Barrel cleaning

huntsimp · #1 07-17-11, 21:50

Should I clean the barrel of my 1911 until patches come out clean (without any black)?

Dienekes · #2 07-18-11, 00:35

Assuming that you're not getting a lot of leading from cast bullets, and just using jacketed bullets, cleaning until you get a clean patch out is overkill. With a nice smooth barrel, a wet patch, 5-6 brush strokes, and 3-4 dry patches does it for me. One last oiled patch after that and I consider it done.

Some ammo (Wolf in an SKS) is a lot filthier so that doesn't apply to that stuff.

More than that under ordinary circumstances is pretty pointless IMHO.

rathos · #3 07-18-11, 02:29

I am a huge fan of tetra cleaning products. I use their solvent one time per year and the rest of the time it usually takes me 6 patches to get a barrel clean.

I start out with a patch with action blaster on it, and rub it through. Then two more patches until it comes clean. Then I use their standard lubricant on a patch and down the barrel. I run this patch through quite a few times until the barrel feels hot in my hand. This will usually produce a dirty looking patch again. I then run two more patches through, this is usually what it takes to show clean. The lubricant helps to keep things from sticking in the barrel.

I usually wait until I have fired 250 to 500 before I clean. If I shoot a lot of lead I will occasionally use solvent before the one year time just to be safe, and it usually still only takes 6 or less patches.

wetidlerjr · #4 07-18-11, 06:47

I use Bore Snakes. A couple passes and I'm done.

Gunfighter.45 · #5 07-18-11, 08:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by wetidlerjr

I use Bore Snakes. A couple passes and I'm done.

+1 on bore snake..best thing out.

Littlelebowski · #6 07-18-11, 08:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntsimp

Should I clean the barrel of my 1911 until patches come out clean (without any black)?

No. Go shoot the gun.

7PI · #7 07-18-11, 09:19

I think if you try to get to the point where you pull a clean patch, you'll be cleaning more than shooting.

Make sure the bore is not fouled and like the others say run a clean oiled patch for protection.

Keeping the chamber clean is WAY more important! Make sure you use a chamber brush and scrub it out everytime you clean. A dirty bore is far less likely to effect reliability than a sticky or dirty chamber.

Littlelebowski · #8 07-18-11, 09:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7PI

I think if you try to get to the point where you pull a clean patch, you'll be cleaning more than shooting.

Make sure the bore is not fouled and like the others say run a clean oiled patch for protection.

Keeping the chamber clean is WAY more important! Make sure you use a chamber brush and scrub it out everytime you clean. A dirty bore is far less likely to effect reliability than a sticky or dirty chamber.

The way you know of the barrel is fouled is by shooting it and see if accuracy has dropped off. The way you know if the chamber is dirty is by......shooting it and seeing if reliability drops off. I disagree that dirty chambers in decent, reliable pistols are something to worry about and cause to clean your chambers any more than boresnaking every once in a while.

7PI · #9 07-18-11, 09:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Littlelebowski

I disagree that dirty chambers in decent, reliable pistols are something to worry about and cause to clean your chambers any more than boresnaking every once in a while.

AN excerpt from Yam's site...

https://www.10-8performance.com:443/...27s-Guide.html

"Cleaning: After any shooting session, I field strip the 1911 and clean it. I use Shooter's Choice and a .308 chamber brush (Brownells part number 084-450-030) to clean the barrel. I only make one or two passes, the main intent is to keep the chamber clean. A wet patch and a couple dry patches are about all I do for barrels. If you shoot lead bullets, be sure that the chamber, especially the shoulder and rifling leade (the transition from the chamber to the fully cut rifling) areas, are clean of bullet lube and lead shavings. If you shoot decent jacketed ammo, you won't have as much barrel or chamber cleaning to do. If you let the chamber get dirty, you may have failures to go into battery or other feed related malfunctions."

Littlelebowski · #10 07-18-11, 09:40

7Pi, I don't own weapons that need to be cleaned after every time I shoot them.

7PI · #11 07-18-11, 09:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Littlelebowski

7Pi, I don't own weapons that need to be cleaned after every time I shoot them.

There you go. We agree on that!

When I do clean them, I tend to focus more on the chamber than on the bore.

