A short post with over 50 years experience with phosphor bronze cleaning brushes

[chief38]

Most of us do use Phosphor Bronze cleaning brushes to clean out the barrels and cylinders of our guns. I have found that over the past 50 years the best bang for the buck in pretty much any caliber are the Brownell's standard line of brushes. They do a good job stand up fairly well and last long enough. I buy them only in bulk bags of a dozen per package and that is the most economical way to buy them. They are always in my inventory and when low I simply reorder some. For the most part I use the Bore Brush size but I also keep a bunch of the cylinder or chamber sized ones around too. They are slightly stiffer and slightly larger in diameter and will clean out lead and debris from cylinder charge holes a little more efficiently. When buying them for rifles get them in the rifle sized brushes. They are twice as long and will clean longer bores quicker and easier than the pistol sized ones.

For the most part I find the nylon, plastic synthetic brushes made by Hoppes and others useless and inefficient. They are IMO horrible! I do not buy cleaning brushes in a store as all my cleaning supplies are purchased from Brownell's - their stuff is IMO excellent (100% cotton flannel cleaning patches included). I never ever use any type of stainless steel cleaning brush or product on a gun. IMHO they are too hard and can do damage.

When cleaning 22 caliber guns I step up a notch and use Brownell's premium bore brushes that differ from their standard line only in the fact the wound wire holding the bristles is made of brass instead of steel. This is because the diameter is much smaller, closer to the bore's lands and groves and I do not want steel to ever touch my 22 barrels or cylinders.

Again, I have avoided all the carded brushes sold in LGS as they are usually made of synthetic materials and even if they use bronze, are usually substandard!

BTW, as far as cleaning rods are concerned, my #1 choice has always been Dewey Stainless steel, non coated rods. I am not a fan of coated rods as they tend to chip, shed their coating and pick up debris in the spots where they have chipped. Once a year or when needed I do a 30 - 60 second "super polish" with a very very fine piece of emery cloth to insure my stainless rods are 100% perfectly smooth and void of any nicks or chips. For .22 caliber target guns I use .17 caliber cleaning rods and a converter to accept standard size brushes and loops. The smaller diameter rods keeps the stainless away from the barrels. I also polish up my brass loops when first purchased, removing any manufacturing marks and flat edges. Makes them nice, smooth and slick and keeps them from catching any debris. Easy on the bores too.

 

[dfariswheel]

That's a big plus-one.
Brownell's are excellent brushes, and the bronze chamber brushes are the best way there is to clean a chamber fast and thorough.

As a heads up....Hoppe's has gone Chinese on their cleaning gear.
I bought some brushes early this year that clearly state on the package they're standard 8-36 threads.
THEY ARE NOT, they're METRIC and won't fit normal rods.

So far it appears that Shooter's Choice is still good.
I haven't used anything else lately, so no idea if anything else is good.

 

[M1Garandy]

I've had great service from brushes made/sold by Pro-Shot Products (in addition to Brownells brushes).

 

[Fullmetaljacket]

Agree with Chief on the nylon cleaning brushes, complete waste of time. You're better off with a good tight fitting flannel patch. Brownells also sells a heavy duty bronze brush with heavier, stiffer bristles. I've yet to try them but have heard positive reports. Seems like those would by just the ticket for scrubbing out lead deposits.

 

[stansdds]

Chief38 has, in my opinion, made some good points about bore brushes and cleaning rods. I have avoided coated rods because it is possible for the relatively soft coating to become embedded with abrasive debris.

As for bore brushes, I think the phosphor-bronze brushes are the best. Softer than steel, so not going to damage the bore, but reasonably stiff enough to remove powder and lead fouling. Decades ago, I got talked into trying the nylon bore brushes, I found them generally ineffective. I also got talked into trying stainless tornado brushes for lead fouling. Again, the spiral rings of stainless wire were ineffective and if one of those rings were to break, there would be sharp edged stainless steel that could damage the barrel. The phosphor-bronze brushes have served me well.

 

[danlbobb]

Try Montana Extreme nylon brushes.
They are much stiffer than most and seem tighter in the bore.

 

[glenwolde]

I've been using Pro-Shot also but I think I'll give the Brownell's a try.

 

[GnarlsR2]

Great info. Thank you.

How many "cleanings" with one brush before you decide to use a new brush?

While cleaning with the brush in the bore what is your preferred lubrication or cleaning solution?

 

[jem102]

If a gun is really dirty from a long range session I will use the nylon brushes first to get the crud loosened up, patch it out and then go to the bronze brush to finish. I think it makes the final passes more effective and may add a little life to the bronze brush.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Nylon brushes are pert much useless for leading or fouling........I AGREE with all the brass BB users above.

 

[oldbrownhat]

...As a heads up....Hoppe's has gone Chinese on their cleaning gear.
I bought some brushes early this year that clearly state on the package they're standard 8-36 threads.
THEY ARE NOT, they're METRIC and won't fit normal rods...

8-36? 8-32 is NC thread. 8-36 is NF. I just checked one of my cleaning rods and it's 8-32. The closest to 8-32 in metric would be M4 x .7, which is a bit smaller dia. and finer pitch, and would be a sloppy fit in an 8-32 threaded hole.

x2 on the Brownells brushes. I also use a smaller nylon (or even bronze) brush with a cotton patch over it, soaked in Ballistol. Seems to work well.

 

[chief38]

8-36? 8-32 is NC thread. 8-36 is NF. I just checked one of my cleaning rods and it's 8-32. The closest to 8-32 in metric would be M4 x .7, which is a bit smaller dia. and finer pitch, and would be a sloppy fit in an 8-32 threaded hole.

x2 on the Brownells brushes. I also use a smaller nylon (or even bronze) brush with a cotton patch over it, soaked in Ballistol. Seems to work well.

Kevin,
you are 100% correct. 8-32 is the correct thread pitch. I just checked Dewey's website for S&G's and they lists the thread as 8-36 which is incorrect. I will send them an email so they are aware. Can't believe I missed that!

 

[oldbrownhat]

Kevin,
you are 100% correct. 8-32 is the correct thread pitch. I just checked Dewey's website for S&G's and they lists the thread as 8-36 which is incorrect. I will send them an email so they are aware. Can't believe I missed that!

But I think some of the Dewey rifle rods are 10-32 or 10-24 as I have an adaptor to fit my smaller brushes.

ps- Who's Kevin?

 

[dfariswheel]

I was mistaken, American cleaning threads are 8-32.
I just miss-remembered.

Pro-Shot does make great cleaning gear.
Years ago I bought two Pro-Shot stainless pistol rods, one for .22 and up and one for .45 size.
Both are in perfect condition still.

 

[Jimbo41]

Nylon brushes are fine for distributing a copper solvent, but I’ve never found them to be better than a mop and patch.

 

[BillyKframe]

I've been ordering stuff from Brownell's since the 1970s and always been satisfied. The problem I have with Brownell's and many other gun places these days is they are "out of stock" on so many things.

 

[Narragansett]

Thanks Chief, I will look into the Brownell's brushes. As brushes go, I have never been really satisfied with shotgun brushes. As a former trap shooter shooting 25K rounds a year, I found that standard brushes did not work for cleaning chambers and forcing cones. There was a great guy ( Roger F ) that used to show up at the larger trap shoots and State shoots that had his own chamber cleaning brush that he sold. Hard bronze about 4" long on a handle. Man, did that ever remove the plastic in the barrels. Roger passed way too young, but I think the 3 packs of Marlboros a day had something to do with it. I have one, and guard it with my life. It is just a better mouse trap.