Maybe a stupid cleaning question!?!?

[mrschmitt]

I just bought a cleaning rod kit for my new 870. I know that it is best for me to clean the bore from the chamber end, and not the muzzle end, but when my brush/patch/mop gets to the muzzle end, do I simply pull it back towards the chamber end, or do I push it out through the muzzle. I know that this may seem like a stupid question, but I just want to make sure that I don't damage the crown.
One more question. My kit is the Kleen Bore Shotgun kit. It came with a "mop" attachment. Do I put a patch over this, and to wipe out the bore, or do I use this "mop", and then patches on the patch holder.
I am definately a beginner at this, so bear with me.
Matt

[Velocipede]

I always wondered exactly how to use the mop.

Do I use it like a patch and clean it?
If not, what's the use?

Thanks, you're question is not stupid (or there is two stupid people here!)

[Gunaholic]

I don't like using those mops myself. They don't fit tight enough to clean. I know some people use them after they've cleaned the bore to lubricate it. I've never done this because then I'd have to clean the mop itself unless you want to leave it with oil. I only use patches and a jag (the round kind), not the slotted tip ones. That works the best to provide a tight fit and it makes cleaning more efficient. Don't worry about damaging the crown on a shotgun unless you have a rifeled barrel. Most likely you have a smooth bore and there is no crown on a smooth bore.

[Gunaholic]

Also, you should push whatever attachment is on your rod all the way through the muzzle and then pull it back out the chamber end, specially brushes. You could get a brush stuck or break the bristles if you reverse the dirrection before pushing it out the muzzle end first.

[Al Thompson]

The mops puzzle me as well. Perhaps someone knows the technique, I must have missed that one.

I use bore brushes to loosen things up. I also have a jag that makes pushing patches through much eaiser.

If you have a very fouled bore, I've found that a chore boy or any of the copper scrubbing pads from the grocery sttore work great. Just unwrap it, cut it with a pair of scissors to fit, wrap it over a worn bore brush and go to town.

Ditto on pushing what ever is on the end of your rod past the muzzle - once you stick a brush in your barrel, life gets iinteresting.

Also - do not clean the barrel with your choke tubes out. I would protect those threads - once damaged, only recourse would be to shorten and rethread your barrel. Not cheap.

[K80Geoff]

Ditto on pushing the brush,mop,jag all the way through!

I use the mop to lubricate the bore after I thoroughly clean it. I keep them in a small plastic case in their own chamber. I keep all my cleaning tools in one of those small plastic cases sold in fishing stores. One case for each gauge. (Not the rod of course, just the tips)

If the kit does not have a "JAG" get one. It is the best way to run patches through a shotgun. The jag is close to the bore size and makes the patch a tight fit. I throw those slotted tips away, I find them useless.

I also prefer to run a "TIKKA" tool or similar device through the bore at the range after I am done shooting. This is a long fuzzy stick made for each specific gauge. It tends to do a good job cleaning and makes the later more thorough cleaning go faster. I have also used pull through cleaners for this (Boresnakes).

Re choke tubes. I always insert the most open choke tube in the barrel when I clean it. Makes it easier to push the rod through. The tighter chokes I clean separately with an old toothbrush and a patch.

[stinger]

Maybe I'm weird...but I always take my barrel off to clean it. It just makes it easier for me to work on while sitting and watching the tube. I can also clean up the areas where everything fits together.

But I can tell you, it aint near often enough
But way more often than my 22


Stinger

[HSMITH]

It seems like some of you are working too hard cleaning your shotguns. Here is what I like to do.

Take the barrel off and put the wood and any painted parts a few feet away. Take a can of brake cleaner and hose the barrel out, I like to step just outside and do this as the fumes are nasty. When it looks like there are scales growing in the forcing cone area of the bore shoot it out again. The brake cleaner will eat the plastic wad residue right out of the barrel. Same for chokes, 1 minute to perfectly clean. It may take a whole minute in between sprayings of the bore, but not over. The brake cleaner won't hurt blueing or parked finishes, but it will wreck a stock or paint. If you have a factory camo finish DO NOT DO THIS, it will be damaged so back to the old brush you go. The bore is now cleaned of all plastic. You may need to push a patch or two through to get the rest of the powder fouling, but there won't be much. Run an oiled mop through the bore, and wipe down the outside. Wipe out the receiver and oil bolt rails if necessary. Put it back together and you are done. Cleaning a barrel should not take more than a minute and a half, and I regularly shoot several thousand rounds between cleanings. I usually just oil and put it away, clean when the plastic starts getting heavy. Every couple of quick cleanings I will go ahead and strip the gun all the way down and clean it out really well. For this use a can of electronic contact cleaner, hose out the trigger group and the areas of the receiver that are hard to get to. The contact cleaner will not harm the plastic parts (check the label to be 100%sure, but almost all of it is plastic safe) that are very common in trigger groups of modern shotguns. It also will not harm factory camo finishes, most if not all gun specific cleaners will trash the camo. I can clean an 1100 to sparkling clean in less than 10 minutes, a double in less than that.

