Best Bore Cleaners for “Match Grade” Barrels?
- Thread starter Leo77
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You need to do some research on here about bore cleaning. Some do it, some don't. Some wait until they see the accuracy fading then clean. The general opinion from most of the regarded rifle builders and barrel makers is that most of the damage on match grade barrels comes from bad cleaning methods, bore guides, crown worn down or damaged from cleaning rods, and the list goes on. Poke around and see what you find and make your own conclusion. Good Luck!
I like Wipe Out a lot. Very easy to use, effective and gentle on barrels. No more bore brushes - just push dry patches thru two or three times after spraying the foaming stuff into barrels 4 to 6 hours prior.
Everyone eventually cleans their bore. The trick is to not over clean it and do more damage than is necessary.
I am a big fan of BoreTech Eliminator and other BoreTech solvents. Not only do they clean really well, but I also like the fact that they don't smell horrible and they are biodegradable.
However, there are a lot of good products out there to choose from.....I just happen to like BoreTech.
I am a big fan of BoreTech Eliminator and other BoreTech solvents. Not only do they clean really well, but I also like the fact that they don't smell horrible and they are biodegradable.
However, there are a lot of good products out there to choose from.....I just happen to like BoreTech.
Another fan of BoreTech Eliminator. Works very well and the wife doesn't complain about the odor.
We use Butches Bore Shine to get the barrel wet and get the cleaning process started. We then switch to Hollands Shooters Supply "Witches Brew". It works great, in my opinion it is the fastest way to clean a barrel and I have not ever seen any damage to a barrel from it. We borescope everything, and my personal rifles look great with no signs of wear.
Use a good boreguide.
Be careful how you use your brushes.
Guide the jag back into the muzzle cautiously.
Use good quality one piece cleaning rod.
Do not over clean.
Once you are done with your solvent, wipe out your barrel with something neutral, then dry it out with a few patches.
You will be perfectly fine.
Mark
Use a good boreguide.
Be careful how you use your brushes.
Guide the jag back into the muzzle cautiously.
Use good quality one piece cleaning rod.
Do not over clean.
Once you are done with your solvent, wipe out your barrel with something neutral, then dry it out with a few patches.
You will be perfectly fine.
Mark
Another vote for Butches Bore Shine. And as others have said...my best barrels don't get cleaned very much at all. They shoot dirty and I let them shoot dirty. When they start opening up they get a careful cleaning. But they never get cleaned unless accuracy starts to go. Gotta love a good barrel.
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I do a couple patches of hoppes to get the bulk of it out than switch over to boretech.
What do you guys think of boresnakes and the plastic bristle brushes?
What do you guys think of boresnakes and the plastic bristle brushes?
Outside of the various chemicals or compounds, you may also want to look at are VFG products offered by Brownells. They are a bore diameter specific pellet that fits on to a proprietary cleaning rod adapter. I prefer the pellet system vs using a jag and patches and/or a bore brush.
http://www.brownells.com/gun-cleani...ts/weapons-care-system-pellets-prod13839.aspx
http://www.brownells.com/gun-cleani...ts/weapons-care-system-pellets-prod13839.aspx
Get all my cleaning supplies from BoreTech. Use their Eliminator on the barrel only when accuracy starts to fade and after 200-300 rounds only need to run two or three wet patches and let it sit for a minute or two. Then four or five dry patches until they come out clean. Then one patch with a few drops of Kranoil followed by one dry patch. Done. I do clean and lube the bolt and wipe the chamber after each session. Of course always use a bore guide. Good luck and good shooting.
PS On new barrels clean initially after every few rounds for the first 20 rounds or so and your barrel will be properly SEASONED and your future cleaning will be as easy as mine.
PS On new barrels clean initially after every few rounds for the first 20 rounds or so and your barrel will be properly SEASONED and your future cleaning will be as easy as mine.
I like Butches the best, but TM is a close second followed by the Eleminator. However I never try and get my bores down to bare steel eighter.
After doing my research I have decided the following to start with. Dewey nylon coated rod, nylon bristle brush, parker hale jags, and boretech c4 carbon remover. I'm gonna do a wet patch followed by 1 or 2 passes with the nylon brush then dry patches (number tbd). If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears.
BTW, I am getting a GAP-10.
BTW, I am getting a GAP-10.
Butches bore shine works great. I was a long time user of ShootersChoice but I think Butches is a better blend. Good plan to use the nylon brushes. Only clean when the barrel tells you it is time ( accuracy falls off).
A good bore guide is every bi as important as what you are using.
Around here Butches does the bulk of the work. If I feel a barrel is really dirty and needs more I will use nylon brushes and I unscrew them instead of pulling back through the bore.
I just picked up some MPro and Eliminator, so we will see how they compare.
