SmallCaliberCentral

I was wondering if anybody can recommend the size of patches to use for the cooper .204 and what brush is better, nylon or brass? I use a pro-shot patch 1 1/8 inch square for the .223. Any advice or heads up would be appreciated.

I was having trouble with the same thing in my 204s using a 20cal Dewy rod and jag.I switched to a carbon fiber 17cal rod and jag with much better results.Try a 1" or 11/8" for a good fit.I use bristle brushes when necessary,otherwise wipeout patchout works well.

I use 7/8" patches and prefer a nylon brush.

I use Pro-Shot square 1-1/8" patches for my rifles from .20 cal to 6mm. The secret is to use the PROPER SIZE SPEAR-POINT JAG, which is caliber specific.

This way, you can keep one size patch on hand for all your varmint rifles except the .17's, which use the 3/4" square patch, along with the proper .17 cal spear-point jag. But the point I'm trying to make, is use a spear-point jag, and you'll soon see why the "loop" jags are a waste of time and energy, not to mention hard on your barrels. (The spear-point jag never touches barrel steel.)

By keeping all my caliber-specific jags and brushes in compartmentalized boxes, you've got everything you need for each rifle right at hand in the field in every caliber, but only two sizes of patches for rifles from .17 to 6mm:



I use nylon brushes for applying CR-10 or Sweets, but a bronze brush is really the only thing that will scrub nasty carbon and copper fouling out of a barrel. Chris Ditcher, owner of Pac-Nor and Darrell Holland did some tests cleaning barrels, then sectioned them on the mill, cutting them lengthwise to reveal fouling after cleaning, and they found that ONLY bronze brushes used properly will completely remove the nasties we're trying to get out of our barrels, especially true with factory barrels. It's your barrel, you decide.

There's other methods of storing/cleaning of course, but this has worked for me for a very long time. HTH

Redfox, you must have been reading my mind. I was packing supplies last night for a trip to the range today. All of my cleaning stuff (except rods) is in a Husky toolbox. Keeps it nice and organized but I never need EVERYTHING that's in it. I was thinking it would be nice to be able to just grab a couple of brushes and jags and some patches, throw it in a small Plano box, and go. But which patches work in which rifle with which jags??? My brain is full and doesn't remember all the different combination I use and I never get around just jotting it down on a post-it when I'm cleaning.

To answer your question: in my Cooper 20 VT I've been using a Montana X-treme .20 cal jag and one (1) 3/4" Montana X-treme patch or two (2) Hoppes .22-.27 patches. The MX fit perfectly, hold solvent, and clean the bore very well.

Rick, I don't even want to know how you're using those swivel studs to clean a bore.

inKYfromSD wrote:Rick, I don't even want to know how you're using those swivel studs to clean a bore.

Ha! You saw those. Those QD studs are from varmint rifles so equipped, but were shot last from the bench off my Sinclair front rest. The stud tears up the front bag, so.......they get removed, put into my jag and brush box till needed again. Most of my HB rifles don't get bipod equipped much, I've got walkabout rigs for that, so most times those studs live in the box for quite a while. Probably not the best place for 'em, but I know where the little buggers are when I want them.

The field box, my old USMC Match Shooters Box, slightly modified for the "varmint patch":



Whatever works, right?

Rick, are you using bronze with other solvents? I've destroyed bronze brushes by using them with ammonia-based cooper solvents. I figured that if the solvent is eating the brush, then copper is getting deposited back in the grooves. I start with Shooters Choice and patches, then bronze brush with Shooters, patch until clean, then attack with CR-10, MX, or Sweets and a nylon brush until a patch doesn't show blue. If I'm not in a hurry I run a wet patch of Hoppes Bench Rest through and let it sit in the vise overnight.

I really like that shooters box! It would appear that you've been at this long enough to have it all down to a science. You just killed the rest of my weekend. I'm going to have to re-organize some cleaning stuff into smaller containers, stack it and measure it, and build one of those boxes. It's great having all my supplies in the large toolbox but there are times when it's just too much to take.

I see small rods for cleaning handguns and rifle chambers, what kind of long rods are you partial to? My buddy swears by Tipton carbon and I've got three Dewey coated rods. I took a flexible Otis "cable rod" to Alaska but never used it. Before bore snakes were invented I made my own flexible "rods" out of heavy duty weed trimmer line. Melt and flatten one end and "point" the other end. Nice to have choices. That patch trap is nice to see. I hate seeing patches blowing all over the place. Are you going to divulge the contents of the unlabeled bottles?

I use KG12 for copper cleaning, doesn't harm barrels or brushes

http://www.kgcoatings.com/cleaning/kg-1 ... e-cleaner/

Here is a test they did with it

http://www.jarheadtop.com/KG12_Test_Results.htm

inKYfromSD wrote:Are you going to divulge the contents of the unlabeled bottles?

Sure, no biggie there....usually I use my BR mixture of Shooters Choice/Kroil at 60/40%, also Butch's at times. CR-10 or Sweets for copper, nylon brushes for that stuff, no amonia based solvents when using bronze brushes. Hoppe's Elite gun oil for bore conditioning, some WS2 in denatured alcohol for my bores that I shoot coated bullets in, and some Holland's Witches Brew for those occasional times it's needed.

I've got cleaning rods galore from years of 'try-outs', but a rack of Dewey's in all calibers from .17 to .45 sits on the gun room wall. See, no biggie, purty typical.

Thanks guys for the info-always find lots of good info on this site. Rick-do you wash your brushes in some sort of solvent as they look in pretty good condition and what sort of bore guide are they - are they possum creek?

I still havent shot my .204 yet-it has been too hot and now we are flooding and the river is still rising. I discovered that I havent got any brushes or jag for .204 yet anyway. I will get there one day.


cheers

i use and recommend the 7/8" round cotton flannel patches for the 204. Also recommend the Montana Xtreme 20 caliber brass jags and nylon brushes. We sell a large quantity of all these products each year to customers, all of them report back that they are very happy with the results they are getting. I would also recommend the Wipe Out Patch Out bore cleaner, in my opinion its the best bore cleaner on the market today. Just my 2 cents.

Brad

1 1/4 patches from Brownell is the ticket

http://www.brownells.com/gun-cleaning-c ... px?ttver=1

i use 2 3/4" patches sweets and a brass brush

have run it in yet and how did it shot

I have used the 1 1/8 patches and they work fine. Just shot the .204 today and run it in. The first shot was a flyer after just cleaning the rifle. The 5 shots measured 3/4 ". The last 4 of the 5 shots fit under a 5 cent piece at 100 yards. I love my Cooper and am ready for the next one-just got to sweet talk the wife!!! Cooper VarTarg