Barrel cleaning
09-11-2002, 11:03 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Next to no where UT USA
Posts: 4
Barrel cleaning
Just started reloading, out of many books one topic is for a higher accuracythey recommend to "soak" the barrel. The question is are we talking disassembling the rifle to soak the barrel in a vat of cleaner? To pour cleaner down the barrel, hence gumming up the firing mechinism? A few thoughts on "soaking" the barrel would help out this old kid.
09-12-2002, 05:26 PM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: victor ny
Posts: 538
RE: Barrel cleaning
unless your a bench rest compatition shooter i don't think going to the extreme measure of soaking the barrel is nessasary.there are alot of good products out there to get all the foul(copper and powder) without soaking.to answer your question,i do believe they mean disassembly of the barrel.in the old days of sodium primers salt would build up in the barrel and then require soaking to remove.some shooters soak to get copper foul out but salt build up is no longer a factor with todays modern products.someone on this board who knows a little more on this topic maybe able to get into it more.and by the way,welcome to the board.
09-14-2002, 12:38 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Garfield NJ USA
Posts: 3,067
RE: Barrel cleaning
I also agree, don't know what condition your guns are in or how you go about normal cleaning, but I have found a light cleaning every 10 to 15 rds and a thorough scrubbing every 50 rds or so and have not had any problems with fouling build up. There are many products on the market but for the deep cleaning I like Blue Wonder cleaning gel, and for the lighter cleaning in the field or at the range I use a bore snake and then Hoppes when I get it home.
09-15-2002, 11:03 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 3,516
RE: Barrel cleaning
www.midwayusa.com sells Chamber Plugs. You put the plug in the chamber and pour solvent into the barrel let it soak over night, and then wipe it out the next day. I have never attempted to clean a rifle this way, so I don't know if it is safe. If you do it make sure the solvent you use won't destroy your barrel, talk to a gunsmith first. Good luck.
09-16-2002, 12:02 AM
#6
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Next to no where UT USA
Posts: 4
RE: Barrel cleaning
thanks for the comments. As for the barrel, it has had 278 rounds fired through it, cleaned often. I do the same on the cleaning a light cleaning for 20-25 rounds and a better cleaing around 50.
09-16-2002, 08:54 AM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 6,471
RE: Barrel cleaning
Qustion: How do you know that there is a lot of fouling in the barrel? WIthout a good bore scope you probably can't tell that you do/don't have it coppered up pretty good. To soak the barrel you would use a chamber plug and then pour some safe solvent into it like Handloader1 recommends. I usually put my guns thru the Foulout III operation everyyear after hunting season to thoroughly remove copper . During the year I clean them after each use with copper brushes and Butchs Bore shine or Shooters Choice and that pretty much keeps the copper at a tolerable level. JB compound is used if I can't get the bore well cleaned the first cycle..wet patches/brushing.
