Brushes - Which kind?

4093 Views 8 Replies 8 Participants Last post by El Chorizo, Jun 15, 2010

El Chorizo

Discussion Starter · Dec 10, 2008

I've been using bronze brushes most of my shooting life, but after reading about Bore Tech's Eliminator product, they recommend the use of nylon brushes. I assume this is so because the product would eventually dissolve a bronze brush? Some of you who use this product could answer that question.

But, this raises an interesting question for me, should I be using nylon brushes instead or bronze brushes?
How do nylon brushes hold up to other solvents?

It seems like a nylon brush would be easier on the barrel too.

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BK

· #2 · Dec 10, 2008

I dunno. I've always used bronze, and never had any problems... but in the back of my mind, I always wondered if, when using solvents to remove metal fouling, it was reacting with the brush? For a while, back in the '80s I think, somebody was producing a stainless bore brush. Used one for just a few times, but decided I didn't like the thought of using something that might be harder than the bore to clean it.

I do use one of those 'tornado' brushes when I actually use a rod to clean a shotgun, but I usually just run a bore snake through.

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abadrs

· #3 · Feb 17, 2010

I can't speak on this peticular cleaner but I have read where other serious copper dissolvers will dissolve the bronze brushes (actually the copper in the bronze) and you will basically be adding copper to your bore. I noticed that my bronze brushes were changing color so I quit using them...Also I thought about the same thing about nylon being easier on your bore.

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jerrschmitt

· #4 · Feb 17, 2010

The more I read about cleaning, the less I know. My solution was to stop reading so much. I tried using a nylon brush but they didn't do a verry good job in my mind. I'm back to using Hoppe's No 9 and Sweets.

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dratt1957

· #5 · Feb 17, 2010

I,use bronze brushes also.But I change them on a regular basis ( like when they become extremley
discolored) I too have tried nylon,but did not think they were as effective. However I know
some benchrest shooters that use nylon brushes only when cleaning for copper fouling, which
they say only needs to be done every 100 rounds or so depending on how smooth your bore is.
The rougher the bore the more often you have to clean it for copper,they use bronze brushes in between the copper scrubings,they say they are more aggressive on carbon and lead,which
collects faster than copper.

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quaid

· #6 · Feb 17, 2010

Copper solvent does react with a bronze brush. But bronze cleans better than nylon. The idea is to Flood the bore with solvent, so that the brush is not working dry. I use a syringe inserted in to a tube, which fits inside the chamber. The rifle is held in a vice, muzzle down a bit. Jam the tube hard in the chamber, so nothing (not too much, anyway) is deposited there. You want the solvent in the bore. Give the brush 10 strokes. Wipe out. Hose the brush to stop the reaction. Repeat with another, dry bronze brush. One stroke for every shot fired.

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a300fe1

· #7 · Feb 18, 2010

I have been using the Montana Extreme nylon brushes for a couple years now and do not have any complaints about them. The are tight fitting and very rigid. I certainly don't know if they do a better or worse job than bronze but I do believe that the important thing is that you are cleaning the rifle in the first place. I agree with jerrschmitt, the more I read the less I know. It seems like every article you read says that the last article you read was wrong. I guess too much information can be a bad thing.

Ron

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Teufel_Hunden

· #8 · Jun 15, 2010

I have come to strictly use nylon brushes and forgoing jags and bronze brushes.

What works for me (YMMV):

1.) I start with a good large square patch. For me, any size really (usually for a .45).

2.) Next, I cut those into thinner strips. This saves me in the long run, as I have to use fewer patches.

3.) Next, I start one end at an angle near the end of a brush that fits the bore.

I prefer nylon, as they're more resilient and last me longer using this method. I find this gets in the rifling grooves better than a jag, for me anyway, as the brush pushes the patch out in to fill the grooves. A metal (bronze, or whatever) brush will pierce the patch and nullify this method, for the most part, usually.

4.) I wrap the patch down the brush, slightly overlapping the wraps to hold the patch better in place.

Then apply as prescribed in your general cleaning procedures. This works best in conjunction with a bore-guide (I'd hate to try to hold the patch in place moving it through the action/receiver).

Illustrated is for a final dry patch. An individual could, at any point in this process, apply any solevents to the patch.

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4.)

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El Chorizo

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jun 15, 2010

That's a good trick. I find that I like jags less and less. I've even had to file some of them down so they will go through barrel more easily without having to apply force from a 2 ton press to get it down the barrel with even a small patch.

I've been using nylon brushes exclusively as well... I find they are easier to clean as well.

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