Centerfire Cleaning

[Ohio Varmint Shooter]

Not sure where I should post this, but this the section I read the most.

What is the proper cleaning method/frequency for cleaning a center fire rifle?

Here's what I'm getting at: I recently read online, that you're not supposed to 'clean' a 22lr. Run a dry patch down the barrel, but don't use a wire brush. Much different than what my dad taught me 40 years ago.

So what's the deal with center fire? Obviously at least a dry patch (or 4) down the barrel to get the crud out....but what about the wire brush? How often? Will using the wire brush effect accuracy like it does on a 22lr? this is my first centerfire rifle. (purchased 9 months ago)

I have a Savage 223 (if that makes a difference)

I've heard bore snakes are abrasive...so I may wish to pass on that. (though I've seen a lot of people who like them.)

I have been using the brush every time I shoot. (usually less than 20 rounds shot when I go to the range)
So I guess I'm really asking: Do I need to use the brush every time?

 

[DCRYDER]

Some factory barrels actually shoot better dirty. I say let your rifle decide. Take it to the range clean, dont get barrel hot, and see when accuracy falls off. And YES, I brush every cleaning. Make sure to use brass core brushes and a bore guide!!!

My old 6ppc kreiger was a shooter from first shot on clean barrel until shot #22 or so. My 30br shoots well until shot #50 or so.

 

[bouddha]

What's with the dry patches down a dirty barrel? Are you brushing dry as well?

 

[CJ6]

Get a bore guide for the action you use. I use Kroil and JB bore Paste.

 

[GSPV]

- Use a bore guide.
- Use a 1 piece rod. I think coated vs uncoated is a wash. Most folks have 2 rods to avoid switching brushes and jabs.
- Make sure that your jab fits flush with the tip of the rod. No overhang in either direction lest you damage the crown.
- Clean carbon first, then attack copper.
- I use BoreTech C4 for carbon. It also starts on the copper.
-- I put three patches soaked in C4 through it, then scrub with a brush soaked in C4.
-- I repeat till the patches come out clean.
- Then, I push 3 clean patches to get the C4 out.
- I use PatchOut to attack the copper
-- I push a soaked patch through, then let it work for an hour or two or even over night.
-- I repeat till I get no copper. Be careful of false positives from the jag.

ps: I meant "jag". Danged iPad auto correct.
FWIW,

 

[vtmarmot]

8 or 10 strokes with a patch soaked in Wipeout Accelerator. If really dirty, do again. Then shoot in Wipeout foam from the breach (buy their cone-shaped nozzle for the hose). Let sit for an hour or two. Then a couple of dry patches, and repeat all these steps. Repeat until dry patches come out clear. The best barrels clean to bare metal with one or two applications of foam. The worst barrels may need an overnight application. This is the least manual effort required to get a totally clean barrel that you will find. If cleaning at the range, substitute a patch soaked with Wipeout Patchout liquid for the foam. Let that soak for 10 minutes or more before doing the dry patches. Wipeout foam or Patchout turns copper blue or purple. No more blue = no more copper.

 

[Webster]

Dry patches won't remove anything. I get flyers after about 20 shots with my 6BR GH hunting rifle. I don't think you will wear any barrel out by cleaning it. If you let the carbon and copper built up to much it may be difficult to get out. The damage done by the hot gases going done the barrel at 50,000 PSI do serious damage. It's the bore erosion from hot gases that limits the accuracy life.

 

[Nomad47]

I have a 6xc barrel that has 573 rounds down the bore. After ceramic coating it with hBN before the very first round, all it has ever seen since are bullets and dry patches.

 

[BoydAllen]

If you are a varmint shooter, or other type of hunter, you probably will be cleaning at home, at the end of the day's shooting. For that situation, I think that an excellent alternative is to use a foam bore cleaner, Wipe Out. If you look on the web, you can find instructions, and there is a well written article on barrel cleaning on this site. You still will need a good quality, one piece stainless or coated steel rod, A CLEANING ROD GUIDE, some patches, a jag (not jab) and IMO some bronze brushes, as well as some solvent. There are a lot of solvents, and more than one that work, but you need to address both powder and jacket fouling. What ever you do, I would suggest that if you are going to be brushing, that you get everything out of the bore that you can with patches and solvent before you start brushing, and that you put solvent on the brush, and have the bore wet with the same solvent (with a patch) before you start. Primers leave little particles of glass in your barrel, and brushing with them in there makes no sense to me. I start with a wet patch, on a piercing style jag, and then follow it with more, short stroking all the way down the barrel. I do this to the point where I have most all of the powder fouling out that I can get with the patches THEN I start my brushing. After I have brushed, I run a couple of wet patches down the bore, and let things set for 20 minutes, and then run another one, and look for color. I will leave you with that, and one more admonition. Take your time with the rod, keep it in line with the bore at all times, and don't run it out the muzzle any farther than you have to. Some fellows use a cleaning rod like they were cleaning out a plugged sewer, and this is not good for barrels' throats or crowns.

 

[GabbyJs]

Lots of good tips by the readers. I don't remember seeing in any of the posts to definitely stay away from stainless steel bore brushes.

 

[BoydAllen]

Absolutely, stay away from stainless brushes.

 

[GSPV]

Some More Thoughts:

Some folks take the brush off the rod rather than pull it back through. I'm too lazy, I'm afraid. I do spray it off with spray cleaner between passes. Take it FWIW.

Never reverse the brush in the bore. Well, if you have to use JB/Iosso, put it on a patch wrapped around an old, now undersized, brush. That gets short stroked in the bore progressing to the muzzle.

Wipe off the rods with a clean paper towel between passes through the barrel.

Use a cover on your stock. Don't take a chance on dorking up an expensive paint job.

Please, please put a lens cover on the objective lens. If you don't, you'll sooner or later poke it with your jag or get a nasty solvent on it.

 

[MrMajestic]

Like the scene from "The Graduate", I have one thing to say to you, KG Bore Products.

 

[K22]

Lots of good recommendations so I won't repeat just add a few others:

1. Immediately after completing brushing with a copper solvent, I dip the brush in 90% alcohol to neutralize the action of the solvent. You can get a large bottle at Kmart for next to nothing. Same goes for brass jags - dip them when finished.

2. Be careful withdrawing the brush / jag back through the barrel where it enters the crown so it does not catch on the tip of the crown. If you're using a bore guide, which is a must and have a rod that mates uniformly with the brush / jag, this should be not problem - just be aware of it. Damaging the crown will destroy the accuracy of your rifle.

3. I use a two step brushing process - after passing a solvent soaked patch (at least two) through the bore I brush with a bronze brush soaked with solvent to loosen the powder fouling. Then I patch out with a solvent soaked patches to remove the fouling.
Next step is for cooper removal. I brush the bore with a solvent soaked nylon brush to throughly coat the bore with cooper solvent (I used Shooter's Choice). I let stand for about 20 minutes to react with the cooper to facilitate removing it. Then pass several patches through the bore to remove the solvent and cooper residue. Finally I treat the bore with a low viscosity lube to neutralize any residual solvent and to protect the bore.