Author Topic: Barrel care (Read 1354 times)

Sweet 6.5 · « **on:** September 24, 2007, 07:04:34 AM »

How and when do you clean your barrel ?
I use a multi action cleaner and a bore snake every time I
come back from the range. I am not sure if this is enough. I
normally shoot about 20 shots per range session.

I also have an extra strength copper solvent. How often can, have I to use
this? After about every 5 sessions (+/- 100 rounds) ?
Or can I use this every time?
How easy is it to damage the barrel with this solvent?

Brithunter · « **Reply #1 on:** September 24, 2007, 10:27:17 AM »

Well I am sorry to say that personally that bore snakes are like Pull throughs and unless your very ............................................... very carefull they can cause severe muzzle wear. The best way to clean a barrel is with a proper cleaning rod. Not only that but each barrel is a law until them selves on how much they foul and how often they require cleaning.

Sweet 6.5 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 24, 2007, 06:57:08 PM »

That is not what I wanted to hear!!

Brithunter · « **Reply #3 on:** September 24, 2007, 11:22:44 PM »

Sorry but I cannot help the facts. Rifle barrels vary on the frequency of cleaning required some may shoot many rounds before accuracy drops off due to fouling however others may require cleaning after only 20 rounds. just like some barrels require a fouling shot or two before it settles down after cleaning others put the first shot in the same group.

Now the Le Enfield rifles were supplied with pull throughs as were the german K98's and many of them have damaged crowns and muzzles as the result. It's just too easy to get teh pull through or bore snake in your case rubbing against one side or spot on the muzzle and so enlarging it in that spot. This of course does not help accuracy at all. Improper use of a cleaning rod could do the same thing but as rods are generally pushed through from the breech the chances are less. Good steel rods also don't pick up debris and take them through the bore something of what I am not sure is true of a Bore Snake.

Of course there is the school of thought which says that more barrels a ruined though over and poor cleaning than by shooting them.

I can only suggest that you try shooting your rifle until you notice a change in accuracy then cleaning it unless it has got damp of course which could mean corrosion in the bore. Only you can make the call and decide what to do. aain Sorry.

Mikey · « **Reply #4 on:** September 25, 2007, 01:10:11 AM »

Sweet 6.5: I clean my barrels, chamber and bolt faces after each range session, regardless of the number of rounds downrange. When I shoot my older mil-surps I may not have to clean the barrel for a hundred rounds or so or until it 'looks dirty'. If she looks clean I may just dry patch the chamber and make certain rounds chamber easily.

If I'm shooting one of my more 'custom' rifles' I will probably clean after every 20 rounds or so. I used to have a Remington 788 in 308 that got dirty just thinking about going to the range. I am not overstating when I tell you that I had to clean that barrel every 5 rounds or the dang groups would open right up.

I don't use the bore snakes or any of the pull-through cleaning tips. I use a good quality rod, brass if I can find them, and wrap tape around the rod in different spots so I get a good centered patch down the barrel without dinging the crown. I use Hoppes #9, soak the bore and let it sit for a bit, scrub it with a tornado brush or a good brass brush and then clean up with more Hoppes. Then I dry patch the chamber and bore until they are dry and clean. HTH. Mikey.

beemanbeme · « **Reply #5 on:** September 25, 2007, 05:29:06 AM »

On a range session, I shoot my rifles until I notice a falling off of accuracy. Unless I'm doing some sort of load development. Then I'm a little more righteous. Brithunter is right in that you have to kinda kinow the rifle. Some gather copper and fouling more rapidly than others. Often, at the range, a dry brush, followed by a couple of dry patches will keep the rifle shooting or a couple of passes with a bore snake. FROM THE CHAMBER END. I would think that the bulk of the bore snake would preclude any sort of abnormal wear on the muzzle if any moderate attempt is made to center the pull of the snake. And too, one has to wonder just how many passes it would take before any sort of abnormal wear would take place.
I am fortunate that I have my range outside my reloading shop and I can bring my rifle(s) in for attention at my leisure. One thing I do however is run a patch or two down the bore that is wet with Hoppes or Kroil as soon as I bring them in while the bore is still warm. It may be a day or two before I clean the rfile but the oil keeps the crud from setting up.
I assume you always use a bore guide.

Don Fischer · « **Reply #6 on:** September 25, 2007, 06:56:26 AM »

I clean with Hoppe's every trip back to the house. Then with Sweet's as the mood strikes me or accuracy falls off. About the bore snake. what's that thing made of that it would wear out metal noticeably in a reasonably short time. My barrels are made out of steel. If I am to believe a snake will harm the crown and the snake is made of some type cotton material, how often can I wipe down my receiver with a silicone rag before I wear a hole thru it?

Atlas · « **Reply #7 on:** September 27, 2007, 05:41:04 PM »

I agree with Don, how can the cotton or nylon of the bore snake harm anything in the chamber, barrel, or crown . At the range, I use the bore snake for cleaning the barrel after every 10 shots (I alternate between 2 boresnakes). Once I get home, I give the standard patch and brush treatment. After a while and several trips to the range, I get to know how my rifle likes to be shot. Does it shoot better with a clean barrel, or does it like to have a few fouling shots to tighten things up? That's the fun part of figuring out the mystery of what makes your rifle happy.

Atlas

Brithunter · « **Reply #8 on:** September 29, 2007, 10:29:24 PM »

Well it's well documented that the Military Pull through's did cause muzzle damage and the ones I have for the Le No4 have hessian string so? Mine are new and have never been used.

weasel · « **Reply #9 on:** September 30, 2007, 03:50:34 AM »

Reminds me of the inmate who cut thru cell bars using dental floss and ajax for a cutting medium. Have to do lots of cleaning to damage your bore, definitely possible though.

