# Always wanted to ask.....



## Panther (Aug 11, 2009)

I have been into guns less than a year. I was told to use G96 and a patch to clean. And that running a bore snake would help. My question is this.I cringe at the thought of running a brass brush up and down the inside of my barrel. I know I probably sound ignorant to all the "old timers' but is this really safe for the rifling?


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## bruce333 (Sep 1, 2006)

First of all, firearms brushes are made of bronze not brass. 

Second both of these alloys of copper are a lot softer than the barrel steel.


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## SaltyDog (Jan 1, 2009)

+1 Bruce

Also running the bronze brush up and down the barrel, along with the cleaning solution, removes carbon fouling and copper residue that build up along the lands and grooves of the rifling.

Now this doesn't mean that you scrub the inside of the barrel with the brush - you simply make a few passes with the brush in the barrel.

Also make sure you use a brush designed for the caliber of gun you are cleaning.


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## Gunners_Mate (Feb 17, 2010)

Panther said:


> I have been into guns less than a year. I was told to use G96 and a patch to clean. And that running a bore snake would help. My question is this.I cringe at the thought of *running a brass brush up and down the inside of my barrel.* I know I probably sound ignorant to all the "old timers' but is this really safe for the rifling?





SaltyDog said:


> +1 Bruce
> 
> *Also running the bronze brush up and down the barrel,* along with the cleaning solution, removes carbon fouling and copper residue that build up along the lands and grooves of the rifling.
> 
> ...


Just wanted to get some clarification on this, I'm seeing the words "run the bore brush up AND down the barrel" and cringing as I read them. I've been trained to ALWAYS run anything, from bore brushes to patches with the path of the bullet, that is to say from breech to muzzle. this mostly applies to rifles, but I use the same technique on all my handguns as well.

So my question is are handguns somehow different, requiring a muzzle to breech (chamber) stroke to get into the lands and grooves? is this an excepted practice among the handgun community?


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## bruce333 (Sep 1, 2006)

What I was always told, was to never reverse the direction of the brush while the brush was in the barrel.



Gunners_Mate said:


> So my question is are handguns somehow different, requiring a muzzle to breech (chamber) stroke to get into the lands and grooves? is this an excepted practice among the handgun community?


 Running a rod from chamber to muzzle would be rather difficult (impossible) with a revolver (unless it is a top break). I know I have at least 1 rifle that I can't get the rod in from the breech end either (dam, I can't think of which one at the moment).


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## Gunners_Mate (Feb 17, 2010)

sometimes you've got to be creative, for both the revolver and the rifle your thinking of you _should_ be able to insert the rod from muzzle to chamber *without* the brush on it, and then from inside the ejection port, or over top of the revolving assembly (excuse my lack of nomenclature in terms of revolvers) and screw it into your rod. if you must you can hold the brush still and rotate the rod. it's a pain in the ass, but it gets the job done, properly.

if using this method you still cannot achieve a chamber to muzzle brushing then I would LOVE to see pics and see if I can't think of something else,


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## SaltyDog (Jan 1, 2009)

Gunners_Mate said:


> Just wanted to get some clarification on this, I'm seeing the words "run the bore brush up AND down the barrel" and cringing as I read them. I've been trained to ALWAYS run anything, from bore brushes to patches with the path of the bullet, that is to say from breech to muzzle. this mostly applies to rifles, but I use the same technique on all my handguns as well.
> 
> So my question is are handguns somehow different, requiring a muzzle to breech (chamber) stroke to get into the lands and grooves? is this an excepted practice among the handgun community?


Okay GM - I've heard it both ways (like Bruce said). Please enlighten me as to why it would be detrimental to pull a soft metal bronze brush or cleaning patch back through the barrel after it has exited the barrel?

Just curious because I do not want to create damage to my barrel. I have been cleaning my handguns, rifle, and shotgun this way for years. I understand that you want to run this through the bore from the chamber end so as not to damage the crown on the breach end of the barrel on a rifle or handgun.

Also thanks for your service:smt1099


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

If you have to clean from the muzzle, as for an M1 Garand, nowadays you have the option of using a Boresnake. You can clean an M1 from the breech with one.
If you must use a rod, there are muzzle-crown protectors, usually made of brass, to keep the cleaning rod from buggering up a rifle's muzzle.
It is perfectly safe, given a muzzle protector and a modicum of care, to use a bronze brush starting at the muzzle. Once the brush has reached the open space of the inside of the receiver, the brush can be reversed safely and pulled out the way it came.


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## cougartex (Jan 2, 2010)

+1 Boresnake.


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## SMann (Dec 11, 2008)

Here's some info I found.
http://www.handgunforum.net/showthread.php?t=21199


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## terryger (Feb 1, 2010)

bruce333 said:


> First of all, firearms brushes are made of bronze not brass.
> 
> Second both of these alloys of copper are a lot softer than the barrel steel.


++1


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