Why are shotguns getting harder to clean??

.300 Weatherby Mag · January 30, 2012, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Why are shotguns getting harder to clean??

I ask myself this question each time I clean one of my shotguns... Is the powder getting dirtier?? Are the companies watering down the solvents?? When I shoot one of my shotguns without a chrome lined bore it seems to take forever to get the bores to clean up... Ten years ago everything seemed to clean up quicker.... I've given up on the 100 round "value packs" as they are more trouble than their worth especially if shooting a gas auto loader...

jaguarxk120 · January 30, 2012, 08:24 AM

There is a video from Midway that shows the way to clean a barrel.

Larry Potterfield show scrubbing with a stainless scrubby very much like a pot scrubber.

And for powder solvent use Ed's Red

johnbt · January 30, 2012, 08:37 AM

Two words:

plastic
wads

Other than that, I just don't know. Powder seems to be getting dirtier in a lot of ammo, but I'm not putting stainless brushes in any gun I own.

larzb93 · January 30, 2012, 09:59 AM

i feel the same way.

WV_gunner · January 30, 2012, 10:09 AM

I put a brush through it, patch with solvent, patch with oil, and a dry patch. Works with all of my guns. Always gets them cleaned easily.

oneounceload · January 30, 2012, 10:10 AM

300-
Spray some non chlorinated brake cleaner down your bore, then run a patch or two on a rod chucked in a cordless drill. Barrels are cleanin about 45 seconds.

TheKlawMan · January 30, 2012, 08:10 PM

I am using Promo, which is dirtier than some powders, and I had a heck of a problem getting my forcing cones clean. Oneounce's wire brush wrapped with a patch and mounted on a cordless drill did the trick. I later found that it wasn't necessary as long as I didn't wait too long after shooting before running a patch thoroughly soaked in Hoppes down the barrels. I let work for a couple of hours and things cleaned up beautifully without resorting to the drill. Occasionally I also run a tornado brush down it to scrape up any plastic fowling.

TheKlawMan · January 30, 2012, 08:22 PM

Jaguar...You mean this Potterfield video? http://www.enough.com/viewvid.cfm?id=92TioSkntK8

zippy13 · January 30, 2012, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Larry Potterfield show scrubbing with a stainless scrubby very much like a pot scrubber.

My owner's manual specifically recommends against using steel scrubbers. Since I switched to fuzzy sticks in the mid 80s, I've use bronze brushes only on rare occasions.

Back to the OP's question: I've noticed that barrels with ports will be harder to clean than standard barrels -- the ports get junked-up with plastic. But, that goes back a lot farther than the last 10-years. Also, the better the barrel's polish, the easier it seems to clean. Just because a barrel is chromed lined, it doesn't follow that it will be easier to clean -- you can have smooth high-grade standard barrel that's easier to clean than a rough barrel that was chromed. And, a barrel that rings may be easier to clean, too.

johnwilliamson062 · January 30, 2012, 11:57 PM

Cleaning out a relatives house...
Some of the chemicals people kept laying around back in the day are impressive.

.300 Weatherby Mag · January 31, 2012, 02:40 AM

Quote:

Back to the OP's question: I've noticed that barrels with ports will be harder to clean than standard barrels -- the ports get junked-up with plastic. But, that goes back a lot farther than the last 10-years. Also, the better the barrel's polish, the easier it seems to clean. Just because a barrel is chromed lined, it doesn't follow that it will be easier to clean -- you can have smooth high-grade standard barrel that's easier to clean than a rough barrel that was chromed. And, a barrel that rings may be easier to clean, too.

No ported barrels... I do notice that my Berettas all clean up quicker than most of my other guns... My Mossberg 500 picks up so much plastic after one range outing, its absolutely disturbing.. I won't get anything stainless near the expensive guns...

zippy13 · January 31, 2012, 06:06 AM

300-
You don't think Beretta spends a little more time on their barrels than Mossberg, do you?

jaguarxk120 · January 31, 2012, 08:50 AM

I would think that the Beretta barrels are much better in material quality and manufacturing operations than The Mossberg stuff.

Beretta on used market is $300 to $400.

Mossberg on used market $85 to $140.

Poodleshooter · January 31, 2012, 03:16 PM

?
Smoothbore shotguns shooting smokeless loads must be the easiest weapon to clean that I know of. A pass or two with a boresnake or Tico tool and it's done, with almost no residue left. Even if some is left, who cares? You don't have 1 tiny super compressed projectile that must go to the same place every time as the rifle or pistol shooter has, you have a very forgiving shotgun,with many,many pellets, insulated from nearly every side by wadding, from the tiny amount of fouling that could actually stick in a smooth barrel. I can't imagine how filthy a barrel would have to get to start to blow patterns enough that I'd even notice.
For pumps at least,the actions are big and open so an enormous amount of residue and debris has to to build up before you get function issues.

Now, if we're talking slugs in a rifled barrel, that's a different matter. They're a pain. But shot loads are easy to clean up after, and tiny flakes of powder residue from low pressure shotgun loads are a breeze.

Dave McC · January 31, 2012, 04:38 PM

Both my O/Us, a Beretta 686 and an Ithaca/SKB 600, have barrels sets that clean up very easily.

That's what full length hard chroming does.

I note the bore on this A400 cleans up better than its gas system, chrome again.

I also note from one 870 barrel that 10 reloads using Unique powder leave more slag behind than 50 rounds using Clays.

