How to clean a BLR?

29 October 2007, 03:40

ireload2

I clean mine from the muzzle. I would avoid using a brush or letting the rod touch the muzzle. I just run 4 or 5 patches through with a minimum amount of Hoppes. I repeat once a week for a couple of weeks. That gives the chemicals enough time to work on the fouling. Then I repeat and dry it out when I take it out to shoot again.

Hoppe's is an excellent rust preventative. I don't know if they have it in OZ. My minimal cleaning method protects from rust but my rifle lives in a safe in a reasonably temperate climate 200 miles from the Gulf of Mexico.

31 October 2007, 14:56

JAL

We sure do have Hoppies, which is good. Sweet's is quicker on copper, but will encourage rust if nothing else is used afterwards.

Carefully using a rod will do, and Bore foam as well.

To clean from the chamber is easy, with a basic Otis (pull-thru) system. If you can't figure out their method of getting a tight patch, you can wrap a narrow piece of rag around an old brush.

Even an old $7.00 .303 pull-thru will do at a pinch. Remember to use the middle loop.

01 November 2007, 13:02

Ian in Oz

Thanks for the replies. A pull-through sounds like a good option, I'll acquire an Otis ASAP. It might also be a good reason to give Wipe-Out a try, I've read good things about it.

Cheers

Ian

23 November 2007, 07:43

zzWop

I am not sure why people are so paranoid about cleaning from the muzzle end. Quality one peace cleaning rods are covered with plastic and you just got to be careful not to rub the front bits on the muzzle. Brass touching the muzzle doesnâ€™t hurt it (unless you really want to damage it and make an effort). Now-a-days there are all synthetic rods in the market that are even more muzzle friendly.
I clean my BLR with a Parker Hale rod and never have a problem. I laugh when I see pump and lever action owners use pull throughs to break in the barrel.

Itâ€™s amazing what influence gun magazines can have.

Use a quality rod and enjoy your BLR.

Mine is a Mod 81 .308 Win. â€“ LOVE IT!!

23 November 2007, 13:10

JAL

Yeah well, you may have missed the point a bit.
One point is the smle was issued with a pull-thru even though the bolt comes out, doesn't it.

The idea being to keep the crud comming out the muzzle instead of flippling/dribbling/running, into the chamber/action/lockup areas/lifters/ tube mags/trigger, etc. etc.

Mind you, I could clean from the chamber with a rod from the muzzle. Just ease the rod in sans brushes/jags ect., screw the attachments on thru the ejection port and pull the rod out.

But sure. . . Get your laughs where you can.
Meanwhile, it's easer to carry an Otis pull-thru kit around the bush, than a rod.
Can you see where that could be handy??

25 November 2007, 05:21

zzWop

JAL, Are you alright there mate?

quote:
One point is the smle was issued with a pull-thru even though the bolt comes out, doesn't it.

Answer: Can you see where that could be handy??

quote:
The idea being to keep the crud comming out the muzzle instead of flippling/dribbling/running, into the chamber/action/lockup areas/lifters/ tube mags/trigger, etc. etc.

If you ever pulled a soaked patch through? You will know about dribbling. Clean the whole rifle not just the bore.

quote:
Mind you, I could clean from the chamber with a rod from the muzzle. Just ease the rod in sans brushes/jags ect., screw the attachments on thru the ejection port and pull the rod out.

Thank you we never knew that.

quote:
Meanwhile, it's easer to carry an Otis pull-thru kit around the bush, than a rod.

Meanwhile, why the heck would you want to carry a cleaning kit with you while you are hunting, keep it in your car. If you are concerned about water getting in your barrel, tape YOUR muzzle.

But sureâ€¦be a clown if you want

25 November 2007, 15:39

JAL

quote:
Originally posted by zzWop:
JAL, Are you alright there mate?

*YEAH, thanks.

quote:
One point is the smle was issued with a pull-thru even though the bolt comes out, doesn't it.

Answer: Can you see where that could be handy??

*IS THAT an answer or a question?

quote:
The idea being to keep the crud comming out the muzzle instead of flippling/dribbling/running, into the chamber/action/lockup areas/lifters/ tube mags/trigger, etc. etc.

If you ever pulled a soaked patch through? You will know about dribbling. Clean the whole rifle not just the bore.

