I’ve searched and read a lot about the necessity of using a bore guide when cleaning with a rod from chamber to muzzle. What is the primary concern when not using one? Is it that the tip of the rod can nick the throat or is it that you don’t want the brushes putting small scratches in the throat similar to why you don’t pull a brush back through the muzzle when using a rod? Is it a good idea to use a bore guide even when using a pull through cleaning system like Otis to feed the bristles?
- Thread starter rugershooter
- Start date
I mainly use a bore guide so I can get fluids down the barrel without flooding the inside of my action.
Thanks I was considering using the bore guide just for that reason but was really curious about the brush causing any issue going into the throat without the guide.
Invest in a good cleaning rod (Dewey, Pro-Shot, Montana Extreme) and boreguide (Mike Lucas) and you wouldn't have to worry about a pull through cleaning system. 
This is more of a deep in the weeds kind of question I was just curious about. People say not to start a brush through the muzzle without a guide because of possible muzzle damage. They also talk about throat erosion being sped up if you don’t use a bore guide cleaning from chamber to muzzle. Is the primary concern for throat erosion 1. The rod poking the throat from misalignment or 2. The brush bristles contacting the throat transition area as they are compressed (similar to end of the muzzle bristle contact)?
Who cleans muzzle to chamber?!?
Second, how can cleaning cause throat erosion? A bullet traveling at 2800+ fps and HEAT causes erosion... Not bristles.
You're over-thinking it.
My understanding of the bore guide is to keep the rod centered in the bore. If the rod is dirty supposedly it can scratch the barrel. Like sandpaper.
It’s not so much the bristles but the wire they are bound with that sticks out the front of the brush. Repeatedly jamming that into the lands with no guide can possibly affect the throat. Though most are bound with aluminum which is substantially softer. I’ll stick with a bore guide myself. Too many benefits not to.
Thanks for the responses to this, I do plan to use a rod and bore guide and also don’t plan on over cleaning. To answer the original question, it sounds like there is no benefit to using a bore guide with a pull through system other than to keep any fluids away from the action.
I use a pull through rope type system for light cleaning and a bore guide and rod for deeper cleaning. I general I think periodic maintenance is more important... than the exact process
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