How do you clean your rifle?

goodgorilla

goodgorilla

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 16, 2013
425
1
Lecanto, FL
#1
Right now I have a Otis cleaning system, but after doing some reading it seems like I may just want to use that kit when I am not at home. All the videos I see of the Otis kit show that it only cleans the barrel, and I need some other stuff. Here is a list of things I found from videos that I should get.

FP10 - lube for high friction zones
Hoppes 9 - basic cleaning solution
Ballistol - rust prevention solution
Q tips
gun patches - for cleaning rods or Otis
silicon cloth
Norton's UCS or tooth brush
Needle nose pliers
Bore guide if not using Otis - guide = Dewey w/ ball bearings
silicon gloves + eye protection.

The Otis kit looks good, but it doesn't seem like the cleaning pad will rotate as well as a Dewey would in the rifling, but if you use a cleaning rod you will be pushing the cloth into the bore which is not as good as just pulling it through like the Otis system. What do you guys think? You don't have to explain the whole process, just the gear you use would be good.
 
#2
Lucas Bore Guide for whatever 1 piece rod you choose.
Whatever cleaning solution you choose,
Brass or Nylon Brushes
Patches
Light coat of oil at the end then a dry patch
Only clean when you see your accuracy falling off. ~ every 400-600 rounds
 
#3
I think you are over thinking it a bit.

Until a rifle NEEDS cleaning the only thing I do is swap the chamber with a Dewey chamber rod and a dry .410 bore mop and clean (wipe away) and relube behind the lugs every 500 rounds or sooner if it gets a lot of dust in the action.

Here's a basic run down of what I use:

Appropriate sized Dewey rod
Dewey chamber rod
Appropriate bore guide
Quality (dewey works) Bronze and nylon bore brushes (whichever I feel like using that day)
Dewey jags
Q tips
Butches bore shine
Copper cleaner
Slip 2000 EWL
Militec grease
Cleaning rod stops

I'm sure there's a few other things but those get the job done. The only thing I ever use an Otis for is clearing obstructions in the field.
 
#4
I was just watching a video that said I can detach the brush after pushing through the barrel, instead of pulling it back. But it would leave the rod itself available to rub up against the bore.
 
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#7
goodgorilla said:
I was just watching a video that said I can detach the brush after pushing through the barrel, instead of pulling it back. But it would leave the rod itself available to rub up against the bore.
Click to expand...

Why would you not pull the brush back through? If you are doing a thorough cleaning which is the only time you should be cleaning then you will have to make several passes with even the smoothest barrel and best solvent.

You are seriously over thinking such an easy task.
 
#8
redneckbmxer24 said:
Why would you not pull the brush back through? If you are doing a thorough cleaning which is the only time you should be cleaning then you will have to make several passes with even the smoothest barrel and best solvent.

You are seriously over thinking such an easy task.
Click to expand...

I think I read it somewhere that competition shooters do not generally use a guide to clean both ways, normally they just clean from action to muzzle. But on Krieger barrels' web sight for cleaning, it says that it's ok to go both ways. So I guess I won't worry about going both ways with the rod.
 
#9
goodgorilla said:
I think I read it somewhere that competition shooters do not generally use a guide to clean both ways, normally they just clean from action to muzzle. But on Krieger barrels' web sight for cleaning, it says that it's ok to go both ways. So I guess I won't worry about going both ways with the rod.
Click to expand...

I think you're confusing it for cleaning from the action, not muzzle. I've never heard of anybody, including anally retarded bench rest shooters pushing a brush through and unscrewing it. If anything it would be better to pull it than push it as the resistance could cause the brush spine to bend and let there rod tip to contact the barrel.
 
#10
What about lubrication of the barrel bore in between shooting sessions for rust protection purposes (not necessary cleaning)? Would there be any concern of possible rusting inside the barrel if it's not touched after coming back from the range (independent of how many or few rounds shot)? Not sure how much rust protection is left from the oil after shooting through it.
I ask because these AAC-SDs seem to be a bit of rust-magnets.
 
#11
redneckbmxer24 said:
I think you're confusing it for cleaning from the action, not muzzle. I've never heard of anybody, including anally retarded bench rest shooters pushing a brush through and unscrewing it. If anything it would be better to pull it than push it as the resistance could cause the brush spine to bend and let there rod tip to contact the barrel.
Click to expand...

he's one guy from another forum:

"It well depend on how you clean your rifle. On my precision barrels I well always run the patch/brush from breech to muzzle only, that necessitates a longer rod"

Then again, on Krieger's barrel cleaning section, it's ok to go both ways.
 
#12
Otero51 said:
What about lubrication of the barrel bore in between shooting sessions for rust protection purposes (not necessary cleaning)? Would there be any concern of possible rusting inside the barrel if it's not touched after coming back from the range (independent of how many or few rounds shot)? Not sure how much rust protection is left from the oil after shooting through it.
I ask because these AAC-SDs seem to be a bit of rust-magnets.
Click to expand...

