Am I damaging my gun while cleaning it??

[evenflow80]

Quick question:

I was cleaning my .44 Magnum and while inserting the bronze brush down the barrel with the rod, it felt VERY tight, and as I ran it through the barrel it was just a very tight fit and I can't help but wonder if the rouch brush is damaging the inside of the barrel. The brush is for .44 calibers, so its the right size, but is it supposed to be that tight?? I'm guessing nothing I can do can damage the barrel on the inside that is any harsher that a freaking BULLET going through it, but better be safe than sorry.

Thank you all.

 

[davlandrum]

Bronze is softer than steel - no problem.

 

[CraigC]

Bronze is softer than steel - no problem.

Yeah, try brushing the outside and see if it doesn't scratch it.

Yes, you can damage your gun by overzealous cleaning. Like anything else, moderation is a good thing. IMHO, it is unnecessary to clean out the bore of your sixgun every time you shoot it. Only when it becomes leaded and/or accuracy deteriorates.

 

[BigJimP]

No, you're not hurting it .......keeping it clean and well lubed will ensure it gives you many years of service / and keep it in good shape.

I clean every gun I shoot when I get home from the range ..... no exceptions ( shotguns, handguns, etc ..) and I'm not talking about just cleaning the barrels...

 

[dgludwig]

Tight is better than loose.

 

[Darsh]

Tight is better than loose.

huh huh... huh huh...

 

[Tom2]

Back to gun cleaning You should not try to reverse the brush in the barrel, if that is happening, now that would make for hard pushing or pulling. Use some solvent on the brush, not necessarily dripping all over wet, and wipe the solvent off the brush when you are done with it. The risk is rubbing a steel rod against the edge of the muzzle opening, as far as cleaning wear is concerned. Just try to keep the cleaning rod centered up in the barrel so it does not wipe againt that edge as much as possible. Even softer rods supposedly can damage it if they somehow get grit imbedded in them, so they say. A rod with a handle that lets the rod and attachments rotate freely in the rifling is best by far.

 

[riggins_83]

I tend to use Nylon brushes instead (I really like MONTANA X-TREME brand) and run a patch and some cleaner through a few times first. This helps get out some initial grime and should help the brush pass through cleaner.

 

[stevieboy]

I simply don't believe the "you can damage a gun by cleaning it too often" stories. I clean all of mine after every trip to the range. Several of my guns have thousands of rounds through them and have been cleaned hundreds of times and they still perform superbly. However, I believe that you CAN damage a gun by cleaning it incorrectly. I avoid steel brushes on the theory that steel can scratch steel. I try not to use gun cleaning cloths that are labeled as "stainless only" on blued guns. And, I'm careful about running cleaning rods that are dirty and gritty down my guns' barrels (I use only brass rods. Brass is softer than steel).

As to your question: no, pushing a tightly fitted bronze brush down a barrel won't hurt the gun. The whole idea of using a bronze brush is to abrade the carbon and metal buildup on the barrel's interior so that it can be flushed out. Tight fitting brushes do that job better than loose fitting brushes. Bronze is softer than steel so it won't scratch or abrade the barrel. I suspect that you'll notice that, with time, it becomes progressively easier to push your brush down the barrel. That's because the bronze bristles erode after being rubbed against the steel barrel. I replace mine every 4-5 cleanings. They're cheap and my guns are valuable, so I want the most effective cleaning possible.

 

[Melissa5]

Does anyone use a boresnake? Do they clean better than brushes?

 

[Cruncher Block]

I wouldn't say that a boresnake cleans "better" than a brush and patches. It's just faster and more convenient.

You get the brush and patch in one pull instead of having to screw/unscrew attachments to a rod and all that hassle.

 

[WVfishguy]

CraigC:Yeah, try brushing the outside and see if it doesn't scratch it.

Brass will scratch bluing, but not steel. Those who are against cleaning a gun thoroughly are just lazy.

