Cleaning Basics for the 303

[Thunderbox]

Don't forget that most barrels suffer more wear from cleaning than they do from the rounds being fired! Repeated use of tight patches and bronze brushes will quickly wear the bore.

I try to use methods that minimise wear. Consequently, I :

- use Hoppes or other solvent on soft nylon brush or cotton mop to remove firing residue;
- dry off with a soft loose patch or kitchen roll paper;
- fill bore with a foam cleaning product (usually Forrest bore foam, which also de-coppers), allow to stand for an hour or so;
- dry off with a soft loose patch or absorbent kitchen roll paper;
- repeat foam/ patch until no blue copper residue is shown;
- oil bore using a cotton mop.

If the rifle is new to me, or needs TLC, then I boil the bore out before all of the above. Although boiling out is no longer needed to remove primer residues, the heat offers the useful functions of both causing dirt to leach out of the microscopic cavities in the bore, and also makes the solvent effects of cleaning agents more effective.