Cleaning a barrel with felt vs patches

[Hengehold]

I am getting started in smallbore (rifle and pistol) and recently read the Eley barrel cleaning article. It suggested using felt pellets to clean the barrel rather than patches. I am going to try the felt patches in my new smallbore guns and found VFG brand jags and felt pellets at Brownells. Seems to be a bit more expensive than the typical cleaning patches.

Is there any reason that I should avoid the VFG brand felt cleaning products?

Are there felt pellet products that are better than others or are they all pretty much the same?

Thanks ,
-T

 

[USMCDOC]

I am getting started in smallbore (rifle and pistol) and recently read the Eley barrel cleaning article. It suggested using felt pellets to clean the barrel rather than patches. I am going to try the felt patches in my new smallbore guns and found VFG brand jags and felt pellets at Brownells. Seems to be a bit more expensive than the typical cleaning patches.

Is there any reason that I should avoid the VFG brand felt cleaning products?

Are there felt pellet products that are better than others or are they all pretty much the same?

Thanks ,
-T

You could look at patchworm.com

http://patchworm.com/patches-felts.html

 

[USMCDOC]

Update.. the VFG brand is less expensive at Champions Choice

http://www.champchoice.com/store/main.aspx?p=categoryBody&c=CLCRVF

 

[Hengehold]

You could look at patchworm.com

http://patchworm.com/patches-felts.html

Wow, the patchworm product looks great! Would love to give it a try. I wonder if I will still need to use a cleaning rod style option from time to time if there is heavy fouling. I presume I could use back and forth strokes with a rod but not a patch worm style product. Any experience with needing to scrub and can’t get the job done with a patchworm?

Thanks,
-T

 

[Hengehold]

Update.. the VFG brand is less expensive at Champions Choice

http://www.champchoice.com/store/main.aspx?p=categoryBody&c=CLCRVF

Great thanks for sharing.

 

[USMCDOC]

Wow, the patchworm product looks great! Would love to give it a try. I wonder if I will still need to use a cleaning rod style option from time to time if there is heavy fouling. I presume I could use back and forth strokes with a rod but not a patch worm style product. Any experience with needing to scrub and can’t get the job done with a patchworm?

Thanks,
-T

From what i understand.. the green patches are copper impregnated.. i have used them.. from what i can tell, have been working pretty good.. but i totally understand your position about wanting to "brush" the bore, esp the throat for carbon build up.. i know that Joe Chacon has claimed to me that he and his wife Lisa don't use a brush.. and they are shooting some real scores.. esp on the IR50/50 target. I am sure you know.. rifles at this level get cleaned after every card..

 

[watercam]

Trevor,
Having shot a lot of small bore rifle I can offer that the barrels don't collect baked-on carbon like centerfire barrels. You should not need to clean very often either. Perhaps every 500 rounds or so depending upon how your particular barrel runs. I know some who seem to never clean their's and they keep winning matches so...Not to mention that you have to foul your barrel every time you clean and that, at times, can be 10-20 shots (or more) before it settles down.

 

[Tim s]

From what i understand.. the green patches are copper impregnated.. i have used them.. from what i can tell, have been working pretty good.. but i totally understand your position about wanting to "brush" the bore, esp the throat for carbon build up.. i know that Joe Chacon has claimed to me that he and his wife Lisa don't use a brush.. and they are shooting some real scores.. esp on the IR50/50 target. I am sure you know.. rifles at this level get cleaned after every card..

If I had to guess, their lack of brushing may very well come from the fact that with a 10/22 platform, tnere is no easy way to guide a rod like a true benchrest bolt action.
That said, I know of no bulider of top flight match rifles that does not suggest a complete cleaning regimen, including regular brushing with solvent using a proper rod and guide.

 

[Dave Berg]

The Patchworm pellets are the same as VFG. I looked everywhere for something equivalent but less than Brownell's very high price and everything I found was just re-packaged VFG.

The Super Intensive has bronze fibers mixed in with the wool and in center-fire rifles they clean about as well as a bronze brush but takes a bit more time and effort.

The adapter, at least the aluminum one from Brownell's, comes with a knurled nut that you screw on after the two pellets. When you tighten the nut you can expand the back and the front of the pellets substantially which gives you a tighter fit.

I use the pellets to eliminate the dreaded carbon ring between the end of the case and the rifling. For a 30 caliber rifle I put a .30 caliber pellet on first followed by a 6mm pellet then screw the nut on. The 6mm keeps the adapter and nut from possibly hitting the rifling and expands the front of the 30 caliber so it's a tight fit in the chamber neck. A dab of J-B and a few spins with a handgun cleaning rod and the carbon is gone.