I would keep it in a low humidity environment. Any time you start with a clean bore or a oiled bore your rifle will almost always shoot to a different POI and not shoot as accurate until it is once again fouled. The only time I ever lube a barrel is if it's a gun that sits for a very long time. I have a 700P that uses the same metal as an AAC-SD, it sits for long periods of time without getting shot and it's always spot on, I never clean or lube it after shooting.

goodgorilla said:
he's one guy from another forum:

"It well depend on how you clean your rifle. On my precision barrels I well always run the patch/brush from breech to muzzle only, that necessitates a longer rod"

Then again, on Krieger's barrel cleaning section, it's ok to go both ways.
Click to expand...

I guarantee you are just misreading it and he means he doesn't insert the rod from the muzzle side. I've never seen or heard of a single person pushing a brush only one direction, it makes no sense.
 
#13
I only clean from the muzzle on rifles where you cannot get access from the back, like 10/22, M14, mini 14/30 etc.

ALWAYS go from the chamber end if possible. Also get yourself a Teflon coated dewy cleaning rod. If you must lube the bore you should run a dry patch through before you shoot. I run a suppressor and run a patch of Kroil penetrating oil followed by two or three dry patches either after a shooting session/competition or right before. I have put thousands of rounds through my Sako TRG and my AIAX and have never used a brush! Just the patch sequence from above.

I have OCD and pretty much cleaned the bore of my Remington 700 out! That thing slowed WAY down, JB bore bright is abrasive and makes metal shiny but damn! Anyways, if you clean the copper out every time you will be burning ammo every time out to get the rifle shooting again. Let your rifle tell you when it needs to be cleaned.
 
#14
I just ordered a the hardware I need from Dewey. Do you think a 40 inch rod is good enough for a 27 inch barrel on a Remington 700? Someone on another form says that should be a nice length for that. I was planning on just using the Otis system for my 22, unless somebody says I should use rods for that too.
 
#17
The reason some people (not me) run the cleaning brush through the action into the barrel and then unscrew the brush is because some people think that you can damage the crown pulling the brush back through. I guess you could, but I have not had an issue. You don't really need to clean that precision rifle all that much anyway.
 
#18
Lucas Bore Guide, Dewey coated rod and Bore Tech Eliminator. Follow the instruction on the boretech bottle with their jags and nylon brushes. Then wrap a paper towel on the nylon brush and swirl it in the chamber to get the remaining boretech and crud that accumulates in the chamber out. Light coat of oil on the bolt, clean the raceways with a q-tip and done. I clean the day before my last practice before a match. Shoot my practice day, check zero and go to the match.
 
#20
why not make it even more easy.... I use snakes.

ill run a snake down the tube only once with some CLP after the range... if I feel like accuracy is falling off, then Ill fill up the barrel with foaming bore cleaner, then once with a snake with CLP.

before I run any snakes, ill clean the chamber every single time with some CLP with a special AR chamber brush (I own nothing but AR type rifles).


goodgorilla said:
Right now I have a Otis cleaning system, but after doing some reading it seems like I may just want to use that kit when I am not at home. All the videos I see of the Otis kit show that it only cleans the barrel, and I need some other stuff. Here is a list of things I found from videos that I should get.

FP10 - lube for high friction zones
Hoppes 9 - basic cleaning solution
Ballistol - rust prevention solution
Q tips
gun patches - for cleaning rods or Otis
silicon cloth
Norton's UCS or tooth brush
Needle nose pliers
Bore guide if not using Otis - guide = Dewey w/ ball bearings
silicon gloves + eye protection.

The Otis kit looks good, but it doesn't seem like the cleaning pad will rotate as well as a Dewey would in the rifling, but if you use a cleaning rod you will be pushing the cloth into the bore which is not as good as just pulling it through like the Otis system. What do you guys think? You don't have to explain the whole process, just the gear you use would be good.
Click to expand...
 
#23
lol... I figured he would say something about cleaning the bore with KY and beads on a string...... and then somehow connect cleaning a rifle with a flesh light in some manner. JK with ya vjj!


redneckbmxer24 said:
Your slacking VJJ, I was expecting something along the lines of "I ram it in a hookers twat until she squirts down the bore". Or perhaps a fart flap insertion for a fecal barrel paste.
Click to expand...
 
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#24
goodgorilla said:
I think I read it somewhere that competition shooters do not generally use a guide to clean both ways, normally they just clean from action to muzzle. But on Krieger barrels' web sight for cleaning, it says that it's ok to go both ways. So I guess I won't worry about going both ways with the rod.
Click to expand...

