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Cleaning the bore...

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  • Dougw1515

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    Anybody got advice or product for bore cleaning???? When I come back from the range I typically have 3-4 pistols to clean. Cleaning the )(*&*^&%*)&) bores is a pain-in-the-ass. It probably takes me 45-60 minutes per bore to get it pretty clean. I'm using Hoppe's Traditional foaming bore cleaner, Hoppe's #9 Gun Bore Cleaner and then some "Eliminator Bore Cleaner" I got off Amazon.

    Method I use:

    1.) Fill bore with Hoppe's foaming bore cleaner - set it aside.
    2.) After foam dissipates I swab bore with patch and either Hoppe's #9 Gun bore cleaner or the Eliminator Bore Cleaner - set it aside.
    3.) 5 or so minutes later I use the phosphor bronze brush 50 strokes in one direction 50 strokes in the other direction.
    4.) Remove bore cleaner using patch/jag until all cleaner is removed. Patch comes out clean.
    5.) Take q-tip swab and saturate with bore cleaner and swab bore - comes out with black contamination on it.
    6.) Repeat steps 1 though 5

    I'll go through that loop 4-5 times. I have yet to get the q-tip in step 6 to come out 100% clean. It comes out mostly clean with a little grey from some areas. I look down the barrel and the corner created by the rifling land still looks grey but I have never been able to eliminate that. Got me to thinking about a sonic cleaner filled with bore cleaner and do all the barrels at one time. Anyone have a better method or product to cut down on the time required?
    Guns International
     

    Sam7sf

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    Oh boy. I love these threads. Let the ocd begin.

    I used to put a lot of detail into cleaning. Just buy hoppes oil, some clp spray, some rags, some q-tips, hoppes bore solvent and a bore snake. Just be done with it.
     

    Bozz10mm

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    JMHO, but I think you are spending to much time and energy cleaning the bore. Unless you are shooting a lot of lead ammo, you don't even need the bore foam. I usually run a patch wet with CLP down the tube, let it sit 10 minutes, then a few (2 or3) passes with a brass brush.
    Then another wet patch, followed by as many dry patches as it takes to get most of the carbon out. Usually about 5 patches. I never have gotten a 100% clean patch either. :)

    50 strokes of the bronze brush each way? Seriously? Unless you clean the brush between uses, it's going to leave some residue in the barrel every time.
     
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    Dougw1515

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    JMHO, but I think you are spending to much time and energy cleaning the bore. Unless you are shooting a lot of lead ammo, you don't even need the bore foam. I usually run a patch wet with CLP down the tube, let it sit 10 minutes, then a few (2 or3) passes with a brass brush.
    Then another wet patch, followed by as many dry patches as it takes to get most of the carbon out. Usually about 5 patches. I never have gotten a 100% clean patch either. :)

    50 strokes of the bronze brush each way? Seriously? Unless you clean the brush after each pass, it's going to leave some residue in the barrel every time.
    Absolutely correct! Now... I'm trying to figure out how to reduce time/effort w/o leaving bore dirty!
     

    Wiliamr

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    You will never get a perfectly clean patch out of a bore shot with smokeless powder. You might with a bore shot with black powder. The nitro in smokeless creats some incredible carbon bonding and getting a grey patch is pretty much as good as it gets. DONOT forget to run an oily patch into bore after cleaning. The bare stripped steel will begin to rust almost immediately. It is counterintuitive, but the closer you get to a stripped clean bore the more likely the bore will rust. In many respects the light carbon fouling prevents the bore from being totally exposed to the atmospheric humidity.
     

    Dougw1515

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    Copper jacketed... Whether the bore "needs" to be THAT clean is debatable I suppose. What I'm looking for is a method/materials to get it THAT clean with reduced effort/time. Still wondering about a sonic cleaner with bore cleaner solution.

    ETA: I do swab with gun oil or spray the bore with clp once I'm done cleaning...
     

    Geezer

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    I just use soap and water.