Good point brother!

Stay safe.

huntsimp · #12 07-18-11, 20:55

Thanks for the input, guys.

How many rounds between cleaning?

brzusa.1911 · #13 07-18-11, 21:08

I clean everytime I shoot, good chance to inspect parts. I don't use any solvents, I spray the barrel with CLP and run boresnake two or three times, another spray of CLP and two or three more passes of boresnake. I get a patch with light oil (FP10) and run through the barrel and follow with a dry one.

For the frame, slide, rails...I spray CLP, use a nylon brush, wrap a patch on the brush and run through all the areas I previously brushed, another spray of CLP, remove all excess with dry cloth and light lub.

I clean my ARs the same way.

All I need is CLP, FP10, TW-25b, boresnake, jag, nylon brush, cotton patches, cotton towel.

Littlelebowski · #14 07-18-11, 21:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntsimp

Thanks for the input, guys.

How many rounds between cleaning?

No sooner than every 500 and then you will go to 1k once you realize that everything is fine. However, if accuracy drops off and you are certain it's the barrel and not you, clean sooner.

Travelingchild · #15 07-18-11, 22:05

Here's my cleaning stuff,

S&W PD over 11thousand rds, Ed Brown SF around 7thousand,
Every couple thousand hose down with brake cleaner, then the liquid wrench penetrating oil. Wipe down & reholster.
If I'm really bored I'll field strip it, usually about the time I change the recoil spring (3thousandish or when ever the ejection gets erratic) run a brush though it maybe twice, Then the above, Either way I then run a mag through it for a function check.

Then reholster.

brzusa.1911 · #16 07-19-11, 12:09

OP, another thing to consider is the purpose of the gun. i.e. a selfdefense carry gun, IMO, should be cleaned every time you shoot, while a competition bullseye gun (not experience there) most likely have another schedule to keep accuracy and what not.

Cleaning a SD/carry gun will give you the opportunity to inspect parts, also think about this scenarion - you are leaving a store and walking towards your car while the police surrounds everything investigating a nearby shootout. If your barrel is dirty chances are your gun will be taken for investigation and might take a while for you to get it back, if your gun is clean chances are your gun can be dismissed from any further investigation.

Maybe off topic, consider getting a second gun similar to the main carry which you can use for practice. I like to break in my main carry guns, make sure everything is fine, but I don't like to put thousands of rounds through them. It is a tool, mechanical devide, and the more you use the more chances for parts to break. No harm if a part breaks on a backup gun while practicing, but you don't want this to happen to a SD gun - If your wrench breaks when you need, you can stop and run over the hardware store, if you gun breaks when you need you will not have the luxury to stop and workout the problem.
This is my opinion only, and what makes me feel confortable.

Littlelebowski · #17 07-19-11, 12:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by brzusa.1911

Cleaning a SD/carry gun will give you the opportunity to inspect parts, also think about this scenarion - you are leaving a store and walking towards your car while the police surrounds everything investigating a nearby shootout. If your barrel is dirty chances are your gun will be taken for investigation and might take a while for you to get it back, if your gun is clean chances are your gun can be dismissed from any further investigation.

You have a very active imagination and you seem to clean more than you shoot.

brzusa.1911 · #18 07-19-11, 12:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Littlelebowski

You have a very active imagination and you seem to clean more than you shoot.

You must be a psychic - do you carry a gun because you know exactly what and when something is going to happen? I would guess you also practice knowing exactly how your SD will play out...

I shoot enough, between 3000-5000 rounds a year, and clean after each range trip. How about you? Do you shoot this much or more the same gun you carry?

Littlelebowski · #19 07-19-11, 12:18

I have no idea how much I shoot. Prolly 1k a month. Several people on here have shot with me and taken classes with me.

I clean every 3-5k rounds. Your theory about cops and dirty versus clean barrels seemed to be a joke but you apparently are serious. It defines "what iffing" and you are overthinking this.

huntsimp · #20 07-19-11, 12:22

I agree that a good cleaning is necessary so often in order to maintain a weapon.

However, from reading on here the past year or so I came to the conclusion that I should practice (and practice hard) with the gun I would intend to use in a defensive situation...