 

[Casimer]

Does anyone use a boresnake? Do they clean better than brushes?

I use them on my handguns occasionally. They're good for removing loose debris, but brushes are better at removing embedded lead and other fouling from the rifling.

Also be careful with boresnakes in rifle barrels. If the pull cord breaks it can be a real PITA to get the thick woven portion out of the bore. This happened to me once and it took a gunsmith with a reamer to get the thing out.

 

[Jim March]

DO NOT use a cleaning rod with a steel shaft. It should be brass, bronze, aluminum or a good plastic.

 

[Dingoboyx]

I agree with Tom2

Don't try to reverse the brush in the barrel, that cant be good for the barrel or the brush. My opinion is to clean the bore as often as you like, dont use steel brushes (bristles) obviously, brass or bronze is best IMO, and what I tend to do is to just use one brush for each caliber (if you have 9mm & .38 have a brush for each, so the brush isn't getting used in different size bores), keep the brush clean & lightly oiled between uses, I use any rod, but keep the plastic crown protector on the brush and use it to stop metal on metal at the crown. With my wheelguns, i put a cloth thru the cylinder space (cylinder out cleaning for me) so the brush tip dont pass thru and stab into the firing pin hole as some long brushes need to poke thru as far as they can to get an easy reverse and the tip often ends up going into places I would rather it didnt

I would rather overclean a gun than under clean it.... how anal you get about it is up to you... oh, and your therapist

Now, go clean all your guns

 

[melchloboo]

There is no hard and fast rule. Cleaning regimen depends on the gun, ammo, user. Also, some parts of some guns need more frequent cleaning than others.

Simple rule is that the harder metal scratches the softer metal.

 

[CraigC]

Brass will scratch bluing, but not steel.

Got a news flash for you, if you scratch bluing, you ARE scratching steel.

Those who are against cleaning a gun thoroughly are just lazy.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion. Mine is that folks who thoroughly clean every time they shoot are brainwashed by blackpowder-era and military foolishness and are too hard headed to question a practice that 'may' not be necessary. It's okay, I used to be the same way. Then I read some commentary by some rather well known shooters and gunsmiths and questioned the practice. I clean my guns when they need it. After shooting I wipe them down with an oil-dampened rag and put them away. I clean the bores when they are leaded and/or accuracy deteriorates. I clean the actions when it becomes necessary. I shoot on my own property to the tune of 20-30,000rds a year and contrary to popular belief, my $50,000 gun collection is not a rusted pile of junk. The world will not end and your guns will not corrode into junk if you do not thoroughly clean them every time you shoot. Simple fact. If you ain't using blackpowder or corrosive primers, it ain't necessary. Cleaning them every time serves YOUR needs, not your weapons'.

Do you change your oil every time you go to the store???

 

[gearchecker]

Use only pistol brushes on your revolvers

Something you may want to watch when you are buying your cleaning brushes is that you buy the correct length brush for your pistols/revolvers and your rifles too.
Pistol brushes are shorter so they can be pushed completely thru the barrel and into the limited cylinder space so you can reverse the direction without bending the bristles or jamming the brush in the barrel. A rifle brush because it's longer may not fully clear the open space causing a jammed brush.
I found out the hard way when I first started shooting. Thank goodness for vice grips.

 

[dgludwig]

It's okay, I used to be the same way.

Whew! That's a relief. You've changed your ways so I guess the rest of us "brain-washed" and "foolish" people can now follow suit. As melchloboo pointed out, there is no hard and fast rule for a gun cleaning regimen. Fortunately, as you acknowledged, I am entitled to my opinion and I happen to agree with you in that I now clean my firearms "when they need it" and don't believe that cleaning them after every shooting session is necessary (I have gotten lazier as I've grown older ). Trouble is, believing is not knowing. And I don't think anybody knows for certain just what the best cleaning practices are for every situation. I guess "better safe than sorry" and "pay me now or pay me later" are adages that are apropos when one is uncertain as to when to clean a gun.