Rifle cleaning

[patrickcondon22]

Just curious how many patches it takes you guys to get your barrels clean. It seems like I can run a hundred down my barrel and still have a little discoloration. Maybe I'm just not doing it right, but I don't see how different the process can be. I'm using an OTIS ar/msr cleaning kit so I am only pulling one patch at a time through the barrel. Starting to wish I could wad up a couple patches and push them through with a rod now. I would give me some much needed friction to aid in cleaning.

Any thoughts or advice?

[CSACANNONEER]

Over/improper cleaning of a barrel will damage it more than neglecting to clean it.

Yea, get a rod and some jags. The Otis system is OK for what it is but, I'd never rely on it for a real cleaning. Also, it sounds like you may want to use a better carbon cleaner and a better copper fouling cleaner. It should only take 10-20 patches to get a dirty QUALITY barrel clean. If you have a cheaply made barrel, you might never be able to get it completely clean.

[TheExiled]

Depends on how many rounds fired. Try soaking it for a few min with a good solvent before

[SB1964]

I use the Otis System also, but use a Dewey Rod & keep The Chamber Clean, this is OFTEN Overlooked. I feel that a lot of Contaminates come from the Chamber & close to it. Ill use as many Patches as it takes but it`s usually only 5 or 6. One thing I learned is to use Bore Cleaner (whatever you use) & let it soak for a bit while Cleaning everything else. Makes a BIG difference. If you need countless Patches, your Bore/Chamber is FOULED. Start from the beginning & get it really Clean!

[patrickcondon22]

I've got a black hole weaponry stainless steel barrel, and I'm using breakfree CLP as my cleaner. I also have some hoppe's copper solvent as well. When I use the CLP I usually soak down the barrel and then let that sit while I clean my bolt. I suppose I need to work on cleaning the chamber better, I just am finding it difficult to use the chamber brush supplied in the otis kit with only a flexible cable.

I thought the otis kit would be nice, but I will have to invest in a regular rod kit. Any thoughts on bore guides?

[Vlad 11]

Yea get a good carbon fiber rod kit and clean from the chamber side.

Try a few different solvents. For me, I have found that Butch Boreshine gets the most stuff out that others dont clean.

Overcleaning can be detrimental. No need to over do it

[patrickcondon22]

Yea get a good carbon fiber rod kit and clean from the chamber side.

Try a few different solvents. For me, I have found that Butch Boreshine gets the most stuff out that others dont clean.

Overcleaning can be detrimental. No need to over do it

Is there a difference or benefit in using a carbon fiber rod over a nylon coated one?

[voiceofreason]

I love my Dewey rods.

If you clean every time after you shoot, you'll have an easier time.

I never clean until it's "perfect", when the patch is almost all white, about 6 times, I'm done.

[myk]

Sticking patches through the barrel is tedious. I suggest using a boresnake to help reduce the number of patches you have to run through; personally, I only end up using about 10 patches when it used to be a lot more...

[Horton Fenty]

I use four or five patches during each step of cleaning. What I mean by that is four or five down the barrel soaked in solvent. Then a bit of brushing. Then four or five more soaked in solvent. Let soak. Run four or five dry down the barrel then finish with a couple oiled patches and a final dry one. Done.

Is there a difference or benefit in using a carbon fiber rod over a nylon coated one?

Huge difference. You can't bend a carbon fiber rod for one.

[myk]

The last one is dry? Ooops...I was under the impression that the barrel should have a light coat of oil on it, which I accomplished by taking a patch with very little oil and running it through...

[wjc]

The last one is dry? Ooops...I was under the impression that the barrel should have a light coat of oil on it, which I accomplished by taking a patch with very little oil and running it through...

This is what I do so they don't rust in may safe.

to answer the ops question, I usually go through 5 wet patches and about 8-10 dry patches. It usually depends on how much I've shot the particular firearm.

Last patch is lightly oiled and sent up the barrel.

[Horton Fenty]

The last one is dry? Ooops...I was under the impression that the barrel should have a light coat of oil on it, which I accomplished by taking a patch with very little oil and running it through...

It should. Running one last dry patch will not soak up all the oil you just ran through with a wet patch, it will just get rid of any excess. Or just like you said run one through with very little oil, whatever.

[ar15barrels]

I gave up brushing years ago.
The only brushes I use are the ones embedded in a bore snake.
If I am cleaning to remove anything more than the loose stuff, I use sharp shoot'r foam.
All you do is squirt it in the barrel, wait a few hours and push it out with a couple patches.
Repeat until the patches come out clean.
It will take a lot of cycles the first time you do a gun, but once you get a barrel completely clean, they tend to clean p easier in the future...

I don't push brushes down barrels with rods anymore.

[myk]

I don't push brushes down barrels with rods anymore.

I don't either-it just doesn't feel right. Besides, if you keep up on the cleaning it will never need to be brushed...