Best cleaning method for top accuracy?

[Dud]

When I got my first accurate rifle, I decided to step up my cleaning game and bought specific rods, jags, brushes and chemicals.

I went with the collection of KG cleaning chemicals and they seem to work very well.

During break in when I saw some roughness in the bore, I also used JB bore paste 2-3 times until it smoothed out.

Accuracy is great by my standards, pretty much 1/2 MOA with good box ammo. Cleaning is easy too.

By benchrest standards, the accuracy isn't so hot, I'm probably part of the problem and box ammo is not helping.

I want to step it up with hand loading, better ballistics and a reevaluation of my cleaning method. I always need to shoot better but that's a different topic.

I've heard a lot of people say they never let a brush touch their bore. They seem to be using foaming bore cleaners.

As a wildcard, I just saw for the first time Remington bore squeegees, a ribbed rubber piece you pull through a bore with a cable. It seems like a novel way to remove cleaning chemicals and maybe I could follow that with a volatile corrosion inhibitor plastic rod during storage. If I tried the squeegee I would use a muzzle guard to protect the crown. Let me know if this is a bad idea.

So what is the best method and gear for cleaning that will maximize barrel life and accuracy?

My barrel is 416 stainless, I might get it nitrided after it is broken in so nitride compatible methods are preferred.

The only 284 specific bore guide I can find off the shelf is a Possum Hollow or maybe a Sinclair that looks very similar. Possum Hollow supposedly makes a 284 bore plug but I can't find it in stock anywhere.

Thanks.

 

[DirtySteve]

Just going to sit and watch..

 

[Terry]

Pass the Popcorn.

 

[Murray Brook]

Should be good

 

[Twicepop]

A few years back I took up with a couple of shooters that shot 100, 300 yard BR and the occasional 1000 matches. They both said that to break in a new barrel first clean thoroughly, fire on shot and thoroughly clean it, do this for three cycles. Then go to two shot cycles, thoroughly cleaning between cycles. If it goes that far go to three shot cycles, thoroughly cleaning between each cycle. As soon as you stop getting copper fouling from the cleaning procedures, your barrel is fully seasoned. I followed this advice on three barrels, 1 Kreiger and 2 Douglas. The Kreiger stopped showing any copper after 5 shots, the two Douglas barrels went 6 and 7 shots before they stopped showing any signs of copper.

 

[garandman]

"Want to start a fight? Ask about cleaning a gun on any gun forum."

OP: In a Room of 10 people you will get 12 different opinions on this discussion.

 

[AJC]

So because your new this topic would be a great one to use the search function. People are religious or borderline fanatical about how their way is the best. If you have a specific question about a method you like when you search then i would pm that mbr. If you notice people are just standing by waiting for the grenade to go off.

 

[djporter]

"Want to start a fight? Ask about cleaning a gun on any gun forum."

OP: In a Room of 10 people you will get 12 different opinions on this discussion.

And probably two or more will not have a opinion!

 

[Texas10]

Regardless of what chemicals and techniques you adopt, you absolutely must get a borescope or endoscope, or both to verify your cleaning methods. Otherwise, you're just flying blind.

Endoscopes will allow visual inspection of chamber, throat and bore for copper, carbon or cleaning contaminates. Some of these will Blue-Tooth to your phone.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FCQ6N8T/?tag=accuratescom-20

A Borescope will give much closer examination of lands, grooves, throat, etc. Some will opine that it is more than needed for day to day examination, and I happen to agree. But if a definitive inspection is required, a borescope is the tool to have, and there are some decent ones on the market for not a lot of coin.

 

[Dud]

I'm not looking to start a fight.

I'm just curious about the foaming cleaners but there are several I've seen. I haven't looked in to it close enough to tell which are for copper and which are for powder fouling. I don't know for sure if any of them work.

I agree with the bore scope idea and the break in procedure mentioned. The barrel I was talking about took around 13-14 shots with 7-8 cleanings and the 2 or 3 JB bore paste treatments. It is a Criterion button rifled barrel and it looked rough enough after the first cleaning that I used the JB before I took the first shot.

With the KG products, it's kind of a system and easy to tell what bottle does what. I found the copper solvent and powder solvent to work well although I wasn't looking at it with a bore scope, just patches that came out clean, pushed out easy and left a shiny bore behind with no copper as far as I could tell.

So is there anything out there that will make me want to get rid of my brushes?

Is that bore squeegee worth trying to use just to pull out the last of my cleaning chemicals before I put it away?

Will VCIs be enough to protect a fairly dry bore from rust?

I know different people do things different ways but I don't have time for trial and error. It's a lot easier to gather many opinions, research the more popular ones and then pick a way to go.

