{"id":7690,"date":"2013-11-03T19:08:34","date_gmt":"2013-11-03T19:08:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ramworks.net\/blog\/?p=7690"},"modified":"2014-11-14T14:08:59","modified_gmt":"2014-11-14T14:08:59","slug":"skeptically-clean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/skeptically-clean\/","title":{"rendered":"Skeptically Clean"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Can<\/a>
Can you clean a gun the right way without a cleaning rod? YES.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you were raised like me, after you shot a rifle or even took it hunting, you cleaned it. Initially this made sense to me but it wasn\u2019t until after I\u2019d entered the military that I learned that this, clean every time you shoot, mindset was nothing but a carryover from training. You see, the military makes you clean your rifle or handgun every time you use it so that you learn how to clean it and take care of it. It is a training tool.<\/p>\n

The notion that a rifle or handgun needs cleaned every time you take it to the woods or every time you shoot it is nonsense. Well, that is unless you are shooting black powder. Black powder is corrosive and if you leave it in your barrel \u2013 even the residue from one shot \u2013 it can ruin your barrel. This fact might also have something to do with the military\u2019s obsessions with cleaning; at one time all military arms used ammunition loaded with black powder.<\/p>\n

Sorry, I\u2019m wandering.<\/p>\n

\"Bore<\/a>
Bore Squeeg-E cleaning systems from Bushmaster and Remington come pre-packaged for certain firearms or in an all-in-one kit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The point of all this is that I recently received a new cleaning kit from Bushmaster called the \u201cTactical Field Cleaning System.\u201d This is a compact, rod-less, kit built around the Bore Squeeg-E system. If you are unfamiliar with the Bore Squeeg-E it is a rubber stopper looking device that goes on the end of a cable. You pull it through your barrel and it takes the place of cloth patches.<\/p>\n

I learned how to clean rifle barrels from guys like John Barsness<\/a> and Melvin Forbes<\/a> and those guys use a rod, brush, jags and a LOT of patches. When they clean a rifle barrel, they clean it down to bear metal. So, I was skeptical of the Bore Squeeg-E system. Primarily for two reasons. First, I did not think it would clean as good as patches and second, without a clean patch to run through the barrel, how would you know if it ever did in fact get clean?<\/p>\n

Still, my job is to try stuff to see if it works and when the Bushmaster kit arrived I put it to work on my Marlin 1894 in .327 Federal which had never<\/i><\/b> had the barrel cleaned. (More on that in a moment.) I followed the directions and in about 10 minutes I was done. With a bore light I could not see any fouling in the barrel. Clean patches soaked in Hoppe\u2019s and Copper Killer served as verification. I was impressed.<\/p>\n

However, to be sure, I needed to clean a rifle barrel with which I have a history in order to be able to compare this new cleaning system with one of conventional wisdom. My son\u2019s .243 Winchester has a barrel that fouls something terrible. The fouling does not hinder accuracy but getting the copper out of that barrel is about as like trying to get facts or truths from the Obama administration.<\/p>\n

\"Clean<\/a>
Clean a rifle bore to bare metal with traditional methods and you will have a pile like this when you are done, especially if the bore is one that fouls badly.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I also had one of the Complete Remington Bore Squeeg-E systems on hand so again I followed the directions and cleaned the .243. In 10 minutes I was done. I checked the barrel and could still see minute traces of copper near the muzzle. However, I can assure you that it was less copper than is usually present after 10 minutes of cleaning using the traditional method. I then cleaned with the Bore Squeeg-E again and while there were still traces of copper they were minimal. Maybe the best way I can describe how the Bore Squeeg-E system works is that it is faster than traditional cleaning methods.<\/p>\n

But, is it as good or better?<\/p>\n

Good question. I do believe that 10 minutes of cleaning with the Bore-Squeeg-E system will yield a cleaner barrel than 10 minutes of cleaning with a rod, jag, and patches. However, If the goal is to clean to bear metal AND if you have a barrel that fouls very badly, I think you\u2019ll need a rod, brush, bore paste and maybe even some steel wool to remove every last trace of copper. Oh, and yeah, you\u2019ll probably need several hours and about 100 patches.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Squeeg-E system works and one pass with a Bore Squeeg-E will remove all the solvent it would take several patches to clean out.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I think however there are some more important questions and considerations. If you have a bad fouling bore and clean it perfectly clean then you can expect the first several shots to have a different point of impact until that bore becomes partially fouled again. If you get that bore 90% to 95% clean like you can with the Bore Squeeg-E system AND do it in 10 minutes or in less than a tenth of the time, I \u2018ll call that good enough.<\/p>\n

Shooters often ask, \u201cHow do you know when a rifle barrel is clean?\u201d The standard answer is when you can run a solvent soaked patch down the bore and it comes out with no fouling.<\/p>\n

Maybe the more important question is, \u201cHow do you know if your rifle needs cleaned?\u201d<\/p>\n