Bartlein vs Brux Vs Krieger Cleaning Some easy some not?

[gmr4]

I work up two sweats cleaning my Krieger. One sweat on Brux and no sweat on Bartlein. I shoot the same loads 7 PRCW. I find the Bartlein very easy to clean.. very easy. Is this just the luck of the draw on these barrels? Is it different steel or factory polishing? My gunsmith said that 5r is maybe easier to clean. All of these barrels shoot really good for me I may choose Bartlein over all of them due to ease of cleaning. BTW I like my barrels really clean… I shoot 80-100 rounds then clean.

Does anyone else have this experience with various barrel makers or have I run into a fluke.

 

[WSnyder]

Is this just the luck of the draw on these barrels?

I would say yes. Currently I am shooting all three regularly and not much difference in any of them right now. A friend had a 30 cal Krieger years ago that coppered badly it's whole life. I always wanted to borescope it to see if there was anything to see but we never did.

 

[Northridge]

I’ve had easy and tougher to clean barrels from literally most manufacturers of boutique Barrels ..

Shawn Williams

 

[60723]

I have used all those barrels and never had any harder to clean than the others. They all get harder from copper after about 1000 rounds. BR,BRA,Dasher and 6.5X47
FWIW-A barrel with 1200 rounds was coppering pretty bad. Fired a couple of Tubbs bullets through it and not coppering as bad now!

 

[jelenko]

I clean after 60-100 rounds but never at the range => tend to get a lot of hard carbon in the throat.

Over about 30 barrels, I've had some that cleaned up with just a bunch of stroking with a bronze brush. But most require abrasives in the throat. Interestingly, of the ones that cleaned up so easily, 2/3 of them were chromolly, which is supposed to be harder to clean than SS.

5r doesn't make much difference in the throat area. Hard carbon is hard.

These days, I just count myself lucky when a barrel cleans up easily.

 

[Forum Boss]

You can save huge amounts of cleaning efforts if:

1. While barrel is still warm (at end of match), send 4-5 soaking wet patches through barrel (with a liquid such as Patch-Out).
2. Next, while barrel is still warm, fill with Wipe-Out foam, wait 15 minutes, then apply the foam again.
Plug muzzle and chamber then patch out a couple hours later. NOTE: Use a tight chamber plug and Keep the chamber ABOVE the muzzle.

This has proven very, very effective with Brux, Bartlein, Krieger, Shilen and PacNor barrels. Honestly you people would not believe how little brushing I have to do. One of my fellow club shooters changed to this method (cleaning after 60-rd 600-yard match), and he uses probably 80% fewer brush strokes than before, and cleans in 1/4th the time.

 

[V35]

I use all three brands, I cant tell much if any difference in cleaning. A rough cut throat will cause copper fouling to be much worse, no matter what brand.

 

[moondog]

Just started breaking in a Krieger barrel for a buddy. I've never had another barrel that shows NO copper. Did a little load work today, 30 rounds. Same thing, looks like new. It shoots too!

 

[gmr4]

You can save huge amounts of cleaning efforts if:

1. While barrel is still warm, send 4-5 soaking wet patches through barrel (with a liquid such as Patch-Out).
2. Next, while barrel is still warm, fill with Wipe-Out foam, wait 15 minutes, then apply the foam again.
Plug muzzle and chamber then patch out a couple hours later. NOTE: Use a tight chamber plug and Keep the chamber ABOVE the muzzle.

This has proven very, very effective with Brux, Bartlein, Krieger, Shilen and PacNor barrels. Honestly you people would not believe how little brushing I have to do. One of my fellow club shooters changed to this method (cleaning after 60-rd 600-yard match), and he uses probably 80% fewer brush strokes than before, and cleans in 1/4th the time.

Ok, I’ll start doing this at the range. I’ve seen others run patches before loading up As well . Thanks

 

[paperpuncher]

My last Bartlein is ridiculously easy to clean. The easiest barrel to clean that I have ever had

 

[Evlshnngns]

Its probably been too long since you cleaned a factory gun. ha ha

A Wilson was my first upgraded barrel, my jaw hit the floor at how easy it was to clean.

 

[GetReal]

All 4 of my Bartleins (2 bolt in 2 diff calibers, 2 semi, both in 6 ARC ) clean pretty easy.


ETA....prolly 8-10 down & back brush strokes. They tell me to keep brushing to a minimum. I need to add that "end of range session" procedure.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

My new preferred prefit had a paper inside that said every barrel will foul and clean differently. Do what the barrel says to do.

 

[ShootDots]

Unless you specifically order a 4 groove conventional barrel from Bartlein, you will get 5R rifling. 5R rifling has no sharp edges like 4 groove conventional style. This makes cleaning much easier. I would bet a tidy sum that is the reason you are cleaning it up like a snap!

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Style of grooves doesnt matter. If the throat is clean cut and lapping is good you will have little or no copper. You can make some correlation to what brands act like after a few hundred of each.

 

[jbell]

OP, are you referring to carbon fouling or copper? If specifically copper, I would be looking more at the chamber job than the bore. Having owned many of each of those barrels I have never had one that was difficult to clean…

 

[gmr4]

OP, are you referring to carbon fouling or copper? If specifically copper, I would be looking more at the chamber job than the bore. Having owned many of each of those barrels I have never had one that was difficult to clean…

I dont get any copper until round count get up 800+ and its still not much. It’s the carbon. I use Montana extreme copper killer and bronze brush…. Some clean up much easier than others. I have Krieger, Bartlein and Brux, 6mm and 7mm…. The Bartlein 5r is easier quicker. I was just wondering what others see… I would go all Bartleien if its true all clean up so esy as the 2 I have now.
I know ya’ll will say Im using copper killer but I picked that up from Alex Wheeler and it is the best method…

 

[jbell]

I dont get any copper until round count get up 800+ and its still not much. It’s the carbon. I use Montana extreme copper killer and bronze brush…. Some clean up much easier than others. I have Krieger, Bartlein and Brux, 6mm and 7mm…. The Bartlein 5r is easier quicker. I was just wondering what others see… I would go all Bartleien if its true all clean up so esy as the 2 I have now.
I know ya’ll will say Im using copper killer but I picked that up from Alex Wheeler and it is the best method…

There are so many good solvents out there, it is kinda hard to go wrong these days. Plus if that is working well on some barrels but not others then it is hard to say it is the solvent as it doesn’t know the difference, it just works on dissolving carbon or not. I have used Montana Extreme and it is a good solvent. I am sure you have but if not it may be give BoreTech C4 a shot in the stubborn barrels. Let it sit 15-20 min and patch out with a very wet tight patch and jag, and repeat a time or two, maybe while your prepping brass or whatever. I have found it works like nothing else. May be worth the attempt if anything to make that barrel a little easier to deal with.

 

[jackieschmidt]

I shoot both Krieger and Bartliens. Both in 6mm and 30 caliber.
I cannot tell them apart, even while chambering them, shooting them, or cleaning them.

I have Bartliens that I have set aside for Nationals, and I have had Kriegers that I have set aside for Nationals.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

There are differences in steel between them for sure. I could make one pass on the tenon and tell you if it was a krieger or bartlien. Bartlien steel is different than all others. I dont know how they spec it or who they get it from and I dont care. But it is not the same stuff others use.