What equipment do you prefer to use for cleaning ssp barrels? Has anyone tried a bore snake?It seems like a good idea and maybe less chance of harming a barrel.If you use a rod, what do you use for a boreguide? Thanks

I use the bore snakes alot, I've got them for my rifles, shotguns, and handguns. I use the bore snakes anytime excessive fouling is not an issue or if I want to give them a quick cleaning in the field and so far I've had excellent luck with them and the great part is when they get dirty I just throw them in the washing machine. When I need a good cleaning I use the Tipton carbon fiber rods and if I need a bore guide I have set of brass guides I got years ago to use with my steel rods which are my second choice for cleaning rods.

Cleaning the Encore barrels I use a Possum Hollow bore guide and a Dewey nylon coated cleaning rod and clean from the breach. For the XP's I use a Stoney Point bore guide and the coated dewey rods and clean from the breach. For revolvers I use a brass muzzle guide and the coated dewey rods. Generally I scrub the bore with a bronze brush and #9. Then patch dry, scrub again and patch dry. Then soak a patch with #9 and wet the bore thoroughly and let the firearm stand from 1 to 7 days. Then patch dry. If I'm going to store it for a while I will soak the bore with Hoppes gun oil. Here is a picture from my 243 Encore barrel that had Hoppes #9 in it for 5 days. It sure cleans deep and lifts the copper.

Tig....Sweet's will produce patches like that after about 2 minutes!! I don't have the time to wait for days to clean a gun. My WSM XP-100 is clean after two Sweets' patches...the first has a slight hint of copper and the second is bright white. Other guns take a but more cleaning...some a LOT more.

My cleaning regiment sounds like Tig other than a use more aggressive cleaners. Also for the T/C's, I use old shell casings are bore guides...I drill out the primer pocket to the size of the cleaning rod then polish up the hole so it does not scuff the rod. Slide the case over the rod, attach the tip, attch the patch, insert into the chamber, slide the case into the chamber and clean away!!

Bore snake...I always have them with me at the range. My guns are usually always clean and oiled before range sessions. I use the snake to remove excess oil, residue or whatever else may have crept in before I start shooting.

I have Butch's and a few others but the ammonia smell gets to me. I tried the "fast" cleaners and with most barrels it works good. I then put old #9 in the barrel after the "fast" cleaners and let it set for about a week. The old #9 still pulls out the copper and carbon from the nooks and cranny's. Not as much but it's on the patch.

The one cleaner I do have on the shelf that I would like the try is Wipe Out. I have heard good things about it from seasoned shooters. It can be left in the bore for 24-48 hours. Anybody ever use Wipe Out?

I pretty much use Barnes exclusively, it has that nasty ammonia smell but it seems to work real well. I've tried some of the foaming cleaners and some of the old stand bys' but for me the Barnes works best.

Tig, I bought a 22-250 barrel from Gun Parts Corp to re-barrel a Ruger #1 . I thought it was surplus turns out it was a take-off. Thought it was full of cosmoline but it was severly leaded and the last one in stock. Tried the wipe-out and 30 minutes later push a patch thru and grooves and lands they also make a product called lead-out but I have no experiance with it. Ralph

After #9-soaked brush, bore snake and dry patches, I run a Lead Clean Cloth patch thru cylinder and barrel. Pretty amazing what this will remove after everything mentioned appears to have done the job. This product is also the best I have used for removing cylinder rings.

Wipeout with Accelerator

Anybody found a pot scrubber they can trust besides Chore Girl&Boy? I can't find them locally anymore. Libman has a scrubber out that says 100% Pure Copper scrubs best and it says Copper Scrubbers but I have my doubts. The magnet on the back of my screwdriver does not stick to them. It does stick to steel. Ain't that suppose to be a good test?

Magnet doesn't stick to copper or aluminum.

The makers of Wipe-Out now have Carb Out & Patch Out available--Good stuff!