.17 Portable Cleaning Rod

[danny]

So I'm not refuting this but I have long wondered if that is the case. I've heard many reports of cleaning rods damaging barrels but the metal in cleaning rods is usually brass. Brass is a very soft metal. I find it hard to believe that a soft metal could damage any barrel unless repeated cleaning to the point that an army was exhausted in the process was the reason. It would mean that the barrel metal is also very soft. I've looked at a fair number of barrels via a bore scope in recent years and I see barrels that look like they were cut by hand with a chisel (very rough and crude) that shoot lights out and barrels that look like they were crafted by the hand of god himself that shoot like shit. At this point I could not tell you why one barrel was so terrible and another was so nice let alone why one would shoot and the other would not and the ability to shoot had nothing to do with the condition of the bore.

Your thoughts?

You do realize that barrel makers lap barrels with a very soft metal (and lapping compound), correct?

Very soft metal + lapping compound
Very soft cleaning rod + dirt and carbon

Danny

 

[danny]

Please explain the procedure for clearing a bore obstruction with a bore snake.

To me it would be like trying to push a wet noodle up a wildcats ...

It's a bore snake... Doesn't it slither in there and push it out?

Danny

 

[ronsatspokane]

You do realize that barrel makers lap barrels with a very soft metal (and lapping compound), correct?

Very soft metal + lapping compound
Very soft cleaning rod + dirt and carbon

Danny

Lapping compounds contain Aluminum Oxide or carborandum or other such materials to provide the lapping action. They are actually among the hardest compounds on the planet. Aluminum Oxide is 9 on Mohs scale. That's just below diamond.

You can also use a diamond based lapping compound but it is quite a bit more expensive. Not as expensive as you would think however.