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CZ 455 barrel cleaning tecnique

14K views 30 replies 22 participants last post by  gmd1950  
#1 ·
Hi everyone,

I would know the exact procedure and the right materials to use for cleaning the barrel.

Let's start on the frequency of the cleaning: how often should I clean the barrel?

Actually I clean after every time I go on the range, so every 100 - 150 rounds.

I use this sequence: fill the barrel with Forrest bore cleaning foam and let soak for 30 mins. Next I pass a nylon brush for 5 times. Next I pass VFG felts until they exit the bore clean. Finally 1 patch of WD40 and 1 VFG felt to clean excess oil.

I'm not sure Forrest bore cleaning foam is a good solvent, is it better Shooter's Choice or Hoppe's 9?
Is the nylon brush too aggressive? Should I use only solvent and patches/felts?
 
#3 ·
Please go to the Stickies at the top of the CZ Forum where you will find "Sophia's Answers to Frequent Questions." Start at the top, and read all the way to the bottom. I know I did!:bthumb:
Thank you for the suggestion.
But I can't find a response on how often cleaning, what brand or type of solvent using and what type of brush, nylon or brass, is better
 
#4 ·
The sticky's are an excellent spot,they also avoid the key board pounding and bashing that happens when some insist only their approach is the gospel and we mortals shouldn't even think that our cleaning is acceptable.This usually goes south very quickly on the personal cleaning tutorials. Just sayin!!!

R
 
#5 ·
Let's start on the frequency of the cleaning: how often should I clean the barrel?

Actually I clean after every time I go on the range, so every 100 - 150 rounds.
I don't have an exact number or schedule, but I clean my rimfires much less frequently than my centerfires.

Of course they always get "cleaned" and wiped down with oil after any shooting or handling session, but the bore doesn't see a rod nearly as often.

marksman83 said:
I use this sequence: fill the barrel with Forrest bore cleaning foam and let soak for 30 mins. Next I pass a nylon brush for 5 times. Next I pass VFG felts until they exit the bore clean. Finally 1 patch of WD40 and 1 VFG felt to clean excess oil.

Is the nylon brush too aggressive?
A nylon brush is fine, and definitely not too aggressive. A bronze brush is fine as well, though I personally use nylon. Just DO NOT use a stainless or a "tornado" brush for any reason. You will trash your bore in very short order.

Also, I would not recommend WD-40. I love the stuff for other uses, but not on my firearms. Even though you patch it out afterwards, WD-40 can dry and leave a definite hard buildup of residue. For the bore, a nice light oil is all you need.
 
#9 ·
Unless you have a very rough bore, which your CZ shouldn't, cleaning that often is doing nothing but washing the lube out of the barrel, and prematurely wearing it. You shouldn't have any substantial leading without a defective barrel. I clean mine when I first pull them out of the box, then maybe once or twice a year, and never during squirrel season. Other than the one I bought in February none of my 4 have been cleaned since October or November of last year.
 
#18 · (Edited)
THIS!!!



That is correct. I was a smallbore competition shooter in high school. We practiced every night. 35-50 rounds each. The bolt action Remington 40XB and Winchester 52, and Anschutz rifle bores were cleaned before the practice season, and later cleaned after the last match. The ONLY time we cleaned in between is when the group widened. We did clean the action and breeches due to the waxed target ammo, but that was it. Our coach did a test with a bench rest to show the whys of this practice. A clean bore took at least 20 rounds to 'foul' and settle down. A clean bore never started in a match without a week of practice shooting first to season the bore.

BTW, we used Hoppes back then (it is different chemically now, but I still use it at times). For all .22LR, I still practice a variation of this. After a shooting session I use a bore snake for a .177 caliber (no brush) with a greased patch in the loop that I pull though once. I use real Swiss waffenfett yellow grease that the Swiss army used after shooting). Before a new session I use a different .17 caliber bore snake with a clean cloth patch in the loop to remove any grease film. I may use a Dewey rod and a patch on full bore match-type bolt rifles. Only very rarely do I ever use a brush.

.22LR is not corrosive. It is the effect of moisture getting in any bore soot or fouling that may have an effect in long term storage. Many folks take years off the life of their rifles with too aggressive cleaning, or never have the rifle reach its full potential that comes with a well seasoned bore.
 
