Rimfire BR barrel maintenance.

I see the confusion here. When you post on a benchrest sub-forum and mention precision, a benchrest shooter automatically thinks 'benchrest'. In benchrest, while having an accurate system is very important, precise shot placement is just as important. Benchrest shooters very much consider the game as precision shooting. An opinion may be, much more precise than any other rimfire game.

I normally, when the season is normal (no covid-19), shoot two sanctioned matches or more every weekend during the outdoor season. ARA Ult or IR50/50 3-gun. I buy bronze benchrest quality bore brushes in 12 packs and ware one out every weekend. So do a bunch of other benchrest guys. I use Bore Tech Proof Positive jags with 1-1/8" patches. A proper bore guide is not an option, it's required.

Hope you find this helpful.
 
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zanemoseley said:
I'll get some C4 and hold off on using a brush, that doesn't surprise me, most precision rifle guys look at brushes like like the devil.

What types of jags and accessories do you guys like? I've already got a nice 1 piece fiberglass rod. Currently I've just got a cheapo patch jag and have the VFG cleaning pellet system.
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You need to study up friend. "Most precision guys" ???
If you go to a serious benchrest match , CF or RF you will see plenty of top flight shooters using solvent/brushes.
Also, FWIW take the fiberglass rod ( whatever that is) and make a nice lamp out of it.
 
I looked, my rods are Tipton Deluxe 1pc carbon fiber rods. What rods do you prefer? What is considered a bench rest quality brush, I've used a lot of Pro Shot brushes, are they decent?
 
Considering that there is no known solvent for carbon a brush makes good sense.

All the products that I have tried just soften the deposits but still require a brush to remove the crud.

* doggie *
 
doghunter said:
Considering that there is no known solvent for carbon a brush makes good sense.

All the products that I have tried just soften the deposits but still require a brush to remove the crud.

* doggie *
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Hey doggie,
Please refer to post #11 by Landy. Short stroking with my normal jag and a patch that is wet with C4 will easily remove the carbon in the leade area. Be sure to push 2 wet patches before you do that to remove spent primer material, which is very abrasive.

I used to brush my bore in between every card when match shooting before Tim suggested C4 on another board. Now I brush every other card, or third card, depending on round count.
 
zanemoseley said:
I looked, my rods are Tipton Deluxe 1pc carbon fiber rods. What rods do you prefer? What is considered a bench rest quality brush, I've used a lot of Pro Shot brushes, are they decent?
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I know a couple of guys using Tipton Carbon fiber rods, most use polished stainless rods. Pro Shot, Ivey (out of business?), Stiller (PQP?), Bore Tech, etc.

Tim nailed it, no steel core brushes. Beanchrest brush has 2 specs in my mind. Brass wound center core that is looped on the end, back into it's self, and no cut end core wire. Sinclair used to market a great brush, but since Brownells bought them out and the original stock ran out, they substitute Dewey brand. I have switched back to Pro Shot. The brush they market as 'benchrest' is the one to get. Buying the 12 pack lowers cost.
 
One last brush tip that nobody really talks about. Just about every single BR brush out there is bent @ the ferule.
Screw it on the rod and the take the rod and rest it on your shoulder with the brush a good 2' out front and get your eye down near rod and spin it in your fingers.....watch the wobble. Some of them are terrible, you can see which way they are out.....just push it with your thumb until it spins straight, takes a few seconds. Keeps them running centered down that expensive/soft SS match bbl.
 
tim said:
One last brush tip that nobody really talks about. Just about every single BR brush out there is bent @ the ferule.
Screw it on the rod and the take the rod and rest it on your shoulder with the brush a good 2' out front and get your eye down near rod and spin it in your fingers.....watch the wobble. Some of them are terrible, you can see which way they are out.....just push it with your thumb until it spins straight, takes a few seconds. Keeps them running centered down that expensive/soft SS match bbl.
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Something I have done for several years. Excellent advise for those wishing to learn more about proper barrel maintenance. Nice post Tim.
 
I need to buy a bore guide for my custom Anschutz 1913, I was looking at these which utilize swappable bushings.

http://www.mwerksllc.com/anschutz.php

So I've got both lengths of the 22 cal Pro Shot carbon rods, the shorter might work but due to the stock profile it might push me to use the long rod. The rods average about .202" but in some spots get up to .205. I also use these rods on my 6br.

When I had a guy make me a custom bore guide for my Savage 12br in 6br he made it so tight I can't use a brush with it but if he bored it to match the .205 rods going with a .243 brush is quite a jump. Should I have the guy for the Anschutz guide bore it to .225 or larger so I can run a brush through it.

You can see where I'm getting confused, several F class people had me thinking brushes were frowned upon and you guys sound like you brush regularly even during a match. The Anschutz bore guide like above says they typically make the opening only .002" larger than the cleaning rod.
 
I just read a bit more about the bushing system and they recommend you place the bushing on the rod before putting your patch on the jag or in this case the brush.
 
zanemoseley said:
I need to buy a bore guide for my custom Anschutz 1913, I was looking at these which utilize swappable bushings.

http://www.mwerksllc.com/anschutz.php

So I've got both lengths of the 22 cal Pro Shot carbon rods, the shorter might work but due to the stock profile it might push me to use the long rod. The rods average about .202" but in some spots get up to .205. I also use these rods on my 6br.

When I had a guy make me a custom bore guide for my Savage 12br in 6br he made it so tight I can't use a brush with it but if he bored it to match the .205 rods going with a .243 brush is quite a jump. Should I have the guy for the Anschutz guide bore it to .225 or larger so I can run a brush through it.

You can see where I'm getting confused, several F class people had me thinking brushes were frowned upon and you guys sound like you brush regularly even during a match. The Anschutz bore guide like above says they typically make the opening only .002" larger than the cleaning rod.
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You don't put a brush or patch through it you slide it on the rod behind both, that's the purpose of the insert.
The Mwerks are nice, I have a couple, the ones KSS sells IMO are better, mostly because the inserts are longer and prevent rod flex better. You want the tightest insert you can get away with so the rod does not flex in the bore.....against the neck or lands.
 
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Another perfect post above. All my current actions for competition are Stiller actions, even my Sporter, so only one bore guide needed. I have a Killough bore guide and two different rods. Both rods have a different diameter. The Killough bore guide has a removable insert and they offer two insert sizes for different size rods. I have one of each for my two different rods. When setting up for a match or testing, I put the proper insert on the proper rod and THEN the accessory for that rod. One has a jag, the other a brush. The inserts stay on the rod during which ever I am doing that involves cleaning. Start the accessory into the body of the guide, slide the insert into the guide, and presto.....you'er all set for that application.

I do not use a short rod for short stroking the leade, although many do. I use the regular length jag rod and support it with my hand on the butt stock and my index finger over the top of the rod for extra support. Repeated bore scoping has shown no scratching/damage in the area of short stroking when using this method.

There is a lot of false information when considering cleaning, or whether you clean at all, a rimfire barrel. There is also a lot of different opinions about how to do it. One thing I can say for sure, NEVER let the barrel tell you it needs cleaning by diminished results on the target. If that happens during a card in a match, you'er screwed. If it happens during testing, how good was your data before you noticed it?
 
Good info here on cleaning, I dont think brushes used correctly are that harmful, I have often wondered if they wear the crown after a period of time.
 
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