# ? how to clean shotgun without using a million patches



## sillyburt (Mar 16, 2001)

every time I clean my smooth bore shotgun out it seems I need to use a million patches!!! I use a brush first and then alternate with wet and dry patches.

the problem is using the tool to hold the patches. it looks like a needle. after folding and jamming three patches in the needles tool the patches still do not fit tight/snug in the bore??? I end up with the patches forming a "T" type of apparatus. because of this I end up turning the rod as I go up and down the barrel to get the barrel evenly cleaned. this seems silly and inefficient!!!!

am I missing something here!! should I try to jsut wrap a patch around the brush..... that seems like that would work!! what do you guys do when cleaning something like this 


thanks in advance


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## Guest (Oct 18, 2001)

I have the same issue... I was looking at one of those "bore snakes" that are like a big fluffy rope you run through your barrel. Anyone have any experience with these? any other cleaning tips?


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## Mr. 16 gauge (Jan 26, 2000)

O.K. guys, here is how I do it:
I take a patch and soak it very thoroughly with solvent, then run it through the bore; really saturate it good. I then go away for a few hours and let it soak in. I then take a tornado brush (I can't remember if these are made by Hoppes or Outers, but they are a wire brush with loops instead of bristles) and soak it in the solvent and run it through about 2 dozen times. You will be amazed at all the plastic fouling that comes out with this brush. I then dip the brush in solvent and wipe it off. I then take and wad up a bunch of material (I save old socks, skivvies, t-shirts ect from the rag bin) and place it on the end of the breech, and with the rod ONLY (no needle insert), force this wad of material down the bore and out the muzzle. I rarely have to do this more than 3 times, even with the most fouled of bores. I then take a patch and place it in the needle adapter, and give it a good spray with WD40, then run it through the bore. Then your ready for the next one! Good luck and good hunting.


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## Guest (Oct 18, 2001)

Thanx for the info.. I guess I will have to get some t-shirt rags or something.... all my old socks and skivies have so many holes it looks like they have been shot with a shot gun .. once again thanx


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## Liv4Huntin' (May 24, 2000)

Wow...... thanks a bunch, Mr. 16! That sounds like a super solution to a real chore! (Even though a necessary one!) I will try it after sighting in again for slug season down here.... perhaps this weekend.

I'm wondering though....... someone a couple years ago mentioned to me when using the brush, to be sure and wash it out after solvent with hot, soapy water and rinse and dry it well, since the solvent could damage the metal brush...(his comment was that the solvent WAS after all, to get metal fouling out of the barrel as well, and the brush was metal --- i.e. when shooting copper plated shot for turkey hunting.)

Anyone else heard of this? Sounded logical to me. Since then, just to be sure, I do wash my brushes afterwards..... may make them last longer anyway. 

~ m ~


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## Youper (Jul 8, 2001)

The only thing that has worked for me is an old brush I got from my grandpa, and I would be lost without it. It is the only one like it I have ever seen, and I don't know why no one makes it any more. I think it came from Outer, because the rest of the cleaning kit did. Anyway, the brush has steel bristles and is mushroom shaped. It can only be pushed down the bore one direction. I use it like one would a cleaning jag for rifles for my wet and dry patches, and the regular new brushes for brushing. I'm guessing it was made sometime in the 30's to 50's.


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## Guest (Oct 18, 2001)

ANyone have experience with a bore snake??


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## Hunter333 (Jan 19, 2000)

I use a few pads as well as the spiral brush. It might just be me but when I take the time and clean the barrel well, I see it as protecting my investment. Protection is worth the time that it takes to clean it properly. Set some time aside, relax, and think about all of the shooting you did in order to have to clean the gun


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## Sarge (Apr 25, 2000)

Ask a question of 10 hunters about cleaning their weapon and you'll get 10 answers that are different. Fortunately all of the answers are correct, at least for the one who sent it. Here's mine.

IT CAN'T BE DONE.

With that said, I have made some effort to reduce the process. First I went out and bought Jags instead of the needle loop thing. A jag is a fat round device designed to fit into your bore with one patch wrapped around it. It fits snugly, assiting to "force" the crude to move. This is especially helpful when pushing a solvent soaked patch through as it deposits the solvent right on the problem. The jag will not go through some chokes, but it fits through all barrels with the choke out.

