Could this be damaging? - another cleaning Q

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

marktx

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2007
Messages
629
Location
Texas
What (if any) damage could be done to a rifle barrel by never cleaning it? I'm not particularly diligent in cleaning my rifles other than the occasional wipe down and squirt with CLP to keep them from rusting. Even shooting South African surplus the PTR-91 doesn't seem to be having any problem functioning after many hundreds of rounds and I haven't noticed any change in accuracy. Will there be some kind of terminal copper build up that will damage the barrel? Is there a point at which accuracy will severely fall off? The barrel still looks clean and shiny when I look through it with a bore light but I guess there has to be some copper buildup. Same thing goes with the Sig556, just like that battery bunny it keeps going.

Am I actually risking any type of damage to the barrels by not cleaning them?
 
Not cleaning the bore can lead to poor accuracy. The rate at which it happens is dependent on the type of ammo used and how regularly it is shot.

I know your question was more specifically about barrels, but there are worse parts of the rifle to get fouled up than the bore. The gas systems of semi autos can get pretty nasty from carbon buildup. Over time, if you don't service this part, you might end up with a single shot.

Another part you don't want fouled up, and one that can lead to a particularly dangerous situation, is a dirty bolt and firing pin. This can lead to slam-fires, OOB firing, and all sorts of other nasty situations.

Keep it clean.

Jason
 
If you are shooting non-corrosive ammo there will not be any damage to the bore. That is, if the definition of damage is a physical pit, nick, dent – type of damage. However, the copper build-up will get to a point that it is beyond repair (my opinion only) because it is so embedded into the bore. I have several WWII M-1 Garand rifles that will leave blue on a patch no matter how many times I clean them. I actually tested it for about a week. I set the gun in a cleaning rack and every day I would spend some quality time running either Blue Wonder or Bore Scrubber through it. It still stains the patch blue.
Copper and fouling play hell with accuracy for me but when you talk about actual damage to the barrel - You have a good question. I never heard anyone come right out and ask it.
 
I figure that I can always get (or make) one of the electrochemical bore cleaner setups and clean the barrels out that way should it ever matter that much to me. Mostly I was curious what, if any, actual damage might be caused by lack of cleaning. A couple weeks ago I was reading here about "oil donuts" that can be caused when a bullet is fired through an overly oiled barrel and the oil can't be pushed out of the way fast enough leading to a donut like bulge in the barrel. Never have heard of such a thing but it seemed plausible enough..... for all I know there may be some horrible thing if too much copper builds up. Just the other day I was reading about the moly coating on bullets being hygroscopic and leading to rust inside barrels, another thing I had never heard of or would have guessed. Shot a bunch of moly ammo through my PTR at first and never cleaned it but it's dry in W. Texas so I'm not overly concerned, and I would think that all the copper stuff I have shot since would have cleaned away any moly traces.

I do clean out the rifles that shoot corrosive ammo, at least enough to get the salt out.
 
You shouldn't be shooting barrel that has oil in it. Oil doesn't compress and doesn't get pushed out of the way. It can be pushed into the steel causing a bulge. That is damage to your barrel. A bulge is a weak spot that can break.
"...still stains the patch blue..." You need to give the solvent time to work. Instead of using a bunch of patches, put the muzzle in a wee tub (that's deeper than the gas hole) and fill the barrel with solvent and leave it there for 24 hours. Then clean as per normal. Repeat as required.
 
Well, other things can accumulate in a bore than residue from firing. I got a dandy rust pit in a .45 ACP barrel once long ago when wood chips got in there and trapped moisture.

So, while compulsive cleaning may not be necessary, neglect is probably not a goal either.
 
There's another hazard.

Moisture can infiltrate under the fouling and rust the bore.
First sign of a problem is when a bit of fouling flakes off, exposing a pit.
 
spend the $50+ and get a proper cleaning kit. You will need it one day, or at least for now get a bore snake and some foaming bore cleaner.,..or comparable.
 
spend the $50+ and get a proper cleaning kit. You will need it one day, or at least for now get a bore snake and some foaming bore cleaner.,..or comparable.
Click to expand...

Anything good for cleaning gas guns? I bought a can of the foaming stuff and only when I got ready to use it did I see the warning on it "do not use with gas-operated firearms". Guess it's bad if it gets up the gas hole, but now what do I use for my AR/AK/SKS?
 
Anything good for cleaning gas guns?
Click to expand...
Just use any solvent that works well at removing carbon and does not leave an oily residue. That last part is important. Most gas systems are designed to work bone dry. Adding any sort of lube will gum up the works. Get the carbon fouling out, just don't lube it in any way. Avoid any "All-In-One Wonderproducts," as they usually leave a lubricant of some type behind after the solvent dries.

Jason
 
Anybody know if there is much if any danger from galvanic corrosion from dissimilar metals... i.e. copper on steel? I can't remember enough chemistry to figure it out without cracking open some books.

Moisture can infiltrate under the fouling and rust the bore.
First sign of a problem is when a bit of fouling flakes off, exposing a pit.
Click to expand...

Thats certainly a valid consideration, the environment here is very dry but I could see that being a problem in some parts of the country.

spend the $50+ and get a proper cleaning kit. You will need it one day, or at least for now get a bore snake
Click to expand...

I have all that stuff..... I just don't ever bother to use it.
 
"I have all that stuff..... I just don't ever bother to use it. "

Kind of like owning soap or a toothbrush and not bothering......
 
I brush my teeth at least twice a day because if I don't they will most certainly deteriorate..... but will my guns do the same? It seems that in some circumstances (corrosive ammo, getting them wet) that it might but apart from that it doesn't sound like there is any permanent damage done.
 
marktx said:
Anybody know if there is much if any danger from galvanic corrosion from dissimilar metals... i.e. copper on steel? I can't remember enough chemistry to figure it out without cracking open some books.
Click to expand...

The linked galvanic series places steel as the corroding anode when compared to copper in a sea water environment. However the list is complicated as the composition of the electrolyte may change the relative positions.

Interestingly different types of stainless steel come above and below copper depending on whether they are active or passive.

http://corrosion-doctors.org/Definitions/galvanic-series.htm
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

F
  • Locked
When to use a copper solvent to clean the bore?
Replies
17
Views
5K
skipbo32
S
W
  • Locked
Garand & Copper Fouling Question
Replies
6
Views
497
itsa pain
I
O
  • Locked
Corrosive ammo warning Must READ!!
2
Replies
28
Views
4K
VA27
VA27
K
  • Locked
First time out with AK
Replies
6
Views
559
battlehatch
B
B
  • Locked
Barrel Cleaning Troubles
Replies
17
Views
1K
morcey2
morcey2
Back
Top