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

IMO the most important part is to know what is going on inside your barrel during/after cleaning. I tried the "no brush" let the chemicals do the work but after the battle I had with carbon build up in the throat area in my faster 6mms I went back to strong chemicals, brons brushes (not over using them) and a little Iosso every now and then and for now that seems to be working for me.

As for the barrel squeegees, i would just stick with a proper rod, guide and patches.

 

[garandman]

I'm not looking to start a fight.

.

It would not be your fault. Some people just get passionate about this and have worked long and hard to find a method that works for them. The problem is when they insist that is a universal that will work for everybody else too … and insist other people who found something very different that works for them must change what THEY are doing.

Then some people start shouting and throwing chairs.

 

[garandman]

@Texas10 ... thanx for that little "push." Im gonna look into that esp for the throat / chamber area.

 

[KMart]

If there was only one correct method and product to use during cleaning, everybody would be using it by now. You need to do a trial and error test of different methods and products to find out what makes you and your gun barrel happy.

 

[garandman]

If there was only one correct method and product to use during cleaning, everybody would be using it by now. You need to do a trial and error test of different methods and products to find out what makes you and your gun barrel happy.

x 1000. Even the basic discussion of nylon versus bronze brushes people will fight like cats and dogs over.

 

[JFrank]

Just going to sit and watch..

I'm not looking to start a fight.

I'm just curious about the foaming cleaners but there are several I've seen. I haven't looked in to it close enough to tell which are for copper and which are for powder fouling. I don't know for sure if any of them work.

I agree with the bore scope idea and the break in procedure mentioned. The barrel I was talking about took around 13-14 shots with 7-8 cleanings and the 2 or 3 JB bore paste treatments. It is a Criterion button rifled barrel and it looked rough enough after the first cleaning that I used the JB before I took the first shot.

With the KG products, it's kind of a system and easy to tell what bottle does what. I found the copper solvent and powder solvent to work well although I wasn't looking at it with a bore scope, just patches that came out clean, pushed out easy and left a shiny bore behind with no copper as far as I could tell.

So is there anything out there that will make me want to get rid of my brushes?

Is that bore squeegee worth trying to use just to pull out the last of my cleaning chemicals before I put it away?

Will VCIs be enough to protect a fairly dry bore from rust?

I know different people do things different ways but I don't have time for trial and error. It's a lot easier to gather many opinions, research the more popular ones and then pick a way to go.

i have a Criterion Barrel as well as others, I’ve also used KG products.

I keep bronze brushes as well as Nylon in my box, I use both.

I have switched to Bore tech Eliminator and Bore Tech Carbon remover C-4,
Re-cleaning I seen a lot of crud on the patches coming out of a supposed clean barrel , that kinda sold me on Bore tech.
Without a bore scope all I can judge is the patches and how the gun shoots.
I can’t speak to anyone else’s products or methods only mine.
J

 

[Mark W]

@Texas10 ... thanx for that little "push." Im gonna look into that esp for the throat / chamber area.

This is a much better option for a little more money.....

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TTQF24F/?tag=accuratescom-20

There’s a couple of threads discussing these borescopes. It actually has the 45 degree mirror so that you can see the everything much better than with a standard endoscope.

 

[mjl650]

[QUOTE="SPJ
I have switched to Bore tech Eliminator and Bore Tech Carbon remover C-4,
Re-cleaning I seen a lot of crud on the patches coming out of a supposed clean barrel , that kinda sold me on Bore tech.
Without a bore scope all I can judge is the patches and how the gun shoots.
I can’t speak to anyone else’s products or methods only mine.
J[/QUOTE]

Same here and I do check with a bore scope.

 

[JEFFPPC]

[QUOTE="SPJ
I have switched to Bore tech Eliminator and Bore Tech Carbon remover C-4,
Re-cleaning I seen a lot of crud on the patches coming out of a supposed clean barrel , that kinda sold me on Bore tech.
Without a bore scope all I can judge is the patches and how the gun shoots.
I can’t speak to anyone else’s products or methods only mine.
J

Same here and I do check with a bore scope.[/QUOTE]
Many years ago when I first started shooting benchrest, an older fellow who was helping me out told me this. Win a big match then tell everyone your secret is cleaning with Turkey poop and tomorrow morning they will be lined up outside the local Turkey farm to buy some Turkey poop. I have used it ever since, now you know my secret. Good luck, enjoy this fascinating sport.

 

[garandman]

This is a much better option for a little more money.....

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TTQF24F/?tag=accuratescom-20

There’s a couple of threads discussing these borescopes. It actually has the 45 degree mirror so that you can see the everything much better than with a standard endoscope.

See now....good things DO come out of these discussions. Thanx, will check it.