    Glock Washing.jpg
     

    Moonpie

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    Gunz are icky.
    You don't have to clean that thoroughly when using jacketed ammo.
    A few patches and passes of the bore brush is plenty.
    If you just gotta: get a large sealable container, fill it with Hoppe's, drop all the barrels in container, let'em soak for a couple of days. Maybe swirl the container once or twice. Remove barrels and run a few patches thru them. No need to scrub with bore brush.
    Slow and easy but takes a bit of patience.
    What is more important IMO is a clean chamber and breech face. A few twists with a bore brush in the chamber and cleaning of the breech face will keep the gun functioning properly.
    IMO, your going overboard on the bore scrubbing.
    Now, if you're shooting lead bullets, especially a ,22lr, you'll need to scrub the bore enough to get it clean. I usually have to do the brushing thing two times. Wet the bore, let it soak, about 10 minutes, brush it out a few passes, then patch it out until its dry, re-wet, allow to soak another 10-15minutes, then brush and patch. Almost always comes out good. If the leading is still present then another soak-brush-patch.
    Bore brushes wear out rather quickly so have plenty on hand. Toss them after three-four uses as needed.
    I like to use a 223 rifle bore brush in the chamber of .22lr.
     

    toddnjoyce

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    Hoppe’s foaming cleaner and one pass with a bore snake.

    I’ve used commercial grade ultrasonic sonic cleaners and they do a decent enough job, but if you’re spending an hour per barrel, I don’t know that you’ll be satisfied with the US result unless you quit looking at patches.
     

    Dougw1515

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    You don't have to clean that thoroughly when using jacketed ammo.
    A few patches and passes of the bore brush is plenty.
    If you just gotta: get a large sealable container, fill it with Hoppe's, drop all the barrels in container, let'em soak for a couple of days. Maybe swirl the container once or twice. Remove barrels and run a few patches thru them. No need to scrub with bore brush.
    Slow and easy but takes a bit of patience.
    What is more important IMO is a clean chamber and breech face. A few twists with a bore brush in the chamber and cleaning of the breech face will keep the gun functioning properly.
    IMO, your going overboard on the bore scrubbing.
    Now, if you're shooting lead bullets, especially a ,22lr, you'll need to scrub the bore enough to get it clean. I usually have to do the brushing thing two times. Wet the bore, let it soak, about 10 minutes, brush it out a few passes, then patch it out until its dry, re-wet, allow to soak another 10-15minutes, then brush and patch. Almost always comes out good. If the leading is still present then another soak-brush-patch.
    Bore brushes wear out rather quickly so have plenty on hand. Toss them after three-four uses as needed.
    I like to use a 223 rifle bore brush in the chamber of .22lr.
    I like the "... soak in a sealed container..." That might very well go a long way in speeding up the process. Just gotta get more bore cleaner!

    I like using a larger caliber bore brush. I just tried that before reading this post and it seems to really help with getting the carbon out quicker. The 9m brushes I had been using created very little resistance in brushing the bore. As long as using a larger brush, with in reason, does no harm I'm good with that!

    I think the combination of the two will aid greatly in reducing time/effort. Thanks!


    Hoppe’s foaming cleaner and one pass with a bore snake.

    I’ve used commercial grade ultrasonic sonic cleaners and they do a decent enough job, but if you’re spending an hour per barrel, I don’t know that you’ll be satisfied with the US result unless you quit looking at patches.

    That I'm "Anal Arnold" is beyond question. The hump I have trouble getting over is "If I'm going to clean the bore - how can I still see crud in it and call it clean?" I do all my own maintenance on my truck. Wash and detail it myself for the same reason. Don't trust folks to care as much about it as I do.
     

    seeker_two

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    That place east of Waco....
    My post-range routine is to plug the muzzle with paper towel, fill with foaming bore cleaner, and let it soak while I clean the other parts. When I'm done with the rest, I run a rifle-length bore snake treated with CLP through the barrel 4-5 times. Works like a charm.

    Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
     

    Dougw1515

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    You guys clean your guns?

    Strange.

    I buy guns that run dirty. If not I clean them at the range after they fail. This helps tell me which ones not to grab in an emergency.

    It sounds like some of y'all are trying to get the rifling out of there.
    If we were all the same... there'd only be one brand of toilet paper!!! :laughing:
     

    oldag

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    I dip the brush in Hoppes and make a few passes. Then on to patches soaked with Hoppes. After about four patches, a dry patch to absorb any Hoppes left. Then an oil soaked patch. Ditto for the chamber.
     

    SQLGeek

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    I used to chase clean white patches while cleaning. In milsurps you can imagine how long that took.

    I gave up on that and go for "close enough for government work" now. That is if I even remember to clean my guns. Other than my revolvers, I don't clean anything for 2-3 range trips. I'm probably 2000 rounds into my 10/22 Takedown without a cleaning. I'm now waiting to see how long that will run until it fails before I clean it again.

    A liberal dousing of Ballistol in the bores and actions. Let it sit for about 20 minutes and then a few swipes with a bore snake. A couple of passes with a cleaning brush and then a patch or two on a jag if I'm feeling like it. Clean the rest of the gun with rags and nylon bristle brush and call it good.
     
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