How often do you recommend using a Bronze Bore Brush to clean the chambers and barrel...
If I'm shooting about 100-rnds thru at a range-visit.. how often is this recommended?
Also, obviously the only way to clean the barrel (not using a 'snake') is from the muzzel-end IN... what about the cylinders... which direction is recommended?
Thanks

I clean after every range session with a bore snake , it's easy , quick and doesn't cause any undue wear. Then do a barrel/cylinder inspection , when it needs additional cleaning , that's when the brush, solvent and rod come out.
More guns are damaged by too much cleaning from the muzzle ,the rod damages the crown. Get a plastic or brass muzzle guide to stop this.
The boresnake is not going to damage the crown, and can be fed through the forcing cone and pulled out from the muzzle end.

Cylinders are cleaned from the rear , insert the snake or brush into the larger diameter rear and pull or push towards the front.
When working with a brush , shove it all the way through , trying to reverse a brush inside the bore or chamber might cause it to get stuck.
Think of bore as a one way street, you can't go backwards.
I clean with brush and rod only when the snake doesn't remove it .
Gary

Been using a Bronze Bore Brush after shooting every time I shoot for 50 years! Sometime 3 or 4 passes, sometimes a dozen passes - all depends on how many rounds I have fired and how dirty the gun is. You barrel and Cylinder will NOT get damaged by the Bronze Brush because it is much softer than the steel it is cleaning. What WILL damage your Bore or Cylinder is a poor quality Cleaning Rod or bad methods of using one. I shoot 99% Lead - just for the record.

It will bend up the soft bristles on the brush rendering it useless.

Thanks Guys... appreciate the input.

NEVER. I threw away all metal brushes, I use only nylon. I don't shoot lead ammo. Even cleaning the bore, I soak it in Kroil and use a nylon brush. In cases where fouling is baked on, I use a mile cleaner like JB Bore paste or chrome polish with the nylon brush.

FYI: it is not necessary to "100% clean" the bore in fact that puts more wear in the bore than shooting does.

If you do not shoot Lead ammo then a Copper dissolving chemical must be used to remove the copper fowling. The correct brush to use with Copper solvent is Nylon as you are doing. Bronze brushes are at risk of being eaten by the Copper solvent.

Where I am a member our indoor Club rules will not allow the use of jacketed bullets for fear of ricochets. Our outside facility allows the use of jacketed bullets however I do not want to reload every caliber I shoot in both Lead and Copper so I have stuck with the lead. Unfortunately, Nylon Bore Brushes have little affect on removing Lead so Bronze and sometimes a Lewis Lead Remover have to be used. So far in 50 years I have had zero damage to any firearm. That said, those who are using Copper jacketed ammo and Copper Solvents SHOULD use Nylon brushes. For Lead ...... Bronze is the way to go.

and the bristles break off and end up in the action of the gun. One of the main reasons I would NEVER use a bronze brush.


Maybe so, it's been a few years since I shot lead.

I use bronze brushes every time I clean my gun after shooting. I do run wet patches through the bore and chambers first and let them sit for a few minutes before using the brushes.

Also, I use a slightly larger brush for the chambers. For example, for a .38 Special revolver I'll use a .38 caliber brush for the bore and a .40 caliber brush for the chambers.

I'll echo what others have said about protecting the muzzle. I use a plastic bore guide to protect the muzzle rifling. I also wad up a rag and stick it through the cylinder window to help protect the breech face when cleaning the bore.

+1, I've always figured after 100+ mini controlled explosions, forcing a metal object at intense speeds, a few slow swipes with a soft bronze brush won't hurt anything, hasn't yet anyway. I'm just trying to figure out what too use those dang mops on...

With an eyedropper I insert a little Hoppe's #9 into the barrel and follow that with 2 passes of a bore snake. That usually does it.

I thouroughly clean my guns after every range session. Wet bore and chambers with solvent soaked patches and let sit while I clean the rest of the gun with a solvent soaked toothbrush. Bronze toothbrush for the forcing come. Then hose down whole gun with brake cleaner (stainless guns only). Solvent dipped bronze brush 10-15 passes through barrel. Brush dipped in solvent chucked into drill on low for chambers. Pass dry rags through to mop up, followed by solvent soaked patches to get what little remains. Dry patch through barrel and chambers. Patches come out white. Oil and put away.

Been doing it that way over 20 years and never an issue. A clean gun is a happy gun.

On lesser quality Bronze Brushes the bristles do tend to fall out when they get old, but on better ones (I buy Brownells brushes which are top notch) they stay put for a long time. Even if they do fall out, a follow up with a solvent soaked patch takes them right out.

I also encourage everyone regardless of what brush type they use to flush out the cylinder tunnel that the ER rides in. After I am done with the cylinder cleaning, I hold the Cylinder in the upright position, fill the tunnel up with Rig #2 Oil and work the ER a few times. Then dump the fluid onto a paper towel. 99% of what comes out is powder residue and dirt - it's extremely rare for a brush bristle (either Nylon or Bronze) to get in there - in fact I can not ever remember one doing so in the 50 years I've been at this.

Alot of good info... really appreciate all the input.
Thanks

I'm pretty casual about cleaning my guns.

I clean them when they get really dirty, usually, although sometimes I forget and shoot them anyhow.

I developed my slovenly habits about 50 years ago: I was on the shooting team in ROTC in high school. I cleaned my 52C after practice one day. My Sargent discovered what I'd done and I did push ups for months to remind me never to mess with my gun again.

I don't know if the Sargant was right, but I've never had a problem with a firearms following his advice.

The person who got me started shooting a few of years ago was a Colonel in the Air Force, and believed in never cleaning his weapons until they malfunction from neglect.