#12 ·
I think I asked a question like this as couple of years ago and, like you, got a range of replies. What I took from that thread is that different folks have different needs, and those of a squirrel hunter may differ from those of a dedicated benchrest shooter. I don't mean to say that there are no wrong solutions, but within the universe of correct ones, folks seemed to have adopted the cleaning regimen that fits them. So with that caveat, here's what I do with my .22's:

After each range trip I use a home-made patchworm (weed-whacker line with one end trimmed to sharp and the other melted to stop a patch from falling off) and Hoppes No. 9 -- five or six cotton patches until I have gotten the worst of the crud out. Then a clean patch or two and then a patch with a light coating of RemOil on it. That's it until accuracy starts to fall off. I make sure to pull the nylon line straight out of the bore without touching the crown. Next range trip, I set aside some ammunition for foulers to re-lube the bore. I mainly follow this routine so that I am starting each range trip in more or less the same place and can (hopefully) cut down on my variables from visit to visit. Note: I am a casual plinker searching for best accuracy, not a competitor, so I don't spend any time worrying what the "other guy" is doing. I want my rifles to last a long time and to give good value. I put a clean patch down the barrel before each new shooting session to take up any excess RemOil (don't want to "bake" it into a polymer by firing into an oily barrel or encounter any pressure issues).

Once a year on my birthday, or more often if indicated as above, I will get a bore guide, a coated rod and a caliber-specific brush and/or patch jag and work on any problem areas. I have a bore scope, so I inspect and then clean with Hoppes No.9 and/or Kroil. Inspect again. If the problem persists, I move to a more aggressive ammonia-based solvent, like Sweets. You have to be careful with that stuff -- it will damage your bore if left in too long (or not fully removed, which amounts to the same thing). I have not generally found leading to be a problem, but the bore scope would show it in short order if I did.

That's it. I have a bias towards the least aggressive products I can find. Hoppes No., 9 has been around a long time, so plenty of Beta testers. Ditto RemOil & Kroil. ;) This is the last area where I want to be an innovator. Slow and steady.

Good luck and report back. I feel like if you tried to compile a data base with RFC responses to this question you'd get a chart with a really long list of techniques/variations on one axis and a relatively small number of adherents to each one (relative to the number of respondents) on the other. However, having said that, I am always surprised how many folks here will take the time to answer a question like this. It is part of the RFC generosity that keeps me coming back.
 
#13 ·
The Red Green Theory regarding WD40 . . .
If it moves . . . Duct Tape.
If it doesn't move . . . WD40!

A friend asked an Anschutz rep at a Shot Show about frequency of cleaning and was told . . . after every case.

It still boils down to one's own comfort level. I would not be comfortable with the Anschutz reply.
When do you see accuracy falling off and how many rounds to coat the bore after cleaning.
When testing different ammo is a dry patch enough, wet patch and dry or a total scrub followed by coating the bore by firing.
How much oil is really removed with dry patching? Leave the bore coated with oil and dry patch before shooting and shooting in order to dry the bore.

Lilja recommends Butch's Bore Shine and I now have a pint.

Like so many questions . . . you end up with more questions and few answers.
 
#22 ·
One thing I do recommend, is to consider the new inexpensive borescopes.

I understood why many didn't buy one in the past as they cost as much as most guys had in their guns. But now that isn't true.

The Lyman borescope on sale is cheap. It certainly isn't the equal of the lab grade units, but it costs a quarter of those and is "good enough". You can tell if you have wear, rust, or carbon fouling. You are no longer cleaning blind, regardless of how you are cleaning or how often.
 
#27 ·
Don't use WD-40 but any good grade gun oil will do. I also don't clean 22 rimfire very often but I do clean my 17 HMR more than my 22. If you are shooting consistently good scores in club matches, why would you want to clean the bore until the scores dropped off (you will probably know if you just had a bad day or something else is in play). Your choice!
 
#28 ·
No WD

I agree with all those here who have stated "no WD-40". I have seen collectible firearms ruined by long term storage using WD-40. It's a solvent, not a preservative and should be used used for loosening rusted bolts, even though PB Blaster is better for that. WD-40 has no place around firearms IMHO.
 
#29 ·
bore cleaning

im with the croud about wd 40. for longer storage i use a good brand of fogging oil . if its good enough for a $8000.00 boat motor its good enough for my guns.
i also dont like nylon brushes because any material that is soft will imbed with grit which is then ground multiple times through the bore. the making of diamond lap will illustrate the point.:eek: