How do I clean my muzzle?

[PinesAndProjectiles]

I'm running a Rugged Surge on my 6 Creed. I took the flash hider adapter off and found a big buildup of carbon. There is a large ring of carbon inside the flash hider also.

I'm going to throw my can and flash hider in the ultrasonic to clean it, but how do I clean the carbon off of my muzzle?

 

[gpark09]

I don't think there so much of to do for the muzzle. I was told by many so called experts saying the same stuffs. Just use solvent with q-tip and give it a wipe down where you see any excessive fouling.

 

[KZP]

Mine looked like that too. I didn't look at it for 1000 rounds and it became pretty crusty.

Pile of Q-tips, Ballistol and my finger nail was able to get it off in about 15 minutes.

Can't say for sure it made any difference in accuracy though. But once I knew it was there, it was hard to ignore it.

 

[Dougie308]

Use soap , warm water and a soft cloth.

 

[strikeeagle1]

Wrap some Choy Boy (I use the steel for muzzle) around a used bronze brush, chuck it into hand drill, slow speed, shiney clean in 30 seconds. It will not harm the hard barrel surface; also can use to clean out hard to reach filthy chambers (Wilson AR9 shown.) You can also use the soft dremel buffs on low dremel speed with a light touch, they too knock the carbon flakes in seconds for a clean result.

 

[natdscott]

Wrap some Choy Boy (I use the steel for muzzle) around a used bronze brush, chuck it into hand drill, slow speed, shiney clean in 30 seconds. It will not harm the hard barrel surface; also can use to clean out hard to reach filthy chambers (Wilson AR9 shown.)

View attachment 6893911

Are you advising people to use a steel abrasive to clean the muzzles of their barrels, or are you advising them to use that on just the BRAKE?

Please clarify.

-Nate

 

[strikeeagle1]

^Both if needed. The muzzles that have brakes or suppressors used will be filthy with hard carbon deposits. These methods will not harm the firearm barrel when done as recommended. The hardness "steel" in the Choy Boy stainless is not anything like the Rockwell hardness of barrel / bore metals. Some shoot steel cased cartridges!

There are countless references for using this method.

https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2017/6/26/how-to-clean-tough-lead-deposits-from-your-barrel/

 

[natdscott]

^Both if needed. The muzzles that have brakes or suppressors used will be filthy with hard carbon deposits. These methods will not harm the firearm barrel when done as recommended.

There are countless references for using this method.

https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2017/6/26/how-to-clean-tough-lead-deposits-from-your-barrel/

Yeah well, that's just like, uh, your opinion man. (and SSUSA can pound sand with their 'knowledgable writers')

Fuck that shit. My barrels cost way too much and I expect way too much of them to be running fucking steel wool in the muzzle. Though I grant you we are in "Stupid Questions" right now, if we were talking strictly about blaster AR-15s, Mini-14s, box auto pistols, etc., then maybe my answer would be different. But we aren't.

Personally, I think it is poor to even suggest that in a precision rifle-minded forum.

-Nate

 

[gpark09]

Strikeeagle1 justed showed what not to do to your rifle. NO! NO! NO!
It's not even a redneck style. NEVER! NEVER! NEVER!
There might be countless references out there, and also there are countless bone heads out there giving out BAD information.
What he's doing is fastest way to clean and also fastest way to damage the rifling/barrel. It's one way to turn your rifle into a shotgun. There goes accuracy bye bye.

 

[natdscott]

(I use the steel for muzzle)

View attachment 6893911

Might as well have said you clean your dick with a wire wheel. Lightly touching it of course.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

One housekeeping hack my wife just recently showed me was to polish stainless pans and pots with crumpled aluminum foil. It's hard enough and rough enough to remove scorch marks, but actually does leave the Stainless steel untouched. Not recommending this for anything else, but as a word to the wise...

Keep in mind that some baked on carbon encrustations can be a lot harder then Graphite.

Greg

 

[L.R.Novice]

I’ve heard that fuel injector cleaner dissolves carbon really well. You wrap a patch on an undersized brush. Soak the cloth then position it in the barrel where the carbon ring is. Let it react a little while then wipe out and repeat.

Bought the fuel injector cleaner but haven’t found a suitable carbon ring yet.

 

[CrazyHorse_mk14]

Transmission fluid works good too, I use a mix of kerosene/atf to clean my black powder stuff. Or windex (without ammonia).

Never thought of using a chor boy like that! I don’t even clean pans with em I seriously thought those were just for crackheads.

 

[...]

ive not found any carbon i couldn't remove by soaking it in SeaFoam (available at autoparts store) for a few hours then scrubbing with a stiff brush

 

[strikeeagle1]

The OP inquired about cleaning the muzzle surface of carbon build up. I dare say I have accurate firearms of monetary value as much and greater than anything I have seen posted on this forum. I wouldn't suggest a method that was detrimental to the accuracy of the firearm.

So for the naysayers, why don't you cite a controlled study of this muzzle cleaning method that demonstrates a diminished accuracy as a result, as though gently scrubbing the muzzle is going to deform the muzzle crown and affect accuracy. IF you don't have any evidence to the contrary, then your opinion is just that a hunch, a guess, supposition. It used to be thought that cold weather was the cause of common cold....then it was scientifically studied.

Finally, apparently some of you believe communicating with F&^%$# vulgarity adds internet credence to your bravado comments when there is a vacancy of evidence substantiating your argument, as though F-bombing enlightens the viewer and dares the questioning of your ideas.

 

[...]

So for the naysayers, why don't you cite a controlled study of this muzzle cleaning method that demonstrates a diminished accuracy as a result, as though gently scrubbing the muzzle is going to deform the muzzle crown and affect accuracy. IF you don't have any evidence to the contrary, then your opinion is just that a hunch, a guess, supposition. It used to be thought that cold weather was the cause of common cold....then it was scientifically studied.
.

you do realize thats literally like saying "yeah you can scrub your barrel with battery acid.....find evidence you cant"

its fucking retarded.....

 

[flyright]

I personally, would never suggest using anything abrasive on the muzzle/crown and I know many knowledgeable gunsmiths and barrel makers that - I'm damn sure - would agree. I saw the thread title and felt compelled to read and now reply. It may very well be that you can run a drill with some type of abrasive and never affect a "hardened steel" barrel. But, just to be safe, I'd suggest you just soak your MB or muzzle in a carbon dissolver - Carbonout, carb cleaner or whatever and wipe it down with a soft cloth - the "least invasive technique" has always seemed most reasonable to me. Never trust the internet for an answer without research. Or, just chuck up a bit of scotchbrite and polish/ruin TF out of your sh!t... Good (accurate) barrels deserve gentle treatment IMHO... I'd not do that to even my Glock barrels.

 

[Tucker301]

My mower blades are hardened steel. Grass dulls them.

 

[flyright]

Good point. I've heard many - should I even say - "old school" - gunsmiths say you can't hurt a barrel. Clean it, break it in, polish it - it will not make a difference. I've always treated my barrels gingerly until I decided they sucked. Then I trashed them. I've always thought that the only difference the end user can make is to further enlarge the internal dimensions and/or decrease the external dimensions. Neither of which will help accuracy - as far as I know. But, yes, even grass or flour can dull hardened steel so I'd rather not take the chance with a known quantity. I've never seen removal of metal increase accuracy - but I could be wrong...

 

[gunsnjeeps]

SSUSA article says copper not steel, warns against copper washed steel wool, and is deleading pistol barrels. To clean the muzzle use a little bore cleaner on a swab or patch. If you don't have a fingernail a plastic scrapper works.