Excellent advice....Based on what I have seen, I would add, slow down and pay attention to what you are doing. Every time that I take the rod out of the barrel, I wipe it off before reinserting it.
Alex, I know this is not your cup of tea, but would it be possible for you to make a quick video on the proper way to clean a barrel? This is the only process that still scares me every time.
I meant on your website.
A cord with some kind patch on it will work, but just like with a rod, if you are going to make contact, ie, pulling the string along sections of the muzzle, you are going to encounter some amount of wear. You can't just feed someone the answer/technique and expect if they blindly follow as they are told, that they will get the proper results. One has to be able to see the big picture and understand what could be happening that could be bad, and then to not do it.
Its been a long time since I made a video. I have been thinking more and more about doing that again. But it wont be soon. In the mean time this is really simple. I look at barrel cleaning in terms of accuracy and accuracy life of a barrel. There are different ways for different reasons but the way I do it is for accuracy and maintaining that accuracy life. First I will say, abrasive will shorten the accuracy life of a barrel and they are over used. There comes a time when they are necessary. In short, run a wet patch of your favorite solvent (mines Montana extreme copper killer) them 10 strokes with a bronze brush. Do that 3 times. 30 strokes. In my experience thats all your going to get out of the barrel. If its a rough barrel maybe you will need to soak the copper out of it, but good barrels just get that basic process. At some point I will use JB on a patch. This might be at 300 rounds, it may be never. Depends on the cartridge. Thats determined by the carbon in the groove. At some point it gets to be more than I like. I do not need to see shiny new steel every time. I suppose when and if I start doing videos again I will save up some bore scope images to show what I consider to be too much. #1 problem is over use of abrasives. At one point we were really into iosso. We saw accuracy decline as soon as 300 rounds from careful use. Most guys would not see an inch fall of at 1k but its a fact. I have said it before but that lead is probably the most critical part of the barrel. Baby it.
What about bore guides with a rod guide. Ie Lucas.
I wipe the rod AS I am taking it out.
Me too.
Im assuming thats the kind of guide we are using. It doesnt matter when you bow the rod. Not talking tight patch, Im talking not paying attention to what your doing and having the rod handle 6" above the comb and getting after it like the boss is watching
I don't doubt you, but I'm astonished that you've seen that.Im assuming thats the kind of rod we are using. It doesnt matter when you bow the rod. Not talking tight patch, Im talking not paying attention to what your doing and having the rod handle 6" above the comb and getting after it like the boss is watching
Thank you Alex for the response
i push the rod with my right hand and hold the rod with my left at the buttstock end- recoil pad - buttplate ect. this keeps the rod from bowing- sounds similar to how you do it. i use dewey coated rods and always thought the coating was softer than the metal in my barrels so that would keep the rod from damaging the bore. inspecting the rods lately though it seems that coating is pretty hard so i wonder about this? Im shooting a strait 6br now with over 2000 rnd count. i have noticed like you say the more rounds on a barrel the more cleaning it needs. this rifle still shoots good but it takes more cleaning to do it. my normal cleaning method is like yours. except i brush 10 strokes run a solvent patch to get loose crud out then brush again. used to only have to brush once. now its three times and every 100 to 200 rounds have to use jb or iosso. this has been a great barrel and its 27“ rite now so i will rechamber it soon after cutting 2” off to get a new leade and get rid of the fire cracking.