SuperstitionCoues · « **Reply #10 on:** October 01, 2007, 06:05:09 AM »

Quote from: Atlas on September 27, 2007, 05:41:04 PM

I agree with Don, how can the cotton or nylon of the bore snake harm anything in the chamber, barrel, or crown . At the range, I use the bore snake for cleaning the barrel after every 10 shots (I alternate between 2 boresnakes). Once I get home, I give the standard patch and brush treatment. After a while and several trips to the range, I get to know how my rifle likes to be shot. Does it shoot better with a clean barrel, or does it like to have a few fouling shots to tighten things up? That's the fun part of figuring out the mystery of what makes your rifle happy.

Atlas

I must agree with you al on this point. A snake or barrel weasel, as Browning calls them, isn't going to cause significant wear when periodically used in the field or the range. Maybe the examples by Brithunter are true; I think the tool used might have changed in the 50-100 year period between the Lee-Enfield and my weapon of today. Also, why would Browning market these for their firearms if they were detrimental? Same concepts for the Tico tool for Shotguns...

I don't think significant barrel, muzzle or crown wear problems are going to be caused by a cloth fiber run once or a while over the surface... that is just ludicris.

Brithunter · « **Reply #11 on:** October 03, 2007, 04:43:37 AM »

Hmmm I wonder about this,

Quote

Also, why would Browning market these for their firearms if they were detrimental?

Well in today's throw away world perhaps Browning want you to wear out your barrel so they can sell you another rifle!

On my one and only (so far) hunting trip in a distant country I simply packed some cleaning brushes and jags with a pile of pre cut patches a bottle of bore cleaner and the rod I put under the foam in the aluminum gun case. In fact two of the brothers that I was hunting with borrowed it after a rain storm. I was not a problem however this trip did not require the use of a light aircraft which of course some trips do need.

beemanbeme · « **Reply #12 on:** October 03, 2007, 05:14:54 AM »

Brit, what is a "hessian string'? Is it a single string with a weight on one end and a loop for a patch on the other? Are you familiar with a bore snake?

Brithunter · « **Reply #13 on:** October 03, 2007, 11:45:42 PM »

Hi ,

Well I have seen the bore snakes but I would not say that I am familiar with them. The Hessiann is braided like twine and yes it has a weight either brass or steel depending on year it was made with a loop for 4"x2" flannel, it also has a gauze to act as a bronze brush. I just unwraped a new WW2 era one to look more closely at it. They were stored in the butt trap of the Le Enflied rifles along with an oil bottle. Armourers had a White leather pull through and alos access to cleaning rods.

beemanbeme · « **Reply #14 on:** October 04, 2007, 04:24:07 AM »

I would say that if a person were to let the lead in portion of a bore snake get excessively gritty by dropping it on the ground or whatever and were to draw it out in a sidewise manner at exactly the same point, he could cause damage to his crown over time. One of the nice things about a bore snake is it can be run thru the washing machine.
I've never thought of the BS as a primary tool for cleaning but it is handy to tuck one in a baggy and have it handy in a pocket or a corner of a day pack. When I learnt the hard way to keep a strip of electrician's tape over the muzzle of my rifle, I would have given a good bit for a bore snake.

SuperstitionCoues · « **Reply #15 on:** October 04, 2007, 05:46:02 PM »

Quote from: Brithunter on October 03, 2007, 11:45:42 PM

Hi ,

Well I have seen the bore snakes but I would not say that I am familiar with them. The Hessiann is braided like twine and yes it has a weight either brass or steel depending on year it was made with a loop for 4"x2" flannel, it also has a gauze to act as a bronze brush. I just unwraped a new WW2 era one to look more closely at it. They were stored in the butt trap of the Le Enflied rifles along with an oil bottle. Armourers had a White leather pull through and alos access to cleaning rods.

There is your problem... you are looking at a WWII item instead of today's modern product. I would suggest you do; I don't think you know what you are talking about in a 21st century sense.

Brithunter · « **Reply #16 on:** October 04, 2007, 10:24:49 PM »

Hmmm well one of the drawbacks of lever action rifles is the need to clean from the muzzle. This is a basic problem and seeing as how a cleaning rod is no real hardship to pack after all sectional rods are available I will stick with using proper tools. I am afraid that not all things new are good, I found that out the hard way with a new scientific super dooper cleaning fluid.

Slufoot · « **Reply #17 on:** October 05, 2007, 12:10:09 AM »

Quote from: Brithunter on October 04, 2007, 10:24:49 PM

Hmmm well one of the drawbacks of lever action rifles is the need to clean from the muzzle.

Give me a screwdriver and 30 seconds and I'll have a Marlin 1894, 1895 or 336 ready for cleaning from the breech.

GOOD SHOOTING!
Slufoot

maver · « **Reply #18 on:** October 06, 2007, 06:12:54 AM »

was reading through this topic but as a newbe to highpower rifles I am getting myself a steyr 6.5x55 and was wondering what the best procedure is to break in the new barrel.

Do i clean it through first with a few dry patches to clean of any gunk from when it was manufactured and fire the first shot then give it a brash brush and a clean with hoppes and run a few patches again. and copy these steps for about 5 shots or so?

anyone got any thoughts.

Brithunter · « **Reply #19 on:** October 06, 2007, 07:49:28 AM »

Well I clean a new rifle just as if it's been used as well it has because it has been proof fired. So I use nitro solvent ans a bronze brush swab out the bore then dry it. I then shoot a round and clean for 5 shots the shoot 3 and clean a further 5 times. After that I keep an eye on the bore to watch for fouling until I get used to how this rifle like things.