Barrel Cleaning

[kotengu]

On my 18.5" 870 barrel, I've cleaned for the longest time with only a boresnake. After I had the forcing cone lengthened and screw-in chokes installed, I've looked down the barrel more often, and noticed some residue that doesn't want to come out.

I bought a cleaning rod and brush, and was disappointed to find out it was a plastic brush. It and Hoppes didn't do anything to the residue. I tried the dowel and 0000 steel wool in a drill trick and it didn't seem to do much good either.

I've now bought a bronze brush - will that do the trick? Is this the dreaded "was residue" I've heard about? What gets this out, or should I just shoot it and stop obsessing about the bore - it's not a match grade rifle, after all.....

 

[mete]

Get a gun with a chromed bore ! Otherwise the best brush is the Tornado [?] brush sold by Hoppes. I assume this is a problem of plastic from the shell deposited in the bore.

 

[TrapperReady]

A few things. First of all, it is most likely crudded up plastic wadding smeared inside the tube. I've had good luck with the Tornado brush mentioned by mete. I've also had good luck ignoring it, as long as the actual chamber area is clear. A brass brush, a bit of Hoppes and some elbow grease will also take care of things, just not as fast.

Anymore, I pay attention to the action, the chamber and the choke tube threads. I don't worry much about the bore itself.

 

[Fred Fuller]

No need to worry about a chromed bore on a plain everyday scattergun. Good maintenance is enough.

Likely you do have plastic residue built up from shot cups/one piece wads as previously mentioned. It can be tough to get out. Try Remington's bore cleaner, that when used with a bronze brush works for me. If you have a significant accumulation of fouling it may take more elbow grease. The Tornado brush might help make it easier, or just wrap the bronze brush in 4/0 steel wool.

Who did your bore work? When the folks at Colonial do one of mine, it comes back with a mirror- polished bore that seems easier to keep clean.

hth,

lpl/nc

 

[sm]

Agree with TR ,

I concern myself with Action, Chamber, Extraction and Choke threads.

If it really bothers you, chuck up a Aluminum cleaning rod into your battery operated drill. Wrap some the finest grit Scotchbrite ( tm) pad onto a bristle brush and run through a few times.

Spray CRC Brakleen , G96 Gun treatment, Whatever to flush out residue. Tico Tool ,bore mop, patches and done.

Fastest way to clean a chamber. Fastest way to clean a bore. Many folks shooting tube sets do this .

One can use 0000 steel wool, I have begun to be cautious recommending this - some folks will not remove the steel wool and the wool rusts .

I bought a NIB Express about a year ago , I cleaned the factory stuff out , sealed the end grain , treated the bore with RIG .

This is the last time I cleaned it . I want to see how it does for how long...

Excuse me, gotta grab some ear plugs before Dave reads this...

 

[MashBill]

First, smear a thin coat of JB Bore Paste on a patch, wrap the patch around a Tornado brush, and run it through the bore a few times. I repeat this process until the residue is gone.

Next, run a few clean patches wrapped around the Tornado through the bore to get rid of the bore paste.

Next, put your favorite cleaner/lube (FP-10, CLP, etc.) on a patch, wrap this around the Tornado brush and run through the bore. Repeat until the patch comes out clean.

Finally, I run a clean patch wrapped around the Tornado to remove any excess cleaner/lube.

Like you, I also use a BoreSnake most of the time, but when I have obstinate residue I perform the above process. After a few treatments, I find that I don't have to do it as often, even though I am shooting much more these days.

Good Luck,

 

[Red Label]

One thing I have also noticed, kind of by accident, is that after I had finally gotten all the crud out of the bore I started using Breakfree CLP. I had always been a Hoppes and gun oil man but a friend of mine had me try this stuff. It seems to make cleaning the next time go much easier. I don't know if it leaves some kind of coating in the metal or what but it makes cleaning in all my guns go much faster.
As far as the initial scubbing goes however, I just use what everybody else has recommended, Brake cleaner, bore cleaner, bronze brushes on drills and elbow grease. I also might try the Breakfree and just let it soak awhile.

 

[Hammerhead]

Don't Tornado brushes scare anyone else?

Maybe this should be a separate thread, but since it came up...

Tornado brushes are made of steel, either stainless or chrome-plated. I bought one, started to use it, and then decided that I liked my barrel diameter right about where it was!

That is just a joke, but I switched back to bronze brushes to avoid scratching the barrel. Anyone else?

Regards,
Hammerhead

 

[TrapperReady]

I think the idea with the Tornado brushes is that they are all loops. There are no "cut ends" like in a normal bristle brush.

All I can say is that I've used them a number of times with no discernible ill effects.

 

[HSMITH]

You guys are working too hard at this. Get a can of CHLORINATED brake cleaner, and spray it in the bore well away from any of the wood of the gun or any painted finishes. It will melt the plastic out of the barrel and a simple patch will push it out in one pass. If it is heavily coated with plastic it may take two spray and swab passes. Clean the chamber with a 10 gauge standard bronze bore brush chucked up in a drill.

 

[TrapperReady]

HSMITH - You must be one of those "Work smarter, not harder guys." I'm more of the "I'm not too bright, but I can lift heavy stuff types."

 

[HSMITH]

LOL, I try to be Trapper. One guy I know is usually described as "he can lift a ton, but he can't spell it", sometimes that resembles me too

 

[Darkside]

I take a cheap cleaning rod with a 12 or 10 gauge bronze brush and wrap a piece of the copper dish pan scrubber(chore boy..IIRC) Chuck it in my cordless drill and in two passes down the barrel all I have is some loose chunks that I push out with a wet patch of (insert favorite bore cleaner here). Then a couple passes with a oily mop and BANG, I am done.

Darkside

 

[Bix]

I'm with HSMITH on this. I use Gunscrubber, brake cleaner's chemically equilivent, more expensive cousin. It will dissolve plastic fouling on contact . Blast barrel, run brush/patch, done.

If you've been running slugs through gun, you might be observing lead streaks in the bore. Gunscrubber/break cleaner works well for this, too. I usually follow with a bronze brush wrapped in a bit of copper mesh from a "chore boy" pad (sans powertools )This has dramatically cut my cleaning time after slug days.

Incidentally, I've used a tornado brush to remove very heavy lead fouling on a highly polished bore with no ill effects.

 

[kotengu]

Why chlorinated brake cleaner? Will the non-chlorinated stuff work (I have bunches of that already)?

 

[HSMITH]

The non-chlorinated variety doesn't work nearly as well, it doesn't attack the plastic as bad. This is the reason it is more popular, it won't hurt the paint or plastics on a car either. The chlorinated stuff is much more aggressive to paints and plastics.

I find it on sale, usually about 99 cents per can. I pick up a case of non-chlor and a case of chlorinated. The stuff has a million uses.

 

[DBR]

Another solvent that seems to work well for plastic wad fouling is "Goo Gone". It is sold in most hardware stores for removing label adhesive, road tar etc. It is a much slower evaporating solvent than brake cleaner so you can let it soak over night.