Rifle bore cleaning controversy

[Old Dog Man]

Cleaning bore from muzzle end

This has been going around and around for years, some can be convinced one way or the other. I'll clean mine from the action or breech end towards the muzzle, because I love my guns. And clean them often using a Hawkeye bore scope. To each his own. Al

 

[GoWolfpack]

This has been going around and around for years, some can be convinced one way or the other. I'll clean mine from the action or breech end towards the muzzle, because I love my guns. And clean them often using a Hawkeye bore scope. To each his own. Al

If I clean from muzzle to breech does that mean I don't love my guns? In the future I plan to address this issue by not cleaning guns at all.

 

[JohnBT]

Cleaning from the muzzle end can (maybe, possibly, if you are careless) push a bunch of dirt and #9 into the action/trigger/mag well. It could. It's easier to push the patches out the muzzle and let them fall on the work bench. I'm lazy.

I pulled a brand new bore snake through a barrel once. It was filthy and I didn't want to put it back in the barrel. It didn't seem right. That's just me.

John

 

[Jenrick]

To address the OP's question on foam bore cleaners:

Love 'em.

I didn't start using them until about 6 months ago, and I'm amazed I put up with doing it the hard way all these years. Spray it in, let it sit, patch it out. Repeat once more if you want to be double sure you got everything. You're done. I can usually reload 500-1000 rounds WHILE I clean my rifles now, it's wonderful.

-Jenrick

 

[Orkan]

My take on barrel cleaning:



The rifle featured in the video can clean a 1/2" dot drill at 100yds, has been able to do it since it was new, and continues to be able to after me treating it the way described in the video.

 

[Jibs]

is it just me, or does it seem like pulling a clean boresnake through it would be much better than just a patch? Like the accuracy systems barrel maker says, get like 2 or 3 clean boresnakes. I think 1 or 2 for solvent and 1 for oil would be great.pull 2 solvents through, then a snake with oil to finish. Good enough for me. The only 2 rifles I own are a ruger 10/22 and a ruger mini 14. I just got the mini, so time will tell, but my 10/22 has only seen a boresnake and never had a problem with misfires, accuracy, or anything else. It works for me. and its easy. And I dont have to worry about crowns at all.

I am definitely going to try this foam though. Thanks for the tip on that whoever mentioned it.

 

[Jibs]

wow Orkan that is an impressive cleaning routine!

 

[Orkan]

Not sure I'd call it impressive... but thanks.

It's simply a culmination of what I've found works and what doesn't work over the last 10 years of shooting almost every day. 10 years from now, I might have changed it some more.

 

[beebad]

Just wondering here, I use the common gun cleaning kit with a three piece alum. rod. I have cleaned from both ends and I do think it should be better to run the rod from breech to muzzel because you are pushing the crud out of instead of into the gun. The question I have is this, how can the soft alum. rod damage the steel bore? Why would you use a steel rod or any type of rod that would damage the bore if pushed in crooked? I guess you could say I'm not that serious about cleaning, I shove the rod in the end that's closest to me.

 

[Owen]

beebad, the outside of your aluminum rod is coated with aluminum oxide, a very hard, abrasive material.

 

[beebad]

Owen, Thanks for the input, I didn't know that. I,m more of a hunter than a shooter so I don't know all the details.

 

[beebad]

Orkan, I got some free time to watch your vid and found it to be educational for me. Thanks for the effort. I find that it is close to impossible to end a cleaning session with a white patch also. I was glad to see that it's not just me and that it might just be coming from the brush itself. Again thanks for the info.

 

[carbine85]

It's simple: If it's a bolt action you remove the bolt and clean from the chamber. If it's something like a lever action you clean from the muzzle with a patch as a guide for the muzzle.

 

[langenc]

When I cleaned the M1 I cleaned from muzzle. Anyone know of another way??

 

[Longrifle2506]

If you want to continue cleaning from the muzzle end; I would definitely use something softer than steel. That steel rod has a higher chance of damaging the lands of your rifling than any other cleaning rod. I would get a Tipton Carbon Fiber rod; or completely change your cleaning method. The Otis system will let you PULL patches from breech to muzzle. I like Otis Gear; it's good stuff. But what's even better than that; is to remove the bolt, put a bore guide in; and use a carbon fiber rod to push patches through on a pointed jag. I like a nylon brush dipped in shooter's choice solvent if I've fired a lot of rounds. If I've only fired one or two rounds at a coyote; then I just pull a bore snake through. I'd do away with a steel rod even if I was pushing from breech to muzzle. I once used steel, but I read that steel on steel is NOT good when it comes to rod vs. bore; then I discovered the carbon fiber rod; which stays straight all the time even after you try to bend it.

 

[ChCx2744]

Push from the chamber breach to the muzzle end. I was taught that way and most others seem to agree that's the way to do it. I don't really worry about crown damage, as I'm careful. I'm more worried about pushing un-needed crap into the chamber or ramp area.