I've found 7mm brushes to be great for 270's and worn 30 cal brushes work nicely in 7mm bores. 30 cal brushes seem usually okay for .308 bores, but 8mm brushes for .311 bores are better. Pistol sizes are generally better sized, but for rifles the 'correct' size just seems to tickle the fouling, not really loosen it...

Anyone else noticed that, or am I just using cheap crap?

same here

I "recycle" my brushes--when the .30 cals get worn, they become 7mm then .270 then .257--can't use them much smaller than that. But, the new .257 brushes become .243s and then .224s and you can surely get lots of mileage out of them that way.

I switched to Pro Shot brushes several years ago for this very reason. The 30 cal brush has about the same OD as the 8mm brushes on my old set.

I use oversized brushes all the time. Of course, if anybody knows where I can get .423 brushes I might stop using the .458 brushes on my 404 Jeffery.

Well I would'nt go overboard. I can imagine the "wires" bending over in the bore and getting dragged along in the "trail" position.

Whereas if the wires are not bent back so much they may "scrape" better.
Heck I just let the chemicals do most of the work.
I find a worn brush good as a jag, with a narrow strip of rag wound on.
If it comes out fairly clean (of powder fouling) I'll pull it back before exiting the muzzle.
Amazing how much more crud gets scraped off,for a couple of passes.
(That's probably why you fellars scrub in the first place.)

quote:

Originally posted by dustoffer:
I "recycle" my brushes--when the .30 cals get worn, they become 7mm then .270 then .257--can't use them much smaller than that. But, the new .257 brushes become .243s and then .224s and you can surely get lots of mileage out of them that way.

I grew up in the 1950's.
Clothes were called "hand me downs".

My 8mm is the oldest brother [someone's father in law died and I got them by the pound].
Next in line is the .311 grooves
Then .308
Then 7mm
Then 270
Then 6.5

257 is the spoiled little brother that gets new clothes.

6mm is the spoiled little brother that gets new clothes.

223 is the baby.