Bronze brush cleaning

[BoydAllen]

IMO you are fine. Believe your bore scope. Just avoid running your rod out farther than you have to to have the patch or brush clear the bore, and start the brush or jag back into the bore slowly, with minimum effort. Also, for when I am doing a lot of brushing, I wipe the rod every ten cycles or so, and in the process drag the brush through the wadded up paper towel. After that, I reapply solvent to the brush.

 

[BoydAllen]

Right.
The reason for asking is for a long time I've been doing 10-15 passes and that always left patches/streaks of carbon.

Just recently, for some reason I forget, I went 40 passes - and there were no patches or streaks left!
After another 60 shots, I went 30 passes - still no patches or streaks.

I'm just trying to do a 'sanity' check on what I'm seeing - is 30 passes like an whole, whole lot?

Just out of curiosity, what powder and caliber?

 

[jelenko]

223, 69gr bullet. Was using MR2000, now using 2520.

 

[jackieschmidt]

A brush will have the fine wires reversed when it's pulled back into the barrel at the crown and it will eventually wear the crown to the point that accuracy will go away because of it.... Look at the brush when it's out of the barrel at the muzzle and you'll see that the little wires are pointed backwards a little, well I don't want those little bent backwards wires cutting up a perfect crown. Do it a lot and if you have a Hawkeye bore scope you'll see what dragging a brush over it will do for you, and it don't take long to do it either......

I feel pretty confident that nobody cleans more than Short Range Group Shooters. We literally clean after every group.
Everybody uses a Bronze Brush.
I am not aware of anybody complaining about the brush damaging the crown.

what will damage a crown is not stopping the rod the instant the brush or jag clears the muzzle, letting the cleaning rod lay on and rub the crown and the last part of the barrel’s ID.

 

[DocCarbon]

I NEVER push pull anything down My Bores !!.


I use a pretty simple method for cleaning ALL MY Bores . Two Rods ,two brushes ,Two Mops two jags , one set under bore the other bore size . Sealed bore guide .
First an under bore size mop soaked with C-4 , two -four times allow 10 minutes set ,then nylon brush . I Only go with the rifling NEVER back and forth NO matter what I'm putting down the bore . I just barely exit muzzle unscrew whatever attachment ,then place a poly cap over threads and draw back .
I then use Jag and patch soaked with acetone , dry patch once or twice . Another Dewy rod with Mop soaked with Montana X Treme and repeat above process .

After final dry patch ,I run a soaked jag with acetone patch followed By either a combo of Hoppes & Boeshield T-9 or Hoppes & LSA weapons oil . No matter what I soak a patch with ,it comes out neutral ,NO Carbon ,No Copper .

Before firing I run two dry patches and one acetone patch ,followed by #2 fouler's .

It seems to works for Me .

 

[D Coots]

I feel pretty confident that nobody cleans more than Short Range Group Shooters. We literally clean after every group.
Everybody uses a Bronze Brush.
I am not aware of anybody complaining about the brush damaging the crown.

what will damage a crown is not stopping the rod the instant the brush or jag clears the muzzle, letting the cleaning rod lay on and rub the crown and the last part of the barrel’s ID.

Odd man out here Jackie. No bronze brush and don't clean after every group. Nothing against bronze bushes but my barrels are clean without them. You are right on about short range guys cleaning a lot. But look at how many rounds you fire through your rail before cleaning compared to your bag gun. These threads are always comparing grapes to watermelons when talking about cleaning due to the number of shots fired in different disciplines. To each his own.....

 

[jackieschmidt]

Odd man out here Jackie. No bronze brush and don't clean after every group. Nothing against bronze bushes but my barrels are clean without them. You are right on about short range guys cleaning a lot. But look at how many rounds you fire through your rail before cleaning compared to your bag gun. These threads are always comparing grapes to watermelons when talking about cleaning due to the number of shots fired in different disciplines. To each his own.....

Correct, Dave. I Think many of us in Short Range Group do something out of habit more than practicality. When I first started back in the early ‘90’s, it seemed everybody cleaned after every group, whether they fired 5 shots on that relay or tore the entire slighter target up with 20+ rounds.

I am sure you have seen shooters like Lester go to the line with 25 rounds and shoot every last one of them, working the slighter untill he finally decides what he likes and goes to the record. And this is in a Bag Gun class.

Most of us who shoot VFS don’t clean our 30’s until the Grand Agg is over. I attributed this to the ultra slow twist. They simply do not foul as readily as a faster Twist 6mm. But I am just assuming. Heck, Wayne France says he NEVER cleans his 30 cal barrels. But here’s shoot coated bullets.

like you said. “to each his own”.

 

[BoydAllen]

I think that Jackie’s main point is that if bronze brushes damage barrels, the people who use them the most would be reporting the problem. They aren’t.

 

[skeeljc]

If the rod fits the bore it will center the brush when it is pulled back into the muzzle. Use a coated, one-piece rod and keep the rod clean. Pulling the bronze brush back into the bore from the muzzle will not hurt the barrel.

 

[RAG]

I think that Jackie’s main point is that if bronze brushes damage barrels, the people who use them the most would be reporting the problem. They aren’t.

I can't fathom not cleaning with bronze brushes, even if just a little. And I certainly don't have any fear they damage the barrel itself. My main concern, and reason I'm perusing the forum now, pertains to the crown. Specifically, I'm wondering if there is any form of consensus or not as to whether or not a beveled crown is better (since it guides/eases the bristles back into the bore) than a square crown?

 

[cmysix]

A brush will have the fine wires reversed when it's pulled back into the barrel at the crown and it will eventually wear the crown to the point that accuracy will go away because of it.... Look at the brush when it's out of the barrel at the muzzle and you'll see that the little wires are pointed backwards a little, well I don't want those little bent backwards wires cutting up a perfect crown. Do it a lot and if you have a Hawkeye bore scope you'll see what dragging a brush over it will do for you, and it don't take long to do it either......

Please explain as I'm not very bright, but how does Brass/bronze cut steel? I have never used a bronze drill bit.

 

[FNSafari]

I can't fathom not cleaning with bronze brushes, even if just a little. And I certainly don't have any fear they damage the barrel itself. My main concern, and reason I'm perusing the forum now, pertains to the crown. Specifically, I'm wondering if there is any form of consensus or not as to whether or not a beveled crown is better (since it guides/eases the bristles back into the bore) than a square crown?

A key to using a brass brush and not fouling the crown is to push the brush completely out of the bore VERY SLOWLY and just enough to be able to SLOWLY draw it back into the bore. Regarding 90 degree crowns vs. say 11 degree never noticed a difference. If you mean a 45 around the bore, have had that done and never noticed a difference.

 

[4xforfun]

I am in the "stainless steel brush on a drill who is more worried about weather Dewalt is better than Milwaukee !!"

 

[HTSmith]

I am in the "stainless steel brush on a drill who is more worried about weather Dewalt is better than Milwaukee !!"

Dude someone may take you seriously.

 

[jelenko]

Yeah. I'm going with the Dewalt and an oversized brush. Really get the carbon out.

 

[BlueWater]

Please explain as I'm not very bright, but how does Brass/bronze cut steel? I have never used a bronze drill bit.

Well, water is tough enough to cut the Grand Canyon. In time, I suspect abrading a steel with bronze bristles will, eventually, begin to wear. But I'd be willing to bet it's far, far beyond the life expectancy of any barrel. Assuming one's technique isn't abusively ham-handed. (Or, as someone pointed out earlier, shooters with heavy cleaning regimens would be railing about the problem and seeking alternatives.)

 

[4xforfun]

Dude someone may take you se

You know what they say....
1 Don't believe everything you hear on the internet.
2 It MUST be true...I heard it on the internet.



...and......I HAVE used a ss brush with a drill. Killed the cabon!! So...believe it.

 

[HTSmith]

You know what they say....
1 Don't believe everything you hear on the internet.
2 It MUST be true...I heard it on the internet.
3 If you're that stupid........


...and......I HAVE used a ss brush with a drill. Killed the cabon!! So...believe it.

Well carry on. I use Rigid from Home Depot, cause they still guarantee batteries.

 

[Pietro panama]

Like most, have often wondered, but am no expert. Seems like no consensus by now after years of discussion. Don’t know the values, but Rockwell C of brass and copper likely far less than 416 stainless. It’s natural to not do something out of fear of damage, but critical?

 

[Pietro panama]

Like most, have often wondered, but am no expert. Seems like no consensus by now after years of discussion. Don’t know the values, but Rockwell C of brass and copper likely far less than 416 stainless. It’s natural to not do something out of fear of damage, but critical?

There are many opinions on AS. Don’t know him well, but listen to Boyd Allen.