Using a Bronze Brush to Clean the Bore

[Tequila jake]

Since bronze is softer than steel, it seems to me that you couldn't scrub the bore with a bronze brush enough to damage it, but I've been told that you can.

Anybody know for sure?

Tequila Jake

 

[nathan]

I now use nylon brush to lessen the mnute damage as they say. It tends to last longer too.

 

[Marlin60Man]

Well, I'm certainly not an expert in the matter of guns or machining, but I did work/study as a machinist for a while. The thing about any metal being "harder" than the other is that it doesn't mean the softer metal cannot eventually abrade the harder material, especially if you add debris into the mix.

I would think that when you talk about firearms and all the debris that may accumulate in the barrel it would make the situation worse too. For example, how much silica from dust, sand or dirt winds up in the bore? This type of debris can be harder than steel, and if it gets embedded in metal of any hardness it can act as a pretty mean abrasive--same thing with plastic I would imagine, though maybe the abrasives would scratch the plastic/nylon before the steel. That is just on top of the fouling from the powder, the projectile, parts of the brass casing flying out, etc.

Either way I think the key with using things like brass/bronze brushes on precision cut steel pieces ( and this is experienced from machining, I'm new to firearms ) is that they are soft enough to not seriously harm the work, but if you overdo it you can smooth things out more than you want. Add that with the whole abrasive thing...

With that in mind, I came up with my own method of cleaning. I just pass a dry cotton swab through to get all the dust/dirt and loose stuff, then an oiled one to collect any more stubborn debris and let it all get loosened up for about a minute. Then I only need to pass the brush through once or twice and it really loosens things up, and makes the rest of the cleaning with patches go pretty quickly. I've been cleaning every time I shoot though so I'm not so sure how that would work on a bore that hasn't been cleaned for a while, but point is that I think brushes of any sort are pretty aggressive and the principle of one material being harder than the other is kind of misleading.

If I had to pass the brush through more than one or two times, I would throw in a cotton swab in between just to lessen the effects of abrasion from the debris building up more as the brush loosens up more crud. A little oil on the patches will probably help break it up faster and reduce how much brushing it needs too. After that, I wouldn't really worry about the brush wearing anything down more than the lead that goes flying out of there.

Anyway, there's my two cents.

 

[bigedp51]

That is just one of many reasons I switched to foam bore cleaners, less is more.

Below, 1943 No.4 Enfield rifle with frosted bore after firing 50 rounds and cleaned with foam bore cleaner.



Question, how does a bronze bore brush clean copper in the low areas of the bore. Below a brand new button rifled bore, please notice the "wave pattern" or high and low areas of the bore.



The only thing thats going to happen to a copper or bronze bore brush in the bore below is its going to be eaten alive by the rough bore and give false copper readings from the bore brush residue.



Below custom handed lapped barrel smooth as glass.



I use foam bore cleaner and spoil the bore and spare the rod.

(and my bore will be cleaner than your bore brushed barrel with far less wear and tear on the bore)

Below, my very soft "bore brush".

 

[StrawHat]

Another problem with bronze or brass brushes is the cheaper ones are usually wound around a steel wire. This can harm the bore if it bends while you are using it.

Most of the time when using a bore brush in a rifle, I will only pull it through the bore. I then dismount it and pass the rod through the bore to reattach the brush at the breech end. It takes a bit longer but things don't bend when you are pulling them straight.

 

[68wj]

A bronze or nylon brush on a good rod, pushed breech to muzzle, will do no harm for normal cleanings. When combined with a good solvent, there is little hard scrubbing required. Let the solvent soften the fouling and the brush break it up, followed by patches to push everything out. I like foam too.

 

[DoubleMag]

I saw where a barrel maker posted on ??? forum (can't remember) that using a nylon brush would void their warranty. He also said to use a bronze brush. I also think the one poster is correct don't use a bronze brush with steel core. Bore foam has been out now for 15 years also.

I like bore foam. Extra easy, wait awhile or clean another part such as bolt face a half hour- hour later patch out & reapply. Let the patch be your guide.If you really want to be retentive do it 3 times across a day or so. I also still use my ph. bronze brushes and traditional cleaning i.e. Sweets & CLP. Kroil,etc.


I've also noticed so many guys thinking their gun is clean because they put (xxx) time into it. It's easier to point them towards bore foam to ensure a cleaner gun isn't that the idea

 

[Sav .250]

Just another tool that can be used in the cleaning process. Used in moderation, no problem.

 

[JohnBT]

Nylon is an abrasive. Google nylon filament abrasive wheels.

They sell them at Northern Tool and Sears.

Ever see nylon fishing line wear a groove in a cheap rod tip?

 

[jem375]

I use boresnakes after running patches through the barrels and that is enough for me, works just fine.

 

[rcmodel]

A relatively clean bronze bore brush will not harm a bore no matter how much you use it, period.

When they get dirty, I swish them around in a can of denatured alcohol to clean them.

Embedded grit & grime on a bore-snake on the other hand?
Not so much.

Besides that, a Bore-Snake simply will not clean a bottle-neck rifle chamber, or copper fouling, at all.

rc

 

[jem375]

Seems to work on my rifles just fine...

 

[ball3006]

Bore foam just does not do the job when I shoot surplus ammo. I wet patch, let set a few minutes then 5 passes with a brass brush. Dry patch, wet patch, dry patch. Repeat if necessary, usually not....Finish with a wet patch of Breakfree or LPS2, which dries with no residue....chris3

 

[Elkins45]

Best of both worlds seems to be a brush one caliber undersized with a patch wrapped around it. I have been using this method for about 20 years now and it seems to work just fine with no noticeable loss of accuracy to even my oldest and most used rifles.

 

[gearhead]

If your rifle bore has hard chrome plating then a stainless steel brush won't hurt it. Bronze is fine with a plain steel bore.

 

[mshootnit]

The first thing I do is go get a witch doctor and we set the gun down on the floor and perform some Voodoo on it for at least three days. Then I run 2 wet patches down the bore followed by 1 dry patch then 4 wet patches followed by 2 dry patches followed by one almost wet cotton swab (from the bathroom trashcan). Next I boresnake it vigorously. After that I foam the barrel and let it sit for two days. Finally I put it in an electrolysis tank. After that I run patches through until I run out of patches, even the ones I pick up off the floor. That usually works.

 

[oldpapps]

mshootnit, are you alright? Can I call someone for you? Have you always been this way or is it just lately?

To the subject.
Anything is excess is too much.
I used to run a brass or bronze brush down my bores to break up hard fowling. I use a snake now. They have brass wires sticking out of them. One pass and that's it. Was with the brushes too. Then push patches to actually clean.
Back when, I was required to shoot the most nasty crap 38 wad cutters at the range. After much shooting, I would end up using a 'Lewis Lead Remover'. That must have been a lot harder on the rifling than any bore brush.

Oh, mshootnit, smiles are infectious.

Enjoy,

OSOK

 

[chuckles]

I think most damage seen on bores is from careless use of the rod, not a bronze brush. I've seen guys even chuck up a rod in a drill and go at it. The brush alone is not likely to harm a bore, dumb use of a cleaning rod might.

 

[DoubleMag]

A relatively clean bronze bore brush will not harm a bore no matter how much you use it, period.

When they get dirty, I swish them around in a can of denatured alcohol to clean them.

X-cellent tip RCM. I too clean several times while brushing my bore I use non-chlorinated brake cleaner same idea I guess.