I met his father at the sons retirement ceremony, and he is a retired Marine Corp officer, who believed that a weapon is always kept clean.

I follow the fathers advice and always clean my firearms after use.

+1 on using high quality bronze brushes. The quality of the bristles isn't the only issue. Buy the type which have the round ends of the twisted wire core and not the ones which are cut off and have sharp ends. The round end prevent possible damage from any possible oops when moving the brush back and forth.

Bruce

A high quality steel pistol/rifle/shotgun barrel being damaged by a brass/bronze cleaning brush..... Really...... Can anyone provide documented proof of that ever happening??? Not trying to start anything here but I can't picture a cleaning brush doing ANY damage to a decent weapon!

And for the record I use a brass brush with Rem oil along with a clean patch to swab out the barrel/cylinder after cleaning, no solvents at all... On all my guns!


Activating Flame Suit........

Oh just wanted to mention that for higher quality Firearms, Brownells has their Special Line of Bronze Brushes that use rounded end Brass twisting wire instead of Steel. This gives a little extra protection just in case. I find that the Brownells brand of Bronze bore brushes to be FAR SUPERIOR to any of the major big box store brands like Hoppes, Outers, etc. More bristles, tighter wound, better quality winding, and just over all superior. If you buy them in the dozen package they come to a little over a buck each. Not bad!

I shoot lead exclusively these days. Mostly an assortment of .45 and .44 revolvers. I clean them after every session. Wet patch first. Oversize bronze brush next, End with wet patches followed with dry. Last pass has light coat of oil. For stubborn lead in the throat, I use bronze scowering pad strips cut from the pad, (it's messy), wrap around a wet patch and ride the throat until clean. I'm a bit of a nut for clean barrels. For a quickie, a bore snake works in a pinch.
I used to have an electronic bore cleaner years ago that worked without a single scrub. I gotta find that thing.

Seems odd that many shooters regularly recommend and use bronze cleaning brushes in the barrel and cylinders of their firearms, but issue stern warnings about the use of sectioned brass cleaning rods.
Kind of perplexing.....since bronze, an alloy of brass and tin, is harder than brass. One would think that bronze could cause damage to the chambers, rifling and muzzle crown over time.

__________________
Ret. LE, FA Instr, S&W Armorer

Don't know which way to go soft or hard rod . I know that i have seen many muzzle loaders with the crown worn from using wood ramrods . The reason I have been told is because particles get stuck in the wood and act as an abrasive . Many old target muzzle loaders had false muzzles to fit their guns to prevent the anything touching or rubbing the bore(crown). I have seen steel lead screws worn on lathes that turned nothing bit aluminum ,and the aluminum dust or , shavings collected on the 1/2 nuts and wore the lead screw out .Don't think bronze or brass brushes will wear the bore The bronze,brass bristle tips are too microscopic to hold contamination another reason for using a brush the correct size .They clean with the tips of the Brussels Not the sides .

Chambers are cleaned from the rear and there are specific bronze brushes marked as "chamber brush" for that purpose because the chamber area is larger than the bore where the case fits and tapers to bore size in the throat area. Using bronze bore brushes won't hurt the muzzle unless they don't fit right and you are using a steel cleaning rod which you shouldn't be. I know people make and sell steel rods but they should be avoided. The military uses them still but keep in mind they have ordnance units and a lot of spare barrels so they can continue to replace them when damaged. Most of us don't have that luxury.

1. "A clean gun is a happy gun."
2. "Never let the sun set on a dirty gun."

I've been using bronze bore and chamber brushes for 60 years now. They work and don't harm a bore or a chamber.

The "mop" is best used to spread a light film of oil inside the bore after cleaning if the the gun isn't to be used for a long time. Never oil the inside of a chamber.

__________________
USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

I spent 23 years in the Air Force and then Army National Guard, we cleaned our weapon several times a year, whether fired or not, and believe me, my M16-A2 was very accurate.. A clean gun is a happy gun.I began in the AF in the early 60' with a M1 carbine and then a M16. A dirty m16 is not your friend when you realy need it. I was the Marksman coordinator with a Combat Engineer Battalion and you did not turn in your weapon dirty after an event where it was carried.All M-9 pistols were cleaned and the Colonel mentioned above may not cleaned his revolver or pistol but someone did before it was turned in to the Arms Room.

There's one in every barrel I guess. That AF colonel is not representative of the rest of us.

Sarg1c is right. Someone had to clean those guns. Not cool if he had someone else do it.

__________________
USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

Never heard that one, Moxie. Not arguing, just a question / comment.

Oil in the chambers can possibly contaminate the rounds, esp. the primers. Not too likely, but possibly. Also if the oil dries between the chamber wall and the brass it can lead to extraction problems. I always dry chambers thoroughly on revolvers and autos. Some wise old guy taught me that when I started shooting in 1956 and it's worked for me so far.

__________________
USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

Copy that moxie, I do the same.
I just took your remark too literally.

Rimfire match rifles like the 52C are a different ballgame. Apples and oranges when compared to anything else. Bore cleaning on .22 match guns should be done VERY RARELY. They are more sensitive to changes than any other firearm. The bore fouling builds to a certain low-level, and seems to not get any worse. When I used to shoot them in military competition, I would dry brush the chamber once in a great while with a .22 caliber brush bent at a right angle in the middle, clean around the bolt recess in the action, bolt face and extractors with Hoppe's and a brush, wipe it off and call it good.

While not a super neatnik about cleaning guns, ( except my flintlocks ) I do think it is a good idea to keep guns fairly clean, like I would any piece of fine piece of expensive equipmemt.