They are good but unfortunately not inexpensive even from Champions Choice. I could send you a few to try Hengehold but they're in PA and I'll be in Florida until mid-April.

 

[K22]

I agree with watercam, rim fire rifles do not need cleaning very often. There has been numerous studies on this topic supporting this position.

While I'm not a rim fire expert, my own experiences bear this out. I only cleaned mine once a year when I put it away for the winter. I shot competitive pistol (Bullseye) for many years and hardly ever cleaned the bore on my S&W Model 41 22 rim fire target pistol.

 

[Liven The Dream]

The Best Patches ... I start buying His Patches at Camp Perry in the late 80's .
Kupar Products
PO Box20521 Lehigh Valley PA

1-484-274-1313 Sometimes hard to get a hold of ???


Old Saying " More 22 Rim Rifles Have Been Ruined With a Cleaning Rod"

 

[Syncrowave]

I've never cleaned the bore of a 22 rimfire. They need cleaning?

 

[ballisticdaddy]

If I had to guess, their lack of brushing may very well come from the fact that with a 10/22 platform, tnere is no easy way to guide a rod like a true benchrest bolt action.
That said, I know of no bulider of top flight match rifles that does not suggest a complete cleaning regimen, including regular brushing with solvent using a proper rod and guide.

I would disagree with that statement, I have retired many barrels with their fair share of rounds that never saw a bore brush.
You might want to read this article, Jerry Tierney has won more than his fair share! http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek053.html

 

[243winxb]

Felt pellets worked fine for my Feinwerkbau air pistol model 65 pistol years ago. When done shooting put a drop of special air gun oil on the felt. Shoot out the barrel. Cleaned.

A 22 LR is a different story. When done for the season, soak bore with #9 over a period of a month or so. Wet the bore about every 3 or 4 day with a cotton patch. FREE using cotton under wear. Works for center fire also.

 

[Macropod]

I just use good quality flannelette. You can buy it cheaply enough at tailor's suppliers.

 

[Tim s]

I would disagree with that statement, I have retired many barrels with their fair share of rounds that never saw a bore brush.
You might want to read this article, Jerry Tierney has won more than his fair share! http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek053.html

That's nice. Kindly explain what this has to do with the cleaning required for a rimfire barrel ?

 

[ballisticdaddy]

That's nice. Kindly explain what this has to do with the cleaning required for a rimfire barrel ?

Your originally stated "I know of no builder of top flight match rifles that does not suggest a complete cleaning regimen, including regular brushing with solvent using a proper rod and guide" My point was general not particularly relating to rimfire bore cleaning but is still applicable IMO.

The folks at Eley also believe that to be the case, take a look at their recommended cleaning regiment without mentioning the use of a regular brushing http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/how-to-clean-rimfire-rifle-barrels/

 

[MarkTrew]

I am getting started in smallbore (rifle and pistol) and recently read the Eley barrel cleaning article. It suggested using felt pellets to clean the barrel rather than patches. I am going to try the felt patches in my new smallbore guns and found VFG brand jags and felt pellets at Brownells. Seems to be a bit more expensive than the typical cleaning patches.



Is there any reason that I should avoid the VFG brand felt cleaning products?

Are there felt pellet products that are better than others or are they all pretty much the same?

Thanks ,
-T

I offer a few observations on the VFG pellet cleaning regime:

First, if you don’t track the cleaning results with a bore scope, I am not sure how sure your comparisons will be valid.

They do cost a tad more than a patch, that is obvious.

The knock-off Adapters do not control the bore pressure as well as the original VFG adapters ( in my opinion, from Brownell). This is part of the value with the pellet style cleaning. For further explanation, the more one screws in the pellet the more bore pressure is exerted. Hope this makes sense.

For a program, they are easier for the novice to have more consistent results. Example, junior programs.

Hope this helps

MarkTrew

 

[Tim s]

" My point was general notparticularly relating to rimfire bore cleaning but is still applicable IMO.

No, in fact, it is not. If you had ever been within 100 feet of a benchrest 22 or match this would need no further explanation.

 

[ballisticdaddy]

" My point was general notparticularly relating to rimfire bore cleaning but is still applicable IMO.

No, in fact, it is not. If you had ever been within 100 feet of a benchrest 22 or match this would need no further explination.

Tim, I apologize for having an opinion that did not resemble yours. You are obviously the expert on rimfire but not spelling!