Author Topic: best cleaning products for newbie? (Read 654 times)

carsonsig · « **on:** February 18, 2006, 05:33:30 PM »

OK, I am waiting 10 days for my stevens 200 in 30-06. I am planning on getting a boresnake for quick touchups, and a one piece either coated or one of those carbon fiber jobs. I am going to get a tipman vice or something similar. But I am lost as to liquid products.....

Questions:

1. what is a good brand of bore solvent for bore cleaning? I have used hoppes for my shotguns, etc... but I am told I need something more for rifles as well as a copper product? so tell me, is there a one does all, lead, powder and copper?

2. what the H#LL is a jag? we dont just put the patches in the loop anymore? the jag is used by piercing the patch over the spiky end and then run through? I take it this makes for a tighter fit or something?

basically I need some guidance on a good "setup" of liquid products. I know basically what to get as far as rods and brushes etc... but am baffled with the friggin millions of different brands and types. I tried searching, but it seems buggy today!!!! thanks in advance, Carson

Don Fischer · « **Reply #1 on:** February 18, 2006, 08:07:08 PM »

I use mostly Hoppe's #9. Don't know that it's any better or worse than anything else but, I like the way it smells! Some solvents are awful strong and the one I used was "Sweet's". Smells like hell but does a good job taking out copper fouling. Only problem is that you fire one or two rounds and the fouling is back. Not sure getting the barrel that clean is worth the effort!

I have a Shilen barrel on a couple rifles so I asked them about cleaning. Their attitude is that copper fouling is not that big a deal. I think the words they used were "you can show your friends a clean barrel or a small group". Huh!

George Foster · « **Reply #2 on:** February 19, 2006, 12:22:34 AM »

For my general cleaning I like a mixture of 75% Shooters Choice and 25% Kroil. I also use Sweets on occasion when I think the barrel needs it. The important part is to use a solid one piece steel rod and a bore guide with whatever solvents you decide on.

Norseman112 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 19, 2006, 03:52:15 AM »

I use butches bore shine, and Outers foam.

John

corbanzo · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2006, 12:10:45 PM »

I'm a hoppes 9 man myself, or anything else hoppes that is... grew up that way... always makes that barrel shine. If I would fit my head in there, I would probably see my reflection. :-D Never did use a boresnake... the rods and a bore brush have worked just fine for me for years.

TomC1426 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2006, 10:07:07 PM »

I had the same question not so long ago myself. For me I start with a wet patch with Hoppes #9 for the powder followed by serveral dry patches. Then I run a patch of Sweets and let set about 5 minutes or so. Then serveral dry patches until they are clean. One last patch of lightly wet gun oil if the gun will be setting for awhile. The most important thing that I can gather is to always go from the breech to the end of the barrel when you can. Not sure if this is the best way, but the barrel always shines when done, and it works for me.

Tom

Atlas · « **Reply #6 on:** February 21, 2006, 12:01:32 PM »

I start w/ Outers foam and let it sit in the barrel for 15 minutes and then send several dry patches down the barrel. Afterwards, I send a few patches soaked with Butch's Bore Shine through and let that sit in the barrel for 15 to 30 minutes. After that, I send dry patches through until I get a clean one back w/ no discoloration. One patch w/ gun oil to finish things off and I have a barrel that would be the envy of all. :grin:

Atlas

carsonsig · « **Reply #7 on:** February 21, 2006, 12:28:33 PM »

what about during break in, most reading I have done says break in is 1 shot one clean like 10 times, then 3 shot then clean then 5 shot then clean.... or something similar. would one or two wet patches of bore shine etc... in between be good? cant see doing 15 minutes foam in between each!

corbanzo · « **Reply #8 on:** February 23, 2006, 02:19:56 PM »

I know know what kinda competition shooter would do something like that... I'm usually too darn excited about a new rifle that I give it a quick clean at first, the put a whole bunch a rounds through it, then clean the heck out of it when i get home... rifles still shoot straight.[/i]

lilabner · « **Reply #9 on:** February 24, 2006, 03:23:38 AM »

There are lots of different break in procedures. They don't make the rifle more accurate, they just smooth out the bore so it doesn't gunk up as quickly. I don't have the patience for most of them but I will shoot a 3 shot group, then clean, then do another 3 shot group for 40 shots or so. Even if you don't do a break in, the bore will get smoothed out after you shoot the gun for a while. Hoppe's 9 is a great all around cleaner but in my experience takes too long to remove copper fouling. Sweet's and Barnes CR 10 make short work of copper buildup. I start with Hoppe's to remove the powder fouling, then use Barnes. Butch's bore shine does a good job on both powder residue and copper so it would simplify things for you. Use a nylon bore brush - the metal brushes don't work well with strong copper solvents.

