Rossi Rifleman

I've read loads of stuff about barrel cleaning ranging from "experts" that say they never clean their barrel, to others that say it's a must.

I've put probably 400 or 500 jacketed rounds through my Rossi Puma (Blued) followed by 300 to 400 lead bullets without a clean. Accuracy is probably better now than at any time although that may be me getting a bit better at it

Another read of another "experts" article tells me that you must clean the barrel if you switch to jacketed after using lead;-

"A Big “No-No”
How many times have you thought it easier to shoot the lead out with a jacketed bullet? Well, don’t even think about it. In extreme cases, this can cause irreparable damage. I’ve seen revolver barrel throats deformed and thin-walled barrels bulged. Either means a new barrel.

Here’s a tip for dealing with heavy leading once it occurs: Don’t rush. Wipe off the outside of the firearm and simply use a clean, dry brush on the leaded bore to rough up the lead. Set the gun aside for a few days before trying to remove the deposits. Lead tends to oxidize rapidly to a dark gray powder; the “time out” period can convert a fair amount of the lead to the oxide form, making cleaning easier."

So - to clean or not to clean and if it is to clean what's the best way - Solvent? Bore Snake? Otis (which I have used on my 10/22)? Brush?

Any advice would be appreciated.

RickGM16 wrote:So - to clean or not to clean and if it is to clean what's the best way - Solvent? Bore Snake? Otis (which I have used on my 10/22)? Brush?

Any advice would be appreciated.

I would clean it based on the accuracy history on the rifle. I have some rifles that shoot terrible with clean bores and it takes dozens of round to get them right. Those rifles might never end up being cleaned as I don't want to get them right again. I never clean a bore just because I shot it. All of my rifles and handguns barrels are cleaned on condition.

RickGM16 wrote:Here’s a tip for dealing with heavy leading once it occurs: Don’t rush. Wipe off the outside of the firearm and simply use a clean, dry brush on the leaded bore to rough up the lead. Set the gun aside for a few days before trying to remove the deposits. Lead tends to oxidize rapidly to a dark gray powder; the “time out” period can convert a fair amount of the lead to the oxide form, making cleaning easier."

This is great advice and very true. When I do need to get lead out I take a bore swab/mop and wrap the copper strands of a "Chore Girl" around the swab. It will peel that decaying lead off like right fast. I finish up with turpentine on a brush wrapped with a patch. Turpentine chemically releases the bond between steel and lead.

RickGM16 wrote:So - to clean or not to clean and if it is to clean what's the best way - Solvent? Bore Snake? Otis (which I have used on my 10/22)? Brush?
Any advice would be appreciated.

If I'm going to clean a barrel, I prefer to use odorless mineral spirits or turpentine on a brush wrapped on a cotton patch. I pass the rod from breech to muzzle and take the brush off the rod. On a R92, this detail of cleaning is done after a tear down but I've done this so much that it is just a few minutes for me.

I use a bore snake if I've taken a rifle out of my conditioned room into our high humidity and back. I did this with my Rem 600 yesterday. The gun was wet within minutes.

If I buy a rifle, I assume the barrel is copper fouled and use B&C Bore Scrubber.

As a note, I bought the OTIS thing, used it one time and sold it on eBay the next day. What a PIA. I can clean 10 rifles in the time it takes that thing to do one.

"I would clean it based on the accuracy history on the rifle. I have some rifles that shoot terrible with clean bores and it takes dozens of round to get them right. Those rifles might never end up being cleaned as I don't want to get them right again. I never clean a bore just because I shot it. All of my rifles and handguns barrels are cleaned on condition."

Hmm. another tip to write in my little black book. Thank you, RD

Shooting copper after lead merely smears any lead into the grooves. Not good. Bore snakes ? Field expedient only, does not give a good clean.
Start over, scrub the lead out, then use Hoppes's to remove all copper. Use a quality cleaning rod !

Ranch Dog wrote:I use a bore snake if I've taken a rifle out of my conditioned room into our high humidity and back. I did this with my Rem 600 yesterday. The gun was wet within minutes.

I also live in an area with high humidity, lots of heat and my guns go in and out of the air conditioning. Anywhere steel is hidden by the stock, I coat it with a layer of Lee Liquid Alox. This stuff is the best rust preventative you can buy. From what I understand before it was used as bullet lube, Zeibart was using it to rust proof cars.

How do you like that new 600, what caliber is it? I've wanted one since the 70's, from the time I first saw the dogleg bolt handle and ventilated rib. I thought that the 600 and the XP100 were just awesome looking firearms as a teenager leafing through the Remington catalog. I should have bought one of each years ago, now they're more than I can afford.

Centaur 1 wrote:How do you like that new 600, what caliber is it?

It is a 35 Rem which is the cat's meow!

That's almost too pretty to shoot, looks like it was a safe queen.

Centaur 1 wrote:That's almost too pretty to shoot, looks like it was a safe queen.

Apparently so!

Lee Liquid Alox for a rust inhibitor. That's another interesting tip to keep in mind.

It works great. I use it here on the ranch for anything that is exposed and has demonstrated it's ability to rust.