shotgun cleaning advice

RescueRiley

RescueRiley

Joined
Mar 22, 2006
Messages
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Sorry another gun posting but I'm looking for a little help. got a new double barrel shotgun a couple a weeks ago I have been shooting it alot but the range by my house only lets me shoot slugs I usually out about 20 through it per session than I run a solvent soaked bronze brush through the barrel 2-3 xs than a a soaked patch than I run dry patches through till the cum out relatively clean when I'm finished I put a thin coat of lubricant inthe barrel but it seems no matter howmany patches I put throught the barrel there always seems to be some a little residue am I just being anal as my range partner says or is there something I'm missing any thoughts? Thanks for listening.
 
Look for a "bore runner." It is like a big elongated Q-tip for your shotgun. They can be had at just about any sporting goods store that carries guns for under $20. Run it through your gun a few times and the barrel should be spotless.
 
If you want your barrel spotless after every 20 rounds, you'll be cleaning it 99% of your time at the range.

The goal is to get out all the real crud, not necessarily every minute particle. A couple wet patches and then some dry patches till they come out dry is enough cleaning at the range.

Also, there are people who hardly ever clean their guns and there are people that clean it after every 10 shots. Most guns will survive either way.
 
If you are shooting SABOT slugs then you will just have a bit of plastic residue and powder fouling and you should be able to get it spotless cleaning the way you described.

If you are shooting old fashioned rifled slugs, where you have bare lead touching the bore your barrels may be leaded, which means particles of lead scrub off and stick to the barrel. This is a PITA to get out, Hoppes or Sweets bore solvent, a bronze or brass brush and lots of elbow grease are all I know to get it out. If your bore is leaded you should be able to see it in the bore, from what you said about dirty patches it sounds like you might be leaded up a bit. If you are, try different brands of slugs until you find one that shoots well and doesn't lead up your gun, I like federals. Chris
 
Take a brass bore brush (I assume its a 12ga.) Wrap some 000 or 0000 Steel Wool around it. Chuck the cleaning rod into a cordless drill motor and run it through the barrel. Make sure its going forward or it'll unscrew the brush or rod.

When you're done with th barrels, do the same to the chambers.

Run a patch with your favorite cleaning solvent/oil down each barrel. Done.

HTH,

Chris
 
I use tampons for the final pass thru. They do a remarkable job. Blue Wonder Gun Cleaner and bronze brush does well followed up with some oil soaked tampons. Call me crazy but it works.
 
I think running boars diagnosis is correct using the rifled slugs I'm getting some lead "plaque on the inside of the barrel Is that particularly harmful??? Also thanks for the great ideas so far!!!Keep 'em coming.
 
bigbob68 said:
I use tampons for the final pass thru. They do a remarkable job. Blue Wonder Gun Cleaner and bronze brush does well followed up with some oil soaked tampons. Call me crazy but it works.
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That is an outstanding idea, this is why I like these forums I learn something new everyday.

I have heard of the steel wool before but never done it myself, the next time I lead up a barrel bad I may. Chris
 
RescueRiley said:
I think running boars diagnosis is correct using the rifled slugs I'm getting some lead "plaque on the inside of the barrel Is that particularly harmful??? Also thanks for the great ideas so far!!!Keep 'em coming.
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No it's not, but it needs to come out, it will blow patterns and cause pressures to go up if it gets bad enough, especially in front of the forcing cone. Chris
 
I really can't see lead fouling being harmful in a smoothbore. It would hurt accuracy in a rifled one. Seems to me it would act as a lube in a slug gun. Anyway, I use sabboted rounds since they seal the gasses better. And yes, the plastic sabot cups will leave a fine residue over time. The bronze brush on a cordless drill is what I use with a cotton patch soaked in bore stripper. I'd be leary of scoring the bore with steel wool. Bronze is softer than the steel, but harder than most fouling. My slugs of choice for accuracy are Remington Copper Solids. I'm not sure they even make them any more, as I bought a case years ago, and I may shoot ten rounds a year. But they are accurate in my bolt action shotguns and have excellent terminal performance.

Codger
 
And kick like a sumbitch.:D :D

Lead, and not too much of it, right in front of the chamber/forcing cone area really causes pressure spikes that will ruin patterns.

Codger you got any of them worthless bolt action shotguns in 20 gauge, if you do, I will take it off your hands if you through in a schrade 165. ;)
 
Would a bronze brush on a cordless drill hurt the barrel or the bore???That seems like alot of rpm's?? But it seems like a good idea.
 
I have a pair of them, but not a spare. I sold the model 695 12 ga. bolt rifle. 43 ft. lb. of kick...killed on both ends. One day on the shooting bench sighting the scope to 1.25 moa, next day with my arm bruised and useless.

Interestingly, I wore my original Mossberg slap out after 25 years of hard use. When I contacted the company about a replacement, they referred me to a guy who bought all their leftover parts. After some communication with the guy, he sent me a newly assembled 385KB for $110 including shiping and my dealer's fee. This was the one like my original with detachable clip, and C-lect choke. Meanwhile I found a second one mint in the paper. It has interchangable chokes. The dealer sent me a full and modified choke, and a spare magazine. I'd have to do some searching to come up with the dealer's name again.

http://www.havlinsales.com/


Add tritium or ghost ring sights, a camo sock, Mike's QD sling swivels, and it is good to go.
 
I would really appreciate it if you could come up with that dealer, I have been looking for some time, I have found lots of 12s and a 410 or 2 but no 20s that aren't absolutely worn out. I have a good stevens 12 right now that is immaculate I have a good friend in AZ looking for me one too, one will turn up I just have to have a little patience. Chris

EDIT: Thank you very much I will give him a call tomorrow.:thumbup: :thumbup:
 
RescueRiley said:
Would a bronze brush on a cordless drill hurt the barrel or the bore???That seems like alot of rpm's?? But it seems like a good idea.
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It probably wouldn't but I think I might just use elbow grease. I leaded up a remington 1187 a couple of years ago and would sit around watching tv or what have you working on it. I finally got it clean and threw that brand of slugs out.
 
What is with the drill approach?

Fine for cleaning out sewer pipes, but can really screw up a fine gun before you'd know it if whatever you are spinning is sufficiently hard enough to score the barrel.. No thanks.

Go to Sear's Hardware, get some brass cloth, which is a fine brass screen.

Cut a 3x3 or so square, and put it over a bore swab. This will put adequate pressure on the cloth, which will snag the lead from the bore. Run through from the breech end. It will be tight, but definitely effective.

Whne it comes out, there will be flakes of lead on it. Peel them off, and rerun it through until you can't see any more on the walls.

There is (was?) a product on the market that had a bowed center that held brass cloth out against the bore, and fit on the end of a cleaning rod.

I found one at a garage sale, and have used it for almost 30 years, changing the screen occasionally.

The motorized approach does not sound like a good idea to me at all...
 
I'd be sure the choke system you have (you didn't mention what type of shotgun, or I missed it) is capable of handling slugs. Most smooth bore shotguns don't like slugs, especially at the rate you're pushing thru. How hot does the last 3 inches of your barrels get?

For the final two passes in cleaning, a Tico Tool........
 
its a remington spartan SxS coachgun w/24 inch barrels and screw in chokes when shooting slugs I use Cyl. or Imp.CYL chokes only as suggested by the owners manual.
 
runningboar said:
Why not?

I have certainly shot a lot of them with no ill effect that I can percieve.
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I've been an avid skeet shooter for about 25 years now. I'd never put a slug thru my Krieghoffs, much less my Red Labels. Just my $ .02........
 
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