NEWB question

[S281]

First handgun i've ever owned. I've learned a ton from this website and friends. I have a quick question on cleaning that i have seen mentioned in a few places.

Is it a concern when cleaning the bore with a rod to not knock the side of the bore? When i clean my bore, i stick a brush/patch down the bore. It takes some pressure to push it through and when it comes out the muzzle end, it gives and i end up knocking the inside of the bore/end of the barrell. Is this going to hurt it over time? The rod i am using is made of stainless steel. I am using one of those guards to help guide it straight, but once through and i unscrew the brush/patch, it knocks on the way back. I also here you dont want to ruin the crown on the barrel, is that the very end of the rifling on the inside of the bore? Because i think the cleaning rod hits up against it when i am trying to bring the rod back up.

Am i doing something wrong?

[NiK]

Originally Posted by S281

First handgun i've ever owned. I've learned a ton from this website and friends. I have a quick question on cleaning that i have seen mentioned in a few places.

Is it a concern when cleaning the bore with a rod to not knock the side of the bore? When i clean my bore, i stick a brush/patch down the bore. It takes some pressure to push it through and when it comes out the muzzle end, it gives and i end up knocking the inside of the bore/end of the barrell. Is this going to hurt it over time? The rod i am using is made of stainless steel. I am using one of those guards to help guide it straight, but once through and i unscrew the brush/patch, it knocks on the way back. I also here you dont want to ruin the crown on the barrel, is that the very end of the rifling on the inside of the bore? Because i think the cleaning rod hits up against it when i am trying to bring the rod back up.

Am i doing something wrong?

Some say it won't hurt a thing. Then again, some hardcore AR enthusiasts can provide metallurgic evidence that it will affect accuracy, and will spend 3-4 times the normal amount on a special rod.

It's safe to say nothing major will happen to your XD if your cleaning rod occasionally knocks the barrel. It's not like it will blow up in your hand.

If you're really concerned with this, try the Otis cleaning system which consists of a coated flexible rod that you pull through the barrel. Hell, try it anyway. The Army has started issuing it. I actually bought one from Clothing & Sales; it's the $hit.

[mr0w1]

What NiK said.

I try to avoid hitting the inside of the bore, especially the crown, with anything. Remember, always clean from the breech end (assuming it's possible; AK's for example you cant get in through the breech).

I have 2 nylon coated Dewey cleaning rods that I use for cleaning all of my guns; never worry about hurting the rifling or crown. They're solid, one piece designs. In addition to not (potentially) messing up your gun, they don't try to unscrew when you run them down a rifle. IMO, they were worth the money.

[Clumsy_ninja]

I am no gunsmith so take this with a grain of salt.

This issue has been expounded upon on every gun board I have ever seen.

My feeling is this: A gun is DESIGNED to fire a copper coated lead bullet down the bore at supersonic speed by the use of rapidly expanding hot gas.

I don't think a cleaning rod accasionally bumping the lands and grooves will effect anything. I could see maybe if you were really grinding the bore back and forth with the rod, but I don't thinkg so.

I have a S&W 1911sc and if you read the SandW bords you will find a thread about the poor muzzle crown on their barrels from the factory. People are sending them back to be fixed or replaced or buying after market brands.

Mine has one of the worst crowns I have ever seen on a firearm. It would just about cut your finger if you rubbed it. BUT, this is one of the most accurate pistols I have ever seen. I can't believe how accurate it is out of the box. It easily shoots better than I am capable of shooting it. I used it to shoot my department's qual coarse and put all 50 rounds through a jagged hole high center mass of the BG target.

Again this is just my opinion. If guys on the AR board say they have data to prove that cleaning rods decline accuracy I will not call them liars. I just personally don't buy into it.

Also keep in mind that if there is a decrease these guys are noticing it may be so minute as to only effect competition target shooting. In a defensive firearm the difference in 1/4MOA and 1/2MOA won't matter.

just my .02 worth, ymmv.

[Arnisandyz]

At the very least use a brass rod instead of stainless. Just like a punch, you want the tool to be softer than the thing being worked on, so if something gets damaged, the tool will give before the gun. I think stainless steel is pretty tuff stuff.

[Meta4]

Out of curiosity, how in the world do you run a cleaning rod from the breach to the muzzle? You have to remove the barrel from the slide to do this, right?

Inquiring minds want to know!

-James

[mr0w1]

Originally Posted by Meta4

Out of curiosity, how in the world do you run a cleaning rod from the breach to the muzzle? You have to remove the barrel from the slide to do this, right?

Inquiring minds want to know!

-James

Precisely. Remove the barrel from the slide. On the XD, it's all of a 10 second operation if you're taking your time.

On an AR or FAL, just crack the thing open and run it from the back. An SKS can be done breech to barrel as well. Revolver, AK, obviously that isn't possible w/ a rod.

[Brickboy240]

Try to clean from the breech. This requires field stripping the pistol, but thats easy and a good way to familiarize yourself with how the pistol works.

The best thing is to avoid gouging the crown or the tip of the muzzle - thats what affects accuracy the most. Still, if you're using a brass, aluminum or composite plastic cleaning rod, you've got to hit it awful hard to do any serious damage.

Yes, there ARE those that swear that the micro small hits from ANY metal rod on the rifling will cause damage (and they're partly right...in theory), but since the XD is not a target pistol and you're most likely not shooting match grade ammo - you will most likely NOT see any noticeable damage from an occaisional bump of the cleaning rod against the crown.

Hope this heled you,

- Brickboy240

[S281]

I try to avoid making contact, but do you guys have any tips on how to do that? I push the rod through with the brush or patch/jag but as soon as i get to the end of the muzzle, and its about to pop out, it just gives and i end up smacking the inside of the bore. Then I unscrew the brush/jag and bring it back out the breech side. Is it basically just practice and be more careful?

[mr0w1]

Brushes are tight and there's little to be done about that, but when patching, the patch doesn't need to be really tight to do it's job. If you're using much force to put a patch through a barrel, the patch is too big. If you avoid that excess force, you're less likely to smack the end of the barrel when it comes out.