AR15 Barrel Cleaning. One direction or two?

[Guest SMZRU275]

I am new to owning and cleaning an AR15. I've read up a lot of the process and keep coming across two conflicting ideas as far as bore cleaning.

Half the people say only go one direction in the bore, run the rod with brush down the bore from the breech, then after the brush exits the barrel, remove it before pulling the rod back through. ( Some people say do this ONLY because you won't pull any dirt back into the chamber, but I plan on removing the upper for cleaning, and will be using a bore guide)

The other half say run the brush down fully through and out the barrel, and back down through the barrel and remove it through the same way you inserted it.

Either way I am planning to use a bore guide, and might also invest in a muzzle guide. (like one Dewey makes)

Thoughts, opinions, how do you clean?

[Daniel]

take upper off. Drop end of cleaning rod without the brush down in direction of bullet travel. Grasp the end as it comes out of muzzle. Pull through. Repeat.

[strickj]

Moot point! Use a Bore Snake

[Guest TurboniumOxide]

Bore Snake +1

I am not too worried about it actually. As long as the metals in the cleaning equipment are softer than the barrel metal I don't think you are going to harm your bore. You don't want gunk in your chamber however, so I flush the bore from the chamber end and blow all the gunk out the business end. I do run patches through in only one direction though.

The bore snake revolutionized my cleaning practices, and has probably saved me weeks of accumulated fiddling.

[Guest Todd@CIS]

Use Shooter's Choice or Butch's Bore Shine and never use a brush again.

Soak a patch and run it down the bore a few times.

Wait 10-15 min (while you're cleaning the rest of the gun).

Blow it out with non-chlorinated brake cleaner and re-lube as appropriate.

"White patch clean" and a lot easier.

Edited September 6, 2009 by Todd@CIS

[Guest Ggun]

I am new to owning and cleaning an AR15. I've read up a lot of the process and keep coming across two conflicting ideas as far as bore cleaning.

Half the people say only go one direction in the bore, run the rod with brush down the bore from the breech, then after the brush exits the barrel, remove it before pulling the rod back through. ( Some people say do this ONLY because you won't pull any dirt back into the chamber, but I plan on removing the upper for cleaning, and will be using a bore guide)

The other half say run the brush down fully through and out the barrel, and back down through the barrel and remove it through the same way you inserted it.

Either way I am planning to use a bore guide, and might also invest in a muzzle guide. (like one Dewey makes)

Thoughts, opinions, how do you clean?

I use the first method, clean in the direction of travel.

[Guest thorn]

I've been using Noveske's http://www.noveskerifleworks.com/barrel_break-in.pdf and supplement with the Snake.

[Hidalgo]

Use Shooter's Choice or Butch's Bore Shine and never use a brush again.

Soak and patch and run it down the bore and few times.

Wait 10-15 min (while you're cleaning the rest of the gun).

Blow it out with non-chlorinated brake cleaner and relube as appropriate.

White patch clean and a lot easier.

+1

Shooters Choice is one of the better solvents out there. I agree with this method except for the last line. No need to blow out with brake cleaner. Use clean patches until they come out clean. Lube SPARINGLY after you get it clean.

And if you absolutely, positively feel like you have to use a brush, then PLEASE get a nylon brush and not brass or bronze. WHY? A good solvent will actually erode the brush, and you'll be cleaning for hours trying to get all of the copper out of the barrel. When it is actually the brush residue that you are seeing on your patches. And if you are going to use a rod, get a coated rod. Not one of those aluminum screw-together cheapies. Your bore will thank you.

[Guest Todd@CIS]

+1

Shooters Choice is one of the better solvents out there. I agree with this method except for the last line. No need to blow out with brake cleaner. Use clean patches until they come out clean.

You can just do patches as well, but the brake cleaner gets into the "nooks and crannies" better (ie., locking lugs/chamber area).

[Guest Cajun_Chuck]

Only pull in the direction of travel...all long rifles. Pretty much easier on your bore brushes, ie. they will last longer. Secondly, keeps hardened crap from falling or being pulled backwards down the barrel.

With all the high-end stuff out there and the fact that many people are so anal with cleaning their rifles these day (which is a great thing) you can almost eliminate various "ritual" cleaning.

It reminds me of my grandmother and the way she would quarter a chicken to cook in her cast-iron pots. She had no real explanation as to why she cut it the way she did, except for that was how her grandmother taught her to do it. Long story short, it was done that way, because of the diameter of pot and a rather large family. It was the only way of getting all the chicken into the big pot they used to cook with. Just something to keep in mind.

[cybernorris]

I don't recall the instruction I received at Uncle Sam's summer camp for young men & women having any preference as to which direction to clean the barrel. Then again the instructors were very casual and allowed us to do things however we wanted (NOT).

[Guest mikedwood]

I use mt bore snake with CLP in the direction of bullet travel. I run it through a few more times after the barrell is clean.For the rest of the parts use hoppes 9 and have started using Miltec1 and a hair dryer. Incredible stuff so far.

[Guest Fwdftw]

hrm yea i just broke mine in for the 1st time with a 100 rounds.. now to clean.. hrm..