Cleaning bronze bore brushes and wire brushes

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Triple_Se7en

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What's your preferred technique?... soaking them or spraying them?
If soaking, what is your favorite cleaner inside that glass jar or old metal coffee can?
Today I sprayed 3-4 bore brushes I had. Today I used Brake Cleaner. But I sure did waste a lot.

There are other times in my gun-cleaning rituals where I use a nylon bore brush and a firm tooth brush. Vinegar-soaks works pretty good. But is there something better?..... like maybe a degreaser?

So what is everyone here using for brush cleanings?
 
I try to avoid use of metal brushes. I clean as fast as I can with patches on a jag, with a good, tight fit. Some gun cleaner for carbon, and mpro7 copper remover for copper. Seems to work good for me.

I've made up some eds red for wholesale soaking of bolts, springs, bcgs, etc.
 
What are you trying to clean out? Copper fouling? Rifle or handgun barrel?
If cleaning unburned powder and such - use copper or nylon brush as it's softer and there is lesser chance to scratch barrel rifling.
If cleaning copper fouling, brake cleaner isn't gonna do it - use WipeOut foaming spray and let it soak for 30 mins or so and then use cotton patches.
Remington BriteBore is cheap and works well removing copper from barrel.
 
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I dont clean my bores anymore. I run a bore snake down them to remove some crud, but that is it. I dont see a benefit of cleaning them.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
I dont clean my bores anymore. I run a bore snake down them to remove some crud, but that is it. I dont see a benefit of cleaning them.


New barrel will foul faster and to greater extend, then as it gets 'polished' by bullets going thru it - it'll be less obvious.
Also depends on how much you shoot, I see benefits from copper removal on handgun barrels every 5K rounds, with rifles it could be 50-500rds.
 
I usually use bronze brush and spray the barrel first let it soak with Mpro7 and then I spray the brush too. I haven't tried brake cleaner on the brush before but that sounds like a good idea for after I clean the gun.

I also spray Mpro7 on my jag patch too before I run it.
 
OP asked how to clean bronze brushes, not whether to use bronze or nylon. I use whatever solvent is handy when I need it, MEK, acetone, paint thinner, etc. all seem to work. Little bit in a small jar with a lid and shake it up. You could probably run them through the dishwasher but mamma wouldn't understand.
crazy.gif
 
I have never "cleaned a brush". I use them until they're worn, (which I gauge by resistance), then toss them. I use only Nylon brushes because I clean with Bore Tech Eliminator. If you try using a bronze brush with it, the brush will dissolve in no time. When I'm finished brushing, I blot it dry on a piece of paper towel. I get good brush life, and my barrels come out spotless.
 
Originally Posted By: dubber09
What are you trying to clean out? Copper fouling? Rifle or handgun barrel?
If cleaning unburned powder and such - use copper or nylon brush as it's softer and there is lesser chance to scratch barrel rifling.
If cleaning copper fouling, brake cleaner isn't gonna do it - use WipeOut foaming spray and let it soak for 30 mins or so and then use cotton patches.
Remington BriteBore is cheap and works well removing copper from barrel.


I already know what bronze brush solvents to use. What I try to avoid is using a dirty bore brush or wire brush over and over again.

How do you clean those brushes, without huge waste from spray can cleaners like Brake Cleaner? What do you soak those brushes in? Or do you use semi-dirty brushes over and over?
 
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Originally Posted By: AZjeff
OP asked how to clean bronze brushes, not whether to use bronze or nylon. I use whatever solvent is handy when I need it, MEK, acetone, paint thinner, etc. all seem to work. Little bit in a small jar with a lid and shake it up. You could probably run them through the dishwasher but mamma wouldn't understand.
crazy.gif



Thanks!
It takes a while for me to dirty a centerfire / rimfire brush. But my muzzleloader brushes get filthy quickly.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
I dont clean my bores anymore. I run a bore snake down them to remove some crud, but that is it. I dont see a benefit of cleaning them.


How do you clean that bore snake?

Yesterday I purchased four different sized ' Remington SQUEEGE's'. They are an orange-colored adapter that screws on the end of our cleaning rods. I would like to outfit my accessories tool box with those eventually and eliminate bronze bore brushes or jags, which I really don't like. Jags don't clean barrel grooves like a brush does.
 
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I agree with the above comment.

I usually just use them until they get dirty, by which point they've usually dropped a caliber anyway. I often relegate the bad brushes to the most wear-intensive tasks like cleaning revolver cylinders, which I typically intentionally use an oversize brush(i.e. 38/357 cylinders get a 40 brush or even a worn 45).

If I must, I give them a squirt of ballistol. Any solvent that will remove copper fouling will also damage bronze brushes.

I've also been known to wrap my worn brushes in Chore Boy to get a snug fit in a badly leaded bore.

Overall, though, I consider them expendables which is why I buy them in bulk and just toss them if they are at all questionable.
 
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