Need some shotgun bore cleaning advice...

[CMOS]

Although I have been shooting shotguns for years I never have seemed to get a comfortable and efficient techinque for cleanng the bore. Yeah, I know that sounds rather basic but what the heck can I say?...

To be more specific, what I need to know is after using the bore brush, what's a good method to remove all that gunk from the barrel?

It seems that patches are not big enough to get a tight fit in the bore. I've seen a few different types of what are called "bore mops" but do they work? Can they be cleaned? How long will they last?

I've got a good method for the actual bore cleansing, I just need some suggestions as to how to remove the mess once the bore has been brushed.

Thanks for your suggestions. BTW, I have a Benelli M1S90 and a Remngton 870 Marine Magnum.

CMOS

[blooch]

i use cut up tee shirts for patches, a stainless brush made onto a 36"x 3/8" rod, one of those fuzzy rods, and a miracle cleaner called ""quickshot"" from a richard redwine in whichita falls, texas. that is the best cleaner ofr a shotgun barrel going, comes in a aerosol can , just spray it in the barrel and wait a few minutes. when you look inside you'll see what looks like tree bark, it's he plastic peeling loose from the barrel, take a mop, or the one he sells in his cleaning kit and clean the loosen material out and you are done, barrel is coated with rust preventative in the quick shot. works great.

i have used the stainless brush on a rod in lined barrels, but not in soft ones, with the rod chucked in a drill, for really bad problems. quick shot will handle just about anything though, and not harm your gun in any way.

A bore snake works really well for pulling junk out of a barrel.

[blooch]

http://www.quickshot.net/

should get you to quickshot web page

[Dave McC]

Hoppe's on a BRASS/BRONZE brush, followed by flannel rags on a jog, big enough to make a snug fit. Repeat if used heavily,follow with oil bob.The forcing cone and choke may need a little extra to get all the plastic out.

NOTE: the more the bbl is used, the easier it seem to be to get clean. Fire buffing puts oneheckuva polish in the bore.

I've heard plenty of good stuff about the Boresnake, I'll get one sometime soon and let y'all know.

[Al Thompson]

It's Kleenbore that makes a jag for shotguns. I have one and use that to push a few patches through after scrubbing the bore. I'll double check the maker, their in stock at a local gunshop.

For scrubbing the bore, I find that copper "Chore Boys" wrapped around an old brush works the best. I admit to being somewhat of a fanatic about the process.

I also like to lightly oil the bore and find that Marvel Mystery Oil works as well as anything. Cheaper too.

Giz

[Edited by Gizmo99 on 03-12-2001 at 12:55 PM]

[K80Geoff]

I also like the boresnake, and the Tikka tool (fuzzy rod). I like to use them as soon as I stop shooting to clean out the crud. It seems to come out easier when it is fresh.

When I get home I use the traditional brass brush and Hoppes #9, followed by cloth patches on a Jag fitted to the bore size. I use a 10 GA brush in the chamber of my 12 Ga. And use 12 ga brushes in the chamber of my 20.

For really stubborn jobs, let the hoppes soak in for a few minutes before you remove it.

A problem area for me is the extra chamber length and forcing cone. This area seems to get really dirty and often takes some extra scrubbing. The oversize brush comes in handy here.

Geoff Ross

[jthuang]

I use a plastic jag with a patch -- if that doesn't work, then I use a bore mop. Hoppes sells the bore mops for shotguns.

Now if you want to remove the hard-core lead fouling left by most slugs, I would recommend one of the stainless steel Tornado brushes.

Justin

[nedfig]

After I brush the bore. I pull the brush out and rinse it off. Then dry it off. Then take a 12ga. patch and wrap it around the brush. Push it through. Two or three and it's clean.

[johnbt]

What nedfig said.

Started using that method in the 50's because I didn't have money for patches or all of the right equipment and I was running out of shirts to cut up. JT

[CMOS]

Gosh guys, thanks for the replies.

