Cleanliness is next to godliness

[jordanka16]

Cleaning with ammonia is not necessary with regular ammo, it's only needed if you shoot corrosive ammo. As long as you don't let the barrel soak in it it shouldn't harm it.

 

[dario541]

May I quote from Legacy Sports 2009 catalog regarding their recomendations for breaking in new gun barrels:
"For the first 10 shots we recommend using jacketed bullets with a nitro powder load (Most Factory Ammo). "Clean the oil out of the barrel before each shot using a simple window cleaner (like Windex), which will soak the oil out of the pores. After firing each cartridge, use a good copper cleaner (one with AMMONIA) to remove the copper fouling from the barrel. "We do not recommend anything with an abrasive in it since you are trying to seal the barrel, not keep it agitated.
"After cleaning with bore cleaner, clean again with window cleaner after each shot. Use window cleaner because many bore cleaners use a petroleum base which you want to remove before firing the next shot. "This will keep the carbon from building up in the barrel (oil, left in the pores, when burned, turns to carbon.)"
There is more. If you'd like to read it, obtain a copy of Legacy Sports' 2009 catalog and turn to page 34. I found it interesting as they tell how to break in a new gun barrel. But, I have never followed their advice! Should I do it in the future? Or, are there superior ways? I know a lot of people on this blog site have far more experience than I do, so, come on, experts, let's hear from you!

 

[DootyBeet]

I did check last evening. I blew the air for at least 1 minute on a brown piece of cardboard and sae no indication of moisture. But my compressor is 80 gal and does not run very often so it's already cool air I'm using, not hot.
There is a drain cock, however, at the bottom of the tank, that I get about a 1/2 cup of water out of each month. Funny how this thread developed into shop talk - no one else has said they clean with compressed air. I guess I'm alone in that dept.

 

[Gunner3456]

I did check last evening. I blew the air for at least 1 minute on a brown piece of cardboard and sae no indication of moisture. But my compressor is 80 gal and does not run very often so it's already cool air I'm using, not hot.
There is a drain cock, however, at the bottom of the tank, that I get about a 1/2 cup of water out of each month. Funny how this thread developed into shop talk - no one else has said they clean with compressed air. I guess I'm alone in that dept.

Good to hear. No, you're not the only one who uses compressed air but I use the canned compressed air that's sold for electronics. I also use it to blow out computers since it is static free too. I buy it at almost any electronics supply place, even Best Buy but I usually buy it by the case online.

 

[speelyei]

I use a bore snake as a quick-clean if the rifle has been sitting for a while or if I have been out in real crummy (rainy, dusty, etc.) conditions. Usually during hunting season I will run the bore snake through the barrel before I leave the truck. I also pull the bolt and look through the bore before I load it.

When it comes to really cleaning I built a 3/4" oak work/cleaning stand that I clamp the rifle into.

Here's an interesting post from another forum I saved:

There are lots of different products out there, but this is how we get the most accurate first shot out of a cold bore.

Tools needed include:

1) Quality one piece rod.

2) Quality Bore Guide (Lucas style). ( It actually guides the cleaning rod to the center of the bore.)

3) A jag of the correct size. The right size cleaning patches

4) Phosphor Bronze brushes of the correct caliber



Here are the steps for cleaning a bolt action cost effectively.


1) Set the rifle in a steady position MUZZLE DOWN. The muzzle must be lower than the action to keep solvent from running into the bedding and trigger areas.

2) Insert your bore guide. Do not put a cleaning rod in your chamber/throat or bore without the guide.

3) Start with the jag on the rod, and push two patches (one at a time), wet with powder solvent, all the way through the bore. This will soften the powder fouling for the next step.

4) Place your brush on the rod, and drip some powder solvent on it. Now stroke the bore from the chamber past the crown with the wet brush at least 10 times.

5) Put the jag back on the rod, and run two dry patches through the bore, one at a time.

6) Now alternate one patch wet with powder solvent and one dry patch until there is little or no powder residue on the used dry patch.

7) Switch to your copper solvent (Sweet's) and run two patches wet with Sweet's through the bore one at a time, and let the bore set for 5 minutes while you clean your bolt.

Wipe your bolt or spray it off with Quick Scrub III or Gun Scrubber, and let it dry. Then place synthetic grease on the back of the lugs, the cam area of the bolt handle and action, and the trigger ramp and pin. Wipe off ALL excess grease. Cleanout the boltface and under the extractor, then place a small drop of synthetic oil on the ejector pin and plunge it down and up at least 4 times, then wipe off any excess oil.

