Cleaning my rifle - The Firearms Forum

gun runner · 01-01-2012, 04:45 PM

Same savage gun i been talking about here, I dont use brass wire brushes to clean the inside of the barrel instead I use a cotton mop type i guess they call it with an aluminum rod. I was cleaning the inside of the barrel and I could hear like the aluminum rubbing the inside of the barrel. Hmmmmm. I know about the crown not to mess with that and I looked at it and it looks perfect. I wonder If aluminum scratches steel and I wonder if that rubbing sound which Im sure it was the rod, I wonder if it abraised the barrel. Kind of silly question but thought id ask anyways

ms6852 · 01-01-2012, 06:10 PM

I do not know why you do not use a brush but there is nothing wrong with using a brass brush or nylon to clean the barrel of a gun or rifle. If you can shoot full metal jacketed bullets and a tremendous explosion occurs every time you shoot your rifle within the specified limitations of that bullet, I assure you your rifle will be okay. The steel in your barrel is much stronger than the aluminum rod or brass brush and I would not worry about the barrel. But if you still have doubts use weedeater string and a patch.

Hawg · 01-01-2012, 06:16 PM

Aluminum is softer than steel so no it's not going to hurt it. I don't use brushes much either but brass or bronze are fine, just stay away from stainless steel ones

Charles Christensen · 01-01-2012, 06:32 PM

My reply is based on a lot of years in the metal working industry.

I realize a lot of people have intense feelings about what they stick up their barrels (?) - let me rephrase that:

A lot of gun people are very careful about what comes into contact with the rifling in their guns. However, gun barrels have been made out of carbon steel of various alloys up to and including stainless steel for a long time with even harder materials like chrome being plated in them. So, unless you are talking about a Damascus steel barrel or VERY old guns there should not be any problem as long as the cleaning rod is made of softer material than the barrel. Materials like wood, brass, bronze and aluminum should not do any damage rubbing in the barrel.

That being said, I would not recommend over-doing it. Swab it. Check it. If it looks good then oil it.

jack404 · 01-01-2012, 06:44 PM

steel hard

brass pretty soft metal wise

applying soft to hard wont hurt the hard but you'll go through a few brass brushes over the coming years and that barrel will still be A OK ..

how it works ( and again stainless brushes stay away from )

cheers

Jim K · 01-01-2012, 08:49 PM

Even stainless steel brushes have their place when dealing with severely rusted barrels. Softer material just won't remove old crud and rust and sometimes not even steel will, but steel brushes have a better chance of cleaning up serious crud where bronze won't do, and the modern favorite, nylon, is a joke.

(Even nylon is not soft enough for the "delicate barrel" folks; one fellow on another site posted a warning that using nylon brushes would destroy the rifling in an M1 rifle barrel! I wonder how those barrels ever stood up to firing steel jacket bullets.)

Jim

CHW2021 · 01-01-2012, 10:03 PM

If you want to make life easier on yourself and your barrel(s) use a decent quality copper solvent and follow the manufacturers recommendations. Remove deposits more easily and quickly with less brushing and patching.

Hawg · 01-02-2012, 07:04 AM

Copper is easy, lead is a bit harder to remove. Ammonia will take more copper out than the best copper cleaners but it takes bluing off instantly.

gun runner · 01-02-2012, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ms6852

I do not know why you do not use a brush but there is nothing wrong with using a brass brush or nylon to clean the barrel of a gun or rifle. If you can shoot full metal jacketed bullets and a tremendous explosion occurs every time you shoot your rifle within the specified limitations of that bullet, I assure you your rifle will be okay. The steel in your barrel is much stronger than the aluminum rod or brass brush and I would not worry about the barrel. But if you still have doubts use weedeater string and a patch.

weedeater string? lol

Hawg · 01-02-2012, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gun runner

weedeater string? lol

Hey, if it works.

Bindernut · 01-02-2012, 07:38 PM

One thing I haven't noticed anyone mention is that sometimes hard, abrasive stuff can get embedded in a soft aluminum rod. This grit can do some damage.
Basically, keep the rod clean and it'll be fine.

Personally, I prefer a good stainless steel rod though. Even though these rods are a similar hardness to the rifle barrel, they are easier to keep clean.
They're also stiffer than the aluminum rods so there's less chance of bowing the rod so it scrapes against the bore too.
I have bent a couple of those cheap Hoppes/Outers .22cal aluminum rods in larger bores so I just don't like em.

As for the brushes...
No problem with using bronze or nylon brushes. And lik Jim K mentions, if used in the right situation Stainless brushes have their place too.
The mop is good for slathering on solvent and oil but it's not tight enough to really do any serious scrubbing.

Bindernut · 01-02-2012, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gun runner

weedeater string? lol

I've used good heavy braided dacron fishing line to brew up a makeshift bore-snake before.