Only if you want to screw up a good barrel in 5 minutes!!! Never ever clean from the muzzle. IF you have to (ie M1, lever action etc) use a muzzle protector then.

Use a good quality bore guide; Lucas, Dewey etc

Solid one piece rod. I like the coated Dewey rods

I use the Montana Extreme or ISSO heavy bristle plastic brushes. They work extremely well and no possibility of damage to the crown.

yes a bristle brush has been shown to damage the crown if pulled back thru and not well soaked with cleaner and some BR shooters take them off when they come out the muzzle.

Montane Extreme 50 BMG cleaner or Wipeout with Accelerator

Bore scopes are amazing tools and kill a lot of BS ideas and stories about cleaning and what works and does not.
 
#25
BountyHunter said:
Only if you want to screw up a good barrel in 5 minutes!!! Never ever clean from the muzzle. IF you have to (ie M1, lever action etc) use a muzzle protector then.

Use a good quality bore guide; Lucas, Dewey etc

Solid one piece rod. I like the coated Dewey rods

I use the Montana Extreme or ISSO heavy bristle plastic brushes. They work extremely well and no possibility of damage to the crown.

yes a bristle brush has been shown to damage the crown if pulled back thru and not well soaked with cleaner and some BR shooters take them off when they come out the muzzle.

Montane Extreme 50 BMG cleaner or Wipeout with Accelerator

Bore scopes are amazing tools and kill a lot of BS ideas and stories about cleaning and what works and does not.
Click to expand...

So far for hardware I have ordered:
Dewey products - bore guide, rod, brush, lug kit, muzzle protector.
1 &3/4 patches

I don't have any chemicals yet, but I plan on getting:
Hoppes 9, and wipeout.
Lube - undecided, I was thinking getting something from walmart. FP10?
Rust protector - undecided.

I also need to get the misc stuff like a cleaning towel, silicon cloth, gloves, Qtips, Norton's UCS.
 
#26
About once a season I detail strip and clean the ar. Otherwise just add oil.

At end of season they all get detail cleaned.

Hoppes#9 and copper solvent as needed. Use dewey coated one peice with bore guide in action. Nylon brush and patches as needed.

Toothbrush and scrappers as needed on bolt. Qtips and rags for everything else.

Coat everything with mobil one, wipe it off.

Add oil before 1st match.
 
#27
Order some bolt lube for the lugs and cam on the bolt to prevent galling.

Hint get a buddy to give you an old aluminum/carbon arrow.

Cut it off the nock end to about 18-20 inches and glue a wood/plastic file handle on. Keep the ferrule end with the aluminum insert. Buy a 45 cal plastic bristle brush and screw on. Use either large shotgun cleaning patch or 1/4 paper towel around brush to clean chamber, action and rails before lubing and puttting bolt back in. Cheap and works great.

Decide what type jag you are going to use. wrap around or pierced. I use the Dewey parker hale and I think you are going to find the 1" patch is going to be too small for a 7mm. More like 1.5 to 1.75 depending on jag.

Hoppes 9 is decent carbon cleaner but does nothing for copper. You are going to need a copper cleaner like 50 BMG, wipeout etc.

Not sure why you need the muzzle protector, but I would never clean a bolt gun from the muzzle. Ever stuck a stick in the dirt and twisted it. You barrel crown and bore will look like that in just a few minutes. Can ruin a good barrel real fast.
 
Last edited:
#28
Easy...I take my son shooting (Army National Guard) with the stipulation he's shooting my ammo so he does the cleaning! He uses a bore snake for most. When I get my 700 put together I'm going to do it like Brian Kleckner on the NSSF You Tube website.
 
#34
flounderv2 said:
Lucas Bore Guide for whatever 1 piece rod you choose.
Whatever cleaning solution you choose,
Brass or Nylon Brushes
Patches
Light coat of oil at the end then a dry patch
Only clean when you see your accuracy falling off. ~ every 400-600 rounds
Click to expand...
Good advice, barrel cleaning is overemphasized. I just used up the accuracy life of my .260 Kreiger barrel after 2,500 rounds. I just cleaned it for the fourth time to see if the accuracy fall off was due to a fouled barrel or a burnt out barrel. The barrel is used up. I did not use a break in procedure and when I did clean the barrel I always went out and shot a 5 shot group at 100 yards at bench rest to see if there actually was an increase in accuracy. I never saw an increase in accuracy after cleaning and the first shot after cleaning was always within the group but I did not ever oil the barrel after cleaning, just pushed dry patches through. I would however oil a chrome moly barrel after cleaning. The gun averaged a little less than .4 MOA, five shot groups for all of it's accuracy life. Copper fouling was never an issue. I do not follow this same advice for most factory barrels. My experience is that many of them collect copper fouling much more easily than a custom barrel. Bottom line; shoot more, clean less.
 
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