Rifle Cleaning

[onehorse]

Just wondering what you guys use to clean your rifles. "Back in the day", as you youngsters like to say, there was Hoppe's #9, and that was it. Now there are a whole lot of solvents that work much differently, not to mention all kinds of cleaning tools, kits, etc.
As for me, I am currently using Sweet's 7.62 for most of my cleaning. It's very aggressive (so you can't leave it in your barrel for more than 10 minutes or so). It has a little more viscosity than most of the solvents, so it says on the patch and doesn't run all over. Once or twice a year, I run some J-B Non-Embedding Bore Cleaning Compound through the barrel. It's amazing what that stuff gets out - even right after you thought you did the best cleaning job ever! I go back to good old Hoppe's for gun oil using Elite. Break Free Powder Blast and Break Free Lubricant are also in my cleaning arsenal.
When I use a rod, I always run my solvent patches from the muzzle into the barrel, PULLING the wet patches into the muzzle so as not to get solvent on the wood or into the action. Then I go the other way with my dry patches, PUSHING them from the breech through the barrel and out the muzzle. I don't use brushes for every cleaning, but something to remember is that some of these new solvents specify nylon brushes.
A really nice cleaning kit is made by Otis. This system uses a cable instead of rods, which makes it very compact and portable. This kit also employs a one-way system of breech to muzzle cleaning. Check them out at Otis Technology, Inc..

[Hunting Man]

I've been using Butch's bore shine, Rem-oil, and Hoppe's. I use Johnson's floor wax on the whole outside of the wood stock and all exposed metal.

[Southern Man]

I always used Hoppes. A couple years ago I noticed beginnings of accuracy problems on one of my rifles and it was suggested copper fouling. Someone told me Hoppes wouldn't cut it too good. I don't know if that's true or not. I used the accuracy problem as a reason to buy a new rifle But anyway, I was told to try something different and one of the products suggested was Barnes CR-10. And that's what I use now for the bore. I will use Hoppes to clean the outside surfaces and 3 in 1 oil to oil down the blued guns. I never thought about which way to push or pull the cleaning patch or from which end to do it from. I do use a brush pushing from the reciever end only. I also use a lens solution and lens rag for the scope. That's for the bolt guns.

I do have a Winchester lever action 30-30 that I rarely shoot. I usually take it to the gun shop to have cleaned. I'd like to have a step by step instruction for cleaning that thing. So how often should the internal lever / trigger assy be cleaned?

typically its hoppes but once in a while i will use the outters expanding foam bore scrubber then clean that out with hoppes#9. i like that smell.

[rdrader2002]

"I do have a Winchester lever action 30-30 that I rarely shoot. I usually take it to the gun shop to have cleaned. I'd like to have a step by step instruction for cleaning that thing. So how often should the internal lever / trigger assy be cleaned?"
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"Do-It-Yourself Gun Repair/Gunsmithing At Home" by Edward A. Matunas has excellent step-by-step instructions for both Winchester and Marlin .30/30's. One single screw on my Marlin 336 drops the lever and allows the bolt to be removed. This lets me run the cleaning rod/patch from chamber down the barrel and out the business end. I clean my Marlin before & after season, and once again in the middle of the year. Hope this helps.

[onehorse]

A barrel that's not REALLY clean can definitely hurt accuracy. The thing is that many of us, including me, have thought we were cleaning really well, but in fact weren't. I had some trouble a few years back with my sweet .280 that always shot 1 inch groups going nuts on me. At first, I thought it might be my scope, etc. because, after all, I always "cleaned" my rifle (I thought). After doing some reading and talking about the problem, I decided to try a new cleaning approach - that's when I discovered J-B Non-Embedding Compound and stared using the more aggressive Sweet's 7.62 and Barnes CR-10, and got my accuracy back.

Originally Posted by onehorse

A barrel that's not REALLY clean can definitely hurt accuracy. The thing is that many of us, including me, have thought we were cleaning really well, but in fact weren't. I had some trouble a few years back with my sweet .280 that always hot 1 inch groups going nuts on me. At first, I thought it might be my scope, etc. because, after all, I always "cleaned" my rifle (I thought). After doing some reading and talking about the problem, I decided to try a new cleaning approach - that's when I discovered J-B Non-Embedding Compound and stared using the more aggressive Sweet's 7.62 and Barnes CR-10, and got my accuracy back.

i think it happens a lot. i'm guilty as well. thats why i use the outters. even after i clean with hoppes i can still gets lots of copper out with the expaning foam

[Rozman62]

Lead and carbon fouling:
I use Ed's Red. this is a homemade recipe that is the fraction of the cost of other commercial cleaners. Just protect your stock as it has acetone in it. I clean every 25-30 shots.

Copper fouling:
Sweets 7.62 for 10 min max using 2 applications. Clean every 25-30 shots.

Deep Clean:
JB's compound every 100 shots. Just when you think your gun is clean this stuff will quickly change your mind. Mix with a little Hoppe's or Ed's Red on a patch and it will apply easier using 20-25 strokes.

Inner Lubricant:
CLP Breakfree

Outer Protection:
Birchwood Casey Sheath rust preventitive.

[onehorse]

Rozman62, you and I are definitely on the same page when it comes to gun care. I use all those things for my guns at about the same rate, although I clean after every shooting session even if I only put a few rounds through the barrel. Bot Sweet's and JB are fantastic!

[Rozman62]

I used to clean them after a few shots but lack of time does not allow me to do that. One thing I did not mention with the lead/carbon fouling is when I return from the range I will send 2-3 patches of Ed's Red through the barrel and let it marinate for 4-5 days. I follow up with a nylon brush. Send a couple of additional wet patched down the pipe then dry patch and proceed with the copper cleaning.

I think some people are reluctant to use the JB compound. It is a very mild rouge that keeps the lands sharp. Good stuff IMO.