NimrodRx · « **Reply #10 on:** February 24, 2006, 05:46:45 AM »

Great advice lilabner!

The best I have heard it described is that "breaking in" a bbl won't make your rifle shoot more accurate, it will make your rifle shoot accurate longer between cleanings. I have found this to be true. In the old days, I did nothing to break in a bbl, just cleaned it after a range session. Now, I clean with a method similar to lilabner's. However, I do clean after each of the first five shots.

The purpose is to prevent carbon tempering and to allow the rounds to lap the roughness out of the bbl. Actually, it is probably more important to break in the throat. The reamer marks left in the throat of a new rifle are across the lands. When a bullet is forced into the throat, at this temp. and psi, copper dust (from the bullet crossing the reamer marks) is vaporized and carried down the bore. As it cools, it is deposited in the bore. Subsequent bullets add deposits build up and make it difficult to remove later. So by cleaning after each shot initially, you're polishing the throat and not allowing copper to build up in the bore.

It has been my experience that my rifles that have been "broken in" will shoot tiny little groups longer than those that I didn't break in. Maybe just coincidence. I don't know? But my rifles that have been broken in don't start to open up groups until I have fed a lot of rounds through them, 50 or more. The rifles that I didn't break in tend to open up after a couple dozen rounds. Of course, the cal makes a huge difference in terms of fouling. This has just been my general impression.

Copper solvents will destroy your bronze brushes and give you a false indication of copper fouling. Use a nylon brush with copper solvents.

Of course, this is highly controversial, and I may be all wet. I rarely know what I'm talking about

But what the heck. Why not err on the side of caution? It really doesn't take that long to do, and once it is done - it's done. Take another rifle to the range with you. When you grow tired of breaking in the new rifle, grab the other one and start pokeing around with that. Besides, you're getting valuable info. while breaking in - zeroing scope, working up a load, checking for psi marks...

NimrodRx · « **Reply #11 on:** February 24, 2006, 05:48:50 AM »

Great advice lilabner!

The best I have heard it described is that "breaking in" a bbl won't make your rifle shoot more accurate, it will make your rifle shoot accurate longer between cleanings. I have found this to be true. In the old days, I did nothing to break in a bbl, just cleaned it after a range session. Now, I clean with a method similar to lilabner's. However, I do clean after each of the first five shots.

The purpose is to prevent carbon tempering and to allow the rounds to lap the roughness out of the bbl. Actually, it is probably more important to break in the throat. The reamer marks left in the throat of a new rifle are across the lands. When a bullet is forced into the throat, at this temp. and psi, copper dust (from the bullet crossing the reamer marks) is vaporized and carried down the bore. As it cools, it is deposited in the bore. Subsequent bullets add deposits build up and make it difficult to remove later. So by cleaning after each shot initially, you're polishing the throat and not allowing copper to build up in the bore.

It has been my experience that my rifles that have been "broken in" will shoot tiny little groups longer than those that I didn't break in. Maybe just coincidence. I don't know? But my rifles that have been broken in don't start to open up groups until I have fed a lot of rounds through them, 50 or more. The rifles that I didn't break in tend to open up after a couple dozen rounds. Of course, the cal makes a huge difference in terms of fouling. This has just been my general impression.

Copper solvents will destroy your bronze brushes and give you a false indication of copper fouling. Use a nylon brush with copper solvents.

Of course, this is highly controversial, and I may be all wet. I rarely know what I'm talking about

But what the heck. Why not err on the side of caution? It really doesn't take that long to do, and once it is done - it's done. Take another rifle to the range with you. When you grow tired of breaking in the new rifle, grab the other one and start pokeing around with that. Besides, you're getting valuable info. while breaking in - zeroing scope, working up a load, checking for psi marks...