protecting the rifling quest.

[woodshed]

I've been doing some reading on protecting the rifling when cleaning a gun. With my bolt gun, cleaning from the breach is easy enough, but the rod still rubs against the bore. How do you stop that from the breach end.

What about my muzzleloader? Everything there is from the muzzle and I can hear the ram rod sliding down the bore surface. I'm not going to use that bushing in the field am I?

I bought some of those bushings for the muzzle end for my 10/22 and lever action.

Is this stuff all over kill or is really that important?

[doubleA]

On my bolt guns I always use a bore guide, it's a tool that replaces the bolt in your rifle and lines/guides the rod into the throat area of the bore. It also protects the action and chamber from getting solvents into them. I come from the school that I dont want to use any bare cleaning rod than can be as hard as barrel steel. I have several Dewey coated rods that work with everything I shoot. I also like the Dewey bore guides on account they have different "O" rings that make the guide fit vey snug so it lines up well and prevents messy solvents from entering the action.

Hope this helps some...........

[wtnhunt]

Use a bore guide with my bolt guns as well. Use coated rods too.

[woodshed]

Oh, I bought a cone type of guide. I guess that is just for the muzzle. I didn't know there was one for the other end. I'll go get one.

thanks

what about the muzzle loader in the field. The ram rod and it's attachments, do you have a guide for those you use? I can hear it rubbing the bore when I use it.

[woodshed]

The rifle in question is my Winchester Model 70. It's fairly new and has been babied... I think.. now that I've been thinking of my cleaning techniques.

If I have cleaned it say 25 times, without a guide, do you think I have done any bad damage?

[doubleA]

The purpose of the guide is to reduce the wear from the rod on the throat area. It's always best to clean from the action if possible. If cleaning from the muzzle end, the crown can be damaged and again without being centered in the bore, a uncoated rod is going to wear on the rifling. As far as you damaging your M70 by cleaning without a guide I can not say. But you can prevent anyfuture damage by using a bore guide.

Here is a picture of a Dewey brand guide inserted into a short action Rem 40X.

[aksheephuntress]

...I carry a cleaning "snake " for my Winchester mod 70 , in the field...matter of fact, I usually just use that mostly, to clean the barrel.....

-we have several caliber sizes...

[007hunter]

Not to hijack the post but, doubleA what scope is that in the pic? Just curious....

[doubleA]

007hunter....

Leupold Mark 4 4.5x14 LR/T M1 with mil-dot reticle set in Burris Signature rings

[woodshed]

A snake would solve the problem too I guess. Didn´t think of that either.

[woodshed]

What about the muzzleloader with a ram rod in the field. Do you do anything different with that or do you just use it with the jag? I´ve always just used it as is.

[AJ]

I use a rod guide that goes in the action for my bolt guns, I use guides that fit in the chamber for my TC and NEF barrels, and I use a muzzle guide for my pump guns. I also use Accupro Cleaning Jags.

I made some ram rod guides out of delrin for my muzzleloaders. I always use them while cleaning and in the field when loading.

[woodshed]

I like the look of the acupro guides. I'll try them. Can you tell me more about your homemade guides for your ramrods? Maybe a picture?

thanks

[Leo]

Honestly, the bore snake is the simplest solution if you are really worried.

If you are careful when you use the rod type, I never found a reason for concern. Just don't let the rod touch the rifling. It takes a lot more than the occasional "OOPS" to do any real serious damage.