Rifle Cleaning Procedure & Products?

[Brydawg512]

Hello,

I am due to clean my first custom rifle after its first time out for this year's hunting season.

What products are you all using to clean your rifles? What is your process/procedure for doing so?

Thank you!

 

[Brathany]

Thorroclean ended 30yrs of cleaning products, procedures, and woes. Just follow instructions on the bottles.

 

[PNW EOD]

Big support for anything Boretech. I have to ask what you're trying to clean? Is it just dirty from the field? Did it get wet? Are your groups opening up? If it's the barrel you're wanting to clean, there are a million differing opinions on technique and products, but if you're just trying to sprits it up a bit, a good wipe down with some mild rust preservative and a little tiny bit of grease on the lugs would be sufficient. If the barrel doesn't need a cleaning, you don't have to. I used to over clean all of my rifles, and now that I don't, they shoot better.

 

[WapitiBob]

I clean after almost every range session with CLR and Montana copper killer, followed with a patch of lock-ease.

 

[brcfo_outdoors]

Cleaning? What is that?

 

[MagnumManiac]

Cleaning? What is that?

LOL!

 

[Boss Hoss]

Using the search engine here is a very good thing.

 

[Tiny Tim]

While I use Bore Tech products, it is worth noting that they must be completely removed from the bore when finished. If not, they can leave traces of water behind that allow corrosion to form. Its a good practice to remove any bore cleaner completely, but this is a possible issue with their products.

 

[highfinblue]

Everyone has their own opinions, and I heard the founder of a premier barrel maker say cleaning was more hindrance than help to a barrel. Personally, when a barrel starts shooting differently is when I clean unless it got wet from weather.

 

[Laelkhunter]

You can always check with whomever built your custom rifle. They will give you a direction with what products they recommend. Personally I use Bore Tech Eliminator for the bore. It is safe and is really effective in removing copper fouling. It does not contain ammonia as some of the others do. Ammonia can be effective for removing copper, but you have to be careful not to let it stay in the barrel for any period of time. Read all label instructions and warnings.

 

[Gary in MD]

Too many good solvents out there to say which is best.
Don't "overdo it" with cleaning, there has been many new, quality barrels ruined by an overzealous guy with a cleaning rod and too much time on his hands.
Don't do anything unless you have a good bore guide.

 

[Brathany]

Using the search engine here is a very good thing.

Where's the fun in that?
Can you imagine a thread combining all:
Barrel cleaning
Bear cartridge
Cold welding

 

[Shane Lindsey]

I tried the "not cleaning" and after a few months in the safe, the first patch was orange. Now I clean.

Boretech for the win. Every once in a while when froggy, a little JB Bore paste to clean out the throat.

 

[DTF370]

I follow a few guys from the PRS community and found their theories to work the best for me. It's like going number two, after every time you use it, clean it.

Bore guide w/ muzzle depressed (MUST)
Two copper/carbon solvent patches
Wait 5-10 min
Copper brush one direction 2-3 passes
Two copper/carbon solvent patches
Copper brush one direction 2-3 passes
Continue until patches are clean
Dry patch to remove all solvent
Kroil patch, then patch till dry
Bore mop your chamber/throat

THEN, know your rifle. I don't like to deploy without a fouled barrel. For me that is 4 shots. In the end, as long as you aren't damaging your barrel and you're getting out what needs to be removed, you're not wrong.