[Hondov65]

Are the brass brushes really necessary that are included in gun cleaning kits? It seem to me they are very abrasive and a patch saturated with Hoppe's #9 Powde Solvent would sufice in a sufficient cleaning. From time to time I see barrels for sale on Ebay (WHEN EBAY GETS RELAXED) could this be barrels are getting worn down especially at the breech with too much clearance. On my last cleaning I used just patches one douched with Hoppe's Powder Solvent two to get it clean and one with a little Hoppe's gun oil to coat the barrel. Just a thought.

 

[101Combat Vet]

The army guy in me always sticks out to tell me run the brass brush through... especially for the small sand (oops not in Iraq) small particles that get in through wear and tear

 

[TOF]

They are just in there for looks. I only use mine when I want to look cool.



:twisted:

 

[coltman1985]

Watch the barrel for leading or copper build up, that is when you need the brushes!

 

[bang-flash]

the brass brush is far softer than your hardened steel barrel. now if the brush was made with something like carbide, then that would be an issue. but brass is nice and soft comparetively speaking.



i have seen nylon/plastic brushes to do the same job.

 

[Flyin_.45]

YES! They are completely necessary! your solvent is great for getting the powder residue out, as for lead and copper deposits, it does jack ?"%&. That's what the brush is for, to remove all the lead and copper. As for damage, like Bang-Flash said, brass is way too soft to hurt a hardened steel barrel, it's all about density.

 

[nevrbvictim]

What about a stainless steel brush?

 

[raz-0]

What about a stainless steel brush?

NO! NO! NO!



No steel.



Also, the "hardened" steel of a barrel isn't that hard, and rapid fire can anneal them making them even softer than when new.



I keep hard brishes away from it in general. Basically, I clean the feed ramp with a cotton swab once every month or two. Give it a thorough cleaning with some solvent and various lubes about once ever 3000-4000 rounds, and hit it with brushes about once ever 12-14 months (6000-8000 rounds).



No reliability issues, no acuracy issues. Although I am considering switching to moly coated lead for cost cutting, so I'll probably have to change that schedule.

 

[MC]

I grew up with the rules my Dad told me about up keeping my shot guns. So if I shoot it, I clean it when I get home, and that includes running the brass brush thru it. So now that I own my first pistol, I do the same. If I shoot it two times a week, then after each outting I clean the barrel with the brush.

 

[243ww]

I grew up with the rules my Dad told me about up keeping my shot guns. So if I shoot it, I clean it when I get home, and that includes running the brass brush thru it. So now that I own my first pistol, I do the same. If I shoot it two times a week, then after each outting I clean the barrel with the brush.

Same here

But over the years I have relaxed a little and tend to just run a few patches through it with Hoppe’s.



Once every so often, say after 1000 I’ll put the brush through. I always put a drop of oil on the brush lead (front) before going into the barrel and then use thinners to get the brush clean. This also stops the brass from getting eaten away from the solvents.



My cleaning routine:

All done with the needle eye

1 x Hoppe’s #9 patch straight through

1 x Hoppe’s #9 patch scrubbed about 4x back and forward (leave for ~10min...)

3-5 Dry patches scrubbed about 3x till cleanish

Brass brush with a couple drops of oil, scrubbed about 4x

1 x Hoppe’s #9 patch straight through

3-5 Dry patches scrubbed about 3x till cleanish

1 x Patch with oil on it straight through

Store :roll:



I know, old tricks and all that Respect for the tools! :wink:

 

[MC]

Yeah I normally spray the entire barrel down with a cleaner, then assemble the brushes to the rod. Then I run it thru half dozen times. Spray cleaner to rinse. Then send thru a clean patch and pull it back thru. Then I turn that one inside out and send it back thru. Then I'll send a fresh clean patch thru to see if it comes out clean. Once the patch is sent thru and does not show signs of powder or other contaminents then I oil a patch and run it thru one last time. One could say I over clean, but even my racebikes are kept show room clean to the point they don't looked raced, if it were not for scrubbed tires you'd think it was a garage show peice.

 

[ArnisAndyz]

I use the brass brush. I'm using the Otis Kit and the process they tell you to do is run a wet patch once, run the brush once, then dry patch once from bore to barrel. If there is crap still coming out on the dry patch repeat the process. Otis kit works great.

 

[243ww]

Yeah I normally spray the entire barrel down with a cleaner, then assemble the brushes to the rod. Then I run it thru half dozen times. Spray cleaner to rinse. Then send thru a clean patch and pull it back thru. Then I turn that one inside out and send it back thru. Then I'll send a fresh clean patch thru to see if it comes out clean. Once the patch is sent thru and does not show signs of powder or other contaminents then I oil a patch and run it thru one last time. One could say I over clean, but even my racebikes are kept show room clean to the point they don't looked raced, if it were not for scrubbed tires you'd think it was a garage show peice.

I like to keep them clean and lightly oiled. I run the brush trough every time on the bigger calibres as I've noticed that even when all the patches are clean, once the brush goes through it's real dirty again.



Bet the bikes look nice though! Nothing wrong with a little pride in looking after your gear. 8) 8)

 

[lewis]

I personally follow the advice of Wil Schuemann, the owner of Schuemann Barrels, one of the top makers of barrels for custom 1911's. He wrote a very long article on his website www.schuemann.com about how we are damaging our barrels more with the brushes and solvent we use than we do by shooting them. Here is the last paragraph of the article:



"My Personal Practice has become to never clean the bore of my barrels. I do use a brass rod to scrape the deposits out of the chamber. But, I've learned to leave the bore alone and it very slowly becomes shinier and cleaner all by itself. Years ago I occasionally scrubbed the bore with a brass bore brush. But, doing so always seemed to cause the bore to revert to a dirtier look with more shooting, so I eventually stopped ever putting anything down the bore except bullets...



Good luck,





Wil"

 

[243ww]

I personally follow the advice of Wil Schuemann, the owner of Schuemann Barrels, one of the top makers of barrels for custom 1911's. He wrote a very long article on his website www.schuemann.com about how we are damaging our barrels more with the brushes and solvent we use than we do by shooting them. Here is the last paragraph of the article:



"My Personal Practice has become to never clean the bore of my barrels. I do use a brass rod to scrape the deposits out of the chamber. But, I've learned to leave the bore alone and it very slowly becomes shinier and cleaner all by itself. Years ago I occasionally scrubbed the bore with a brass bore brush. But, doing so always seemed to cause the bore to revert to a dirtier look with more shooting, so I eventually stopped ever putting anything down the bore except bullets...



Good luck,





Wil"

May be something in it but personally I don’t.



"Running in of a barrel" may soften out the “jagged” edges and that but to let the bore get caked up may increase chamber pressure and that. Also shooting different ammo would cause differing “wear” paten on the barrel as well… I like a “new” start to each shoot that seams to be more consistent for me. This is my thinking… Other opinions welcome, I am always up to learn new tricks, that’s why I am on this forum!

8)