I normally use wet/dry patches and a boresnake after each session and then, after about 200 rounds, I thoroughly clean my 17 HMR barrel using bronze brushes. However, I am thinking of using a bore cleaning foam instead of brushing.

But, before changing my normal cleaning regime I have two questions;

1/ Is it possible to thoroughly clean a 17HMR barrel without bronze brushes ?
2/ Will a bore cleaning foam cause any damage if left in contact with the barrel overnight ?

I have four 17hmrs and a 17M2, I've never owned a .17 bore brush, they all get cleaned with foaming cleaner and a Patchworm. If you want to use the snake, you can remove the brush by working it out of the weave.

Forrest, Outers, Hoppe's, Gunslick and several other foaming cleaners are all the same product made by Milfoam, Gunslick is the best buy I've found, 12oz for $12.99 at Sportsman's Warehouse. Wipeout is a different product and may work slightly better, but costs more too.

Just noticed you're in the UK, doubt you can get the patchworm there, but they do ship international. They work excellent, they're extremely popular at Rimfire Central.

www.patchworm.com

http://www.patchworm.com/credit.html

http://www.milfoam.fi/

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/index.php

quote:

Originally posted by wrongtarget:
I have four 17hmrs and a 17M2, I've never owned a .17 bore brush, they all get cleaned with foaming cleaner and a Patchworm. If you want to use the snake, you can remove the brush by working it out of the weave.

Forrest, Outers, Hoppe's, Gunslick and several other foaming cleaners are all the same product made by Milfoam, Gunslick is the best buy I've found, 12oz for $12.99 at Sportsman's Warehouse. Wipeout is a different product and may work slightly better, but costs more too.

Just noticed you're in the UK, doubt you can get the patchworm there, but they do ship international. They work excellent, they're extremely popular at Rimfire Central.

www.patchworm.com

http://www.milfoam.fi/

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/index.php

Thanks, may I ask how long you normally leave the bore foam in contact with the barrel ?

For the rimfires, not long, they don't copper foul much, 15 minutes or so is all that's needed, more or less depends on what else I want to do while they're "self" cleaning!

For centerfire rifles that foul much more, I leave it in overnight, ~12hr or so, it can be left in even longer without hurting anything as it's also a corrosion prohibitor. Here's some technical info on Forrest bore foam by Milfoam.

http://www.milfoam.fi/Forrest%20foam%20statements.pdf

Thanks again. I have been bronze brushing every 200 rounds or so to remove the hard carbon which accumulates in the throat rather than for copper removal. In fact I've never detected copper fouling in the 17 HMR.

So, for the these very hard carbon deposits, will the bore foam still do the job and, if so, what sort of contact time is needed ?

Hoppe's Elite cleaner works very well for carbon fouling and is readily available most everywhere.


http://www.6mmbr.com/borecleaning.html


http://www.targetsports.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=3868

Wrongtarget, when one leaves the foam in overnight, do you have to plug the barrel? And if so with what. Good information, thanks. Bob

My process has evolved over the years, due to the foam eventually turning to liquid as it works, it also will settle in the bottom of the bore. When it does that, it doesn't treat the bore evenly, so I now lay the rifle on one side for about half the cleaning time, since most rifles laying on a flat surface the muzzle will be slightly down so any cleaning solution will run out the muzzle instead of into the chamber and action. After about 6 hrs or so, I turn the rifle over on the other side for the remainder of the cleaning time, if the rifle doesn't lay muzzle slightly down, I put something under the stock to make it lay that way, doesn't take much. I also put a paper towel under the muzzle to catch any drips. Some shooters stick a disposable ear plug in the bore as a stopper, but I've never needed to do that.

I have just re-read the Milfoam PDF file and have noticed a slight difference in the wording for each calibre. In summary, Milfoam claims that for small arms the bore foam reduces the need for mechanical cleaning while for the larger calibers the bore foam totally removes the need for brushing.

SMALL ARMS
Benefits for small arm cleaning are reduce the mechanical brushing, effective copper removing and standardization of cleaning.

BARREL CLEANING - MEDIUM SIZE
The bore cleaning foam removes without brushing the powder and copper residues.It saves time and labor costs. The foam replaces the long time brushing.

BARREL CLEANING - LARGE CALIBER
FOAMER Heavy Barrel Cleaning System for 76mm to 155mm barrels

It completely replaces the current abrasive cleaning methods .

Do you think maybe that has something to do with the effort it would take to push a brush thru any bore larger than a small arm barrel?

I queried the information in the PDF file and this is the reply from Milfoam:

I have to check the PDF. file. It is upside down. With large calibers, brushing is needed e.x. artillery guns. New powerful triple based powders with strong pressure will make the carobon very tight to the steel. With normal rifle, foam is enough, no brushing needed. Test and you will find the result.