Brass brush or plastic

[spdguns]

I prefer the IOSSO Eliminator blue nyflex brushes. They are better than nylon and not as aggressive as the bronze or stainless brushes. The best of both worlds. IMO....

 

[RGPM1A]

With handgun bores, none of this matters much, but it's different with rifle bores when using jacketed bullets. Bronze brushes will eventually come out with no blue or only a slight hint of blue after using copper solvents. I consider them clean at that point, but I seldom clean to where all the copper is removed. A bore scope will easily tell you where you're at if you really need such information.

Depending on the barrel, it's unnecessary to remove every trace of copper (or carbon). Granted, when accuracy falls off, the problem is likely copper or carbon fouling or both. In this era of fastidious cleaning of everything, I've found it sometimes detrimental to get a barrel too clean.

With an accurate rifle barrel, it's often necessary to fire up to a dozen rounds to get a good barrel shooting again after it's been stripped to bare metal in an overzealous cleaning process, removing all carbon and copper.

Some years ago during a tour of Ed Shilen's barrel shop, Mr. Shilen remarked that copper removal was only necessary when accuracy falls off. Who would know this subject better than a long time barrel maker and benchrest shooter?

There are exceptions to everything and there may be a legitimate use for synthetic brushes, but many of us haven't found that niche and may never.

I think you are right about pistols. Copper fowling is almost never an issue - least for me.

I also think you are right about over cleaning a barrel. If I overdo it my bench rest rifles will take 15 to 30 fowling shots to settle back down after cleaning.

One thing about copper solvents and bronze brushes I have found is they last a lot longer if they are not used with them (the bristles start breaking off and causing their own issues). So I always use a plastic bristle brush with the copper solvents.

 

[Nevada Ed]

I use the plastic brushes to add solvent to my barrel and revolver cylinder
to help keep down the wear on my Brass brushes.

The good brass brushes are used at the end of my cleaning job, so they stay snug
and don't get worn down as fast.

I also let the "Bad areas" soak for 20-30 minutes with solvent, to make
removal with a cotton patch, on the 1st pass, get as much crud as possible.
A tight cotton patch fit, is needed, even if you need two patches or one
that is made for a larger caliber,
and don't use the patch twice, you want to remove the grime, not re-apply it !

I will also use a stainless brush, if I shoot a lot of copper in a session.
Again, with a soaking with a copper remover, but you need to read, how long to soak
before it MUST be removed.

Soap & water is used on the brush , followed by some solvent , to protect it, from rust and chemical reactions.

One reason I seldom use this type of brush, and only for a major cleaning.

 

[vinn]

brass barrel brushes :

Hello all,
I got a question. I'm starting to think I'm brass brushing my barrels too much. I did buy those nylon/plastic barrel brushes.

What do you guys think? Do you think brass brushing too much a barrel will harm it?

For your consideration are my uses. Guns shot weekly are cleaned (except for last week) . Barrels are brushed. Cleaned/ wiped. Lightly oiled then another pass to dry. On the shooters that are shot weekly.

Mostly shooting plated and jacketed only. No bare lead or coated.

I think that's all. I can't think of other considerations.

What do you think? Again. Brass brush or plastic. Or it shouldn't harm anything.

Lou

brass is softer than seel, NO PROBLEM.

 

[chief38]

I believe we are taking Bronze and not Brass vs plastic. Like others have mentioned, Bronze is the only thing I use. Plastic is useless and can be attacked by some solvents.

After cleaning firearms for 57 years I've seen ZERO damage on any of my guns. I buy the bulk packs of a dozen per bag from Brownells. They are better quality than the Hoppes or any of the blister packs they sell in the big box stores and most LGS's.

NEVER use Stainless Steel brushes! Those WILL damage your gun!

 

[cracker57]

I like hearing how Brass/Bronze brushes are softer and won't hurt steel.
Makes me wonder how water can wear down rock when water is softer than rock.
I tried an experiment with my CZ 527 in 204 Ruger. This gun has over 2000 rounds and has never seen a brush. All I have used is foaming bore cleaners, and the Otis pull thru with patches only. This barrel still shoots great and comes spotlessly clean with the foam bore cleaner.
This experiment has brought me to the conclusion that all my barrels will no longer be seeing a brush. That is until I find one that the foam will not clean. Also I only shoot jacketed bullets, so I never have to get the lead out.

 

[gwpercle]

I have always used Brass and the kits the Army issued with 1903-A3 , M-1 , M-14 and M-60 , all had brass brushes .
I think you would have to do an awful lot of cleaning to put much or any wear on a modern rifle barrel .
The brush isn't moving that fast ...in fact it moves very slow and it's lubricated with a bore cleaner of some sort ... brass is much softer than modern barrel steel . I honestly believe you would need a power drill to do any damage ... As long as you are cleaning with a made for cleaning rifles brass brush and you just use elbow grease / arm power ( No Drills) you aren't going to damage your barrel .
Just watch cleaning from the muzzel ... the cleaning rod can rub against the rifling and wear it ... use a bore guide at the muzzel ... it's the rod doing the damage not the brush .
Gary

 

[WR Moore]

FWIW, the nylon chamber brushes for the AR pattern barrel extension outlast the brass/bronze ones significantly and do as good a job. Worth the slight extra cost.

