I have been running patches of Hoppes #9 thru my rifle bores, followed by a brush, then a clean patch. Endlessly, it seems, unti

[Douglas]

I have been running patches of Hoppes #9 thru my rifle bores, followed by a brush, then a clean patch. Endlessly, it seems, until the bore finally passes as clean. My question is, what do you all use for cleaning solvents or techniques? It just seems like I'm doing something more than I need to to get the lead out. I shoot about 100 rounds per year thru each of my firearms and it seems like there must be a more efficient way for me to get the fouling cleaned out. Thanks for the info.

[victorytw228]

The only thing that I have notice works a little quicker is a bore snake. I poor a little powder solvent on that and run it through about 4-5 times. Works pretty well.

[kvlazer22]

Douglas, good question, I am looking forward to the answers!

[Del in KS]

Dip a bore brush in Barnes CR-10 and run it thru your bore. repeat acouple times until it is well coated. Let it sit fifteen minutes and clean with dry patches. Repeat if needed then lightly lube with Clemzoil or another good lube.. Wash the CR-10 off your cleaning gear it is hard on anything copper or bronze. If it is really bad wrap a patch around your bore brush and coat it with J&B bore paste. Then run it thru your bore 30 times. Cleans like a white tornado.

[MLH]

Is the problem with lead, fouling, plastic, or copper?

[T]

Use a Bore Snake. They are usually around $13 and work very well. I don't even have to use powder solvent, just run it through 3-4 times and it should be much better.
Another way to do it would be what Del said.

[jbonifer24]

I have to agree with victoryw228, a bore snake is the way to go. i used to claen my guns the same way you did, until I bought a bore snake, and I've been using the bore snake ever since. It's quick,easy, and does a fantastic job.

[cjmurdoch]

Bore Snake is the way to go. I too used to feel like I was endlessly cleaning and wondering if I was doing it right. My brother told me about Bore Snake and I've been hooked ever since. the only drawback is needing to own more than one to be truly effective.

[Pistolhunter]

Your bore is probably not realy getting that 'fouled'. In my AR15 I clean it with just 2-3 pacthes after shooting 60+ rounds from a competition,the more I clean just makes it off 'zero' the next match,sometimes you can clean 'too good'. in most rifles you have to 'foul' the bore with several shots to get it 'settled on its zero.

[FloridaHunter1226]

I like using the BoreSnake along with some BREAKFREE solvent.

[blackdawgz]

I have found the Barnes bore cleaner to be the most effective. It has highly-concentrated Ammonia in it and it does an excellent job when everything else fails. If you have to re-zero, that just means that it did its job. I used it in my black powder rifle in the pre-777 days, and it worked well in that application as well. The strong ammonia certainly neutralized the Pyrodex. It is also a powerful detergent, and it cleaned out the old lubricants and carbon as well. I never had to foul the bore of my Green Mountain barrel to make it shoot right. Had to keep it clean like a centerfire.

[GunNut]

A hoppes bore snake works very well.

[rudyglove27]

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