If you must use a bore brush chuck a cleaning rod in a cordless variable speed drill and run it back and forth while running at a low speed. Two passes and all the gunk is ready to be pushed out. Store the mops in the plastic cases they came in, one dirty to push out the gunk and one clean to oil the bore. Wrap a patch around the dirty mop for the second pass down and back to clean before oiling. Works for me, hope it helps someone.

[stinger]

It seems like some of you are working too hard cleaning your shotguns. Here is what I like to do.

We are the one's working too hard?

You wrote a 10,000 word thesis about cleaning out a shotgun bore and you say that we are working too hard?


Later,

Stinger

[HSMITH]

LMAO, you got me there. Lots easier to do than desribe!

[mrschmitt]

I too have definately found that the slotted attachment that holds the patch doesn't make for a very tight fit in the barrel. As I mentioned earlier, I have a Kleen Bore cleaning kit. Is this "Jag" attachment that you have mentioned, available for my kit. I looked on there website, and can't find anything like it. Do they have other names, or can ones made by other manufacturers screw into my cleaning rod?
Any help would be appreciated,
Matt

[CWL]

Bore Snake will help you out.

[Kharn]

I agree with CWL, Boresnake it and be done!

Kharn

[Bruce626]

I recently ordered the Jag from www. boretech.com online for about $5. The part number and official name are as below:

Number: BTSG_100_12
Name: Shotgun Patch Holder, 12 gauge

This works beautifully! Works fast and doesn't waste doubled up patches. IIRC, Used to be call an "Allen Jag" I think before Boretech bought it out.

Bruce.

[Dave McC]

Push it all the way through, for the reasons already given.

As you may surmise, I've lots of cleaning stuff. I've four rods set up with divers tips,a 12 gauge Boresnake, and the dowel and 4/0 steel wool in a drill method for speed scrubbing.

The mop is used ONLY for lubing, it's the last step before you're done.

As for the slotted tips, I tend to run a long thin piece of rag through the slot, than wrap the rag around the tip until it's a slight squeeze fit in the bore.

Jags work better, but they're hard to find. Some buckskinner shops carry jags for larger bore B/P weapons that have the same threads as common shotgun rods. A 54 caliber jag or brush works well for 28 gauge, a 69 caliber musket jag for 16 gauge, and so on, I'm told.

IIRC, Orvis carries some fancy and high priced jags in their catalog. I note the plastic Outers' cheapies last as long as a campaign promise. One machined out of aluminum bar stock would be relatively expensive, but would last for generations.

HTH....

[Fatelvis]

Brownells sells a plastic jag for shotguns, it has special springlike "fingers" that keeps a patch (thats draped over it) in contact with the bore, even through the constrictions of a full choke. Works great!

[GunGeek]

When I shoot I run the boresnake 3 to 5 times depending on how many rounds fired, thats about it.

[BPNovum]

Take a brass brush, liberally apply Blue Wonder Gun Cleaner. Run it through the barrel about 7 times. Let it set for 5-10 minutes depending on how dirty it was. Wad up a paper towell to push through the barrel to clean out the Blue Wonder. Hold the barrel up to the light, look through and be amazed and the spotless shine you will see .

It will remove all powder residue and plastic buildup in one easy pass. Mabye two if you haven't cleaned in a long time.

Could it BE any easier?

http://www.novumsolutions.com/BlueWo...tructions.html

BTW, it will also easily remove rust from the surface. Even rust you can't see yet. See above instructions.

[mrschmitt]

I can get a jag at my local gun store that will fit my Kleen Bore rod. It is made out of machined aluminium. Will this not be a problem in the bore of my shotgun with the choke tube in? I assume that either the jag is smaller than all of the possible chokes, or I may have to take out the choke every time that I clean the barrel. Let me Know.
Matt

[Al Thompson]

Matt, mine works through modified chokes with no problems. Always have a choke tube in your barrel, those tube threads are very fine and easy to damage.

[mrschmitt]

Am I better off to buy a jag that has the fingers/spring in it than the plain jags machined out of aluminum?
Matt

[Al Thompson]

Never used the spring loaded one - have had great results with the machined one.

[mrschmitt]

With the jag attachment, do I still push the jag/patch combo all the way out of the muzzle end. I haven't used one yet, but it seems to me that if you push it out of the muzzle, then pull it back in, that the patch will slide up over the jag, and just the jag will come back down the bore?
Let me know, and thanks everyone for all of the help,
Matt

[Al Thompson]

You've got it exactly right. When I'm scrubbing the bore it's a simple task to hold the barrel steady with your off hand at the muzzle. I stick the off hands index finger over the muzzle and stop the stroke when the tip hits my finger. I then choke up on the cleaning rod so that I can't push the jag/patch out of the barrel. Go to town!

Heck of a lot eaiser to show than tell.

[Drjones]

Hey. Is there any harm in using copper wire brushes for cleaning shottie and pistol barrels? The cleaning kit I got as a gift came with these. They seem pretty abrasive...

Also, is the electrical component cleaner safe for all barrel bores? I have a can of that stuff...

Thanks!
Drjones