Barrel cleaning process?

[BIG DOG]

What is the best barrel cleaning process? I want to get the most out of my Rem 700VS .308. Is there any good books that go into extensive detail? I have fired only three shots through the barrel since I bought it, and I would like to break the barrel in. Okay, so I guess I am wanting the complete barrel break in process. I plan on using 150 grain FMJ-BT for the break in process.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Check any custom barrel manufacturers web site and you will find their recommended technique. Funny thing is that they will all be different. Kind of like breaking in a barrel, everyone knows how but they all do it differently.

Make life easy for yourself. Spray some WipeOut up the bore and just leave it over night. Vawalla---its done.

 

[Roscoe]

In my opinion there is no singular way to clean a barrel. There are many items to consider, not the least of which is the type of barrel steel. Type of cartridge and number of rounds would probably be next.

There are many cleaning fluids out there with varying degrees of usefulness, ask your shooting buddies what they use and more importantly why they do so.

I suggest that it is also important to keep your barrel coated between uses, personal preference is 50/50 mixture of Hoppes #9 and Penetrene, I got this froma BR shooter and it works well. Patch out before using the rifle.

Roscoe

 

[Roll-Yur-Own]

Get wipeout and wipeout accelerator (makes wipeout work faster). You will see the copper drip out. The have a new product now called patch out. Wipeout is foam and Patchout is liquid.

Apply the accelerator with a patch, spray the wipeout or apply the patchout leave it overnight and run a few patches down the barrel. Third patch should be totally white. They say it has lubricants and you don't need to oil but I put a light coat of FP-10 on after I'm done anyway.

 

[EddieHarren]

Vawalla? ***?

 

[Charles A]

Do yourself a favor and just shoot your gun. When it stops shooting accurately- clean it with wipeout, then shoot it some more.

Our 308's may get cleaned every couple hundred rounds.......



If you insist on "breakin in your barrel" here's how you do it....... grin

YouTube - Proper Barrel Break-in Procedure

 

[Jeff In TX]

Get wipeout and wipeout accelerator (makes wipeout work faster). You will see the copper drip out. The have a new product now called patch out. Wipeout is foam and Patchout is liquid.

Apply the accelerator with a patch, spray the wipeout or apply the patchout leave it overnight and run a few patches down the barrel. Third patch should be totally white. They say it has lubricants and you don't need to oil but I put a light coat of FP-10 on after I'm done anyway.

Roll-Yur-Own,

Our cleaning methods are so close

I use WipeOut Accelerator and Wipeout foam. I send patches soaked with Wipeout Accelerator down the bore until they mostly come out clean, this usually takes about 5 or 6 patches. This gets the bulk of the gunk out. I then scrub the barrel with a nylon brush and send 2 more patches of Wipeout accelerator through. I never use any type of bronze or metal bore brushes, nylon works great.

Next I shoot wipeout foam through the barrel and let it soak for about 6 hours. I used the nylon brush again to scrub the wipeout foam and push the rest of the gunk out of the barrel. I patch it clean which usually takes another 5 or 6 patches to come out clean. I then send 2 soaked patches of Kroil down the barrel and dry patch it dry with two patches...Done. Under a borescope my barrel is pristine and this is a no fuss way to clean a barrel.

Wipeout products makes cleaning simple and easy and scrubbing with a nylon bore brush isn't a big deal. Maybe adds another minute or so to the process.

 

[Roll-Yur-Own]

I heard there were issues with Nylon Brushes. Can't remember what they were.

I used the foam but I thought I'd give the patchout a try.

I've never scrubed and my barrel looks perpect.

 

[Boss Hoss]

I heard there were issues with Nylon Brushes. Can't remember what they were.

I used the foam but I thought I'd give the patchout a try.

I've never scrubed and my barrel looks perpect.

What does it look like with a bore scope?? Would be willing to bet it is fouled pretty good esp with carbon. Scoped too many that folks swore up and down they were spotless because the "soaked" patch sat for 24 hours and came out white..

 

[Boss Hoss]

What is the best barrel cleaning process? I want to get the most out of my Rem 700VS .308. Is there any good books that go into extensive detail? I have fired only three shots through the barrel since I bought it, and I would like to break the barrel in. Okay, so I guess I am wanting the complete barrel break in process. I plan on using 150 grain FMJ-BT for the break in process.

Try this and even if you do not follow the instructions to the letter it will still be good information (cleaning is like witchcraft to some). Speedy does use this process when he cleans (have watched him many times) and this is particularly good for the novice to gain a better understanding of the process in general.

Dave


Proper Barrel Break-in
ensures long Barrel Life

Proper barrel break-in procedures are crucial for top accuracy and performance. More barrels are damaged by cleaning rods than by any amount of regular shooting a person may do. If not done correctly, one can do more harm than good.

The barrel break-in technique we endorse, is the "Speedy Method" named after Speedy Gonzalez, owner of S.G.& Y Rifles. Speedy is well known in Benchrest disciplines; national champion, world record holder, and Hall of Fame inductee in the National Benchrest Shooters Association (NBRSA). He has given permission to share with you, his expert advice on the correct method of barrel break-in and cleaning.