Around here Butches does the bulk of the work. If I feel a barrel is really dirty and needs more I will use nylon brushes and I unscrew them instead of pulling back through the bore.
I just picked up some MPro and Eliminator, so we will see how they compare.
I really love a 9:1 mix of shooters choice and Kroil. It works great and is very effective on Moly.
i bough a JP Enterprise AR years ago with a match barrel,and they told me to use Butches Bore Shine with a bore guide and patches only after the first 20 rounds,then the next 20 and then the next 20.then only when it gets dirty.wet the patches and run them through a few times and then run the dry patches through until its dry.that is all i have ever used.
i wouldn't use the brushes or snakes on a match barrel.i guess they would be ok for hard chrome barrels,but i couldn't say for sure.i do know that if you go into a gun store and ask the guys in there how to clean,99% will tell you to use a copper brush or a snake.i actually had a salesman laugh at me when i refused to buy his bore snake and told him i only use solvent and pstches.
i wouldn't use the brushes or snakes on a match barrel.i guess they would be ok for hard chrome barrels,but i couldn't say for sure.i do know that if you go into a gun store and ask the guys in there how to clean,99% will tell you to use a copper brush or a snake.i actually had a salesman laugh at me when i refused to buy his bore snake and told him i only use solvent and pstches.
Good info Mark. I'll file this away for the custom .338LM you're building for me.
Mark
Thanks for all the replies. I figured most would prefer the BoreTech, Butches and Wipe-Out.
Im slightly surprised that Shooters Choice was not mentioned more.
Also the VFG “Pellets” from brownells look like an interesting product, Im not sure about the “Super Intensive Pellets” but I may pick up some of the “Plain Felt Pellets” and give them a try.
Thanks again and God Bless.
Im slightly surprised that Shooters Choice was not mentioned more.
Also the VFG “Pellets” from brownells look like an interesting product, Im not sure about the “Super Intensive Pellets” but I may pick up some of the “Plain Felt Pellets” and give them a try.
Thanks again and God Bless.
Has anybody tried any of the Otis O-12 solvent line. I've always used Hoppies #9 but I get the feeling that my bore brush is really doing all the work and that with a better solvent I could save myself a lot of time.
Butch's Bore Shine works great for me. A couple wet pactches, wait 10-15 min for solvent to get to working on powder and copper fouling, brush with wet loop ended bronze brush down and back 10 times being careful when pulling brush back into muzzle, couple wet patches, wait another 10-15, dry patch and done.
Go to the benchrest Supershoot, and all you will see, is guys cleaning barrels between relays with Butches Bore Shine. Its the standard for the 6PPC match barrels. Its all Ill use. Period.
Just a comment on Butches Bore Shine, a product a shooting buddy religiously uses when shooting at range. Gent will shoot say maybe 10 or so rounds with a rifle and then run some patches with Butches on it down bore and then dry patch it and then resume shooting, then clean bore again and etc. Not once have I ever see him use a brush of any kind in his bore....just a patch and a jag. Commented about this routine once to him and he told me with Butches Bore Shine, just a patch and jag needed, no brush necessary.
Then one day, disgusted with how one of his favorite rifles had shot, allowed another fellow shooter to take rifle home to see what he could do with it till the next weekend. Accuracy of rifle was poor. Next weekend he received rifle back and it shot more accurately. Asked gent who'd taken rifle what he'd done to get it to shoot more accurately. He chuckled, "just gave the bore a good cleaning," was his answer. "You'd be surprised how much crud came out of the bore when I brushed it using my favorite bore cleaner." Do not recall him mentioning the bore cleaner he used, but suspect it was his version of Ed's Red. This experience kinda makes me wonder about what happens when you do not occassionaly use a brush with any cleaner or just uses Butches Bore Shine with a patch and jag.
Personally, I have maybe 4 different brands of bore cleaner and my version of Ed's Red. I seldom use the same cleaner two times in a row when cleaning a bore....try to rotate their use.
Then one day, disgusted with how one of his favorite rifles had shot, allowed another fellow shooter to take rifle home to see what he could do with it till the next weekend. Accuracy of rifle was poor. Next weekend he received rifle back and it shot more accurately. Asked gent who'd taken rifle what he'd done to get it to shoot more accurately. He chuckled, "just gave the bore a good cleaning," was his answer. "You'd be surprised how much crud came out of the bore when I brushed it using my favorite bore cleaner." Do not recall him mentioning the bore cleaner he used, but suspect it was his version of Ed's Red. This experience kinda makes me wonder about what happens when you do not occassionaly use a brush with any cleaner or just uses Butches Bore Shine with a patch and jag.
Personally, I have maybe 4 different brands of bore cleaner and my version of Ed's Red. I seldom use the same cleaner two times in a row when cleaning a bore....try to rotate their use.
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