Deep Cleaning Frustrations

[Lapua40X]

Using a bore scope can reveal a lot of interesting realities. I was certain that my rifle was clean; carbon free/copper fouling free. I was mistaken.
Oh, for certain, the rifling was akin to like new factory fresh. No copper, no carbon. Then I looked at the deep dark corners of the chamber. The area where the second shoulder (end of the case neck) of the chamber meets with the freebore had carbon deposits that weren't being removed with conventional bore brush cleaning. After a VERY lengthy conventional cleaning exercise wasn't producing the results I wanted, I discovered that running a bore brush over that area meant the bristles had to work over a "step" and that prevented them from getting down into the critical area.
I fashioned a bore brush, larger in diameter than the throat (.30 cal. for the 6BR, .38 for the .284) attached to a length of scrap cleaning rod from an old pistol cleaning kit and attached it to a battery powered screwdriver (less than $10 at Target). To make sure I didn't run the brush too deep I placed a wooden dowel from the muzzle back to the chamber and used it to monitor the deptch of the brush in the chamber.
The rotating brush worked like a charm. Thirty seconds and the deposits were gone.
From now on I use a horizontal brush stroke to clean the bore and a rotary stroke for the chamber.

 

[jonbearman]

Necessity is the mother of all invention.Good job.

 

[Eddie Harren]

For any of you guys, that might be interested, this topic is addressed thoroughly in Tony Boyer's book. He has a different method using a nylon brush and a product known a IOSSO.

 

[LCazador]

Tony's book has a lot info. I learned cleaning the carbon ring from some old benchrest shooters that had been doing it for years. They were older than I was, 8)! By the way Sinclair has a cleaning rod stop that works with almost any type of cleaning rod. It allows you to clean a particular area of the barrel you'd like to work on. I use the stop along with a short piece of cleaning rod to clean the carbon ring in the chamber, and using my fingers just twirl an oversize brush with Iosso. If you do it every time you clean, it's pretty easy to remove ( verified by my borescope ). Select an oversize brush by adding approximately .020" or going up to your next cleaning brush size. So use a 22 brush for a 20 cal., a 6mm brush for your 22, a 6.5 brush for your 243, and so on.

 

[Lapua40X]

... By the way Sinclair has a cleaning rod stop that works with almost any type of cleaning rod. It allows you to clean a particular area of the barrel you'd like to work on....

Great tip .... those stops work great.
http://www.brownells.com/gun-cleaning-chemicals/cleaning-rods-amp-accessories/cleaning-rod-stops/ejs-cleaning-rod-stops-prod7921.aspx
I decided on the wooden dowel only because:
1. It is too long to leave in the bore without realizing it - that could be catastrophic
2. It was only 79 cents
But I have some of those stops on my wish list just in case somebody doesn't know what to include in my package this Christmas.

 

[jonbearman]

One other note.I have a friend who just bought a new hawkeye and he started looking at his competition barrels and so horror.Not only did he have a carbon ring started in all of them after twirling the brush by hand but he also noted light freckling in a couple barrels.It was just starting to rust so he cleaned abnd reinspected,all was good.Now for the reason that caused the rusting.He followed harts barrel cleaning and left his barrels with hoppes in them.I have been arguing with him for awhile and didnt think an evaporating solvent would not leave enough protection behind.He switched to wipe-out and the same thing happened so he finally took my advice as I use marvel mystery oil in every bore .I use it because it will soften carbon overtime and when I patch out before shooting there is always alittle carbon streaking on the patch.Now I am getting an electric screwdriver to do the spinning.

 

[Joe R]

I took Tony Boyer's advice. The last step is to use a batch with Kroil. The oil penetrates the steel pores protects from rust and makes future cleaning easier. I found it to be good advice for me.

 

[Lapua40X]

... I use marvel mystery oil in every bore .I use it because it will soften carbon overtime and when I patch out before shooting there is always a little carbon streaking on the patch.Now I am getting an electric screwdriver to do the spinning.

I use Marvel Mystery Oil as a final step when I'm out of Kroil. I've used the Marvel Mystery oil for more years than I can count - back when we were still tuning dual quads on Chev. 289s.

 

[Outrider27]

Typo. That's dual quads on a Chev 283. ;D

Yeah, I've been using it that long too....

 

[dkhunt14]

My one shooting friend gets carbon in his chamber all the time and I don't. We are both shooting 300 WSM's. The only thing I can figure out is he uses one of those bore guides that has a tapered fit all rubber on the end. I believe it goes to far into the chamber and doesn't let the patch and fluid clean that area. I use a lucas bore guide and it stops before this point and lets the patch open up before entering the throat. We both let fluid soak between matches. I believe I get more fluid to soak in that area and his guide goes into the chamber farther and seals it off that the fluid isn't getting to that area. The only difference is the bore guides. Matt

 

[mikegaiz]

I leave a mixture of Butch's Gun Oil with 20% Kroil. It seems to protect and desolve carbon.

 

[Lapua40X]

Typo. That's dual quads on a Chev 283. ;D

Yeah, I've been using it that long too....

OOps ....... How'd that Ford slip in there? :-[
Thanks for catching that slip up.

 

[jonbearman]

I will always be curious why hart thinks a solvent will prevent rust as 416 will rust in high humidity like in new york state of all places.There may be oil in hoppes but it doesnt work for beans protecting any metal against rust.

 

[jonbearman]

I used to play with 289's with triples on them.Boy they worked good.

 

[22BRGUY]

Typo. That's dual quads on a Chev 283. ;D

Yeah, I've been using it that long too....

And turned into 301"s....my my my......you could really fly!

 

[johara1]

I found it a heck of a lot easier to turn an old arrow down to fit in the neck area and clean the carbon out in a few strokes then use a nylon brush with a patch wrapped around it to clean out the loose carbon. I'm really hesitant to spin something opposite the bullet travel in the throat area……. jim

 

[Lapua40X]

I found it a heck of a lot easier to turn an old arrow down to fit in the neck area and clean the carbon out in a few strokes then use a nylon brush with a patch wrapped around it to clean out the loose carbon. I'm really hesitant to spin something opposite the bullet travel in the throat area……. jim

Yeah, Jim; good point. That's why the battery powered screwdriver works so well. You can set to to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise. I make sure its NEVER deep enough into the chamber to come anywhere near the leade.