SmallCaliberCentral

hey guys, does anyone have any ideas on how to clean your 204 without scratching the crown? I don't see any muzzle guards on the market for 20 cal. Is there a home made method of guarding the crown from the cleaning jag on the back stroke.Thanks for any ideas.

A rifle should NEVER be cleaned from the muzzle. You should always clean from the breach end, and use a proper bore guide with a one-piece quality cleaning rod.

If you are not familiar with proper cleaning methods, read up on it before starting and possibly ruin a perfectly good barrel. Here's a good place to start and also ask questions....they're all shooters themselves:

http://www.sinclairintl.com/

Here's my gun-box in the field just for an example of all the stuff needed to care and feed rifles in the field...notice the bore guide for the rifle I'm shooting (my custom M700 11-twist 204 Ruger Match):



Rifle getting the scrub down:



Nothing special, just what I consider the 'right stuff'.

Rick has is spot on. Even lever action/pump/semi auto's can be cleaned (with out breaking the action down) via a snake pulled from the muzzle out the chamber, but even then be careful rubbing on the crown end.. As said never, if possible, clean from the muzzle end. Bill K

After actually taking the time to read your post, and realizing that "Is there a home made method of guarding the crown from the cleaning jag on the back stroke" means that you ARE cleaning from the breech, no I don't know of a product to help you. I just unscrew the jag from the rod, but that's just me. Of course I'm not cool enough to be using one of those bottle thingies to catch my patches. I do use a bore guide, though, and highly recommend them. Best wishes, Gary

If you use a rod and jag that are matched in size, there is no diameter difference to deal with on the return stroke. I'm using Dewey rods with Pro Shot jags and brushes.....same dia, no crown damage on the return stroke. (Yeah, I read it too, but the 'return stroke' part somehow eluded me. )

The Muzzle Mate shown is a courtesy to our landowners so as not to leave solvent soaked patches on the ground that end up in his spendy alfalfa bails later. It is also good for cleaning at home to eliminate the solvent spray from brushes exiting the bore; no solvent stink in the house.

I do clean from the breech,use a bore guide.I use a Montana extreme rod with matching Montana extreme brass 20 cal. jags,but still get hung up sometimes on the back stroke. I guess the only way to prevent it would be to unscrew the jag after it exits the muzzle.

ALP: Sounds like you've got it covered, but the difference in diameter in rod/jag/brush sounds like what is causing your hangup at the muzzle. Removing the brush or jag every pass through the barrel would be a royal pain in the arse if you ask me, especially in a hot PD or squirrel patch where targets are romping about continually. The right combination of components will eliminate your problem and save that crown.

Using my Dewey rod(s) and Pro Shot brushes and jags has not damaged any of my rifle crowns in all the years I've shot grass rats, not even on the sometimes dreaded "return stroke". It's that diameter difference or lack of........

Thanks for the reply Rick,I think your right about the diameter. I'm going to try a new jag and see if that helps.

I’d agree with what has been spoken thus far and clean from the breech whenever possible. But not all guns can be clean effectively from the breech; in those cases you have to clean from the muzzle. A lever action such as a Winchester Model 94 is difficult to clean from the breech, although a Marlin 336 cleans quite easily if one pulls the bolt which is considerably easier than the Model 94. Some others that I shoot often that fits that category are M1 & M14 Rifles. I like bore-snakes and they do serve a function but I have yet see one that is as effective as a good dose of elbow-grease with Dewey cleaning rod and good brush.

Now, there are alternatives. My Dewey pistol rods came with a brass conical shaped muzzle guide that works for anything for 22-cal and larger; haven’t tried them on 17-cals. Another alternative is spent bottleneck rifle cases that fit just inside the bore.

All of my rods are coated Dewey rods but I believe “Tipton” makes fiberglass rods instead of steel. Whatever you do; “don’t E-V-E-R use one of those USGI sectional, butt-stock cleaning kits to clean your rifle. You'd be better off leaving it dirty IMO.

HTH,

Jim.. My 94's and another lever action are all cleaned from the breech end with Snakes. I am not a big fan of a snake, but because I can clean from the breech/action end this is what I use, rather than chance damage to the crown, by cleaning from the muzzle. Takes a little more time, but they do clean the bore. Just my thoughts on closed style actions. Bill K