I recently shot a bunch of those S&B #4 and 00 buck and ooooooweeeee was that bore nasty. Even with Benelli's chrome lined barrel it took me a long time to finally get all the crud out. I even plugged the rod into my cordless drill to help out.

Gizmo, Dave McC, please do let me know who makes a good jag for a 12 Ga bore. I can get patches all day long but I need something to make the tight fit. Sounds like that would do the trick.

I just bought a 12 Ga bore mop from a local shop and gave it a try this weekend after some shooting. Worked pretty well. I think once I get a good bore cleaner ( blooch, I'll try some of the Quickshot) I'll be in good shape. I've been using Hoppe's #9 for many years but it just doesn't seem to pass muster on the shotgun bores. Works well on my pistols and AR15's though.

Hmm, maybe just one other question: How often do you guys replace the bore brushes themselves?

Thanks again for the responses. I just love it when I look down that Benelli barrel and see the bright reflection. (I know, my priorities are weird... )

CMOS

[Bam Bam]

I use a brass brush or tornado w/ Hoppes for about a dozen passes. When it seems clean from that I twist some newpaper put a little Hoppes on the front and push it through the barrel w/ the rod. be sure to twist it small enough to come out the barrel. Cleans it out like a bowl of stewed prunes.

Also I wear those thin latex gloves when cleaning. No lead nor organic solvent absorbed through my skin, thank you.

[Badger Arms]

I'm surprised I'm the first one posting on this. I run a tornado brush through it. It's a stainless steel job that does a bang-up job on shotguns. I then run some 4" square patches through on top of the brush. Only a couple of strokes and you're done.

[Dave McC]

CMOS, I use the standard Outer's brushes, picked up about 6 of them years ago at a gun show at a good price, I think it was less than $1 each.Chambers get a rag on finger approach unless they're really roached, then it's a short rod with a 10 ga brush.

I'm hesitant to use a steel brush,even the Tornados,especially with a drill. Bbl steel can be a bit soft on older shotguns, and the rotational cleaning can give crosswise scratches,IMO.A bronze Tornado would make a superb cleaning aid, and I'd chuck that one up in a heartbeat.

Also, if Hoppe's isn't doing the job, some folks use GI bore cleaner, the old surplus stuff that was for corrosive primers. It's powerful, and I'd lube good after a lot of patches, but it should remove even the worst buildup.

One slightly eccentric buckskinner I know likes the TC Bore Butter we use for Muzzleloaders as a protective coat in shotguns stored for months between shooting. Haven't tried it myself on modern arms,but it does work well on charcoal burners.

Also, don't forget the outside of the bbls also. About once a year, I get a pipe cleaner and oil under the rib, and wipe down the bbl about every use day. Gene Hill mentions auto paste wax favorably for this....

[CMOS]

Dave, I don't really feel comfortable with a steel brush either. Not sure if that hesitancy is well founded or not but I think a bronze or copper brush should do the job if I have the right gizmos and patches.

I like your 10 Ga brush for the chamber idea. I'll be sure to impliment that suggestion.

You mentioned the outside of the barrel - wax??? Now there's a new one. I think I'll stick to my tried and proven Tetra Lubricant. It's looks really nice on the dark finishes of the Benelli, AR's and the wife's Walther P5c. No oily residue at all. I highly recommend it.

Thanks again for all the good suggestions.

CMOS

[bullseye]

Pro-Shot makes a really good bronze chamber brush thats shaped like the chamber and forcing cones. Just picked one up and I think it is a better solution than using the 10 GA brush.

[Dave McC]

Bullseye, got a source on that Proshot brush? It sounds good. Thanks...

[nedfig]

Does anyone have anything against the nylon brushes? The seem to last longer and don't crush when you step on them.

[jthuang]

Only thing "wrong" with the nylon brushes is that they sometimes cannot remove the lead fouling from slugs that is REALLY set into your bore. If you clean your guns immediately (meaning same day) after you use them you will not have this problem -- but if you are lazy like me (I have left guns uncleaned for a year or more) then the nylon brushes won't work unless you plug the barrel and let it sit in solvent all night. In such a case, I resort to the Tornado brushes to get the fouling out.

