Do any of your use a brush to clean your gun?

[Flinter987]

Hello,
I usually use hot water to clean my gun, but am looking for ways to make that process a bit smoother. I'm also thinking for when I'm at the range and want to clean my gun between shots. I was thinking a brush might be kinda handy to loosen up the majority of the fouling and then I could take it from there with the hot water. For starters, where can you order a .50 cal brush? Do any of you guys use one, or do you just swab the bore/clean it with patches?
Thanks!
Flinter

 

[GreyWhiskers]

I always use a brush when cleaning. Start with wet patches and then a brush. Then back to patches.

You have to be carefull when cleaning between shots as it's possible to push fouling down into the flash channel. Use a patch on a jag and stop a few inches short of the breech with your first stroke. Pull that patch out of the barrel and then turn it over. This time take it all the way to the breech.

I use a water based lube at the range and rarely need to clean the bore during a session.

 

[bingo1952]

Yeah me too; it's called spit.

 

[jaw69]

Very rarely have to. Unless I have used a plastic sabot or some thing like that or if accuracy is falling off I also like spit lube it seems to keep the fouling soft and well it is cheap. :thumbsup:

 

[nkbj]

Concerning brushes...
When the brush goes down the barrel and all the bristles are slanted back towards the way they came, they provide greater resistance to returning in that direction. I had a brush stay down by the breech and just the threaded end come back out. Woe, oh woe.
Aint a'ever gonna do that again.

 

[David W.]

Concerning brushes...
When the brush goes down the barrel and all the bristles are slanted back towards the way they came, they provide greater resistance to returning in that direction. I had a brush stay down by the breech and just the threaded end come back out. Woe, oh woe.
Aint a'ever gonna do that again.

I almost had the same thing happen to me. I had a brush stuck all the way down and it was hell getting it back out. It seems that some brushes may be over sized, and if they are, you will find trouble. Mostly, patches are plenty fine unless you use conicals and need to remove lead from the barrel every one and a while. IMO

 

[dwarvenchef]

Last brush I had come apart, I used soem tubing that just pushed it down the bore till the brush was crushed up into the tubing. Not the best fix but it worked for me at the time. Now I use a less tight brush when I use one at all.

Tight thick patch seems to do the job well enough.

 

[Vaino]

When at the range I use a bronze brush when the loading becomes difficult. A properly sized wire brush won't get stuck. Rarely use a cleaning patch at the range. In cleaning using only water, the brush is wetted and given a few strokes followed by wetpatches, a flush and then dry patches. Then "Oxyoke 1000" which has worked well for many years.....Fred

 

[roundball]

"...when I'm at the range and want to clean my gun between shots..."

Speaking only for myself, I don't use a brush at the range...IMO, the type and amount of lube is the most significant part of a bore staying clean while making repeated shots at the range.
I do always use a couple dozen brush strokes with a good bronze brush as part of my cleaning regimen back at the house to prevent any kind of build up in all those sharp 90* land/groove corners.

Some recommendations about brushes:

1) There are basically two kinds of brush configurations as they are attached to the threaded stub of the brush assembly: Crimped on and permanently attached.

>> A) The crimped on type is a poor design as they can pull off while down in the bore;
>> B) The permanently attached kind have their strong central wire core going through a hole in the threaded stub for strength; Suggest you buy this stronger permanently attached type.

2) When a brush is new, it is most prone to 'hang up' down bore because the sharp ends of the bristles wedge tight against the bore walls and hold it fast...after they've been used a few times they don't hang up any more.
If one hangs up down bore...DO NOT TRY TO USE GORILLA POWER AND PULL IT OUT...simply attach some sort of T-handle, ball handle, etc to the other end of the ramrod and simply rotate it clockwise...the bristles will start to curve and as they bend a little the diameter of the brush will temporarily effectively become smaller and their grip straight across against the bore walls will loosen...then just slide it up out of the bore normally.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Hello,
I usually use hot water to clean my gun, but am looking for ways to make that process a bit smoother. I'm also thinking for when I'm at the range and want to clean my gun between shots. I was thinking a brush might be kinda handy to loosen up the majority of the fouling and then I could take it from there with the hot water. For starters, where can you order a .50 cal brush? Do any of you guys use one, or do you just swab the bore/clean it with patches?
Thanks!
Flinter

