How do I clean my new Shilen barrel?
As with break-in and using coated bullets, you will find many diverse opinions on this subject. EQUIPMENT: Cleaning Rods: Use a good quality coated cleaning rod with a rotating handle. The rotating handle allows the brush or patch to follow the lands and grooves. A non rotating handle forces the brush bristles to jump over the lands and grooves instead of following them. BRUSHES: Use a good brass or bronze brush with a looped end. Do not use a brush with a sharp, pointed end. SOLVENTS: Every shooting product manufacturer has their own miracle solvent, and most do the job as advertised. BORE GUIDES: Highly recommended! PATCHES: Flannel or cotton patches work the best. Either trim or fold your patch to insure that it will fit snugly into the bore, but not so tightly you have to force it. Forcing a patch causes the rod to flex inside the bore of the rifle. If you are using a coated rod, this usually won’t hurt anything, but the uncoated stainless steel rods that some shooters use can batt
