Bore guide ax338

timelinex

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
  • May 7, 2011
    1,381
    32
    Scottsdale,Az
    So I'm finally getting bore guides for my rifles. I use only coated high quality rods and clean my chamber after, so it hasn't been a priority. I contacted Lucas and there are 30+ day wait times. Anyways, is there really that big a difference if I get a Lucas or the official accuracy international one? Or my local reloading store (brunos) has caliber specific bore guides that are just labeled 338.

    I understand people like having 'nice' things and get off on the quality of mikes guides, but would I actually loose any EFFECTIVENESS by going with the cheaper ones?
     
    The AI guide is nothing fancy for $50. It doesn't have the o ring on the chamber end of the guide to keep liquids from entering the action. Also, it doesn't have the small cut out on the side for dropping solvents into the guide. It's basically a black plastic (or whatever material it's made from) hollow rod.

    The Lucas guide looks like it has the o-ring on the chamber end has the solvent port.

    I haven't seen a Lucas guide for the AIAX, or any AI for that matter, so I'm not sure if it has those options on AI guides.
     
    I haven't used the AI guides or the ones Bruno's sells before, but I have 4 of Mike's guides and I really like them. I used to use a cheapy tipton "universal" one and it's more hassle than it's worth. Mike's guides actually work the way they are intended to. My biggest issue with any other's I've tried is when patching, they snag the patch on the way back out of the bore and into the guide, then you have to pull the whole thing out and fish the patch out of either the guide, or the chamber. Mike's transition correctly and the patch stays on the jag and doesn't get wedged in there. IMHO, they're worth the price and the wait.

    I did break one of them at the spot the O-ring is cut into it though, but it was pretty much my fault and even without it the o-ring and the tip, the guide still works, just need to be careful to remove all the solvents from the chamber and action afterwards.