Buy a good kit with bronze or plastic brush and use it regularly.

Have fun in the process.

Buy a kit. Usually they have a bronze brush included if its caliber specific. Personally I wouldnt bother with a plastic bore brush. I have tried using them and they dont work.

Get break-free CLP for cleaning and protecting. Use a little wilson ultima-lube on the slide rails and your set.

I shoot almost all reloads and I have to use a brush to get all the lead out. Mostly when I am working up a load. Yes buy a brush and use it. Good luck.

Yes get both plastic and bronze brushes, also a set of dental picks to get the nooks and crannies that you just can't quite reach into.

Thanks for the tips. I'll definitely make sure I get a brush.

I checked out that Break-Free CLP stuff on their web site. Sounds like amazing stuff. They make it sound like it's all you need for cleaning, lube and protection. Probably too good to be true, but might give it a try if the price is right.

Thanks again.

Clean clean clean. Use the bore brush every time, and the advise about dental picks is priceless. In my experience the better you clean a weapon the better it will perform. Good luck and be safe!

I am lazy and prefer Boresnakes.

Originally Posted by Mike Barham

I am lazy and prefer Boresnakes.

Yeah, but then you have to catch mice to feed the Boresnakes, otherwise they get hungry, grouchy, and can turn on you.



WM

It's worth it to have a bore brush. If you can find one for your caliber, get a Tynex (plastic) bristle brush. It works just as well cleaning fouling, but doesn't scratch metal so cleaning it every time you shoot it won't damage the barrel like copper-brass bristles can. It comes in especially handy if you plan on shooting cheap ammo (Monarch, Blazer, up to and including WWB); a lot of these ammos burn very dirty and really foul the barrel. You can use dozens of patches to get the stuff back out of the rifling, or a quick scrub with the brush can mean you only need three or four. You'll want a stiff toothbrush to scrub the fouling off the breech and back block as well. Use an old one, or just buy a new one with the stiffest bristles and the smallest head they have available.

It's also worth it to have a swab, especially if your solvent and lubricant aren't best buds. Your standard Hoppes' gun oil and solvent are totally soluble, and if you leave it a bit damp with solvent and run an oiled patch through the solvent will just evaporate and the oil stays put. However, combinations involving non-petroleum lubes, dry lubes or moly grease don't mix happily, and if the surface was solvent-wetted and not dried the solvent will evaporate leaving holes in your lube and rust protection.

Basic cleaning kit:
* Bore rod with at least 2 ends; the right diameter cleaning plug and the eyelet for running a REALLY wet patch through to soak.
* Bore brush
* Bore swab
* Patches of the right size. Get a lot; they're cheap and you cannot BELIEVE how fast you go through them.
* Handled bristle brush. a toothbrush works, as does a test tube brush found at laboratory suppliers and some restaurant supply stores. Gets the tough stuff elsewhere than inside the barrel. Also great for cleaning magazines.
* Q-tips. Again, get a lot; they're good for cleaning dirty lube and powder dust out of crevices and the slide.
* solvent; Hoppes is good, Breakfree CLP's better and it's a decent gun oil too
* light gun oil for trigger, safety and and most internal workings
* slide grease for slide/barrel, recoil guide, and sear
* Chap-Stick. Trust me, it's the best value in lubrication for mag followers you'll ever find.
* safety glasses. Solvent in the eye from a flicked brush bristle ain't fun; you can use your shooting glasses or get a dedicated pair.
* A few old rags; there are some jobs too big for patcches or a brush.
* Canned air; optional, but it gets the worst of the powder dust out of the frame and has other uses on the workbench.

Originally Posted by Liko81

It's worth it to have a bore brush. If you can find one for your caliber, get a Tynex (plastic) bristle brush. It works just as well cleaning fouling, but doesn't scratch metal so cleaning it every time you shoot it won't damage the barrel like copper-brass bristles can. It comes in especially handy if you plan on shooting cheap ammo (Monarch, Blazer, up to and including WWB); a lot of these ammos burn very dirty and really foul the barrel. You can use dozens of patches to get the stuff back out of the rifling, or a quick scrub with the brush can mean you only need three or four. You'll want a stiff toothbrush to scrub the fouling off the breech and back block as well. Use an old one, or just buy a new one with the stiffest bristles and the smallest head they have available.

It's also worth it to have a swab, especially if your solvent and lubricant aren't best buds. Your standard Hoppes' gun oil and solvent are totally soluble, and if you leave it a bit damp with solvent and run an oiled patch through the solvent will just evaporate and the oil stays put. However, combinations involving non-petroleum lubes, dry lubes or moly grease don't mix happily, and if the surface was solvent-wetted and not dried the solvent will evaporate leaving holes in your lube and rust protection.

