Stainless steel bore brushes...what the flying fu....? They damage your bore!?

**Wounded Ronin** · Posted On: 12/25/2010 5:41pm

Arrgh! I learned about stainless steel bore brushes today in an extremely aggravating way.

I was cleaning my Mini 14 so that I could get it ready to use for a USPSA 3 gun match (which ended up being cancelled, anyway; heh). I was looking around for a .22 cal bore brush and found one in my big box of cleaning supplies. So, I ran the bore brush down the barrel with some Hoppes a few times, and then I noticed that on the bore brush container it said something to the effect of, "stainless steel bore brush...excessive use may damage barrels."

So, I immediately stopped using it, and threw it out, so that I wouldn't mistakenly use it again in the future! I probably bought the brush a long time ago from a store not realizing how the product was different than other bore brushes. I finished cleaning the rifle and put it back into the safe.

I did a google search for "stainless steel bore brush" afterwards and basically found out that they apparently really and truly can damage your barrel. Concerned, I went back and examined the barrel in my mini 14 as best I could, and there was nothing visually that I could see that was wrong with it. But, since I'm not really a rifle expert, and I hardly ever shoot at long distances, I still feel a little worried because maybe something has been affected, but I just don't have any way to tell or notice. In that way this is a real psych-out for me.

The good news is that I'd never used that brush before, so the positive side of all this is that 1.) I learned about stainless steel bore brushes and won't mistakenly purchase or use them in the future, and 2.) at least I didn't use it in my new AR and won't in the future now that I have gained knowledge about them.

But, the question I'd like to ask the people who post on this forum is, what are the odds that I could have damaged the mini 14 by accident, by using the brush just a few times this morning?

**wetware** · Posted On: 12/25/2010 6:02pm

As I understand it, the only real danger to steel bore brushes is if you change direction in the barrel. I've also been told only pull through in the direction of fire and to leave the brush unscrewed just a little so it can move with the twist of the barrel. I don't see any harm in these suggestions, so I've always just done it that way.

**IMightBeWrong** · Posted On: 12/25/2010 8:55pm

The safest option for your barrel is to use a brush with a material that's softer than the steel your barrel is made with. I prefer nylon, personally, and I don't use a wet bore brush ever. In my experience, my bores come out cleaner if I start by loosening up the carbon with about 10 times through with a dry bore brush first, then using solvent on patches, then oil on patches to grab what the solvent couldn't, then a dry patch to leave only a very thin coat of oil in the barrel. Usually leaves the bore spotless without much effort in my experience.

**Wounded Ronin** · Posted On: 12/25/2010 10:27pm

Never occurred to me to use a dry brush. I'll try a dry nylon brush next time and see how that works for me.

**IMightBeWrong** · Posted On: 12/26/2010 12:28am

Like I said, I only use a dry brush. Just for loosening things up before using a patch with solvent. to loosen it up more and get what the brush didn't, then the oil is as useful as the other two steps for getting out whats left. For me, it works great on everything I shoot.

**mad_malk** · Posted On: 12/26/2010 10:55pm

Again SLIP200 cleaners and a patch or 3 if your really worried. Are you guys shooting un-jacketed ammo for some reason?

**IMightBeWrong** · Posted On: 12/27/2010 12:05pm

I only use JHP or FMJ depending on whether I'm target shooting or making sure a pistol agrees with my defensive ammo choices. My cleaning method was pointed out simply because it gets things done quickly for me and leaves all of my barrels spotless. I like to spend as little time cleaning the weapon as possible while ensuring that it's as well maintained as possible. For me, a dry brush followed by a few patches of solvent, a dry patch, some oily ones, and another dry patch do it just right.

**vaquero de las nalgas** · Posted On: 1/08/2011 2:45am

I use a Bore Snake. It's like a brass brush inside a condom made out of socks. My Beretta needed a good cleaning ( 500 rounds ) so I ran it through the barrel. A little Hoppes or some less toxic crap and it was sparkly clean after several passes.

Usually I shoot jacketed bullets so lead build-up hasn't been a real problem.