What is the point of bore guides?
- Thread starter Mungo
- Start date
Adamant
Well-Known Member
I've always understood their purpose to be twofold:
1. To ensure that the cleaning rod and jag enters the bore correctly centred, without scraping the chamber or throat, and;
2. To prevent potentially corrosive cleaning fluids from dripping down into the trigger group and magazine well.
I use Dewey bore guides, mostly to prevent the trigger mechanism being doused in Butch's Bore Shine. Probably not necessary if using a more gelatinous cleaning compound.
A.
1. To ensure that the cleaning rod and jag enters the bore correctly centred, without scraping the chamber or throat, and;
2. To prevent potentially corrosive cleaning fluids from dripping down into the trigger group and magazine well.
I use Dewey bore guides, mostly to prevent the trigger mechanism being doused in Butch's Bore Shine. Probably not necessary if using a more gelatinous cleaning compound.
A.
One important thing to check with them,as I have found to my cost,is that the rod exits the barrel fully so that whatever tool you have on the end can be unscrewed.
Dave88
Well-Known Member
Does this mean you remove the jag every time you put a patch through? This would make cleaning quite time consuming would it not?
I've just started using a bore guide. Previously I barely cleaned my rifles for fear of doing more harm than good.
Time is some thing you expend on your favourite past time, do you make sure you fully expend time on yours?
Yes on centrefires I take the dirty patch off when it emerges from the barrel every time. The dirt/fouling or whatever doesn't get dragged back into the barrel that way. I do the same with the phosphor brush then clean it.
Anal but logical and yes it does take a bit of time but not much. Going by what others have said on here,I don't clean the .22lr very often.
I cant figure out how something made of plastic with a bit of bronze stuck on the end can damage a steel barrel, I can drift out steel pins with a bronze drift and a lump hammer without damaging the steel pin, but just rubbing something gently with a small bit of bronze damages it?
It's probably all psychology, an awful lot of kit sold is to solve a problem that doesn't really exist.
I think the only real advantage of using a bore guide is to keep the chemical cleaning stuff out of places you don't want it to go.
I think the only real advantage of using a bore guide is to keep the chemical cleaning stuff out of places you don't want it to go.
Never used one, never had an issue with accuracy that I can tell!
I try to use hoppes no9 every 100 rounds or so....and a pull through every now and again.
i ensure I give them a wipe down with an oily rag after use.
my 202 will cloverleaf consistently with conservative homeloads.
regards,
Gixer
I try to use hoppes no9 every 100 rounds or so....and a pull through every now and again.
i ensure I give them a wipe down with an oily rag after use.
my 202 will cloverleaf consistently with conservative homeloads.
regards,
Gixer
Perhaps it's just me but I've had one too many jammed patches at the point it exits the guide so they now simply decorate my Reloading Den. Something to do with needing to use a smaller than ideal patch to compensate for the narrowing guide head required to achieve the non leak function?
K
K
Last edited:
I always thought bore guides were invented primarily as a means of extraction - as in extracting more money from shooting folk, particularly those with OCD.
I suppose if it keeps them happy, and helps to generate more threads on the Site, then it serves a purpose.
P.S. It's threads like these that make me miss Brithunter. Kevin would have been able to explain exactly why, where and when bore guides were invented - and how neglecting to use one would result in damage akin to the Devil himself urinating down the barrel. Although he sometimes overstepped the mark I learned a lot from some of his posts on firearms history.
I suppose if it keeps them happy, and helps to generate more threads on the Site, then it serves a purpose.
P.S. It's threads like these that make me miss Brithunter. Kevin would have been able to explain exactly why, where and when bore guides were invented - and how neglecting to use one would result in damage akin to the Devil himself urinating down the barrel. Although he sometimes overstepped the mark I learned a lot from some of his posts on firearms history.
Last edited:
What happened to him - did he finally overstep a bit too far? He was a peculiar character, but a useful source of info - if you were prepared to take his 'nothing made after 1955 is any good' diatribes with a pinch of salt.
This is precisely the problem that lead me to ask the question.
That and the fact that no bore guides seem to fit into Sako small actions at all.
"P.S. It's threads like these that make me miss Brithunter. Kevin would have been able to explain exactly why, where and when bore guides were invented - and how neglecting to use one would result in damage akin to the Devil himself urinating down the barrel. Although he sometimes overstepped the mark I learned a lot from some of his posts on firearms history."
Have to say I agree with this. He was really very informed. As far as I could see he was pretty accurate and I just learned to switch out the slight diatribe.
Maybe boreguides are just a follow on from the little funny funnels you used to get when you poured boiling water down the barrel to get out the corrosive primer residue! Oops showing my age.
David.
Have to say I agree with this. He was really very informed. As far as I could see he was pretty accurate and I just learned to switch out the slight diatribe.
Maybe boreguides are just a follow on from the little funny funnels you used to get when you poured boiling water down the barrel to get out the corrosive primer residue! Oops showing my age.
David.
I find bore guides useful for getting bore foam into the barrel and nowhere else. I had a bore guide that fitted my Sako 75 (243 Win) without any issues. David at the Shooting Shed will produce a bore guide for you if you can't track down an off the shelf one.
Regards
JCS
The .243 isn't the problem - in fact, it's the only one of my rifles that I can use a bore guide with. The .222 is the problem one.
Mungo. Cleaning Rod Guides, Shooting SHED David can sort you out. Best regards JCS
bewsher500
Well-Known Member
I have a couple of bore guides
two that I made from fireformed cases, one of them has a clear plastic tube and solvent window the other is just a section of pipe
for me they serve a simple purpose, they allow me to push the rod/patch/jag/brush in a single hole and not worry about catching the inside of the action or the patch falling off, solutions dripping etc
two that I made from fireformed cases, one of them has a clear plastic tube and solvent window the other is just a section of pipe
for me they serve a simple purpose, they allow me to push the rod/patch/jag/brush in a single hole and not worry about catching the inside of the action or the patch falling off, solutions dripping etc
270Buck
Well-Known Member
I have a couple of bore guides
two that I made from fireformed cases, one of them has a clear plastic tube and solvent window the other is just a section of pipe
for me they serve a simple purpose, they allow me to push the rod/patch/jag/brush in a single hole and not worry about catching the inside of the action or the patch falling off, solutions dripping etc
Great idea. But would your patch not dirty and give a false "reading" as you are in essence pushing a solvent soaked patch through a used, although I am sure cleaned brass case? I would imagine if you coated the inside of the case with lacquer or varnish it would stop the patch from dirtying?
Ray7756
Well-Known Member
totally agree they are specifically designed to remove cash from your pocket, if as some claim they stop a brass bush and phospher bronze brush from damaging a precious gun barrel which is made from hardened steel, why did the guns years ago not just fall apart from the abuse of cleaning them without this MAGIC DEVICE
Similar threads
