Gun cleaning question

[KINGWOODROW]

I have a friend who cleans his bore with copper disolver stuff, and the runs a wire brush through the bore, multiple times..... every time he shoots...... is he gonna kill the rifleing in the barrel? I personally clean my gun bore with rem oil once in the spring, and once after hunting season is over, and have never used copper-whatever the crap is.... my gun drives tacks and has for 23 years.  Just curious???

[Jamieb]

Copper off the bullet jacket builds up in the bore and should be cleaned out. How often seems to be different for every rifle. Most big game rifles will go at least 50 rounds before copper and carbon fouling will degrade accuracy.

[FC]

I clean my guns with copper solvent after every outing but I generally shoot a lot of rounds through them. Copper fouling builds up quickly on a rough bore and will degrade accuracy, if you look at all the old military rifles that got continuously cleaned and never wore out the rifling and are STILL accurate I think your friends guns will be fine.

[PA BEN]

I like to use Sweet's.

[rasbo]

all I use is break free,wire it patch it clean,then a light coat of break free...

[KNOPHISH]

FWIW, On some of those copper cleaners in sez right in the directions to NOT use a wire brush. Plastic brush is ok.

[KINGWOODROW]

Thanks for the input, i was thinking the guy reads too many magazines and takes stuff too litterally.... cause like i said, ive never done it and my rifle works perfecto.  Maybe I'll try some of this copper cleaning stuff.  Thanks 

[h20hunter]

Sweets is a great product. When you wet a patch with it put it up to your nose and take a whiff.

[fishnate]

I have a friend who cleans his bore with copper disolver stuff, and the runs a wire brush through the bore, multiple times..... every time he shoots...... is he gonna kill the rifleing in the barrel? I personally clean my gun bore with rem oil once in the spring, and once after hunting season is over, and have never used copper-whatever the crap is.... my gun drives tacks and has for 23 years.  Just curious???

If he is using a bronze brush he should be fine.  That being said I use Butches Bore shine, if you keep up with the cleaning with this stuff very seldom do I need to use the brush.   

[JackOfAllTrades]

Sweets. Bronze brush in a very well ventilated area. Mamma don't like the smell of Sweets in the house. Lots of amonia. Then patch until it comes out clean. Light coat of Breakfree for storage. If you leave the copper in the bore, it will eventually corode where it's stuck in the corners of the lands of the barrel. Then you shoot it, and it actually erodes the barrel more. If you only shoot a few rounds a year just before hunting season you'll never know you're ruining your barrel. Copper tarnishes just like silver or brass. You may be avoiding that by your cleaning with RemOil but that can't get it as clean as Sweets. And there's not a target shooter or barrel manufacture that'll say that a dirty barrel is more accurate than a clean one.

-Steve

[Bscman]

KingWoodRow,
RemOil won't clean out carbon or copper fouling...it'll just protect the bore from rust.

I always use a copper solvent. I have a few rifles that turn to poo after 40-50rnds if I don't clean them--by that I mean they go from .5moa to 1 - 1.5moa.

If you use a good quality rod (stay away from 3pc rods and hardened steel rods), and bronze bristle brushes (with brass cores, not aluminum or stainless), you'll be in good shape. Use a bore guide and/or clean from the breech end. You won't degrade accuracy over time.

One jacketed bullet down the bore will do more damage with it's friction and heat than 100 brush strokes (done properly) with a brush/solvent.

If you're really worried about it there are many "foaming" or aerosol cleaners that will work very well without needing a brush...and 99 out of 100 times the rifle will shoot better after a thorough cleaning.

FWIW, On some of those copper cleaners in sez right in the directions to NOT use a wire brush. Plastic brush is ok.

This is mostly because they will dissolve the brush over time. Plastic bristles are not affected by the solvent. Bronze brushes work better than nylon brushed--just clean them in mineral spirits before putting them away.