Primers with higher Brisance are reputed to burn cleaner and leave less stuff, but I've not tested the theory.

.300 Weatherby Mag · January 31, 2012, 06:26 PM

Quote:

300-
You don't think Beretta spends a little more time on their barrels than Mossberg, do you?

Just using examples on different sides of the quality spectrum.... I think my 500 barrel was made on a Monday morning...

jaguarxk120 · January 31, 2012, 06:33 PM

Right after the Super Bowl game and party

TheGoldenState · January 31, 2012, 06:42 PM

I use bore brushes on every barrel hangun, rifle, shotgun.

I thought that was the only proper way, how else do you guys get it all scrubbed clean?

oneounceload · January 31, 2012, 09:14 PM

Quote:

I use bore brushes on every barrel hangun, rifle, shotgun.

I thought that was the only proper way, how else do you guys get it all scrubbed clean?

See my post above about brake cleaner for barrels and choke tubes

B.L.E. · February 3, 2012, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poodleshooter

Smoothbore shotguns shooting smokeless loads must be the easiest weapon to clean that I know of.

Old timey black powder residue is actually easier to clean, it literally rinses off with water.
However, with smokeless, cleaning is optional. You won't ruin the bore by leaving it uncleaned.

January 31, 2012, 06:42 PM	#18
TheGoldenState Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2010 Posts: 1,191	I use bore brushes on every barrel hangun, rifle, shotgun. I thought that was the only proper way, how else do you guys get it all scrubbed clean? __________________ The Day You Get Comfortable Is The Day You Get Careless...

January 30, 2012, 08:24 AM	#2
jaguarxk120 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,620	There is a video from Midway that shows the way to clean a barrel. Larry Potterfield show scrubbing with a stainless scrubby very much like a pot scrubber. And for powder solvent use Ed's Red

January 30, 2012, 08:37 AM	#3
johnbt Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 1999 Location: Richmond, Virginia USA Posts: 6,004	Two words: plastic wads Other than that, I just don't know. Powder seems to be getting dirtier in a lot of ammo, but I'm not putting stainless brushes in any gun I own.

January 30, 2012, 09:59 AM	#4
larzb93 Member Join Date: December 20, 2011 Location: North Western PA Posts: 53	i feel the same way.

January 30, 2012, 10:09 AM	#5
WV_gunner Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2011 Location: WV Posts: 938	I put a brush through it, patch with solvent, patch with oil, and a dry patch. Works with all of my guns. Always gets them cleaned easily.

January 30, 2012, 10:10 AM	#6
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	300- Spray some non chlorinated brake cleaner down your bore, then run a patch or two on a rod chucked in a cordless drill. Barrels are cleanin about 45 seconds.

January 30, 2012, 08:10 PM	#7
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	I am using Promo, which is dirtier than some powders, and I had a heck of a problem getting my forcing cones clean. Oneounce's wire brush wrapped with a patch and mounted on a cordless drill did the trick. I later found that it wasn't necessary as long as I didn't wait too long after shooting before running a patch thoroughly soaked in Hoppes down the barrels. I let work for a couple of hours and things cleaned up beautifully without resorting to the drill. Occasionally I also run a tornado brush down it to scrape up any plastic fowling.

January 30, 2012, 08:22 PM	#8
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	Jaguar...You mean this Potterfield video? http://www.enough.com/viewvid.cfm?id=92TioSkntK8

January 30, 2012, 11:57 PM	#10
johnwilliamson062 Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 9,995	Cleaning out a relatives house... Some of the chemicals people kept laying around back in the day are impressive.

January 31, 2012, 06:06 AM	#12
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	300- You don't think Beretta spends a little more time on their barrels than Mossberg, do you?

January 31, 2012, 08:50 AM	#13
jaguarxk120 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,620	I would think that the Beretta barrels are much better in material quality and manufacturing operations than The Mossberg stuff. Beretta on used market is $300 to $400. Mossberg on used market $85 to $140.

January 31, 2012, 03:16 PM	#14
Poodleshooter Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2000 Location: Floating down the James River in VA Posts: 2,599	? Smoothbore shotguns shooting smokeless loads must be the easiest weapon to clean that I know of. A pass or two with a boresnake or Tico tool and it's done, with almost no residue left. Even if some is left, who cares? You don't have 1 tiny super compressed projectile that must go to the same place every time as the rifle or pistol shooter has, you have a very forgiving shotgun,with many,many pellets, insulated from nearly every side by wadding, from the tiny amount of fouling that could actually stick in a smooth barrel. I can't imagine how filthy a barrel would have to get to start to blow patterns enough that I'd even notice. For pumps at least,the actions are big and open so an enormous amount of residue and debris has to to build up before you get function issues. Now, if we're talking slugs in a rifled barrel, that's a different matter. They're a pain. But shot loads are easy to clean up after, and tiny flakes of powder residue from low pressure shotgun loads are a breeze.

January 31, 2012, 04:38 PM	#15
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Both my O/Us, a Beretta 686 and an Ithaca/SKB 600, have barrels sets that clean up very easily. That's what full length hard chroming does. I note the bore on this A400 cleans up better than its gas system, chrome again. I also note from one 870 barrel that 10 reloads using Unique powder leave more slag behind than 50 rounds using Clays. Primers with higher Brisance are reputed to burn cleaner and leave less stuff, but I've not tested the theory.

January 31, 2012, 06:33 PM	#17
jaguarxk120 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,620	Right after the Super Bowl game and party