Cleaning Barrels from Breech (re: BoreSnake)

[Oh Shoot]

Was gonna mention this in the Bore Snake thread,but thought better to make it a separate topic.

Have read here and there that barrels should be cleaned starting from the breech end, and never from the muzzle end.

Indeed, some guns, like Ruger 10/22, CAN'T be cleaned from the breech end without major disassembly to point of removing barrel, unless you use something flexible like a Bore Snake. Some of the guys over on RimFireCentral claim you can easily damage the barrel to the point of making a gun much less accurate (crown, I guess?) by cleaning from the muzzle end.

So I guess the questions are:

1. Is this a valid concern?

2. For rifles AND handguns?

3. Even if it IS important, with a straight cleaning rod, when you start from the breech of any gun, you still have to pull it BACK from muzzle to breech to remove it, so?

- OS

[Guest 70below]

Have read here and there that barrels should be cleaned starting from the breech end, and never from the muzzle end.

Indeed, some guns, like Ruger 10/22, CAN'T be cleaned from the breech end without major disassembly to point of removing barrel, unless you use something flexible like a Bore Snake. Some of the guys over on RimFireCentral claim you can easily damage the barrel to the point of making a gun much less accurate (crown, I guess?) by cleaning from the muzzle end.

So I guess the questions are:

1. Is this a valid concern?

2. For rifles AND handguns?

3. Even if it IS important, with a straight cleaning rod, when you start from the breech of any gun, you still have to pull it BACK from muzzle to breech to remove it, so?

- OS

My personal opinion on the subject is to always use a cleaning rod of softer metal than your rifle barrel (aluminum, brass) or is well coated with plastic. Use a rod guide if possible around the crown to prevent slips and overzealous use of the rod. I've never had an issue with accuracy being altered significantly or any sort of visual damage to the crown. For the most part, I don't have any serious match accuracy rifles, I clean those I can from the breech and those I can't I exercise caution, insert my cleaning rod, insert my patch, and draw it from the breech to the muzzle.

[Mike.357]

better to clean them from the muzzle end than to not clean them at all over paranoia of damaging the crown when cleaning.

I always moslty thought the reason to not clean from the muzzle end is that you may push crud into the action of the rifle.

I have cleaned from the muzzle end on rifles and never damaged anything.

But a boresnake sounds like a real good thing to own.

[Garufa]

If I can clean it from the breech I will, but will still drag the brush back through the business end to get the whole assembly out. In other words that brush goes in both directions, regardless of front or rear entry.

The fact is brass cleaning rods and bronze, or whatever, brushes are softer than steel and the rifling inside. You'd really have to be something special do damage anything but I still take great care when doing so. Then again I'm not a high-power multi-thousands of $ competitor type of guy. If I do compete, it's a CMP match and using what I prefer to shoot: old-ass military rifles that have seen their share of GI's cramming steel cleaning rods down the muzzle.

The whole point is preventing damage to the muzzle where the bullet comes out. If coming in from the muzzle my left index finger and thumb make a great muzzle guide. Free too!

Edited April 29, 2009 by Garufa

[Mike.357]

my left index finger and thumb make a great muzzle guide.

You do that too? sometimes I switch it up and use my right index finger and thumb.

regardless of front or rear entry.

I love it when you talk dirty.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Sir! Step away from the internet!

I use a bore snake on most of my firearms, unless I am disassembling them for a deep clean.

[Garufa]

I use a bore snake on most of my firearms, unless I am disassembling them for a deep clean.

That's just filthy.

[Guest pjblurton]

to prevent slips and overzealous use of the rod.

I have never seen a situation where this has been an issue...

[Mike]

The use of a bore guide and cleaning from the breech will keep any grit that your rod may have picked up from rubbing itself on the rifling of the bore, possibly affecting accuracy. this is much more prevalent with the brass and aluminum sectioned cleaning rods. AKA, the cheap POS ones. It is less prevalent in the one piece carbon fiber, and coated metal rods. A one peice rod and a good bore guide will keep the rod from flexing onto the rifling.

-Mike

[DaveTN]

Some of the guys over on RimFireCentral claim you can easily damage the barrel to the point of making a gun much less accurate (crown, I guess?) by cleaning from the muzzle end.

Some guys can damage an anvil.

1. Is this a valid concern?

No, as long as the chamber and throat is clean when you get done it makes no difference.