Basic cleaning kit:
* Bore rod with at least 2 ends; the right diameter cleaning plug and the eyelet for running a REALLY wet patch through to soak.
* Bore brush
* Bore swab
* Patches of the right size. Get a lot; they're cheap and you cannot BELIEVE how fast you go through them.
* Handled bristle brush. a toothbrush works, as does a test tube brush found at laboratory suppliers and some restaurant supply stores. Gets the tough stuff elsewhere than inside the barrel. Also great for cleaning magazines.
* Q-tips. Again, get a lot; they're good for cleaning dirty lube and powder dust out of crevices and the slide.
* solvent; Hoppes is good, Breakfree CLP's better and it's a decent gun oil too
* light gun oil for trigger, safety and and most internal workings
* slide grease for slide/barrel, recoil guide, and sear
* Chap-Stick. Trust me, it's the best value in lubrication for mag followers you'll ever find.
* safety glasses. Solvent in the eye from a flicked brush bristle ain't fun; you can use your shooting glasses or get a dedicated pair.
* A few old rags; there are some jobs too big for patcches or a brush.
* Canned air; optional, but it gets the worst of the powder dust out of the frame and has other uses on the workbench.

Chap-stick...never would have thought of that

I also like Bore Snakes. They're easier to use than brushes and patches IMO. Essentially it's both in one and does everything in one motion. They can be washed and reused as well. There's no wrong way to clean a gun provided you use the proper tools and have the proper lube after it's all clean.

Originally Posted by Liko81

If you can find one for your caliber, get a Tynex (plastic) bristle brush. It works just as well cleaning fouling, but doesn't scratch metal so cleaning it every time you shoot it won't damage the barrel like copper-brass bristles can.

I'm not an expert on guns nor am I trying to start an argument, but a copper or brass brush should never damage a stainless steel barrel due to the fact that stainless is allot harder than copper or brass. I'm a mechanic by trade and most fuel injector tips on diesel engines are stainless and the only thing the manuf. recommends to remove the carbon build up is a brass or copper brush because this will not damage the delecate tip of the injector

Holy thread resurrection!

I guess I could say I "prefer" brass bore brushes but I think that's because I've never used anything else. Will a bore snake do the job just as well or better? I'm finding I scrub my poly-rifled handgun barrels WAY more than the traditional threaded rifling and I'm hoping to find something which will cut down on my scrub time. I just find it odd a poly-rifled barrel somehow retains more dirt even though the inner surface is flatter. Anyone notice this, too? Any tips?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by literaltrance

Holy thread resurrection!

I guess I could say I "prefer" [BRONZE] bore brushes but I think that's because I've never used anything else. Will a bore snake do the job just as well or better? I'm finding I scrub my poly-rifled handgun barrels WAY more than the traditional threaded rifling and I'm hoping to find something which will cut down on my scrub time. I just find it odd a poly-rifled barrel somehow retains more dirt even though the inner surface is flatter. Anyone notice this, too? Any tips?

Thanks!

Fixed fer ya.....

I've been having really good luck with S&W bore gel when things get really nasty.

Pre-swab with a patch soaked in carb cleaner.
Lookit all that crud!

Then- Fill the brush bristles with the foam, several passes later and black goo comes out, and blue goo too if there's copper.

Rinse and repeat if nec.

Admire the shine.

Originally Posted by sharkie03

I'm not an expert on guns nor am I trying to start an argument, but a copper or brass brush should never damage a stainless steel barrel due to the fact that stainless is allot harder than copper or brass. I'm a mechanic by trade and most fuel injector tips on diesel engines are stainless and the only thing the manuf. recommends to remove the carbon build up is a brass or copper brush because this will not damage the delecate tip of the injector

It is possible to scratch the surface as the bristels can get swedged or have points. Minor point.

Major point is crown damaged from using a steel rod and no crown gaurd. Also the brush body is steel and can scratch too.

Originally Posted by clanger

Fixed fer ya.....

I've been having really good luck with S&W bore gel when things get really nasty.

Pre-swab with a patch soaked in carb cleaner.
Lookit all that crud!

Then- Fill the brush bristles with the foam, several passes later and black goo comes out, and blue goo too if there's copper.

Rinse and repeat if nec.

Admire the shine.

Ooops, my bad, bronze it is.

Still a little lost though. If the cleaning agent causes blue goo to come out, wouldn't this also ruin the brush? Also, straight carb cleaner? Got a brand name you could recommend? I'd like to get the stuff tonight if possible. I've been thinking my poly-rifled barrels have been a little dirty for months now.

Originally Posted by literaltrance

Ooops, my bad, bronze it is.

Still a little lost though. If the cleaning agent causes blue goo to come out, wouldn't this also ruin the brush? Also, straight carb cleaner? Got a brand name you could recommend? I'd like to get the stuff tonight if possible. I've been thinking my poly-rifled barrels have been a little dirty for months now.

Solly I snoozed on this.... didn't get the e-mail ticlker.

