Gear
Gun Cleaning & Care
Most firearms are damaged by cleaning rather than by shooting. A steel rod dragged in and out of a muzzle wears the crown that determines accuracy, and aggressive solvents left where they should not be do slow damage over years. The equipment that prevents this is inexpensive: a coated or carbon-fibre rod, a bore guide that keeps it centred, the right solvent for the fouling you actually have, and a light film of lubricant in the places the manual specifies rather than everywhere.
Before you buy
What to know about cleaning & care
Clean from the breech where you can, and use a bore guide
The crown at the muzzle is the last thing the bullet touches and it sets accuracy. Every pass of a rod over it does a little damage, so clean from the chamber end whenever the design allows, and use a bore guide to keep the rod centred and to keep solvent out of the action. Where you must clean from the muzzle, a muzzle guide is the equivalent protection.
Carbon and copper need different solvents
Carbon fouling comes out with a general-purpose solvent and a nylon brush. Copper fouling from jacketed bullets needs a copper-specific solvent, which works chemically and needs dwell time rather than scrubbing. Copper solvents are often ammonia-based and must not be left in a bore indefinitely. Follow the label's timing rather than leaving it overnight because it seemed to be working.
Over-lubrication attracts more than it prevents
A light film where the manual specifies is the goal. Excess oil collects carbon, dust and unburnt powder into a grinding paste, runs into places it should not be, and in cold weather can stiffen enough to slow an action. More is not better, and a dripping gun is a dirty gun waiting to happen.
Rimfire and shotguns are their own problems
.22 LR is lubricated lead and fouls faster than anything centerfire, particularly in a semi-automatic action. Shotguns accumulate plastic wad residue in the bore and choke threads that ordinary solvent will not shift: a dedicated shotgun bore product and a choke brush are worth having, and choke tubes should come out and be greased periodically so they do not seize.
Questions
Common questions
How often should I clean my gun?
Less often than tradition suggests for accuracy, and more often for reliability. Many precision rifles shoot their best after some fouling has settled in, and over-cleaning wears more than it helps. Semi-automatics (especially rimfire) need the action and bolt kept clean and correctly lubricated to keep running. Any firearm that has been rained on, or that you intend to store, should be cleaned and protected before it goes away.
Do I really need a bore guide?
If you clean with a rod, yes. It keeps the rod centred so it does not rub the throat or the bore, and it keeps solvent from running back into the trigger group and bedding. Together with a coated rod it removes the main way people quietly wear out a good barrel. It is one of the cheapest items here and one of the most worthwhile.
What is the difference between a carbon solvent and a copper solvent?
They dissolve different fouling. General-purpose solvents lift carbon and powder residue mechanically and chemically, and a nylon brush finishes the job. Copper solvents attack the jacket material left behind by jacketed bullets and work by dwell time: you let them sit for the interval the label specifies, then patch out. Copper solvents are frequently ammonia-based and should not be left in a barrel indefinitely.