If you're going to brush only at the end of the shooting session then you don't have to worry about any crud getting down into the flash channel. If your intention is to continue shooting after brushing, then I would recommend you capping-off a time or two at the firing line, while watching for movement at the front of the muzzle, while said muzzle is pointed a few inches from the ground prior to putting a new load down the bore. Brushing crud into the flash channel is the easiest way I know of of creating a misfire situation! :nono:

As far as where to get a .50 cal brush, most mail-order places carry them. Be aware that the two most common thread types are 10x32 and 8x32. I have the 10x32. I use a brush at the end of the day, otherwise just spit patches on my patch worm, and then a cap or two to clear any crud. I do invert the rifle and thump my hand against the side of the barrel several times to dislodge loose crud and watch it fall out of the bore when I do use a brush :wink: .

Religiously busting caps in this manner (after anything except a load goes down the bore) has kept me "in the game" all day long with range sessions where I need to compete at matches with over 52 consecutive shots :wink: .

Continued success in your endeavors :thumbsup: .

Dave

 

[nc_cooter]

Roundball, what is a good source for the "permantly attached" brushes?
Mike

 

[Little Wattsy]

Hello,
I usually use hot water to clean my gun, but am looking for ways to make that process a bit smoother. I'm also thinking for when I'm at the range and want to clean my gun between shots. I was thinking a brush might be kinda handy to loosen up the majority of the fouling and then I could take it from there with the hot water. For starters, where can you order a .50 cal brush? Do any of you guys use one, or do you just swab the bore/clean it with patches?
Thanks!
Flinter

I only have used a brush after useing connicals where the lead had contact with the barrel...I mostly use PRB's now and the patch protects the rifelings...I DO use alcohol to clean intermitintly and and I always swap a alcohol patch when Im done at the range to make the cleaning job easier when I get home.

 

[hanshi]

I frequently use a brush during the end-of-the-day cleaning procedure for the same reasons. The clockwise twist does work great.

 

[stubshaft]

I use Kleenbore brushes. You can order direct from them. I use them in my ML and centerfire guns. I usually order a bunch for my ML because the foulong attacks the bronze bristles.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I use Kleenbore brushes. You can order direct from them. I use them in my ML and centerfire guns. I usually order a bunch for my ML because the foulong attacks the bronze bristles.

Fouling isn't the only thing in my rifles! That smaller chamber (sub .50 cal.) down by the breech plug tends to re-size the end of my brush tips, but the cleaning job done by those oversize brushes is worth the expense, so I usually order a couple replacements at a time! Also use a wet patch wrapped around a used brush before it gives up "the ghost" altogether.

Dave

 

[roundball]

Roundball, what is a good source for the "permantly attached" brushes?
Mike

Most any good BP supply house that sells brushes usually has them”¦Muzzleloader Builder’s Supply for one”¦go to this link and type brush in the search box
http://muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com/cgi-bin/mbscart/agora.cgi

 

[SimonKenton]

So when do you need a bore mop?

-Ray

 

[Tom Compton]

Nope. Did try it 20+ years ago but just something else to carry and attach/remove. Since then only patches and water w/ a little soap.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I use a brush for cleaning after finished shooting, but just patches between shots and over night at shoots that last more than one day.

 

[ozark57]

No, not in normal cleanng of my guns.I put pieces of an old balloon over the nipple and let the hammer down on it, and a tooth pick in the vent on my flinters so they hold water and fill the bore with water.let it set for 5 min. ,pour out, fill half way , put thumb over muzzel shake and pour out. No need for brush.