AR Sponsor
Posted: 12/31/2002 7:54:53 PM EDT
| I have performed my initial cleaning .I am concerned and want to know how sensitive the rifling is on my BM XM15e2s.I ask because I purchased a .22 caliber plastic coated rod from Wally World and the handle was not removable so I consequently had to push it in through the barrel in the reverse direction of the rifling in order to then attach my patches and copper brush to pull with appropriate twisting motion away from receiver and towards muzzle .I have yet not obtained a cleaning rod guide .I am of the paranoid kind so please -have I done damage to the delicate rifling in my barrel or will I be O K if don't keep inserting the rod without a guide and in the wrong direction,from now on ? |
|
IMHO, the place that you need to be most careful of is the muzzle. However, I doubt you have caused any damage. The US military uses a steel rod which is inserted at the muzzle end WITHOUT the brush, and then the brush (or jag) is attached at the receiver end and pulled back out towards the muzzle. Repeat until the drill sargeant says to stop. I prefer to use an aluminium rod (plastic is OK too, anything softer than barrel steel), and simply push from the receiver towards the muzzle. When the brush pops out of the muzzle, I unscrew it and withdraw the rod back out of the receiver. Works for me. |
|
Thank you Stealthy,I appreciate the heads up on the muzzle . I paid close attention and was aware enough to make sure that patches and brush wasn't pulled in the wrong direction and will probably by the time I need to clean it again have a boreguide and a fancier rod . |
|
Gentlemen,gentelemen....I HAVE A BORESNAKE as well (from Wally World)but was strictly under the impression that above said implement was intended as supplement only to Boreguides and a good Rod .... I DID use my boresnake yesterday with great ease and even managed to pull it through with ONE hand....but I thought surely I HAD to use a rod for a more thorough cleaning ....I should add I only fired 40 fully jacketed 55 grain bullets..... I need to quit worrying - right ? |
|
I am in Slidell currently!!! Small world .I live off Gause Blvd. not far from the I-10 I moved here approx.6months ago from New Orleans AND I DON'T REGRET IT!!! What about your handle Soylent -Green ...are you a Saturday Night Live fan or something ? So the allmigthty boresnake works that well - i am impressed . Did you read my most recent post ? I am buying some Accessories and want some Comments ....... Pleased to make your aqquaintence...I should spell check I know I know |
|
When I went to basic training in the Army we were never taught to insert the cleaning rod at the muzzle. We were taught to insert it from the receiver. Of course I went through infantry basic so we took our weapons training a little more serious than most other MOS basic training. Although I did see some other bad cleaning habits like people using their firing pins for cleaning. Rules if you just did it a few times you probably did not harm anything. Over time, especially if you do not have a muzzle break, or flash suppressor you can do some damage to the crown of the barrel. It is not a good habit to get into. The crown is the last place the round touches before it leaves the barrel. If you screw that up it can and will affect the round in some way. With the plastic rod I'm sure it is fine. |
| isnt it acceptable to feed the cleaning rod into the chamber, rod end first, until the rod appears out the muzzle, then grab the protruding rod at the muzzle and pull the wire brush out? or, should the brush always go in first and then push brush towards muzzle? |
|
Unless your stuck in the bush, use a solid coated rod. The idea of sticking anything in from the muzzle is due to the limitations of the GI sectioned cleaning rod and the old school of cleaning weapons like the M-14. Since the sections can easily flex, the concept of pulling it threw works out better than pushing it and having it deflect and scrapping the barrel. Learn to work from the chamber, pressing the rod to the muzzle. By cleaning this way, you don't have to worry about denting the muzzle, or wearing the first 1" of rifling out of the muzzle, like that of a well used M- Garand. When cleaning, I first start off with the camber brush from the chamber side of the rifle and give the lugs and chamber a good scrubbing. Once scrubbed, I will use a Q-tip and clean the barrel extension and chamber face, then move onto the cleaning the chamber and rifling with a brush, then finish off with a jig and patch. The initial barrel extension cleaning is to keep any debris (pieces of primers and bullet sealant) out of the barrel and possibly jammed into the gas port in the barrel. Bottom line is that you will find that it is better to press the crap out the muzzle, than to take a chance of pushing it back into the action. Dano |
|
DANO: so are you endorsing the process of pulling the barrel brush from chamber to muzzle? is it ever okay for the barrel brush to move from muzzle to chamber? if the barrel brush MUST go in only one direction, and that direction is chamber-to-muzzle, doesnt the brush rod HAVE to pass over the muzzle (ie: once the brush is pushed out the muzzle, do you grab the brush and pull it until the rod is free? or should you detach the brush and pull the rod back out thru the chamber? i never knew that a steel cleaning rod used properly and cautiously could actually damage the end of the barrel....that can/does happen? |
|
Quoted: DANO: so are you endorsing the process of pulling the barrel brush from chamber to muzzle? Is it ever okay for the barrel brush to move from muzzle to chamber? If you have to use the sectioned rod for cleaning, then pull the sections from the muzzle end. Do not use the sectioned rod to push. Do not get in the habit of shoving anything down the muzzle except the bare rod. With a brush on the end, you stand a good chance of scraping the rifling just inside the muzzle. Quoted:The barrel brush must go in only one direction, and that direction is chamber-to-muzzle, doesn’t the brush rod HAVE to pass over the muzzle (i.e.: once the brush is pushed out the muzzle, do you grab the brush and pull it until the rod is free? or should you detach the brush and pull the rod back out thru the chamber? Pull the brush and reinsert the rod, then reconnect inside the receiver. By pushing the rod, the rod deflects and the section ends become a nice scrapping tool. Again, just buy a one piece coated rod and be done with it. This way you can scrub the hell out to the barrel, in both directions. Even if the rod does deflect, there are no sharp edges to scrap the rifling. Also, when you back pull a brush from the chamber threw the muzzle; there is no chance of the rod end striking the muzzle crown. Quoted:I never knew that a steel cleaning rod used properly and cautiously could actually damage the end of the barrel.... that can/does happen? If the rod is pushed into the muzzle with items attached, like a brush, the rod lip can strike the muzzle crown and ding/bur the crown. Also, since the rod is steel and the rod sections are sharp, if the rod is pushed and not pulled, the rod can deflect and the sections can scrape the rifling or muzzle causing damage, due to steel on steel. Also, since most Mil-Spec barrels are chromed plated, if you start to chip the chroming, it will continue to peel. If you check any Mil cleaning directions, the rod is to be pulled. This practice was started way back when the M-1 Garand was issued, and then the M-14. On these rifles, you cannot insert a rod from the chamber; it must be inserted from the muzzle. The mil sectioned rod system works, but there are much better cleaning systems, like the coated single rod and cleaning the rifle the rifle with a pushing stroke, instead of the pull stroke. |
|
DANO thanks for the info....where can i buy a one piece coated cleaning rod? so are you saying that if i had a one piece coated rod i could then run the brush in either direction? so it isnt imperative the brush always move in same direction as bullet? thanks again. |
|
Get a bore guide. Get a Dewey rod. Push from chamber end to muzzle. Same direction bullet goes. Pull back through if just use of a jag. If use of a Brush unscrew brush then pull rod back through. Get a Bore Snake and use in the field for that fast cleaning. Remember a Bore Snake will not get a stuck case or worse squib load out of barrel. |
AR Sponsor