Bore guide recommendations

[bnsaibum]

I have a Rem 721 in 300 H&H and am looking to get a bore guide to assist in cleaning. Anyone have a recommendation, preferably from personal experience?

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[Joe13]

Abs-3 Bore Saver Adj Rod Guide
Dewey Rods

I have one of these for my ruger in .308 win.

After I got it dialed in for length it is awesome! Locks down into your bolt guide and makes everything easier.

 

[SinisterSouthpaw]

I have used Sinclair guides to clean all my rifles over the years and have been perfectly happy with them.

 

[thorborg]

Slightly skewed from bore guide recommendations;
Use a bore snake. A plastic coated ram rod. Unless your just anal. You're really not likely to upset accuracy from altering the rifling lead in or burr the crown, with normal soft metal cleaning equipment. If you are actually intending on cycling, and then cleaning, tens of thousands of rounds between barrels, possibly a bore guide, but better served with a good shoulder pad and paying more attention to head space and COL.
Neck veins bulging and nostrils flaring of those reading this now with an opposite view notwithstanding, that's my opine.

 

[bnsaibum]

Thanks for the recommends. I think I'll go with the Sinclair to start. They have one specifically for the belted magnums.

Slightly skewed from bore guide recommendations;
Use a bore snake. A plastic coated ram rod. Unless your just anal. You're really not likely to upset accuracy from altering the rifling lead in or burr the crown, with normal soft metal cleaning equipment. If you are actually intending on cycling, and then cleaning, tens of thousands of rounds between barrels, possibly a bore guide, but better served with a good shoulder pad and paying more attention to head space and COL.
Neck veins bulging and nostrils flaring of those reading this now with an opposite view notwithstanding, that's my opine.

I'm not so much concerned about damaging the crown as I am interested in keeping the various cleaning compounds out of the action. Such a pain to clear that stuff out. It's a situation of me being lazy.

 

[thorborg]

OH, OK, I Thought you were asking about bore guides, not Dewey's bolt replacement kelvinator washing machine type, with seals, fluid port holes and the like. If all you wanted to do was protect the bore a resized shell with the rim cut off will do that.
Unless your cleaning your rifle, muzzle up, or have a semi-auto / AR, Maybe Mr. Dewey has something there otherwise I don't get it.
My apology, I was under the impression the Remington 721 was a bolt gun. When I remove my bolt, nothing left in the breach area but a big hole, stuff a rag in the mag well to keep fluids off my wood lay it in my jig muzzle slightly down and draw to the muzzle. If I'm using a brush I cover the muzzle and rod with my gloved hand to keep the spray isolated when it leaves the barrel. I even clean and degrease my tools so to me, for a bolt gun, Dewey's tool would be just another unnecessary tool to clean. Most of the dozens of different bore guides available are NOT Like Dewey's they are for protection of the bore or muzzle, not a Gerber multi-tool, and to me, come under the same classification as a vegi-matic unless you are using a steel ram rod. If you place all that in juxtaposition to the fact I would rather have a vehicle I can repair the gas pump with the tongue of a leather shoe like it use to be, you'll see where I'm coming from. I'll but out now and leave the gadgets to you young bucks.

 

[bnsaibum]

Great! I'm happy your way works for you. Now if we all lived your exact life we could all do it the exact same way as you, get the same results, and wouldn't have these annoying bore guide threads.


ETA: +1 on the leather fuel system repair. I've done similar with the old Carter BBR1

 

[thorborg]

I wasn't trying to sound sanctimonious. Apparently, I was confused by the original question. I got it now, I think.

 

[bnsaibum]

No worries. That's part of the problem with text only communication.

 

[Otter]

If you don't shoot and clean it all that often, a Sinclair guide is all you need. If you do shoot and clean often it is worth the extra money to get either a Sinclair or a Lucas with the cleaning rod insert. The insert will match the diameter of the rod so there is minimal slop. Prevents the rod from flexing and potentially damaging the lands/rifling.

 

[bnsaibum]

After looking at the few recommendations here and doing a little checking, I do believe I may have opened a can of worms I would rather not have opened. thorborg's method of rag stuffing sounds better and better considering my propensity for laziness. My hissy-fit reply above is officially rescinded.

 

[thorborg]

I do believe I may have opened a can of worms I would rather not have opened.

Nothing is ever wasted, you can always use the worms to go fishing. That's what I'm doing today. Maybe you should too. You can always clean the gun tomorrow. I have a shady spot all picked out.

 

[Danc]

If you don't shoot and clean it all that often, a Sinclair guide is all you need. If you do shoot and clean often it is worth the extra money to get either a Sinclair or a Lucas with the cleaning rod insert. The insert will match the diameter of the rod so there is minimal slop. Prevents the rod from flexing and potentially damaging the lands/rifling.

And don't forget the solvent port that attaches to the end. It helps with the mess. You can't go wrong. I have them for all of my varmint guns.

 

[jluck]

I use the Tipton Universal, It works well for a "one size fits all" type.

 

[SinisterSouthpaw]

Should anyone be following this thread and decide to get a bore guide with a solvent port: keep in mind that the port adds a bit of length to the guide and possibly requires a longer cleaning rod to be used than a plain guide. If your rod just clears the muzzle enough to remove used patches without a guide, you might find it too short when using a guide, especially one with the port.

The folks at sinclair can tell you what length rod to use with their various guides. That is the easy way to find out. I found out the hard way, sort of, since I had to saw off the solvent port off a guide I bought for one of my rifles. That was no real problem for me since I do not like nor use the ports. The ported guide was the only one in stock for that particular cartridge at the time.

 

[bnsaibum]

Thanks for bringing up the cleaning rod length, Sinister. I had already planned on getting a longer cleaning rod, but the requirement may not have been known to others. With the long action on my 721 and a 26" barrel my current rod is barely long enough for cleaning as is so adding any additional length without a longer rod would be a no go for me.