Clean that shotgun without smell!

[1 Cor 2:9]

Many of us are blessed with a spouse who has a great distaste for the smell of gun cleaning solvents, me included. Being fairly new to skeet shooting I learned quickly about plastic in shotgun barrels, and most of the cleaning fluids I tried had limited effect, some worked but took soaking overnight, and repeated applications. Being a guy with alot of things to do I was looking for something that worked fairly quick within a couple of hours and did not need a lot of scrubbing. And did not have a strong smell, which gives me migraines along with complaints from my lovely wife, as far as scrubbing goes my shoulders are about wore out by now anyway. Spinning bore brushes done the bore with electric drills, well there has to be a better way, for me anyway. So I went my reloading store, those of you from around Phoenix know Brunos and found Bore Tech Shotgun Blend on the shelf. No smell works great, works quick, biodegradable, so I can keep my liver and my brain cells did I say no smell!
No affiliation with Bore Tech tho I have used there products for many years, and no affilation to Brunos. Hope this helps some one.
JW

 

[George P]

ANY solvent works on the plastic, even WD-40. I have never had to let something sit for any length of time, especially overnight. Spray it down, brush on a rod in a cordless drill followed by a patch or two on a jag and done. 5 minutes and done for me.

 

[22250Rem]

Thanks for the tip on being odor free. The wife doesn't even like to smell Hoppe's #9 and most other solvents are worse. Which is why I have a cleaning bench out in the garage. Nice in warm weather when most shotgun cleaning is done around here. Gonna try some Bore Tech for use down here in the basement man cave. I like that biodegradable aspect of it also.

 

[SwampWolf]

The wife doesn't even like to smell Hoppe's #9

A clamp for the nose comes to mind.

 

[George Foster]

Boretech Products are great, I have been using them for quite a few years now.

 

[22250Rem]

A clamp for the nose comes to mind.

.......... I've made that suggestion already. But she never listens to my constructive ideas.

 

[entropy]

I use Slip 2000 choke tube cleaner on chokes and barrels, it has a very benign scent. If SWMBO doesn't like the smell of gun cleaners, she can stay out of my shop.

 

[George P]

I prefer Shooter's Choice, but I also have never cleaned guns inside the house; it has either been in the garage or a shed/workshop.

 

[J-Bar]

Lots of ways to skin this cat, and the only thing that matters is that you are satisfied with your procedure of choice. Not trying to change anyone’s mind...

Someday you may be caught short, without your preferred solvent, and need to clean the plastic crud out of the barrel. Get a couple of rubber plugs or “corks” that fit your chamber and muzzle openings (#4 from Ace Hardware fits a 12 gauge). Put a few ounces of HOT soapy water in the plugged barrel, plug the muzzle, slosh it around for a minute. Pour it out, repeat until water looks clean coming out of the barrel. Push a couple of wadded up paper towels through the bore to dry it and remove the last traces of fouling. Finish with lubricant of choice.

Oh horrors! Put water in your barrel!! Yeah, kinda like going duck hunting.

Black powder shooters use lots of soapy water for cleanup. Plastic builds up quickly with black powder shotshells.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Oh horrors! Put water in your barrel!! Yeah, kinda like going duck hunting.

I have actually known people who would not hunt in the rain for fear of their gun getting wet.

The best way to get any gun truly clean is with hot water.
It will not be odor free and may help your spouse vent a little. This will reduce the severity of the a$$ chewing you get periodically despite any effort put forth to avoid it.

 

[PaFrank]

I shot skeet for many years. I can get the plastic fouling out usually in one pass. occasionally, but rarely 2, if i shot a lot. Here is the procedure, and you need to do it before you leave the range. NOT AT HOME.
You will need: a can of brake cleaner, and not the "environmentally safe" treehugger crap either, the bad chlorinated stuff. and a roll of bounty select a size paper towels, and a cleaning rod.
(I use o/u double guns) Spray a 2 to 3 second squirt down each barrel.. swirl the straw as you go to get all around the barrel.
Wad up a select a size paper towel and jam it in the chamber.
Push each paper towel wad through the barrel and your done. the barrel should be squeaky clean.
Don't forget to put a coating of light oil in the barrel as the brake cleaner will remove all oils as well.

The whole process will take you about 4 minutes. I've been cleaning my shotgun barrels this way for about 35 years. No problems.

 

[SwampWolf]

a can of brake cleaner

Wear eye protection; this stuff can blind you if it splashes in the wrong direction.

 

[Sniper66]

Wear eye protection; this stuff can blind you if it splashes in the wrong direction.

Yes indeed! Wear eye protection when cleaning guns.....ALWAYS

 

[George P]

Yes indeed! Wear eye protection when cleaning guns.....ALWAYS

Had a friend lose most of his eyesight in one eye from exactly this scenario.

 

[GE-Mini-Gun]

I've been shooting skeet for just over 30 years, along with trap, sporting and 5-stand and to this day I have never had "plastic" in the barrels...either I'm doing something wrong or the rest of you are.

 

[George P]

Plastic from some wad makers tend to leave some residue more than others; that said, it is a simple fix with a solvent, brush on a rod in a cordless drill and about 10 seconds of going back and forth.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I've been shooting skeet for just over 30 years, along with trap, sporting and 5-stand and to this day I have never had "plastic" in the barrels...either I'm doing something wrong or the rest of you are.

Same here on no plastic. I shoot 50-75 boxes a month. About all I do to the barrels is pull an oily boresnake through at the end of the day. I dont have any plastic built up.

If I get plastic in the chokes, I clean it out with a bore brush chucked in a drill. Takes about 2 minutes to clean a choke tube. I have one set of chokes in gun that I have been shooting weekly for 3 years. They have never had any plastic in them. I have others that need cleaned every month or two.

 

[Dudedog]

The wife doesn't even like to smell Hoppe's #9

It's cologne for men.
The sent of #9 always brings back memories, sadly the new version does not smell quite the same.

https://www.hoppes.com/all-hoppes-products/no.-9-air-freshener-3-pack/HO-H9AF3.html:D

 

[Blue Jays]

"...The scent of #9 always brings back memories..."

Absolutely concur.
When cleaning with Hoppes #9 it always reminds me of great relaxing weekends with friends. Good times!

 

[Milkmaster]

See if she likes the smell of Ballistol!

 

[1 Cor 2:9]

Tried that, said it smells like a wet dead dog! Whatever a dead wet dog smells like, I took that as unfavorable.

 

[Sniper66]

Love that Hoppe's. And generally like the smell of gun oil and related cleaning products. Combine it with the shine on a sparkling clean, rust-free work of firearm art. Ahhh, a little bit of heaven.