Brass or Nylon brush?

[amamnn]

I've had the same experience with wonder cleaners and nylon brushes that everyone who bought a borescope has had--that is--I went back to my bronze brushes--worked in and out of the (wet with solvent) bore 10 to 20 times depending upon the caliber, cartridge and frequency of cleaning. This works fine and no damage in several Shilen Pac-Nor and factory rifles. I had a similar experience with the carbon ring, too. Mine was never there until and unless I relied on nylon brushes, and/or brushless wonder cleaner. Going back to proper solvents and brushes and elbow grease did away with it.

The wonder cleaners were gifts so I did not feel bad about filing them where they belonged (13) and the nylon brushes still have a use--for applying JB cleaner and also JB shine to the barrel.


Anyone wanting to read further on this subject and many others that relate to it, should get a copy of "The Book of Rifle Accuracy" by Tony Boyer. It's full of good information for anyone who wants to get weensy lil groups out of a rifle time after time, by a guy who is more than well qualified to write on the subject and has no interest in selling you anything -well the book, maybe.

 

[fdshuster]

If anyone believes they will harm a barrel by using a bronze brush, as needed, then they should stop firing those jacketed bullets down the bore at velocities well over 3000 fps & with the heat of the burning powder at over 2500 degrees.

I've never worn out a barrel by proper cleaning, but have worn out a bunch by shooting!

As always, verified with my Hawkeye borescope.

 

[Flouncer]

And for those who claim "patch only", you must have extraordinary barrels. Can't help but say: think your missing all the carbon, but hey... it's your own barrel, take care of it how ever you want. But I feel it is poor advise to others.

No extaordinary barrels here....Have a borescope and have the bores double checked by the gunsmith every season and sometimes twice a season. Personally, my experience is that the brushes or the twisted wire makes very tiny gouges in the bore, thus allowing for build up of carbon or copper or both in those minute scratches. If you've never tried the patch only, perhaps you should try it or do more research before you condem it. WD

I agree with WD. I don't use brushes either and I get along well with my bbls. I saw a you tube of John Krieger and he did not recommend brushes or letting jag exit bbl or dragging anything back across the crown. He is one of the most respected men in the industry and his method has worked well for me but you should do what you feel confident with. I've seen WD shoot several times and there is nothing wrong with his bbls.
John

Here is a cut and paste from the Krieger website:

We recommend the use of good quality, name brand chemical cleaners on a proper fitting patch/jag combination for your particular bore size and good quality properly sized nylon or bronze brushes.

http://www.kriegerbarrels.com/Break_In__Cleaning-c1246-wp2558.htm

 

[soldierofchrist]

Bore Tech Eliminator with either brush works well, I think Nylon just lets you see the barrel is cleaner quicker because you don't get the false blue from the brush.

 

[lloydx2]

Too many variables to nail down one specific cleaning regiment. Bench Rest, Highpower, F Class. Rifle cooking out in the sun 22 rounds at a time. 90 in a day with out cleaning. As apposed to shooting 5-15 max under an awning for a short period of time. Long (Possibly light contour) barrels, fast twists, slow powders. Long bearing surface bullets all contribute dramatically to heat build up and rock hard carbon fouling

 

[model 12 toby]

NO BRUSH.

 

[Leaddog]

Bronze brush and Montana BMG every time. I also pull the brush back across the crown in my Spencer and Hart barrels. Life is good.

 

[Flouncer]

Regarding a phosphor bronze brush scratching a 4340 or cro Mo barrel, not likely to happen. I did contact my father who is a retired research metallurgist. The phosphor bronze is way softer than gun barrel steel. He said it will not scratch and I believe him. There are wide ranges of each alloy, but bronze ranges from 75 to 205 Brinnel hardness and annealed Cro Mo from 92 to 550.

If there are any bore scope photos of bronze brush scratching barrel steel, it would be definitive to post them. It would be hard to see the difference in the bronze leaving a paste or as we geologists say a "streak" on the steel vs an actual gouge in the steel. But the barrel mfgs I have linked all approve of bronze brushes in their barrels.

Edit: Add Lilja to the bronze age http://www.riflebarrels.com/support/centerfire_maintenance.htm