clean it.

I was wondering if there was an easier and quicker way to clean the barrel??

 

[gdesloge]

I am very happy with a Patch-Worm for smaller calibers and routine cleaning.

gd

 

[savage22]

what exactly is the patch worm, how do you attatch the patches, and can you buy more patches from stores?

 

[Tentwing]

I use a Hoppe's bore snake. works just fine

 

[REAPER4206969]

I use a bore snake as well.

 

[Gator 23]

I use a push rod with Hoppes 9 solvent, get the bore dry, and shoot some Gunslick bore foam and wait 30 minutes. Patches come clean pretty quick thereafter. Maybe ammo brand is a variable to consider? I shoot Hornady and clean up is no biggy.

 

[jpwilly]

Don't have any 17's but I use bore snakes for quick cleanings on my 22's.

 

[Dr.Rob]

I use an air rifle cleaning rod. 17 cal patches are tiny, as are the jags. There are some mfg's of 17 cal felt pellets that can be mounted to a jag, soaked with bore cleaner and pushed through. They don't really get THAT dirty though. Use a .22 cal bore mop for the chamber.

 

[gdesloge]

A Patch-Worm is essentially a length of nylon weed-whacker line with a small button on one end and a sharpened point on the other end of the line.

The kit comes with various larger buttons which are sized for different calibers.

Slide the correct size button onto the line, place a patch (any correctly-sized patch will work, pierce the patch with the pointy end) onto the line and slide it all the way down to the button.

Feed the pointy end into the barrel and pull it out the other end, then draw the patch (with solvent, oil, or dry) through the barrel.

I purchased a rifle kit (longer) and a pistol kit (shorter) for about $10.00 each from Midway.

One can pull beginning at the breech end on any gun, and there is no worry about damaging the crown or the rifling.

When I need a rod, I use one, but usually a few pulls through the barrel achieve what I need.

gd

 

[savage22]

thanks for the patch-worm information! i have found some more info on it and it looks like a nice product.

now for the boresnake, i have read that it has a stiff metal/brass brush in it to clean away residue within the bore. i personally do not use the stiff metal/brass brushes when i clean my rifles with a rod. i have heard that excessive use with these can wear down the rifling in the bore, so my question is with the boresnake you would have to use the metal brush (that is made into it) every time that you pull the snake through, so does or will this affect the rifling in my .17 if i clean with a boresnake all the time, whether i am at the range or at home??

 

[Quadkid]

I just used Butch's Bore Shine on my 17 tonight and was very surprised how well it cleaned the barrel. I used it on a mop, went back and forth a couple times, then let kraut for 10 minutes or so before passing some dry patches through. Only two came out dirty after the bore shine.

 

[Jake1996]

No easier way it's a nightmare when I have to clean ours too

 

[Davek1977]

Odd, I'vew never encountered anything particualry difficult about cleaning my Marlin 917VSF

 

[savage22]

to make something clear, i have never encountered any difficulty cleaning my savage .17, it just takes longer than other rifles i own.

thanks for the information about the patch-worm, it looks like a good product.

now to the bore snake. i have heard that cleaning a gun over and over with a metal/brass brush can wear down the rifling over time. for this reason, i do not always use my metal brush when cleaning my rifles with a rod. so my question is since the bore snake has the metal brush made into it (and you can't remove the metal brush), will the bore snake wear down my rifling if i use it all the time to clean my .17 whether i am at home or at the range??

 

[GooseGestapo]

Bronze bristle brushes don't wear out barrels. It's the running of a cleaning rod from the muzzle end with out a bore protector allowing the steel or coated rod with imbedded fouling to rub the bore at the muzzle crown.

Clean from the chamber end and use proper size brushes and rod and you won't have any issues.

Bore snakes and similar devices do a satisfactory job of removing course fouling and powder residue but do nothing to remove copper jacket fouling.

I don't shoot my .17HMR enough to need to use a rod and brush and metal removing compounds. If I shot it 200-300rds a month, then I'd need to on occasion.

Unlike the various .17 centerfires, the .17HMR at ~2,600fps dosen't seem to leave nearly as much copper fouling.

I've only shot my Marlin 917V perhaps 300rds. I've used a brush with a patch wrapped around it and Remington bore cleaner on the patch once.(other cleanings were with Shooters Choice copper solvent and patches). This was while the bore was still breaking in. After the "good" cleaning, it went from perhaps 1.5-2moa to now consistently under 1" for 5-shots at 100yds. Bore is very smooth and a joy to clean with just a pass through the bore with a bore snake after firing. (I've made 10 shots to take 5 crows, 2 armadillo's, and 2 'possums, and one coyote since the last range session 3yrs ago).

I don't shoot it much, but do enjoy it immensely.

 

[Tim the student]

i have heard that cleaning a gun over and over with a metal/brass brush can wear down the rifling over time.

It won't make any appreciable difference.

 

[gdesloge]

savage22 -

I know that many swear by their Bore-Snakes, but my concern is that, unless one washes it after every use, one is dragging previously-removed material down the barrel.

On Rimfire Central, one of the more experienced posters (moderator also?) states that she uses a Patch-Worm for her .22s, and she seems to know what she is doing. Look in the CZ section of the website. Lots of .17 experts over there.

One can also fashion a make-shift Patch-Worm out of weed-trimmer line, but for $10.00, the true article is a bargain, in my opinion. (I folded the line back on itself and secured it with fishing line, but, without the "buttons" for various calibers, one is just pulling a loose patch through the barrel.)

I believe that there is a .17 caliber Patch-Worm available, and the button affixed to the end of the line is the proper size for .17 cal.

gd

P.S. Here's a thread: "Is Cleaning a .17 a Frustrating Experience?" - http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=371743

 

[savage22]

thanks gd

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

I only clean the bore of my .17 when the groups start opening up, which is somewhere around 500 rounds. I use a ball bearing handled rod (forget the brand) with a bronze brush and Sweet's 7.62 solvent, and then patches until they come through clean.

There is no reason to clean a rimfire after every use.