Barrel cleaning

[Jasbo]

First I'm an Army Medic not a Marine Grunt; but, a Chem Degree and career in Electro-Mechanical repair and sales, along with a strong case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, put me in a strong position when I began Reloading in retirement 12 years ago. To keep this my first post short: 1) I purposely maintain a healthy degree of skepticism, and 2) don't forget Flitz, JB, valve seating preps, etc., by design profile (machine) so be cautious. Just saying; no JB gonna see the bores of my cut and lapped barrels. Especially in these times when Wipeout, Bore Tech, et.al. are readily available for world-class carbon and copper removal. Not denying Elbow Grease required also. Staying safe & well, Jasbo

 

[VinceMule]

Jasbo, welcome to the site, and thank you for your service!

Don't forget the Teslong bore scope to pull an audit on your own gun cleaning!

 

[purpledragon]

2 questions for everyone. How often do you clean your barrel with a copper remover and if you have a bore scope how clean is clean enough. I noticed accuracy was starting to fall off on my .257 weatherby so I figured I would give it a good cleaning. I recently picked up a borescope and I noticed the barrel looks quite clean except for a 4-5" area near the middle of the barrel still has a fair bit of copper in the lands. Should I clean again and get this copper cleaned out or call that good. I haven't fired it since cleaning to see if accuracy has come back or not.

Get her clean.........All the way clean!! IMHO!!

 

[xsn10s]

I just read a post by a F Class shooter. He claims all the competitors he knows are using an abrasive cleaner. I use JB, he was pushing ThorroClean. I'm fine with either an abrasive copper solvent when used properly. That 4-5 inch area in the middle of the barrel could be a rough section, or a largerer diameter area of the bore. I'd do like BrentM says and shoot it to see.

 

[Jauberger]

I use a foaming bore cleaner, let set overnight, then patch out, check again

 

[Radman]

2 questions for everyone. How often do you clean your barrel with a copper remover and if you have a bore scope how clean is clean enough. I noticed accuracy was starting to fall off on my .257 weatherby so I figured I would give it a good cleaning. I recently picked up a borescope and I noticed the barrel looks quite clean except for a 4-5" area near the middle of the barrel still has a fair bit of copper in the lands. Should I clean again and get this copper cleaned out or call that good. I haven't fired it since cleaning to see if accuracy has come back or not.

I clean firearms after every outing whether I fire 300 rounds (shotguns), or even just 1 shot (rifle). Afterwards they always get a good oil rubdown whether it's for storage or for being shot in pouring rain all day long the next time.
I use the same cleaning technique for any type firearm: 1) Using 2 patches get the barrel I.D. soaked with Hoppes #9. 2) Run a dry patch through. 3) Run a bronze brush soaked with Hoppes through once, both directions. 4) Run wet patches through, both directions, until fairly clean. 5) Run dry patches through until they come out clean & dry. 6) Run an oiled patch both directions through bore. 7) Clean trigger assembly, bolt & receiver internals thoroughly with Q-tips then oil. 8) Rub down all exterior metal & wood, (if applicable), with light oil & secure.
Next outing I fire 1 fouling shot which is rarely needed.
Overkill? Admittedly. Regrets? None in 56 years.
(I don't own a borescope)

 

[VinceMule]

Radman, the Teslong bore scope that plugs into an old lap top or other device runs around $89. Military discount of 25% if that applies to you.

 

[DoneNOut]

I shoot Savage barrels and that makes me an expert on copper removal.

1. Wipe-Out/Shooters Choice foam. 2-3hr sits
2. Flush 91% alcohol on bronze brush, patch dry
3. If any copper remains, I use "The Plug" from PVA. Looks like a head space gauge with O-ring that inserts into the chamber like a round. Muzzle pointing up, fill the bore with a copper solvent. I use Hoppes black and let sit 6-8hrs. Copper always completely removed.
4. Flush with alcohol and patch lock ease into the bore. (Graphite) Using graphite I have some barrels that no longer need step 3.

 

[NW Sportsman]

2 questions for everyone. How often do you clean your barrel with a copper remover and if you have a bore scope how clean is clean enough. I noticed accuracy was starting to fall off on my .257 weatherby so I figured I would give it a good cleaning. I recently picked up a borescope and I noticed the barrel looks quite clean except for a 4-5" area near the middle of the barrel still has a fair bit of copper in the lands. Should I clean again and get this copper cleaned out or call that good. I haven't fired it since cleaning to see if accuracy has come back or not.