9) Now back to the bore, and run a dry patch through the bore. Inspect the patch for blue coloring, which would indicate copper fouling in the bore. If there is blue on the patch, then there was copper in the bore, the ammonia in Sweet's reacts with the copper and leaves blue on your patch. Run another patch wet with Sweet's, and wait 3 to 5 minutes before you run another dry patch. Repeat this procedure until there is no more blue on the dry patch.

10) Two dry patches through the bore, and then two consecutive patches with synthetic oil, pull your bore guide, and degrease your chamber body only. Don't forget to wipe the muzzle with powder solvent and then dry it.


Now you are ready to reassemble and fire three test shots to foul the bore, using the third shot to verify your zero. If the third shot hits the mark, put the rifle in its case, you are now ready for a cold bore sniping or hunting shot.

Supply List:

Powder solvent: General Motors Top Engine Cleaner

Copper solvent: Sweet's 7.62

Grease: Mobil 1 synthetic

Oil: Mobil 1 0W-30 or 0W-40

JB Bore Shine: I use this every third cleaning to remove stubborn Carbon from the throat.

 

[huntpotter]

I clean it out with Smith&Wesson brand bore cleaning solvent. And lube em up with Smith&Wesson Advanced gun oil with Cerflon. It is actually manufactured by the Liquid Wrench Co. That makes Gunk, and Radiator stop leak, and their own line of lubes and cleaners. Basically S&W just licenses them to make the cleaners and solvents, with the S&W label. It is the aerosol can with the bullet top lid. It looks cool on the shelf too.
But the cleaner and lube really works good, best stuff I've found so far.

 

[Ding]

using corrosive ammo only needs to be cleaned with water and soap and then oiled up.as far as lube,I have used everything.Hoppes,oil,motor oil,bug guts,lipstick,I like the hot red myself,fat etc.My weapons aren't particular..

 

[Stomper]

I used Break-Free CLP w/o issues for 8-yrs. while in the Army (and I fired a LOT of rounds in vulgar conditions), and that's what I use to this day.

 

[tionico]

Gunner, thanks for the detailed shop set up info, and the underlying principles. I've got a huge old air compressor here, and use it a lot for cleaning and drying stuff. Your info on drying the air is very valuable. I'm in process (some one of these days, anyway) of reworking the shop area, and will certainly implement your suggestions. Make perfect sense, they do. Thanks again.

I've done a fair bit of paint/body work here, never had issues with water in the air.... but, your sollutions are cheap, compared to a respray due to moisture problems. Pr the oil that can often contaminate the lines, particularly on an old high hours compressor. (mine is old, but low hours on an industrial grade iron block two stage machine... de Vilbiss commercial.... should last a while yet..... )

 

[dario541]

I have a German made Mauser and a lot of European made corrosive ammo (it was cheap) for it. What I do after shooting it is to pour a large pan of boiling water down the barrel. Then I clean it as you would any firearm. So far the bore looks like new.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

Am I the only guy that likes Ed's Red? I made up a gallon of the stuff earlier this year and think it's a great powder solvent. The price is right too. I store it out of the light in two Dead Guy Ale jugs.

I use Mobile 20W-50W for oiling certain of my military style sem-automatic rifles but use gun grease for my semi-automatic pistols. I use Sweets for the copper fouling.

 

[NK777]

I use mili-tec, and/or Dupont tephlon multi purpose dry lube for lubrication.

I use hops #9 as a powder solvent
hops bore cleaner as a copper fauling agent and a bore snake for all my calibers.

I know this may seem weird but it works well for me.

 

[tionico]

NK, where can I find the DuPont Teflon dry lube? I finally found a guy who parted with one tube, he's got no more to spare, all sources he had are dried up and blown away. That is amazing stuff and I'd love to find more.....

 

[Wallygator]

Am I the only guy that likes Ed's Red? I made up a gallon of the stuff earlier this year and think it's a great powder solvent. The price is right too. I store it out of the light in two Dead Guy Ale jugs.

I use Sweets for the copper fouling.

Those jugs are for beer!

I use Ed's Red, Hoppes #9 (my wife loves the smell), Sweets 7.62 for the copper crap (my wife hates this smell), oil em up with CLP.

Ed's Red is really nice for cleaning suppressors, its the only thing that is cost effective to have a gallon to soak them in overnight. Then just blow them off the next day and put them away.


wg

 

[NK777]

NK, where can I find the DuPont Teflon dry lube? I finally found a guy who parted with one tube, he's got no more to spare, all sources he had are dried up and blown away. That is amazing stuff and I'd love to find more.....

I use the spray can version and it can be found at home depot. Note keep this stuff out of your barrel... I honestly don't know if it would harm the barrel but I think there is a real potential for it to build up in there. It works great on all parts that slide though.