Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sample.eng.ohio-state.edu!purdue!haven.umd.edu!mimsy!ihlpy.att.com From: sfaber@ihlpy.att.com (Steven R Faber) Newsgroups: rec.guns Subject: Rifle Cleaning Message-ID: <34709@mimsy.umd.edu> Date: 21 May 91 04:25:05 GMT Sender: magnum@mimsy.umd.edu Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 38 Approved: gun-control@cs.umd.edu I was happy to see the articles on rifle cleaning not too long ago. I went through a similar long process cleaning my old '03 Springfield and getting all the copper out. I couldn't find any Sweets, so I used Shooters Choice which is ammonia based, and it worked OK. One observation: The instructions for the Shooters choice copper solvent says to follow it with Shooters Choice MC7 bore cleaner without even wiping the copper solvent out first. If the ammonia reacts with the MC7, then it seems the two Shooters Choice products would be incompatible. Could someone post some basic information on cleaning rifles like what kind of patches and cleaning rods should be used, do you push them out in one direction, or go in both directions? I know you are not supposed to clean from the muzzle end or reverse directions of a brush or patch inside the bore but ... Someone told me I should use a stainless steel rod, and another said no use only a teflon coated rod (where do you get these?) I have found felt patches wrapped around a wool mop work well for the 30 cal., but have some difficulty with the 22 cal AR-15 barrels. The mops take a lot of force to get through and individual patches don't provide enough force to clean well. The outers style felt patches seem to work the best, as the cotton ones leave lint in the barrel and the GI ones are stringy and hard to push through. I put a couple good scratches in my AR-15 bore recently probably after applying too much force pushing or pulling an offcenter patch through with a plastic tipped Al rod, so I would like to find out how to do it right. Steve