Blue stuff is copper coming off the bbl. Depending on the cleaner, it may or not attack the brush. I rinse mine in water and dry between scrubbin's. Follow the driections on the can. Can't go wrong there. If yer really fouled, it'll be a mess for sure as stuff comes off....do it in increments, swab, mop up goo, start fresh.... repeat.Yer not gonna believe how much stuff you missed the first time.

Use a crown gaurd!

Paper towels are your friend (helps save on patches...no lint threads like rags can leave). Grab two rolls. It's gonna get ugly if the bore is fouled.

Carb Cleaner- good ol Gumout in a can (for bore only). Last's about 500 cleanings. At least!

Have fun!

Be careful with carb cleaner on painted finishes. Not sure about plastic parts. May have trouble there too. A guy I know wrecked a finish on a Henry rifle receiver with a solvent.

Originally Posted by MLB

Be careful with carb cleaner on painted finishes. Not sure about plastic parts. May have trouble there too. A guy I know wrecked a finish on a Henry rifle receiver with a solvent.

Its also harmful to some oil finishes. Hoppe's Blast & Clean did a very through job of unintentionally stripping the factory finish off of a set of my wood grips.

Originally Posted by clanger

Carb Cleaner- good ol Gumout in a can (for bore only). Last's about 500 cleanings. At least!

Have fun!

Yep -good points re: finish etc.

As stated- bore only, use a patch etc....

Originally Posted by MLB

Be careful with carb cleaner on painted finishes. Not sure about plastic parts. May have trouble there too. A guy I know wrecked a finish on a Henry rifle receiver with a solvent.

Originally Posted by kev74

Its also harmful to some oil finishes. Hoppe's Blast & Clean did a very through job of unintentionally stripping the factory finish off of a set of my wood grips.

Gotcha fellas. This shouldn't be a problem since this is strictly for barrel work. I usually clean indoors but when I have to break out the harder cleaning agents (I have some Barnes CR-10, NASTY stuff!!!) it's only on the barrel, so I end up taking the supplies and barrel out back and do the cleaning on my rear driveway. No other handgun parts can get harmed, and if I accidentally remove some finish from the barrel, well frankly I don't really care.

At any rate, I have used the CR-10 on a few occasions and have yet to remove whatever is inside my USP barrel. The cloth swabs are supposed to come out blue if there is any copper buildup but they come out as they went in: white (well, yellow but it's from the ammonia-based CR-10). I'm at a loss as to what is inside my USP barrel at this point and now I'm looking for an all purpose cleaner to basically strip it of everything aside from the steel. Carb cleaner would effectively serve this purpose, yes?

I would apologize to the OP for hijacking this topic but the thread is a year and a half old.

I only use the Gumout on a patch as a pre-swab to knock off the big stuff inside the bore. Not totally nec.

The bore-gel I mentioned is safe on eveything and will remove the copper/lead quickly after 'so many' passes with the brush. Lead and fouling comes out black/gray, copper blue.
It don't stink like cat puke and wont harm any finishes.

Originally Posted by RightTurnClyde

Thanks for the tips. I'll definitely make sure I get a brush.

I checked out that Break-Free CLP stuff on their web site. Sounds like amazing stuff. They make it sound like it's all you need for cleaning, lube and protection. Probably too good to be true, but might give it a try if the price is right.

Thanks again.

If you always clean your gun pretty soon after you shoot it, and if you shoot regularly, CLP is adequate, by itself. But if you let it sit for awhile with the crud on it, you may need to use some stronger solvent, first.

I clean mine within a few hours of shooting, and none of my guns get a chance to dry out because I shoot fairly often, so I can get by with spraying them down good with CLP, a quick scrub with a soft brush and a copper brush and a few patches through the bore.

Originally Posted by Bisley

If you always clean your gun pretty soon after you shoot it, and if you shoot regularly, CLP is adequate, by itself. But if you let it sit for awhile with the crud on it, you may need to use some stronger solvent, first.

I clean mine within a few hours of shooting, and none of my guns get a chance to dry out because I shoot fairly often, so I can get by with spraying them down good with CLP, a quick scrub with a soft brush and a copper brush and a few patches through the bore.

Honestly I do the same thing. I am very anal about cleaning my handguns after use. I go through stacks of 2x2 cloth and Q-tips per gun. I even use toothpicks, flossers, and cardboard paper to get junk out of areas around the extractor.

Still, I seem to be spending way too much time and effort cleaning poly-rifled barrels. Is it just me?

I've seen some range-mules that are literally disgusting to hold. Filthy stuff. But- keep shooting for some reason.

It's your ride, keep it as clean as ya like.
The major concern is getting whacko with the rod and derfing up the crown/rifling, and, over oiling (esp in the chambers- always de-lube before firing, I run a patch down the bore and chamber(s) the night before and give it a good wipe the day of).

Nuttin' wrong with a propperly cleaned pistol. Might help with resale too.
What would you rather buy? A nasty one or a clean one?

Just don't rub the blue off her!