 

[smoothshooter]

Only use nylon brushes on revolver cylinders and chambers that are made out of aluminum or titanium. Any kind of metallic brush will scratch up the surfaces. I have a couple of Smiths in .22 LR with aluminum cylinders and only use nylon brushes soaked with Hoppe's #9 on them. Nhlon does not clean as well, but I have no choice.

 

[smoothshooter]

You are worrying too much about barrel cleanliness.
They do not have to be perfect.
Lead fouling in cylinder/chamber throats is a little more important to clean out but that does not have to be perfect either.
More barrels are damaged by over and improper cleaning than from being shot too much.

 

[Alk8944]

I

NEVER use Stainless Steel brushes! Those WILL damage your gun!

SHOW US EVIDENCE OF THIS AND NOT JUST WHAT YOU THINK, OR WHAT YOU HAVE READ SOMEWHERE!!!! I have pistol barrels that have had, literally, thousands of passes with stainless steel brushes over years with no apparent damage!!!!

 

[AzShooter]

I shoot mostly lead bullets and have found the nylon brushes are worthless. I use brass. I can see the lead coming out in strips depending on the bullets I'm using.

I use MPro7 as a solvent. It works better for me that Hoppies and doesn't have a smell that makes my partner go crazy. She's crazy enough.

I don't clean my barrel every trip to the range and sometimes I fire over 500 rounds per session. I'll clean the action and around the chamber on my autos. My revolver cylinders get a complete cleaning with brass brush on a portable drill and run for 20 seconds per cylinder. This is to make sure my reloads won't stick in the chambers.

 

[chief38]

SHOW US EVIDENCE OF THIS AND NOT JUST WHAT YOU THINK, OR WHAT YOU HAVE READ SOMEWHERE!!!! I have pistol barrels that have had, literally, thousands of passes with stainless steel brushes over years with no apparent damage!!!!

Since I have chosen never to use stainless steel bore/chamber brushes I am not able to "show" you actual damage done to my personal guns - because it never occurred. Harder materials cut softer materials. Aluminum cuts wood, steel cuts aluminum, tool steel cuts regular steel, carbide cuts tool steel. If you use stainless on regular steel and the stainless is harder than regular steel I personally would not use it. Just seems like common sense to me. If you choose to use a harder material to clean softer barrels and chambers that's your choice and I won't try to change that - but personally I wouldn't do that nor would I ever recommend it to others.

In answer to your question about reading it - yes I have read that many times. Not that I believe everything I read - but again I do agree with not using a harder material to clean a softer one. Your guns - your choice.

I am sure you could find some stainless that is actually softer than regular steel however I am not privy to what the makeup of bore brushes actually are and what each manufacturer uses. Because of this I have also chosen to not take a chance. The other thing is straight forward - after shooting and cleaning guns for 55 years I have not come across a barrel, cylinder or chamber that could not be properly cleaned with Bronze. For real stubborn cleaning situations I'll grab the Lewis Lead Remover.

 

[Alk8944]

Chief,

You missed the point! The wire in stainless steel brushes is not harder than barrel steel. Yes, they are harder than bronze brushes. (I don't recall ever seeing a brass brush in my over 60 years shooting and gunsmithing) But i have been using them for years to remove leading, mostly in automatics, and have never been able to discern any adverse effect. Using the more aggressive brush to remove leading exposes the barrel to greatly reduced cleaning rod wear with a, probably, net reduction in barrel wear from cleaning operations.

This is just another of many "internet myths" that everyone seems to believe. The stupidest is that "steel woll" will embed in the surface of stainless steel guns promoting rusting. This is utter BS. Steel wool is dead soft iron that is far softer than the gun steel. What does cause the rusting issue is that the surface of the metal is removed by polishing, and this exposes free iron ions on the surface. These are removed during manufacturing by the process of "passivation". It's why new stainless guns have that slightly "cloudy" look to the finish that everyone wants to polish off!

You have done exactly what I said, taking the "if it sounds logical to me then it must be so!" approach. You have admitted to having no empirical data/knowledge about the subject so stop arguing about it!

 

[chief38]

ALK8944,
Not arguing with you! Just stating what makes sense to me! Your guns-your choice of cleaning methods. Do what works for you. Personally I've got no problems using bronze & the LLR as that's what has worked for me.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Before this gets completely out of hand we are done here. Say goodnight Gracie!