To start this off, I was talking to some guys recently, and they were trying to convince me to clean my barrels with silicone oil and a loose cleaning patch on a loop style cleaning rod, then putting a couple drops down the barrel after.
I was sort of pissed that this "myth" thing has been passed along this long, so I may as well post a short guide on cleaning a barrel a correct way.
When I say A, I mean A, as there's like a billion ways to skin a cat, and mine is definitely the best I've come to so far, but it doesn't mean it's the absolute best.
Also, I've tried tons of stuff, even silicone oil or Vaseline I am sad to say, so I do have adequate experience to have a valid opinion.
If your barrel is incredibly dirty or coated in a very thick layer of BB residue, I suggest that you start with one of these copper bore brushes.
They are easily available for cleaning firearms.
Mine is 6.35mm/.25 Cal, which I have found works best.
To use, simply ram through with a scavenged cleaning rod, or a purchased one.
Here's a barrel I polished with wax based polish and some rubbing alcohol, so it is probably dirtier than you will regularly come across.
I will be starting with the copper brush.
Give it a couple passes with the copper brush if you desire, and then cut some paper towel or similar strips of about this size
Wrap around a thin metal rod such as a blowdart like I used.
Once you have done this, remove the towel spliff and soak in a bit of acetone and insert into the barrel.
Rubbing alcohol or gasoline are also options, but don't really work as well.
Then put a BB in the other end of the barrel and place that end vertically on a hard surface, preferably softer than your barrel.
Then ram a cleaning rod down the barrel very hard, compacting the paper towel into a dense rod.
Once this has been completed, push it out from the other direction, and repeat until the paper towel rod is completely white, or whatever the original color may be.
Tip #1
Always have a plastic cleaning rod (they usually come with an airsoft gun)
Tip #2
It's also good to have a stainless rod of sorts
Tip #3
Clean the cleaning rod before cleaning the barrel
Tip #4
You really don't have to do this often, just when performance is sucking or your barrel is visibly dirty and more than you would like
I was sort of pissed that this "myth" thing has been passed along this long, so I may as well post a short guide on cleaning a barrel a correct way.
When I say A, I mean A, as there's like a billion ways to skin a cat, and mine is definitely the best I've come to so far, but it doesn't mean it's the absolute best.
Also, I've tried tons of stuff, even silicone oil or Vaseline I am sad to say, so I do have adequate experience to have a valid opinion.
If your barrel is incredibly dirty or coated in a very thick layer of BB residue, I suggest that you start with one of these copper bore brushes.
They are easily available for cleaning firearms.
Mine is 6.35mm/.25 Cal, which I have found works best.
To use, simply ram through with a scavenged cleaning rod, or a purchased one.
Here's a barrel I polished with wax based polish and some rubbing alcohol, so it is probably dirtier than you will regularly come across.
I will be starting with the copper brush.
Give it a couple passes with the copper brush if you desire, and then cut some paper towel or similar strips of about this size
Wrap around a thin metal rod such as a blowdart like I used.
Once you have done this, remove the towel spliff and soak in a bit of acetone and insert into the barrel.
Rubbing alcohol or gasoline are also options, but don't really work as well.
Then put a BB in the other end of the barrel and place that end vertically on a hard surface, preferably softer than your barrel.
Then ram a cleaning rod down the barrel very hard, compacting the paper towel into a dense rod.
Once this has been completed, push it out from the other direction, and repeat until the paper towel rod is completely white, or whatever the original color may be.
Tip #1
Always have a plastic cleaning rod (they usually come with an airsoft gun)
Tip #2
It's also good to have a stainless rod of sorts
Tip #3
Clean the cleaning rod before cleaning the barrel
Tip #4
You really don't have to do this often, just when performance is sucking or your barrel is visibly dirty and more than you would like