I use Barnes TTSX in my Benelli R I and I clean it after every use with copper cleaner and doesn't affect accuracy.

 

[emp1953]

Borescope was both my worse and my best investment. My Rem700 in 30-06 from 1969 has shot a 200yd group that a half dollar will cover since the day I started reloading. I looked down the barrel with the borescope and was depressed. Ugly describes the copper and carbon but the rifle continued to produce great groups. I ran a bunch of patches on brushes down it using Butch's. Looked at it again and still the fowling was there but the rifle shoots great, I regularly cleaned it at the end of every hunting season anyway being ignorant of the copper, until the borescope. If accuracy starts to go south then I will work again on the copper fouling. Two years ago got a buck at 394yds, a bang flop. I have a .270win Sig970shr that I also clean at the end of every season. When accuracy falters with that I will focus on copper fouling. With me, accuracy is my gauge. If accuracy falters then I start looking for causes. Regardless, my rifles are clean when I put them in the safe, I only focus on copper when the rifle tells me too. A word of advice, if using the patch on a brush method, do not use metal brushes. Most have copper in the metal and you will get a green patch for years and years.

 

[VinceMule]

Borescope was both my worse and my best investment. My Rem700 in 30-06 from 1969 has shot a 200yd group that a half dollar will cover since the day I started reloading. I looked down the barrel with the borescope and was depressed. Ugly describes the copper and carbon but the rifle continued to produce great groups. I ran a bunch of patches on brushes down it using Butch's. Looked at it again and still the fowling was there but the rifle shoots great, I regularly cleaned it at the end of every hunting season anyway being ignorant of the copper, until the borescope. If accuracy starts to go south then I will work again on the copper fouling. Two years ago got a buck at 394yds, a bang flop. I have a .270win Sig970shr that I also clean at the end of every season. When accuracy falters with that I will focus on copper fouling. With me, accuracy is my gauge. If accuracy falters then I start looking for causes. Regardless, my rifles are clean when I put them in the safe, I only focus on copper when the rifle tells me too. A word of advice, if using the patch on a brush method, do not use metal brushes. Most have copper in the metal and you will get a green patch for years and years.

I am sorry to say, many think like this.

Unfortunately, when the accuracy falters, Often the carbon is cooked on so hard that you will not be able to get it out without using extreme measures.

The foundation of cleaning is good bronze bristle brushes, Pro Shot and Dewey are the best, with Timpton having 20% more bristles. The brush does most of the heavy work on getting the carbon out, and within 60 cycles of the brush, the brush dia has been reduced dramatically, Best screw on a new brush. I have never seen the years and years thing. By the time the carbon is gone, copper was removed much sooner unless it is a really rough barrel.

One other thing, in humid or wet climates, water can get under the copper, and your barrel will rust like crazy.

 

[Poe]

Update. I got the copper cleaned out and got a few rounds down the barrel. After 9 rounds the last 3 grouped right around 1 MOA so it's looking like the gun is starting to settle back down. I will shoot it again next time I can go out and see how it is. That is one downside to the 257 is it takes a long time to do very much shooting if you want to keep the barrel cool.

 

[VinceMule]

Poe, we shot a lot of rock chucks and jackrabbits with 25/06's years ago. Barrel got so hot we could not see through the scope. We used this method of cooling the barrel. We mixed rubbing alcohol 50/50 with water. Use a wash rag or something similar, and you want to put on enough solution to where the liquid is dripping off the bottom of the barrel. As the solution evaporates, it takes the heat with it. On chrome moly-blued barrels, we would always oil the barrel when we got home.

This simple technique will change your shooting.

 

[Poe]

Poe, we shot a lot of rock chucks and jackrabbits with 25/06's years ago. Barrel got so hot we could not see through the scope. We used this method of cooling the barrel. We mixed rubbing alcohol 50/50 with water. Use a wash rag or something similar, and you want to put on enough solution to where the liquid is dripping off the bottom of the barrel. As the solution evaporates, it takes the heat with it. On chrome moly-blued barrels, we would always oil the barrel when we got home.

This simple technique will change your shooting.

That's a good idea. I normally just shoot other guns in between shots with my 257. It's -19C here this morning so barrels cool off pretty fast right now by just leaving the bolt open and the barrel tilted up. I didn't get much shooting done the other day because I only had about an hr to shoot befor I had to feed cows