01-01-2012, 04:45 PM	#1
gun runner Former Guest Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: South Texas Contributor Posts: 1,871	Cleaning my rifle Same savage gun i been talking about here, I dont use brass wire brushes to clean the inside of the barrel instead I use a cotton mop type i guess they call it with an aluminum rod. I was cleaning the inside of the barrel and I could hear like the aluminum rubbing the inside of the barrel. Hmmmmm. I know about the crown not to mess with that and I looked at it and it looks perfect. I wonder If aluminum scratches steel and I wonder if that rubbing sound which Im sure it was the rod, I wonder if it abraised the barrel. Kind of silly question but thought id ask anyways -->

01-01-2012, 06:10 PM	#2
ms6852 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: San Antonio Texas Posts: 157	Re: Cleaning my rifle I do not know why you do not use a brush but there is nothing wrong with using a brass brush or nylon to clean the barrel of a gun or rifle. If you can shoot full metal jacketed bullets and a tremendous explosion occurs every time you shoot your rifle within the specified limitations of that bullet, I assure you your rifle will be okay. The steel in your barrel is much stronger than the aluminum rod or brass brush and I would not worry about the barrel. But if you still have doubts use weedeater string and a patch. __________________ ONLY TWO DEFINING FORCES HAVE GIVEN UP THEIR LIVES FOR YOU. ONE IS JESUS CHRIST, FOR YOUR SOUL, AND THE OTHER IS THE AMERICAN SOLDIER, FOR YOUR FREEDOM.

01-01-2012, 06:16 PM	#3
Hawg Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 1,559	Re: Cleaning my rifle Aluminum is softer than steel so no it's not going to hurt it. I don't use brushes much either but brass or bronze are fine, just stay away from stainless steel ones

01-01-2012, 06:32 PM	#4
Charles Christensen V.I.P. Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 208	Re: Cleaning my rifle My reply is based on a lot of years in the metal working industry. I realize a lot of people have intense feelings about what they stick up their barrels (?) - let me rephrase that: A lot of gun people are very careful about what comes into contact with the rifling in their guns. However, gun barrels have been made out of carbon steel of various alloys up to and including stainless steel for a long time with even harder materials like chrome being plated in them. So, unless you are talking about a Damascus steel barrel or VERY old guns there should not be any problem as long as the cleaning rod is made of softer material than the barrel. Materials like wood, brass, bronze and aluminum should not do any damage rubbing in the barrel. That being said, I would not recommend over-doing it. Swab it. Check it. If it looks good then oil it.

01-01-2012, 06:44 PM	#5
jack404 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Contributor Posts: 17,622	Re: Cleaning my rifle steel hard brass pretty soft metal wise applying soft to hard wont hurt the hard but you'll go through a few brass brushes over the coming years and that barrel will still be A OK .. how it works ( and again stainless brushes stay away from ) cheers

01-01-2012, 08:49 PM	#6
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: Cleaning my rifle Even stainless steel brushes have their place when dealing with severely rusted barrels. Softer material just won't remove old crud and rust and sometimes not even steel will, but steel brushes have a better chance of cleaning up serious crud where bronze won't do, and the modern favorite, nylon, is a joke. (Even nylon is not soft enough for the "delicate barrel" folks; one fellow on another site posted a warning that using nylon brushes would destroy the rifling in an M1 rifle barrel! I wonder how those barrels ever stood up to firing steel jacket bullets.) Jim

01-01-2012, 10:03 PM	#7
CHW2021 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Louisiana Posts: 467	Re: Cleaning my rifle If you want to make life easier on yourself and your barrel(s) use a decent quality copper solvent and follow the manufacturers recommendations. Remove deposits more easily and quickly with less brushing and patching.

01-02-2012, 07:04 AM	#8
Hawg Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 1,559	Re: Cleaning my rifle Copper is easy, lead is a bit harder to remove. Ammonia will take more copper out than the best copper cleaners but it takes bluing off instantly.

01-02-2012, 07:38 PM	#11
Bindernut Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: ND, USA Posts: 2,450	Re: Cleaning my rifle One thing I haven't noticed anyone mention is that sometimes hard, abrasive stuff can get embedded in a soft aluminum rod. This grit can do some damage. Basically, keep the rod clean and it'll be fine. Personally, I prefer a good stainless steel rod though. Even though these rods are a similar hardness to the rifle barrel, they are easier to keep clean. They're also stiffer than the aluminum rods so there's less chance of bowing the rod so it scrapes against the bore too. I have bent a couple of those cheap Hoppes/Outers .22cal aluminum rods in larger bores so I just don't like em. As for the brushes... No problem with using bronze or nylon brushes. And lik Jim K mentions, if used in the right situation Stainless brushes have their place too. The mop is good for slathering on solvent and oil but it's not tight enough to really do any serious scrubbing.