Rifle Cleaning the Right Way
Barrel break-in. Many of our customers upon taking delivery of their new rifle or barrel are in a quandary as how to go about breaking in their rifle for maximum life and accuracy. With so much written in magazines these days stating use this, don't use that, brush, don't brush...what's a person to do?? At S.G.& Y. Rifles, we have a unique opportunity to inspect many rifle barrels on a daily basis with our video borescope. Consequently, we see the results of a variety of barrel break-in and cleaning procedures, and most of them leave the rifle owners with their mouth agape when they see the fruits of their misinformed labor on our color monitor. We have seen practically new barrels ruined with less than a hundred rounds shot through them by some of the crazy and sometimes humorous barrel break-in methods. Anyway here goes for what it's worth.

A. Bore guides- If you don't have one, get one! Without a good bore guide you are just wasting your time trying to break-in a barrel or cleaning it for that matter. More rifle barrels are destroyed by cleaning without a bore guide than by shooting! There are many types and brands of bore guides available on the market and range in price from $5.00 to $50.00. The only one we recommend is the Lucas two-piece bore guide. They are the best insurance you can buy for that new barrel. All other bore guides in my opinion are only good for keeping the solvents out of the trigger and action.


B. Solvents - We recommend Sweets 7.62 for copper and a *solvent mix of our own (Actually Pat McMillan gave me this formula) for powder fouling and for cleaning/storing your rifle for the next match or season. This Speedy Formula is made as follows:

Mix 2/3 rds. Hoppes No. 9 Plus Black Powder solvent with 1/3rd. Regular Hoppes No. 9 Nitro solvent. Let this mixture set overnight and it will form a sort of gel that adheres very well to the brush and cuts powder fouling to a minimum.

* Note: Butches Boreshine may be substituted for this Speedy formula.


C. Procedure for "Break-in" - Before firing that first shot, clean the barrel as if it had been shot by following these simple steps.

Step 1. Insert Lucas bore guide into receiver and chamber. If you don't have one stop here and get one, if not, just shoot your rifle and forget trying to take any care of your barrel at all. If you do have one, proceed, and give yourself one "At-A-Boy" for being astute enough to have purchased the proper tools for the job.

Note: One "Aw-****" wipes out ALL "At-A-Boys".

Step 2. Run one wet patch of Sweets through the bore and let soak for approximately 30 seconds. Do not patch this out.

Step 3. Next, run the brush through the barrel only enough to expose the entire brush. Yes, I know that you still have 12 more inches of cleaning rod you could push out the end of your barrel but we want to protect that new crown. Also, if that rod hangs out that far, you will eventually start wearing down the rifling at the crown from about 4 to 7 o'clock. This is very bad "JU-JU" for accuracy. OK, back to our next step. Once the brush is exposed, saturate it well with our Speedy Formula or Butch's Boreshine and SLOWLY run the brush through the barrel 10 complete back and forth passes while keeping the rod as straight as possible. This is when the Lucas bore guide really pays for itself! Remember, the key word is slowly. We are not trying to break any land speed records today. Let this sit a minute or two and proceed to the next step.

Step 4. After you have let the barrel soak for a few moments, saturate a patch with the Speedy Formula or Butch's Boreshine and pass it through the bore. Follow this with 2 dry patches and then dry the chamber with Brake Kleen or lighter fluid. Next, gently wipe the crown off with a soft cloth and lube your bolt (lets not gall the lugs just yet). Now, your ready to shoot your first shot. Then follow the schedule below to complete your barrel break-in.

1. Clean barrel / lube bolt / 1 shot.

2. Clean barrel / lube bolt / 5 shots.

3. Clean barrel / lube bolt / 10 shots.

4. Clean barrel / lube bolt / 10 to 15 shots and clean again.


D. Additional Barrel Break-in and Cleaning Tips -

1. Each time you clean you may also follow the last dry patch with a patch soaked with LOCK-EEZ. This is a graphite powder suspended in a quick evaporating carrier that coats the bore slightly before passing that first round through a completely dry bore.

2. We are always asked about powder fouling and how to remove it. The only product that we have seen that really does a good job on powder fouling, especially on the carbon ring that forms just ahead of where the neck ends in the chamber, is IOSSO Bore Paste. This is used with a Pro-Shot nylon bristle brush and worked slowly in the neck and throat areas, then slowly down the entire bore. Follow this up with a few wet patches, then dry the bore as usual, and your ready to shoot.



E. Follow the outline above for your regular cleaning program and I promise that your rifle barrels will deliver their greatest accuracy and life without a lot of grief and hours of wondering if they are clean.

Good Shooting,

Speedy Gonzalez

 

[Derek M.]

I have found the KG system to work very well. The KG 1, powder solvent works on the "black" fouling better than any other product that I've seen, other than Amsoil fully synthetic automatic transmission fluid.

Just my opinion but I think so many of us focus on the copper fouling, which, in a handlapped bbl (in theory) really should not be much of an issue. But the carbon fouling shows no immunity to any barrel. Plus, this black fouling can glaze in the bore, making it very very difficult to remove. I focus on it mostly during the first 50-80 rounds.