Page 2 of 5

Re: Bore cleaning

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 12:53 am
by Mags
I use a bore snake and a bore cable because I can clean from the breach and out through the muzzle. The bore snake has a nylon brush built into it. It goes into the breach and out the muzzle first. I then follow up that step with a Hoppes #9 soaked swabs on the end of the bore cable, multiple passes until clean, again breach and out the muzzle. Then a couple passes with a bore squeegee and finally a pass with damp gun oiled swab. More steps are involved if I find copper fouling.

Using a traditional cleaning rod won't hurt the muzzle or bore, but cleaning with one pushes the dirt/debris into the rifle chamber and inner working, were it can be more difficult to clean out then cleaning breach to muzzle to begin with.
Viking wrote:What’s the best way to bore clean lever action rifles (Henry Long Ranger in my case). Is a bore brush good enough by itself? I have been told it’s not good idea to run a regular cleaning rod through the “end of the barrel “ Didn’t worry about it on my bolt actions but need some expert advise. And yes, at my age I should already know the answer,but..... I don’t. Thank you guys and gals! ........PS This is only my third post, so be gentle. GREAT FORUM!

Re: Bore cleaning

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 1:23 am
by Viking
Thanks Mags. I knew I’d get a great and fast answer here. I’m in Calif. and we have to use copper(non-lead) bullets for hunting. Just ordered some Barnes copper fouling solvent from Midway. What additional steps are needed for this if I can pick your brain a little more?

Re: Bore cleaning

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 1:26 am
by Mags
.
I think in one of your posts in another topic you mention waiting on a .22.
There is a school of thought that because of the lubricants used on .22 ammo a .22 rifle never needs cleaning.
Viking wrote:What’s the best way to bore clean lever action rifles (Henry Long Ranger in my case). Is a bore brush good enough by itself? I have been told it’s not good idea to run a regular cleaning rod through the “end of the barrel “ Didn’t worry about it on my bolt actions but need some expert advise. And yes, at my age I should already know the answer,but..... I don’t. Thank you guys and gals! ........PS This is only my third post, so be gentle. GREAT FORUM!

Re: Bore cleaning

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 1:28 am
by Mags
.
My copper fouling cleaning story is part of this topic: http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=4230
Viking wrote:Thanks Mags. I knew I’d get a great and fast answer here. I’m in Calif. and we have to use copper(non-lead) bullets for hunting. Just ordered some Barnes copper fouling solvent from Midway. What additional steps are needed for this if I can pick your brain a little more?

Re: Bore cleaning

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 1:35 am
by Viking
Thanks again, we keep bumping into each other tonight. I’ll check that out for sure. I was more concerned about my two long rangers(308 and 223). I’m calling it a night. Gotta get up early to mount a deer head for a customer tomorrow.

Re: Bore cleaning

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 1:48 am
by clovishound
I've always cleaned my BBS from the muzzle with a standard rod. I save cleaning the action for last. During normal cleaning, I just wipe everything I can get to with the action open using a q tip with a small amount of CLP on it. It's always pretty clean. I doubt that I get much stuff in the action, and I pull the action down about once every thousand rounds for a complete clean and lube. Not spotless, but no buildup of anything I can see. I load my own target ammo with coated lead, so there is usually a lot more residue than factory, jacketed ammo. Still doesn't seem to be an issue with cleaning from the muzzle.

Re: Bore cleaning

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 8:04 am
by Vaquero
You do know It's not hard to remove the bolt and use the rod from the chamber end. Right?
That's the way I was taught.

RP

Re: Bore cleaning

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 8:58 am
by DAVIDF
The vast majority of time I use a bore snake sprayed with CLP in all of my firearms. If I have some leading, then I'll use a Lewis Lead Remover. You won't have that issue with copper bullets of course.

The last I heard one of the armorers speak who works with the Army Marksman Unit (if that is the correct designation), they cleaned the copper fouling only after two or three thousand rounds. I believe it was more often at three thousand. They found their rifles produced more consistent accuracy with some copper fouling. When it got to about three thousand rounds, the accuracy started to degrade slightly. Of course, this is talking about extreme accuracy, much better than I am ever dealing with. Also, they are using jacketed not pure copper bullets. I would imagine that there would be more copper fouling with the pure copper bullets from Barnes, but probably not enough to worry with cleaning out constantly unless there is an issue with a particular barrel.

Re: Bore cleaning

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 1:17 pm
by Mags
.
For me, normal cleaning is as above. As for infrequent tear down deep cleaning, that's when I clean the action. Henrys appear well designed and don't seem to need often action cleaning. For the Long Ranger Henry doesn't want us to do tear down cleaning at all.

As for rod cleaning from the muzzle end, I've seen the swab on the end of rod bleed gunk into the chamber and seep downward into the action when the rod is reversed to pull it out.
clovishound wrote:I've always cleaned my BBS from the muzzle with a standard rod. I save cleaning the action for last. During normal cleaning, I just wipe everything I can get to with the action open using a q tip with a small amount of CLP on it. It's always pretty clean. I doubt that I get much stuff in the action, and I pull the action down about once every thousand rounds for a complete clean and lube. Not spotless, but no buildup of anything I can see. I load my own target ammo with coated lead, so there is usually a lot more residue than factory, jacketed ammo. Still doesn't seem to be an issue with cleaning from the muzzle.

Re: Bore cleaning

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 1:28 pm
by Mags
.
I run my bore snake through dry to scrape and draw out any loose and easy loosened stuff. Then wet swabs, etc.

My Henry .30-30 was heavily copper fouled after 85 rounds (plus however many Henry did in test firing). It was amazing how much better it shot after copper foul cleaning.
DAVIDF wrote:The vast majority of time I use a bore snake sprayed with CLP in all of my firearms. If I have some leading, then I'll use a Lewis Lead Remover. You won't have that issue with copper bullets of course.

The last I heard one of the armorers speak who works with the Army Marksman Unit (if that is the correct designation), they cleaned the copper fouling only after two or three thousand rounds. I believe it was more often at three thousand. They found their rifles produced more consistent accuracy with some copper fouling. When it got to about three thousand rounds, the accuracy started to degrade slightly. Of course, this is talking about extreme accuracy, much better than I am ever dealing with. Also, they are using jacketed not pure copper bullets. I would imagine that there would be more copper fouling with the pure copper bullets from Barnes, but probably not enough to worry with cleaning out constantly unless there is an issue with a particular barrel.