MP1886 started this idea in my head on another thread. How bad are brass bore brushes? Being so much softer than barrel steel, I never considered them to possibly cause much damage. Rod wear on a muzzle, certainly. I'm cleaning less these days with the exception of newly acquired military rifles. I just got a M39 Finn at an auction that looked darker on the inside than outside. A week of work on it with brushes and patches has it being presentable but I was pretty sad at first.
Scott Ingle
Attached Files
I wish I could find that image I spoke of. It was the combination of a brass borebrush and some really powerful copper solvent. One wouldn't thing barrel steel, especially stainless, would be affected by such a solvent, but it was. To put it into words it's as though the barrel was made of paraffin and your ran a bore brush down the bore. I know shooters that never ever clean their barrel with anything but cloth swabs.
Sir is you wanted to clean that M39 bore up fast and have a nice polish, shoot paper patched bullets.
Attached Files
This will save you a lot of time.
With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.
Attached Files
Thanks for the tip reminder and I probably will go that route later. I very seldom resort to copper cleaners for the exact reason you stated. I felt that those chemicals could be pretty tough on the bore and harder to neutralize in the long run. So it'll be interesting if you find those pictures.
Scott Ingle
Attached Files
Instead of the J-B, I soaked the bore with PB Blaster (I didn't have some Kroil) and waited a day. Cleaned it a day later and got a crapload of rust and carbon out. Soak it again and repeat daily for a week and now it is back to having some shine. I didn't have to rush it so this was fine for me. Since I did give it 3 passes with the brass brush each day followed by some patches, MP1886 got my interest on the effect of those brushings.
Scott Ingle
Attached Files
Thanks for info Michael. They have several things I want to try and the prices look reasonable. I'm beginning to think finding the perfect bore cleaner is akin to the perfect cast bullet.
Scott Ingle
Attached Files
From Bartlein Barrels: In the Learn about barrels / how to clean a barrel.
We do not recommend using most paste type cleaners. These can be aggressive and like lapping etc… and if you don’t remove all of the paste before shooting you might as well have sand in the bore when the first round goes down it. It will damage the barrel. Also using paste type cleaners can keep polishing to the point and if over used will actually remove/change/effect the bore dimensions. The lands will take the most beating/wear to them. There are concerns that you can make the barrel too smooth and this also leads to copper fouling issues. Once something like this happens to the barrel it is usually damaged beyond the point it can be saved. Also using a past type cleaner with a brush is guaranteed damage to the bore. Paste cleaners like Iosso, Witch’s Brew, KG2 etc….and we’ve seen the damaged caused with these.
for the complete article,
https://www.bartleinbarrels.com/how-to-clean-a-barrel
Attached Files
Fa38...I went to their website and read that whole section. Thanks and it was very enlightening. I appreciate the 'this is what we do and why and this what we don't and why'. Learned more about patches too and they confirmed the brass brush and abrasives being bad news.
Scott Ingle
Attached Files
Back in the early 2000s when mil surplus was everywhere, I had several k98 mausers. I had a particular one hat was a Romanian contract k98. It had a brand new stock and was re blued. It was stunning. Except the bore of the rifle. You could barely see the rifling it was so pitted. I did a electrolysis cleaning to the inside. It was better but not very good.
It was just going to be a collector as they were extremly rare. So One day I took it out with a bunch of other milsurps to shoot some long range steel. I said why not try this rifle. We had a 24" ar500 plate at 850yds. I sat down and shot a couple of Greek 198gr 8x57 nazi made rounds. I walked it up to the target in 6rds. I then repeated to hit that target 7 out of 10 rds. I thought no way!
I stood up and loaded another stripper clip into the rifle. I hit that plate 5 out of 5 times offhand. I put it away and have never shot it again. I thought why not end on a perfect outing.
So just because these arrels look really bad, they can still shoot sometimes. I have had several other mausers a few Finns that looked BAD but shoot great.
Attached Files
Good shooting makes for a good time. Nicely done. Once the PB blaster soaked the rust out, the bore is looking much better. It appears to have been shot with corrosive ammo before it was confiscated by the sheriff, and then left to sit until the auction. It's already shooting ok with some loads laying around so I am optimistic. I have 2 Krags. One a beautiful bore; the other a sewer pipe. Of course the crappy one shoots great and the good one is the dog. Go figure.
Scott Ingle
Attached Files
I been using bronze brushes since the 70's. I never damaged a bore. Tried the plastic ones. Epic fail lol.
Attached Files
It always makes me laugh when I hear people say to make sure that you use a cleaning rod and jag that is softer than barrel steel so you don’t hurt the bore, but then they turn around and say they shun bronze brushes because it will damage their bore. I want to see someone scratch a piece of stainless, or 4140 with a piece of bronze. I think I will be waiting for a long time! Lol.
Attached Files
My conclusion so far; it's the stuff on the bronze brush more than the brush. I appreciate all the tips and will periodically (ie. when another old military rifle drags it's way here) use things like Kroil, PB Blaster for rusty ones; and Ed's red, Hoppes and other non abrasives the rest of the time for carbon crap. I'm fortunate that taking my time is not a problem and the rifle can sit on the cradle as long as necessary. More care with rod not touching the bore too.
Scott Ingle
Attached Files
CoalCrackerAl posted this 2 days ago
Concealment is not cover.........
Attached Files
Never noticed a problem with bronze brushes that I know of. Maybe loading one up with an abrasive cleaner would do it but I've never used any always depending on the miracle of chemical action. Sweets a time or two in drastic situations but I try to stay away from ammonia cleaners.
Attached Files
Hoppes #9. Chicks dig it. Better than Old Spice or Aqua Velva.
With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.
Attached Files
Larry is right, lots of voodoo about bore cleaninga and bore cleaning isn't the only thing in shooting lore. Take bore conditioning as just one of many examples, A barrel maker says it improves accuracy and bore life, without a shred of evidence, and we're off and running and telling new shooters it's a necessity.
Maybe our early religious training conditions us to think accepting things on faith instead of being skeptical and demanding evidence is a virtue. We would still be running around in fur pants clubbing our neighbors if some of our ancestors hadn't been skeptical of the accepted ways of doing things. Just a random thought.
John
Attached Files
Try to find some Free-all penetrating oil. This stuff is the best I have found to help remove carbon from a barrel. Soak it then then let it sit overnight. Works better and faster than Kroil. It really gets under the carbon and you can brush it out easy.
Attached Files
Tracked some Free-all down at my local O'Reilly store so I'll give it a try. Thanks
Scott Ingle
Attached Files
