Cleaning Tips and Tricks

[T2C]

tip #1, don't over clean, they don't need to be cleaned after each range trip

I agree. Overcleaning will do a considerable amount of damage to a rifle or handgun. My serious match rifles get cleaned at the end of the year at the end of shooting season if accuracy doesn't drop off before then.

[Disciple]

I agree. Overcleaning will do a considerable amount of damage to a rifle or handgun.

Aggressive bore cleaning or more generally?

[1168]

Aggressive bore cleaning or more generally?

All of it. Moderation in all things, as my alcoholic grandpa told me while chain smoking and pounding Crown.

But the technique and tools are important as well. Dudes use dental picks, green scratch pads, various exotic solvents, shaving cream, various scraping tools, etc to get their guns clean to some sort of imaginary standard. And use terribly harsh cleaning rods with more wildass solvents everytime they shoot. Ouch; too harsh.

Be more gentle. Don’t do it more than necessary to prevent wear, corrosion, or stoppages. Don’t use tools that are likely to slowly damage the gun. Nothing harder than necessary. Other than the bore, CLP is all that is necessary. Bore solvents aren’t needed particularly often*, either.

I use CLP, a boresnake, and t-shirt pieces (or paper towels), a GI toothbrush, with like 5 q-tips. Occasionally I will chip chunks of carbon off with the brass screwdriver-looking thing that comes in an Otis cleaning kit, but its honestly not commonly needed. I’ve also been know to use hot water and the same GI toothbrush and then immediately dry it and relube.

*I’m not a benchrest dude. If thats your thing, learn from someone better.

[pag23]

I usually clean if I am not going to shoot the gun in awhile, but I use wet patches, Slip 2000, field strip and that is about it. Most guns are then put away wet or damp with lube.

Rifles usually cleaned via a field strip every 500 rounds or so. I really don't use a nylon brush unless it is really cruddy and dirty. I keep the BCG pretty wet just in case any crud builds up.

[T2C]

Aggressive bore cleaning or more generally?

Aggressive bore cleaning is a major factor, but aggressive cleaning of all parts to some extent.

When I was in the military, I probably inflicted more damage on my M-14 by aggressively cleaning the barrel with a steel cleaning rod than firing the weapon.

I've had to recut the barrel crown on a few low round count rifles I purchased over the past ten years, because the crown was damaged by overzealous cleaning. The rifles were for sale, because the owner(s) shot horrible groups with them. When the owner gives you a multi-piece steel cleaning rod with the rifle, that's a big clue.

[RUTGERS95]

Aggressive bore cleaning is a major factor, but aggressive cleaning of all parts to some extent.

When I was in the military, I probably inflicted more damage on my M-14 by aggressively cleaning the barrel with a steel cleaning rod than firing the weapon.

I've had to recut the barrel crown on a few low round count rifles I purchased over the past ten years, because the crown was damaged by overzealous cleaning. The rifles were for sale, because the owner(s) shot horrible groups with them. When the owner gives you a multi-piece steel cleaning rod with the rifle, that's a big clue.

yes sir
nothing I put down one end comes back the same way for instance a brass brush etc.. ARs don't need to be cleaned after each range trip but you should inspect prior to shooting. I clean every 2k rounds or so

[HKGuns]

I only use bronze or plastic brushes when cleaning the bore, usually bronze.

Neither of these materials will harm steel.

[T2C]

I only use bronze or plastic brushes when cleaning the bore, usually bronze.

Neither of these materials will harm steel.

I purchased a used M1A from someone I know who used it to shoot High Power matches. The rifle had a round count of roughly 2,000. He used a one piece plastic Dewey cleaning rod and plastic brushes to clean the bore without using a cleaning rod guide. Accuracy dropped way off due to uneven wear on the muzzle crown.

I chucked up the barrel in a lathe, cleaned up the muzzle crown with a center drill, then shot the rifle in matches for an additional 4,000 rounds with good accuracy.

[lysander]

Pull, don't push.

[Disciple]

He used a one piece plastic Dewey cleaning rod and plastic brushes to clean the bore without using a cleaning rod guide. Accuracy dropped way off due to uneven wear on the muzzle crown.

The cleaning rod guide I have fits on the chamber end of the barrel. Is there another?