Using the ideal of the snake, and being cheap, I took some strong cord, and tied a rag onto it. Trial and error taught me just how big of a rag I could pull through the barrel. Different size for different barrels naturally. After I get the chunks and clumps out, using my jag, I wet one snake with solvent and drag it through and the other I leave dry, and drag it through. Normally once through with each leave the barrel shiney clean. I can still get a faint smudge on a patch sometimes but my equipment can stand that much without rusting or fouling. I also run an oil patch througn and then the dry snake again. for the heck of it.


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## Sarge (Apr 25, 2000)

Ask a question of 10 hunters about cleaning their weapon and you'll get 10 answers that are different. Fortunately all of the answers are correct, at least for the one who sent it. Here's mine.

IT CAN'T BE DONE.

With that said, I have made some effort to reduce the process. First I went out and bought Jags instead of the needle loop thing. A jag is a fat round device designed to fit into your bore with one patch wrapped around it. It fits snugly, assiting to "force" the crud to move. This is especially helpful when pushing a solvent soaked patch through as it deposits the solvent right on the problem. The jag will not go through some chokes, but it fits through all barrels with the choke out.

Using the idea of the snake, and being cheap, I took some strong cord, and tied a rag onto it. Trial and error taught me just how big of a rag I could pull through the barrel. Different size for different barrels naturally. After I get the chunks and clumps out, using my jag, I wet one snake with solvent and drag it through and the other I leave dry, and drag it through. Normally once through with each leave the barrel shiney clean. I can still get a faint smudge on a patch sometimes but my equipment can stand that much without rusting or fouling. I also run an oil patch througn and then the dry snake again. for the heck of it.

OOOPPPSS sorry about the duplicate


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## Guest (Oct 19, 2001)

Thanx never crossed my mind to make one..


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## sillyburt (Mar 16, 2001)

Sarge,
thanks, I found some jags that my ddad used to use but they were for rifles. I was wondering if there was a jag for shotguns.

the jag is definetly what I am looking for, however I have never seen them at the store. that would solve my problem. it seems like you would end up using only one patch and get a better fit in the barrel.

16 gauges ideas are something I'm going to think about also. that is using a brush several times and then drying with an old rag/sock.

The needle type adaptor I have for my shotguns is a piece of crap and seems useless.

thanks ALL


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## PrtyMolusk (Aug 13, 2000)

Howdy-
My simple solution? I only buy 999,999 patches!    
Les


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## Sarge (Apr 25, 2000)

Gander mountain has jags. They are usually on little cards hanging near the Snakes and other peices parts. I've only seen them for 12ga, 20ga, and rifles. Don't know about 410, 28ga etc.


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## Guest (Oct 20, 2001)

Tried the old t-shirt thing.. It worked great!! can't beat the price either!! free..


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## Ricciardelli (Mar 26, 2000)

Do it the easy way...get a Tyco Tool...

Push it in, pull it out and the bore shines...


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## jweage (Oct 19, 2000)

I've got a 12 Ga. snake and one for .45. Both work very well, one pass through the bore and it is nearly spotless. It is a lot less hassle than getting out the cleaning rod and running 10 or more patches through the barrel.

Josh


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## Sarge (Apr 25, 2000)

Ricciardelli, good to hear from you, long time no read, or maybe I just don't frequent the right forums. 

By the way, what is a tyco tool, Is there one on a catalog web site so I can see it? Secondly, does it take the built up crud off after a long day of trap or skeet? I find my biggest challenge, is that after shooting all day, and then driving home, I have caked on carbon and plastic goo, etc. that is really hard to get out. especiall from the choke tubes.


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## Ricciardelli (Mar 26, 2000)

Sometimes you might see it called a Wolley Booger...

It is a rigid rod, somewhat over bore diameter, and is covered with "wooly" stuff. I have found that one pass in and one pull out, and it removes EVERYTHING.

Works fine even after 500 rounds of Red Dot!

Hell, they may not even make them anymore...I bought around 25 of them several years ago...keep one in each shotgun case.

And in my spare time, I can use it scratch my back...


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## Ricciardelli (Mar 26, 2000)

They are still distributed, only now by Silencio.......


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