I only uses copper plated .223's and seem to take an inordinate amount of patches to clean a bore.  I use a CLP, dry patch, and some copper solvent, wait a couple of minutes then a brush, then dry and oil patch.  I seem to use upwards of 20 patches to get one to come out clean.  Wondering what is the norm.

I usually just clean and lube the bcg with some more Mobil 1 and call it good lol

But when I do clean a barrel I have found the bore snakes to work well for me with some solvent

For chrome lined? Don't know I very seldom clean mine and when I do I pull a snake through it and it's done. When doing a hunting rifle or target I use ALOT! Start with clp then copper cleaner till the patches come out as clean as they went in. Then rinse with muzzle resting on a towel on the floor with clp then a clean patch to soak up all the excess oil, hope it helps.. why are you cleaning after 200 rounds??

Patching rifle bores until you get a completely clean patch takes forever and is a waste of time.  Even copper remover for 200 rounds is completely overkill.

Boresnake here.

Maybe hit my barrel with an actual brush every few thousand rounds IE never

VERY hard to get a truly clean patch.  If you get a clean patch, run another one down with some solvent and it will stir up the dirt again.

I enjoy having my guns clean, and like cleaning them, but have given up on spotless barrels.  Realistically the barrel probably is the least important area to get clean.  As soon as you shoot your next round the thing will be full of powder residue/carbon etc.  Every now and then I'll do a "deep clean" on a barrel, but normally solvent, brush, 3-5 patches (dry) then one patch with oil.  The oil not needed on a chrome barrel as no risk of rust, but it is a habit I have

Every now and then I would use a copper solvent to prevent any buildup, but 200 rounds probably won't see much.  even copper build up unlikely to be an issue (search for "filthy 13" (or 14, something like that) where they shot something like 15-20K rounds with nothing but adding lubricant...

ETA It is "Filthy 14"

After 200 rds. about the only thing I do on my chrome lined barreled and nitrided uppers/firearms is replace any lube on the BCG that may have been flung/burnt off. They don't even get the bore snake until probably 2-3 times that many rounds have been fired. Any untreated/unlined barreled uppers/other firearms will get some CLP sprayed in the chamber, set muzzle down on a rag until the CLP runs out the muzzle while I relube the moving parts, and  2-3 passes with the snake.

Contrary to what the men in green screamed at us, your rifle does not have to be sparkling clean in order to function properly. At the end of the day, patch the barrel until you can live with what comes out. You will spend your dying days trying to get a perfectly white patch out -- and if you have doubt that just run a bore brush and another patch after that last white patch. Accept it and move on.

At the end of the day a rifle is like a whore -- they may be redeemed and cleansed but they will never be completely pure after their first time.

I use a bag of cotton rags I get from the auto store. I cut out little squares with a scissors. I would say I rarely use patches except as a way to apply oil.

Just note that if you're passing CLP through the barrel, I think you may find it surprising that you're doing a heck of a lot more than other people. It's sort of like car wax. If you went outside and waxed your car just twice a year, you're doing more for your car than someone does in its entire life time. Yet oddly enough car cleaning products are always in business.

As far as how many patches it takes, that entirely depends. Sometimes you may get a false reading if you use a brass brush in between cleaning. Also, sometimes if your chamber locking lugs are really dirty, sometimes the patches may pass that area and pick up some debris and you'll find yourself in a endless loop where the bore is clean but you're still getting black patches.

With that said, I like to clean the locking lugs area first and the muzzle/flash hider area first. I don't know how many patches but usually pretty easy. The hard part for me is the bolt carrier internals. I'd say 20 patches sound about normal to me.

Some tips, I found helpful:

- Soaking and heat are the best way to clean. If you can run a bore snake through your rifle immediately at the range before packing and while the barrel is hot, you'll find it a lot easier to clean when you get back at home. Also, if you allow CLP, solvent, or anything to "soak" for a while, that will help also.

- Get some nylon brushes along with brass brushes. Nylon brushes really help with cleaning once you pass the initial brass brush.

- Try to get it as clean as possible by soaking a patch until it comes out slightly grey in color. Once a soaked patch comes out slightly grey in color, you're good to go to pass a patch until it comes out clean. Think of this. If you're washing dishes, what is the best way to clean? Covering a dish with soap, then scrubbing it? Or is it better to use a soaked pad and scrub until clean, then wash it off with water, and then finally a towel?

- Get a dedicated solvent/cleaner instead of using CLP. Something like Hoppe's No 9 or MPro7 Cleaner are going to get you off a lot easier.

My method is to separate the lower from the upper, hose down the bore and chamber with Ballistol. Let sit, usually over night. Push a patch through, hose down barrel and chamber again with Ballistol. Run a bore brush through a few times, swab again. Clean chamber and lugs, pull a boresnake through to get any oil left.