If there’s one thing I hate about firearms as a hobby it’s cleaning afterwards. I know some people find the smell of Hoppes #9 therapeutic but I’m not one of them. I never feel like I get rifle bores cleaned properly and if I do I think it takes way longer than it should take.
I have always been on the search for a better cleaning method and I stumbled upon half of the equation while attending a a long range rifle class hosted by Bergara. The lead instructor there had us clean the rifles with bore sized pellets that fit on a cleaning rod adapter. I couldn’t find them online for easy ordering which was discouraging.
A short while later I was browsing Brownells’ cleaning selection and came across the VFG Weapon Care pellets and adapter system which looked just like the pellets I learned to use at the class. I had some sent over in both 6.5 and .22 diameter which covered my main rifles.
Here’s where you can get the pellets and rod adapters: Brownells link
The second half of my solution occurred in the same Brownells website visit. The Kroil and JB Bore Compound package seemed like it may be just the ticket. Brownells sells it in a handy package deal here.
The process is rather simple, here I am preparing to clean my new PWS MK111 Mod 2 AR pistol after the initial range session to sight in the ACOG. I simply rest the pistol in the MTM shooting rest and use a rear link adapter to prop open the action allowing access for the cleaning rod.
I then load two pellets onto the rod adapter and drip Kroil onto the pellets until they are sufficiently soaked. This initial pass with the Kroil is supposed to loosen up fouling.
It should be noted that the rear pellet screws onto the adapter, but the front pellet slips onto a smooth shaft. This means it is only good to push through the bore. Once it has exited the bore you remove the end pellet and retract the rear pellet with the rod.
After that initial pass you follow up with a set of dry pellets and you’ll likely get something like this.
I will typically follow that with another dry pellet until the bore is coming out a little cleaner. Such as the photo below.
Once you feel the bore has been cleaned it is time to use the JB compound to ‘polish’ the bore. This process makes the bore easier to clean in the future.
Start by applying the paste to two fresh pellets like the photo below.
The instructions say to insert into the bore, and make a few passes back and forth before swapping pellets. As you can see I only loaded one pellet because it was going to be retracted for a few passes. Your passes down the bore will likely surprise you! Mine came out essentially black.
Simply follow up with a few dry pellets and then a final Kroil soaked pellet to give the bore a rust preventative coating and you are done.
I am loving this method so far, you do use quite a few pellets so be aware of that. You may end up with a pile like mine after every session.
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