Barrel cleaning-when is "clean"

[JOB]

Hi
When I clean the barrels on my rifles and pistols, the manuals recommend to keep using inserting a pad until "clean." I tried the bore snake on several pistols and rifles, but after using it with 1 or 2,..... or 10 passes, when I use a white pad, there is still black residue on it. It takes a "million pads" to come out clean (pure white). Plus, a Kimber manual says to repeat the wire brush, then the pad, over and over again until the pad is clean. This takes forever, but every time I use the brush, the pad has much residue on it, until I've spent what seems to be forever repeating it. This bore snake is too good to be true...it seems like it gives one a false sense of clean. No manual I own says to use one. Now I know why. When I shine a bore light, the bore looks shiny almost anywhere in the middle of the cleaning process. Does this light just show lead fouling? How do you guys clean you guns because I'm getting tired of this sh-t. Thanks and frustrated.
John

[dk99358]

I usually follow the directions on the bottle of Shooters Choice cleaner. 3 wet patches, let it set for a while, run a brush, run a couple of wet patches, then some dry. Check the dry patches for 'cleanliness', run procedure again if necessary.

Sometimes I will use one of the foaming cleaners.

I do not clean every time I shoot.

Dale

[Grillman]

I like to a patch with some Hoppe's #9 solvent run it though the bore ( from
the chamber end )then run a brush dipped in solvent though about 8 to 10 times.Let barrel sit for a few mins.Take the proper size patch dipped in solvent and jag run though the bore. I run 2 patches though and then 2 dry.
Check bore with a good borelight,you will know if the bore is clean. If not
repeat. When bore is cleaned if you not going use the gun for a while run a
lightly oiled bore swab though it.

[yukon375]

the black that comes out on you patch is carbon. carbon is the hardest to remove, except maybe for moly. i use wipe out carbon remover or bore-tec carbon remover and they work well for me. i hear gm engine cleaner also works well on carbon, although i never used it. any of the abrasives will remove carbon also(jb,witches brew, ect.)

[thefirstndsecond]

On my guns I use bore foam. Let it dissolve. Then use brass brush. Then patches with hopes.

After a few runs the white patches. One through clean. Then I run a patch with a little oil.

It does take a little. If you stay up on it you can get it clean.

I am not a fan of bore snakes for this reason. The only time I use bore snakes is on my rim fires. All others get the shaft.

[shortthrow50]

i only run 2 patches of hoppes solvent down my rifle barrels followed by one oil patch. IMO that is plenty. My handguns, well im a little more meticulous becuase the barrels are so short.

[jpg5080]

Residue showing up on your patch after you re-brush an already "clean" barrel could be the result of you brush picking up carbon in the initial cleaning and then getting it back in the bore the second time you brush it.

Try wetting some patches with solvent and see if you still get the same residue after completing a thorough brush/patch cleaning.

[PA1936MN]

I clean after every range session. Especially when using COROSSIVE AMMO in my Mosin Nagants.

However clean means different things to different people.

I could probably clean my Mosin Nagants all day long and there would still be black crap on the patches... I say quits when I see that the majority of the Black has faded to a faint Grey color.

As for my pistols and Remington 581 I do the same thing. Their clean, but they may not be clean to your specs.

[PhillyGunslinger]

Use more solvent !
Dip the whole patch into the bottle or saturate it {soak} completely.
Do this about three to four times along with the copper brush in between.
Then run about three dry patches multiple times, you don't have to just run each patch once ! Run each patch about 12 times. Then it should take about 3 to four dry patches before you see white. The patches are designed to hold the dirt so every time you pass them they collect some. I used to just run each clean patch once, it took me forever to get the gun clean too that way. Don't be afraid to use more solvent in the barrel.

[Duece McCracken]

Hi
When I clean the barrels on my rifles and pistols, the manuals recommend to keep using inserting a pad until "clean." I tried the bore snake on several pistols and rifles, but after using it with 1 or 2,..... or 10 passes, when I use a white pad, there is still black residue on it. It takes a "million pads" to come out clean (pure white). Plus, a Kimber manual says to repeat the wire brush, then the pad, over and over again until the pad is clean. This takes forever, but every time I use the brush, the pad has much residue on it, until I've spent what seems to be forever repeating it. This bore snake is too good to be true...it seems like it gives one a false sense of clean. No manual I own says to use one. Now I know why. When I shine a bore light, the bore looks shiny almost anywhere in the middle of the cleaning process. Does this light just show lead fouling? How do you guys clean you guns because I'm getting tired of this sh-t. Thanks and frustrated.
John

I'm in the same boat as you, when i do decide to clean my Sks, it's a PITA. I now use a foaming bore cleaner, then brush it, then a patch, then the foam again, then brush, then a patch. Then I switch to wet patches, let that soak, then brush it, then dry patch, then wet and brush. Finally i will run dry patches till I give up. It's never completely clean, but way better than it was. Its quite frustrating. My handguns get squeaky clean though, they are easy.