Justin

[nedfig]

That's good to know. I always clean my guns the same day or the day after.

[TGS]

Just for initially cleaning or mopping out the gunk what I like real well is just taking a mop on my cleaning rod with some light oil on a t-shirt patch layed over the mop (this saves the mop) and running it thru. It seems to wipes it down real well and then I can look and see if everything has been freed the surface.
Something I have come accross recently and will swear by it is Tetra Products. I initially bought it for my M14. The kit has a spray can of cleaner and light oil, a bottle of oil, and grease for high pressure lubrication (primarily the roller on the m14 bolt.
If you follow the instruction for the initial cleaning of your barrel I have discovered that in my other guns that I am shooting lead that there is little or adhesion of the lead to the steel. I have also measured increased velocity after about the third application of the oil. I have gone one step furthur in preparing a new and even used barrels. I firing up my rinse tank (I do a little bluing)and bring the water up about 180 deg. Emmerse the barrel untill it gets to the water temp. takes about 15 minutes. Then with my mop prepared with a Tetra Oil soaked patch, I remove the barrel from the hot water, it dries instantly and i swab the barrel . Tetra talks about how this product inbeds into the steel and Im convinced it does. They just talk about doing this after cleaning and before firing and I have discovered by applying it to a clean hot barrel that after the third cleaning (3 groups of 50) that usually after one to three passes with my brass brush all the lead is gone after firing 250 swc thru my .45 acp same with the .357, .220 swift (copper gone), and my M14.
I am in the process of preparing a new shotgun barrel 12ga Ithaca and hope to find out this weekend how well it works here also. But even with out the hot tanking of the barrel just preparing the barrel after 2-3 small firings that the lead gives it up really fast and my cleaning time has really been reduced. Sounds like a sale add but no kidding this stuff is good. just follw the directions and when you have done it two or three times you will notice the difference as you increase the number of rounds you fire before cleaning. Problem I have found is the containers they sell it in seems pretty small for the amount you pay. The kit is about $20.00. but it doesnt take much, really.
Unfortunately Ive been cleaning neighbors guns and Im running out.
JUst thought Id share this with you.
Tom

[Dave McC]

Nedfig, nylon brushes also work well for me,albeit it takes a skosh more elbow grease than the brass ones.

Thanks for the tip on Tetra, guys, if I see some I'll try it out and report here.

[E. BeauBeaux]

After you run the brush and the patces through a few times, now it's time to finish the job. Go to an auto parts store and pick up a can of the white buffing compound. Take an old cleaning rod with the handle cut off so you can chuck it in a variable speed drill. Screw on the bore mop and load it up real good with the white buffing compound. A few passes and load it up again. Then some cleaning paches on a jag with cleaner of your choice to get the compound out. Finish with a very light coat of Brakefree CLP. You'll have a beautifully clean barrel with a shine better that new. Caution looking down the barrel without sunglasses could hurt your eyes.

[Ledbetter]

With barrel removed from receiver,

1. Wet Hoppe's patch over bronze brush, push through one way only (removes most crud).

2. Thorough brushing with bronze brush and Hoppe's. Clean bronze brush with brake cleaner. Place dry patch over bronze brush and push through one way.

3. Repeat steps one and two until clean (once or twice should do).

4. Oil patch with Mobil 1. Place over bore mop and run through barrel one way. Reverse patch and repeat.

5. Repeat step four, but with a dry patch.

Steps four and five keep your bore mop clean.

Regards,

Ledbetter

[bullseye]

DaveMcC, I got mine from a local sporting clays range. You might do an internet search for Pro-shot to find the manufacturer's web site. They usually have a search for a dealer function or you may be able to order from them direct. Pro-shot manufacturers all kinds of gun cleaning equipment.