SPR bore care

[wild_wild_wes]

What cleaning kits and products are you guys using to clean the bores of your SPRs?

[Cameron]

How about this?

Early in my career right out of sniper school I cleaned after every shooting session and used sweets, a jag and patches as that was the normal cleaning method of both bolt and mag fed sniper rifles.

I have since changed the way I clean because of noticeable differences in first round through about 10 round accuracy. I and some others believe this is caused by the removal of copper in the lands and grooves just past the chamber in the barrel.

I now use only a boresnake and oil on the hard brisles and pass through twice. The results are more consistent first shots. I attribute this to the copper being left in and never changing after initial barrel break in.

I've seen no drop in performance of the barrels over time using this method.

[wild_wild_wes]

Boresnakes!! I thought those were harmful to the crown.

[Cameron]

I'm not sure how a boresnake could physically damaged the crown, in fact I've seen guys that damaged the crown with a rod but never heard of a boresnake doing any damage.

I only ever have cleaned my SS match barreled ARs with boresnakes. I have a 16" Lothar Walther barrel that has been the most consistent barrel, and will easily shoot sub MOA that has never had a rod through it. Same thing with the 18" Noveske SS and the 18" BCM/Criterion SS410.

So I have been cleaning the way Kyle Defoor said for several years and have had the same results that he mentions.

Cameron

[a0cake]

In general, shoot more clean less. But when that time comes...

Tipton rod:



JP Bore guide:



KG 1, 3, 4, and sometimes 2 when the copper needs to come out. Yes, this occasionally happens. Stripping the copper out after every shooting session is a no-go, but if you can't get the barrel to shoot and it's been a while since you've de-coppered, it might be time to have at it. And a boresnake isn't going to do it. KG2 is also very good at providing dead-on clean bore shots, because it's a polishing compound, not a chemical solvent. Really, try it. The clean bore problems that you usually see after copper removal essentially go away. It removes the excess but keeps the "base."

Otherwise, 1 to remove carbon/powder, 3 to flush everything out, some dry patches, then a light coat of 4 to finish. FYI this also happens to be Noveske's recommended procedure.

[Ring]

rule number 1.. DONT CLEAN YOUR BARREL!!!!...

the only time you clean a barrel, is when you start to see the accuracy drop...

or if you are putting the gun away for the season...

i have put 1100 rounds down my 260 this summer, i think i have cleaned it twice...

[j-dubya]

I, too, use the KG cleaning method. It has proven to be the most effective cleaning procedure I have tried/known about. Excellent results on issued military precision rifles as well as my personals. When using this procedure from the beginning of barrel break-in, I have seen no change in point of impact shift from clean-bore shots in multiple rifles. Quick and easy to maintain consistent cleaning procedure. Highly recommended.

Jeremy

[wild_wild_wes]

In general, shoot more clean less. But when that time comes...

Tipton rod:



JP Bore guide:



KG 1, 3, 4, and sometimes 2 when the copper needs to come out. Yes, this occasionally happens. Stripping the copper out after every shooting session is a no-go, but if you can't get the barrel to shoot and it's been a while since you've de-coppered, it might be time to have at it. And a boresnake isn't going to do it. KG2 is also very good at providing dead-on clean bore shots, because it's a polishing compound, not a chemical solvent. Really, try it. The clean bore problems that you usually see after copper removal essentially go away. It removes the excess but keeps the "base."

Otherwise, 1 to remove carbon/powder, 3 to flush everything out, some dry patches, then a light coat of 4 to finish. FYI this also happens to be Noveske's recommended procedure.

Is the cleaning rod and reciever fixture part of the KG system, or are they seperate components?

[a0cake]

Is the cleaning rod and reciever fixture part of the KG system, or are they seperate components?

They're separate items. The rod is made by Tipton and the bore guide by JP.