*NOW DON'T start dribbling there now. The trick is NOT to have an excess of goop on a rod or pull-thru. A little goes a long way. And so you recomend dismantling your BLR to clean the whole rifle just to do the barrel? (Well it might be needed the way you do a barrel.)

quote:
Mind you, I could clean from the chamber with a rod from the muzzle. Just ease the rod in sans brushes/jags ect., screw the attachments on thru the ejection port and pull the rod out.

Thank you we never knew that.

Who is "we". Are you a two lane-er?
Well, you Aussie hicks can learn a lot from the printed word. For starters, much smarter people than me, barrel makers, gunsmiths, etc. have stated that your plastic covered rod can be murder on barrels if allowed to rub the muzzle.
Same for brass and other soft metals. They have stated THEY CAN SEE the wear on barrels with their bore scopes.

quote:
Meanwhile, it's easer to carry an Otis pull-thru kit around the bush, than a rod.

Meanwhile, why the heck would you want to carry a cleaning kit with you while you are hunting, keep it in your car. If you are concerned about water getting in your barrel, tape YOUR muzzle.

*Um, well, Otis claim, among other things, that their little "Kit" can be used to knock stuck cases out. I had one when the extractor broke, and then one more every time I shot after that for that trip. But with experence comes little problems that crop up, which I haven't the time to enlighten you on now.

But sureâ€¦be a clown if you want

*Thank you, while your laughing watch out for bugs getting in your big gob.

26 November 2007, 01:28

Westernmassman

A bore guide in the muzzle and coated rod with jag works for me. I also use Shooter's Choice.

26 November 2007, 04:52

zzWop

quote:
Yeah well, you may have missed the point a bit.
(1) One point is the smle was issued with a pull-thru even though the bolt comes out, doesn't it.

(2)The idea being to keep the crud comming out the muzzle instead of flippling/dribbling/running, into the chamber/action/lockup areas/lifters/ tube mags/trigger, etc. etc.

(3)Mind you, I could clean from the chamber with a rod from the muzzle. Just ease the rod in sans brushes/jags ect., screw the attachments on thru the ejection port and pull the rod out.

But sure. . . Get your laughs where you can.
(4)Meanwhile, it's easer to carry an Otis pull-thru kit around the bush, than a rod.
(5)Can you see where that could be handy??

Sir
(1) What are you trying to say?
We have served, all issued weapons we have used can be cleaned from the breech. The reason the military issues a pull-thru is explained in paragraph (4) of your message, thatâ€™s why we used paragraph (5) of your message as our answer. Your fingers are going faster than your brain.
You are the one who mentions dribbling/running into the chamber/action, if thatâ€™s what happens you need to clean the whole rifle. No you donâ€™t take it apart you flush it with an evaporative cleaning agent and then you oil it.
We donâ€™t have to explain why we use the word â€œweâ€. Consult your dictionary.

quote:
Well, you Aussie hicks can learn a lot from the printed word

We politely ask that you do not use Australia as your location if you are not an Australian and insist on insulting Australians.

Finally if we offended we apologise!

01 December 2007, 09:21

dmazur

I have used Otis pull-thru systems, Hoppe's boresnakes and cleaning rods.

The one piece coated cleaning rods by Dewey are sure easy to use. If you use a brass bore guide, this removes any concern of scuffing the critical crown area.

I just turn the action upside down when pushing a patch down, or stuff a clean rag in the action to catch the spray if using a brush.

I carry a pull-thru cord for a quick cleaning in the field, but IMO nothing beats a coated rod for a lengthy cleaning session.

01 December 2007, 13:36

JAL

quote:
Originally posted by zzWop:
We donâ€™t have to explain why we use the word â€œweâ€. Consult your dictionary.

Cripes Wop, I couldn't find it. I always thought it was plural, or the Royal perogitive.
No matter.

quote:

We politely ask that you do not use Australia as your location if you are not an Australian and insist on insulting Australians.

Born at Nundah Brisbane 64 years ago. I just get bored with insulting Kiwi's all the time.

quote:

Finally if we offended we apologise!

No offence taken mate, just stating that cleaning from the muzzle is not the norm or accepted way, there are alternatives, a muzzle protector as dmazur points out, is advised, and when I pull the Otis brush out the muzzle end, goop is flung all over. I suppose a rag in the action would catch that.

You may do as you like, but I wish to caution a newby from see-sawing away at the susceptible muzzle without due care.

And sure, if you like shooting you can't be all bad.