Rifle cleaning discussion

[Steff]

@Steff


Three out of four ain't bad...

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I just never store my firearms muzzle down - just feels rude.


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You seem to have lived your dream. Well done!
But ESPECIALLY in your case it seems a good idea to oil the barrels liberally. I bet that some of them haven‘t been shot for a year or longer. And the consequence for me would be to turn them around.

 

[Demetrius]

The only thing a clean patch tells you is that the patch is clean.............if you doubt that, get a borescope.

D.

 

[Stalker62]

And the consequence for me would be to turn them around.

The only time you will see my firearms 'turned around'...

 

[Stalker62]

....if you doubt that, get a borescope.

 

[Mungo]

Thinking of comparing techniques with you gents. The way I generally clean my rifles.

1. Take bolt out / moderator off
2. Point barrel gently downwards
3. Give superficial bits a spray and wipe down with either browning Legia / degreaser
4. Boretech eliminator with a nylon brush a few strokes 5-10
5. Either eliminator on patch’s or a carbon remover (depending how many rounds I’ve put through - generally eliminator and then every few months il go with carbon)
6. Copper remover if needbe via brush/patches
7. Couple of patches of eliminator and then a dry patch.
8. I then just give the bolt a wipe with degreaser/legia - make sure no gunk is on it and stick it away.

If I get in and have only shot once - given it foxes on a night - I will generally just stick a Boresnake through and leave it at that.

Anything people do wildly different or would change up?

Boresnake after each outing.

Strip and clean once every 2-3 years. If I remember.

 

[Rutland lad]

Used to be a compulsive cleaner. If I shot just one round I’d do a full deep clean. I think in hindsight that was a hangover from my professional days where the weapon had to be spotlessly clean. I paid the price for this where the cleaning compound took off some of the finish on the action. Just little spots where the stuff had flicked off the brush into corners and angles.
When the manufacturer says ‘you’ve over cleaned it’ I thought perhaps they had a point.

Now I’ll go out, have a shot or two and on returning home I’ll pass a Ballistoil soaked bore snake through the rifle and put it away. After maybe 20 rounds I’ll do the Forest Bore or Boretech full clean. Before shooting it I’ll pass another boresnake through it, but this one has meths on it to strip out any barrel residue. I’ve not noticed any change in accuracy or rust through my ‘slack’ cleaning regime, and I’ve gained more time in my life !

 

[doigan]

Anyone ever used something like this?
Was recommended by a gunsmith to a friend.

Autosol Metal Polish Paste.

Was told to use it to clean the bore.

 

[Smellydog]

Anyone ever used something like this?
Was recommended by a gunsmith to a friend.

Autosol Metal Polish Paste.

Was told to use it to clean the bore.

Yes I have. It's good.

 

[doigan]

Like JB bore paste?

 

[Rookandrabbit]

A salutary tale. A friend had bought two new bottles of the bore tech cleaning fluid. Opened up the main cap of each bottle to remove the plastic sealer……replaced both caps. So far so good!

Prepares patch on cleaning rod jag , held in left hand ………unscrews cap on carbon remover bottle to free up pour spout with right hand not realising that the main cap also has revolved open ………..inverts bottle containing fluid to dampen patch only to be alerted by the noise of cleaning fluid draining freely out onto the floor!!!!

It’s good stuff but costs a Guinea a fluid ounce I’m sure!!

At least he didn’t flick a dirty wet cleaning patch on a pull through right into the middle of a duvet……………I know a man who did!!!

 

[Rutland lad]

Anyone ever used something like this?
Was recommended by a gunsmith to a friend.

Autosol Metal Polish Paste.

Was told to use it to clean the bore.

I have both the chrome polish and the aluminium polish.
The aluminium one is a little bit softer and less aggressive.

 

[Demetrius]

Some years ago I used the ally Autosol on a 223 stainless barrel that looked like a chimney inside......it did a 5-shot group of 0.38 MOA at 300 yds two weeks ago.
And a lot cheaper than some of the proprietry concoctions.

D.

 

[Rutland lad]

I’m told it used to used for lapping the barrels in.

I’d be tempted to start with the aluminium one - only moving onto the more aggressive one if that doesn’t work.

 

[Demetrius]

Back in the day, there was AFAIK only one type, and we used that to polish up the motorbike chaincase covers...
That was what I used, so I'm assuming it's the current ally version. It will also do the outside of the barrel, though it takes a bit of time.

D.

 

[Dave_45]

thorro clean for a good barrel scrub

Rest of it is a wipe down with oil and dry off

 

[Demetrius]

What's "thorro" clean? I know a guy who uses oven cleaner to de-carb his barrels......apparently works a treat.

D

 

[doigan]

I just used some fine cutting paste that you use for lapping in engine valves, seems to have worked a treat, will know this weekend at the range if the weather is ok.

 

[Rutland lad]

Just to clarify - I have SOLVOL AUTOSOL primarily for chrome.

I have WURTH aluminium polish as a softer option.

Below is the end result of fine grade wire wool then a 1” paraffin heater wick with SOLVOL and MUCHO effort to remove 1500 miles of Spanish tar.

My former trade or calling shows out here. Those that know - know.

 

[Jagged77]

If it’s a stainless barrel I don’t bother cleaning just chuck it back in the safe. Will give it a good clean every 50 - 100 rounds. Occasionally accuracy starts to drop off and a good clean is needed but it’s not often.

 

[Andydorset]

vp90 wet patch, then dry patch, repeat this 3 times, then run a patch with a little vp90 on it and store in cabinet until the next outing.