Cleaning handgun bores, nylon or brass brush? (Read 4262 times)

dogman

Cleaning handgun bores, nylon or brass brush?
« on: May 25, 2015, 07:00:23 PM »
Which do you use, if you use brushes?
I always buy nylon brushes, thought they will cause less wear on the barrel. The LGS was out of nylon but had brass. I was thinking does it matter? Maybe the brass brush cleans better?

macsak

Re: Cleaning handgun bores, nylon or brass brush?
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2015, 07:16:48 PM »
Which do you use, if you use brushes?
I always buy nylon brushes, thought they will cause less wear on the barrel. The LGS was out of nylon but had brass. I was thinking does it matter? Maybe the brass brush cleans better?

d-man
you think that the brass brush going through the barrel wears more than the bullet being fired through the barrel at high speed and pressure?
 :wave:

Sodie

Re: Cleaning handgun bores, nylon or brass brush?
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2015, 08:10:30 PM »
Brass.  According to https://www.tedpella.com/company_html/hardness.htm, brass is harder than copper (which I would guess allows the brass brush to remove copper fouling), and steel is harder than brass (which should keep the wear from the brass brush from doing  too much damage).

I'm with Macsak...  I figure the hundreds and hundreds of copper-jacketed bullets I've pushed down the bore put way more wear on it than running a brass brush through once in a while...

 :shaka:

dogman

Re: Cleaning handgun bores, nylon or brass brush?
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2015, 08:29:58 PM »
I guess I'm just looking for reassurance that there are many who use brass / bonze brushes with no worries. I realize you wouldn't use them with copper dissolving solvents. The more I think about it the less I should worry about it . . .  :shaka:

macsak

Re: Cleaning handgun bores, nylon or brass brush?
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2015, 08:37:53 PM »
I guess I'm just looking for reassurance that there are many who use brass / bonze brushes with no worries. I realize you wouldn't use them with copper dissolving solvents. The more I think about it the less I should worry about it . . .  :shaka:

 :worship:

Cpt.Englehorn

Re: Cleaning handgun bores, nylon or brass brush?
« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2015, 08:47:38 PM »
I use the brass brush, no issues at all, steel brush only comes out for guns that need it, normally projects, unless theres a stubborn leading/fouling issue.
High Ho Lock and Load, The Engines are Runnin We're Ready to Roll.......

Tom_G

Re: Cleaning handgun bores, nylon or brass brush?
« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2015, 09:54:33 PM »
Barrels are, at the least, hardened steel.  At the most, they are lined with something even harder.  The idea that swabbing them with something as soft as brass can be harmful is silly.  The idea that something as soft as nylon could remove deposits of metal, be it lead or copper, is equally silly. 
The difference between theory and reality is that, in theory, there is no difference between theory and reality.

dogman

Re: Cleaning handgun bores, nylon or brass brush?
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2015, 05:35:42 AM »
Barrels are, at the least, hardened steel.  At the most, they are lined with something even harder.  The idea that swabbing them with something as soft as brass can be harmful is silly.  The idea that something as soft as nylon could remove deposits of metal, be it lead or copper, is equally silly. 
Thanks for putting it that way, yes it is silly  :oops: , that's the reassurance I needed  :thumbsup:
 :closed:

suka

Re: Cleaning handgun bores, nylon or brass brush?
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2015, 05:47:55 AM »
use a copper solvent , and a brass brush for heavy build ups. assuming you shot full metal jackets.

lead bullets just run a brass brush a few times to loosen the lead build up.

for powder residue a jag is sufficient. 

Polygon barrels , a jag is also sufficient .

zippz

Re: Cleaning handgun bores, nylon or brass brush?
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2015, 04:39:23 PM »
handgun barrels will usually far outlive the handgun itself.  So pretty much a non-issue with brass brushes.
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oldfart

Re: Cleaning handgun bores, nylon or brass brush?
« Reply #10 on: May 26, 2015, 05:45:17 PM »
I run a lot of lead bullets.

Dry brush with a brass brush First...NO oil or solvent.
Don't dip the brush into the bottle of solvent.
What, Me Worry?

Inspector

Re: Cleaning handgun bores, nylon or brass brush?
« Reply #11 on: May 26, 2015, 07:46:37 PM »
I use brass/bronze brushes exclusively. I have one nylon brush and tried it a couple of times but the brass brush still did a better job after using the nylon brush.

I have never tried running a dry brush first. I will try it next cleaning day.
SCIENCE THAT CAN’T BE QUESTIONED IS PROPAGANDA!!!

oldfart

Re: Cleaning handgun bores, nylon or brass brush?
« Reply #12 on: May 27, 2015, 12:55:41 AM »
I use brass/bronze brushes exclusively. I have one nylon brush and tried it a couple of times but the brass brush still did a better job after using the nylon brush.

I have never tried running a dry brush first. I will try it next cleaning day.
...
The theory is that the dry brush would scrape lead out moa betta.
having oil or solvent on the bristles would allow them to slip over the deposits.

Then go at it with the solvents, etc.
What, Me Worry?