cleaning barrel

[SingleAction]

Hey guys,

Quick question: Do you guys clean your bore with a bronze brush?

I've been doing that since I started owning my handguns, but I've just been told that that's not good for the barrel, and to try not to use the brush unless absolutely necessary. Is that good or bad advice?

Thanks.

[kdm]

I use bronze brushes...they work well. Overzealous cleaning isn't good, tho, and that can easily happen with a short pistol barrel. I just run a couple wet patches, 3 or 4 passes with the brush, few more wet patches, then dry patch.

[Juicymeat]

I use a bronze brush as well with just 3-5 passes through, nothing over zealous followed by a jag. A jag really does help clean the barrel up better for me as it puts a hell of a lot more pressure on the patch against the barrel than just running a wadded patch through.

[Gress]

I use them while cleaning my revolver and pistols. Did not have any problem whatsoever. IMO bronze is no harm to steel.

[Jonathan Doe]

Bronze brush is fine. A few passes when you clean the gun will not hurt the barrel.

[TMC]

I don't clean the bore.

Here's some good info from the folks who know on stainless steel barrels http://www.schuemann.com/LinkClick.a...bid=67&mid=445

[BlackonBlack]

Usually running a solvent saturated patch through the bore, letting it sit for a few minutes and then cleaning it out with a clean patch is all that's necessary to clean the bore. I use and recommend cheap Hoppes #9. Bronze bushes can be used if you have the time for a little better cleaning or every couple cleanings. Bronze brushes don't hurt the bore anywhere near what a bullet does to it. Have you seen a fired round? Has deep gashes carved in to it from the rifling. How on earth can a bronze brush exert anywhere near this much pressure on the bore!!!. I have read to stay away from stainless steel because its HARDER tan the material bullets are made out of unlike bronze which is softer.

A lot of people got confused when gun companies starting including a makeshift cleaning kit comprised of a nylon brush with handguns. Notably glock. From my understanding the only reason they did this is to reduce cost because with a nylon brush they are able to include the exact same brush in all their different handgun kits.

[SingleAction]

Thanks black!

However, I read the comment before the one you posted (thanks to that author as well), and I have decided that I will no longer clean my bores with a bronze brush, only a nylon brush from now on.

[k1dude]

I don't clean the bore.

Here's some good info from the folks who know on stainless steel barrels http://www.schuemann.com/LinkClick.a...bid=67&mid=445

That's really interesting. I wonder if the same holds true for non-stainless barrels.

[AndrewMendez]

I dont think it would damage it, but unless you have shoot a couple hundred rounds thru it, and its really caked on, I would not worry about it. With that being said, every time I go shooting, I generally shoot about 500 rounds of ammo out of my handguns, so Its almost always in need of a good cleaning. Just my .02

[Fjold]

If I shoot a lot of lead bullets in my handguns, I clean them with a nylon brush and lead removing solvent. Rifles are cleaned with patches and solvent.

[Revoman]

I do not clean my barrels, I simply run a dry patch through them with a jag to take out any possible powder stuck in there and that's it.

I have handguns from the mid-seventy's that have yet to see a brush in the barrel. All are as accurate as I want them to be, all have no issues when I look down the bore.

No, it's not laziness, it's what I was taught way back when. Works for me.

[Jonathan Doe]

It also depends on the cleaning solvent you use. I use Kroil and don't worry about it.

[CSACANNONEER]

As far as using SS brushes go, I have watched one top shooter clean his rifles with a SS brush after every string he or his shoots. Once, I even asked him about it while he was cleaning. He proceded to short stroke the brush numerous times to show me that he doesn't follow all that BS that's out there. I think his and his wife's achievements speak for themselves. If their cleaning practices were bad for thier barrels, they would not be able to hold so many world records.

http://www.fcsa.org/wwwroot/visitors/worldrecords.php

As far as handguns go, I only use a brush if there is a lot of lead fouling. Then, it's a bronze brush.

[NapaCountyShooter]

I've used a bronze brush for 8 years on my Colt, just 2 or 3 passes, and the barrel still looks brand new.