Best way to clean?

[BandanaBandit1]

Whats the best way to clean the bore of a firearm?

I usually get my rod with a patch covered in Hopped #9 solvent and run it through the bore about 20 times or so, put on a new patch and repeat until it comes out pretty clean. then i run a dry patch through and then a patch covered with Hopped gun oil to finish the deal.

What are some better methods that will clean it faster and easier?

What are some good products that work great or you guys all use?

Also whats the dark grey/black that my patch is covered with afterwards? its lead right? (i thought copper usually comes out as a orange color).

is their any product that i can use that will make the patches come out almost completely white afterwards?

Thanks!

[dregan]

Depends on how many rounds..

Typically I just run a brass brush down a few times then pad it until they are pretty clean. I don't store them unused for a long enough time to use any oils as a final stage. Just some all in one.

The black that comes out is mostly ash from the powder. though I am sure it contains some lead and whatever else jackets the bullet and some residual case material.

[bgeddes]

Copper is going to come out as a blue/green color (it's oxidized). The grey/black is powder residue. Cleaning is very much a personal thing in my experience. Ask 20 people and you get 20 answers. It's been my history the better (hand loaded) ammo shoots far cleaner than factory stuff. Cheap ammo shoots terribly dirty.

Typically most folks will tell you to use a quality cleaner, hit the bore with a brush a few passes, then use patches and more, perhaps different cleaner, to finish.

As said before, 20 people do it 20 different ways, more than likely none are wrong.

The one thing that is wrong is not cleaning from the breach with a bore guide. Beating up the chamber is a huge factor to ruining a great shooting gun.

[dregan]

Copper is going to come out as a blue/green color (it's oxidized). The grey/black is powder residue. Cleaning is very much a personal thing in my experience. Ask 20 people and you get 20 answers. It's been my history the better (hand loaded) ammo shoots far cleaner than factory stuff. Cheap ammo shoots terribly dirty.

Typically most folks will tell you to use a quality cleaner, hit the bore with a brush a few passes, then use patches and more, perhaps different cleaner, to finish.

As said before, 20 people do it 20 different ways, more than likely none are wrong.

The one thing that is wrong is not cleaning from the breach with a bore guide. Beating up the chamber is a huge factor to ruining a great shooting gun.

100% agree. Also depends how many rounds shot between cleanings. a lot of factors, but with more factors that 20 dif answers will turn into 50.

If it is clean and you are not having problems with your firearm. keep doing what you do. Anymore most cleaners/oils will all perform plenty well enough for everyday use. To get faster results, I don't know that there is a way to speed it up, other than shoot cleaner ammo (if possible).

[tdyoung58]

Good video from Midway USA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymyw7CLFWOk

[DucatiRon]

Get a Boresnake for what ever caliber your shooting. I use them to spot clean all summer while shooting then give a deep clean at the end of the season with oils cleaners and lube of choice.