cleaning 12g with alternative to cleaning pads?

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freeballer

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I'm still cleaning my dad's guns. Was in no rush since I am waiting on my license.
There are two shotguns, both 12g.

But the cleaning pads seemed quite inefective because of the barrel size.
And it got me wondering if there was larger pads (that did not come with the hobbes cleaning kit), or maybe something like a sabot...
That would have contact with all sides of the barrel, and might do a better job.
Are bore snakes the same diameter as the gauge/barrel?

I'd appreciate any input.
Geoff
 
GeoTrekr said:
I use blue shop towels for patches for my 12GA. Rip a sheet into 1/4s or so, and they are very effective.
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Let me look into shop towels. I know they can be useful in cleaning grease... And inexpensive.
TY for the suggestion

Greenhorse six said:
12ga. Bore snake.
Click to expand...

TY for the suggestion

I've got no experience with bore snakes. The hoppe's site says they do all the same function... as a "traditional kit"
Stupid question; do you wash them when they're dirty?
 
Bore snakes are great. I wash them after each use. A couple of passes and the bores are clean, they do a good job.
 
Bore snake is all I've ever used in a shotgun barrel. Does a great job, quick and easy. I usually do 3 passes. 2 to get the crud out and on the last pass I spary some oil on the last portion of the bore snake to give the bore a light coating before I put it away.
 
I use an ordinary 12 ga brass brush. First couple of passes through the barrel with nothing on the brush except solvent; the next couple of passes with a patch wrapped around the brush and a bit of solvent; a couple more passes with dry patches wrapped around the brush; and the last couple of passes with a lightly oiled patch wrapped around the brush.

With this method, the brass brush is used with all phases of the cleaning process. For the purposes of describing this process, I'm calling each step a "pass", but a pass in this context really means running the brush up and down the barrel 3 or 4 times.
 
I use a dry brush first ... just to push out any major crud.

Next up is a 1/2 sheet size paper towel, wound round an old Parker Hale slotted nylon jag, well soaked in Ed's Red (Google it up, easy & effective ... cheap to make in bulk) which I've been using for the past 15 years or so. Let it soak for about 5 minutes, then push out with a clean paper towel on the jag.
Next wet brush ... maybe 7-10 strokes from end to end. Paper towel on the jag again. Finish with lightly dampened towel with Ed's Red.

Chokes get soaked in a small container of Ed's Red for 1/2 hour, then brushed out. Threads cleaned with a stiff brass bristled brush.
These wood handled brass cleaning brushes are a buck or so a piece at Princess Auto or CTC. Many places sell them.
Threads lightly lubed with Ed's Red to finish.

O/U action cleaned with brushes, Q-tips, folded cloth & whatever else that will reach the nooks & crannies with a little Toluol. Thin film of gun oil to finish with a good gun grease on hinge pin/bearing surfaces. Extractors, pins & springs removed an cleaned about every 500 to 1000 rounds.

Pumps and auto loaders also cleaned in much the same way, with auto loaders getting a little more dis-assembly to clean gas pistons, outer magazine tube, mag tube cap ... wherever crud congregates.

So far an Italian made anti-gall graphite/grease has worked very well for hinge pins, etc. Beretta's oil on other stuff.
For external protection ... G96.

A good cleaning rod & brush/jag combo is important. I switched about 15 years ago to a 20mm canon brush on a vinyl covered rod I picked up at The Grand. Works like a charm for 12 ga. For smaller gauge, I fall back to more conventional stuff. Pro Shot products seem to work best for me.
 
straightshooter said:
I use an ordinary 12 ga brass brush. First couple of passes through the barrel with nothing on the brush except solvent; the next couple of passes with a patch wrapped around the brush and a bit of solvent; a couple more passes with dry patches wrapped around the brush; and the last couple of passes with a lightly oiled patch wrapped around the brush.

With this method, the brass brush is used with all phases of the cleaning process. For the purposes of describing this process, I'm calling each step a "pass", but a pass in this context really means running the brush up and down the barrel 3 or 4 times.
Click to expand...


that is exactly how I do it also! great minds think alike.
 
I use boresnake with hoppes #9. Love the smell mmm. Never seem to wash it either meh. Still makes the bores shine after two pulls.
 
Get a 12 ga cotton wad that fits on the cleaning rod system.

Just throw a regular cleaning swab patch or two over the top of it so it doesn't get completely crudded up after cleaning the bore two or three times.

I use .308 Win sized patches, throw two over the cotton wad on the cleaning rod and push her through, if I want a tighter fit, just throw another .308 patch on and run her through.
 
I use a hoppe's tornado brush. Last time I had lead crusted in the barrel from shooting slugs and it took it all out in 1 pass
 
What happened today is I made 2 stops, a hunting shop and hardware store.
The "sale" was a clearance, and no stores in the city had them in stock and they couldn't or wouldn't order them.

The hunting stop had 12g, but it obviously wasn't on sale and didnt have a larger pad or wad for 12g......
I had budgeted for $10+/- because I had ordered a half dozen arrows for archery. I did buy some
blue shop cloths and I'll try to see which method works best; wading them or using the brush and wraping.

I thank you for the ideas and posts, I know some might say you can have a sentimental attachment to a
gun but these are my fathers. I want to keep care of them the best I can.

I think a bore snake definitely is a good investment. It might be easier method for the remington
pump action. I think on my next payday I'll get a .22 and 12g..

I appreciate the advice.
Geoff

edit: oh, and they didn't have the jag or tornado.. Got to love local shops, eh?
 
Jeez, it's not that complicated.

Just a square of some ordinary cotton flannelette folded over on top of any bore brush to approximate the size of the bore, put a few drops of your favourite bore cleaner on it and swab away.

I like to clean mine now and again but on a shotgun it doesn't matter anyway unless you go hundreds of rounds between cleaning.

Within reason, a gas-operated semi-auto is different, you have to keep the vent hole clear of course.
 
Rugdoc said:
Jeez, it's not that complicated.

Just a square of some ordinary cotton flannelette folded over on top of any bore brush to approximate the size of the bore, put a few drops of your favourite bore cleaner on it and swab away.

I like to clean mine now and again but on a shotgun it doesn't matter anyway unless you go hundreds of rounds between cleaning.

Within reason, a gas-operated semi-auto is different, you have to keep the vent hole clear of course.
Click to expand...

True. I'm probably obsessing a bit...
Sround 20 yrs without firing or cleaning. So I'm making sure right now...
But time will tell how much I use it.

Thanks



stubblejumper said:
Bore mops are easy to find, and they usually cost under $5.
Click to expand...

I didn't know its proper name. I looked for those, I found 20g a 410g but no 12... Seriously!

Thanks
I will just order some stuff online for the future.
 
I ended up getting bore mops too but I always cover them with a cotton patch so they don't absorb the powder residue.
 
Here's my routine, after shooting comes cleaning. Bore Brush with Ed's Red, followed by a bore mop with Ed's Red, followed by a wadded up half sheet of paper towel pushed through the bore. Followed by a bore(a second one) with ATF on it. I have a tornado brush I use may'be once a year to remove wad residue after build up is noticed from target shooting.
 
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