Cleaning .303 Lee Enfields.

[TomEnfield]

A rather exciting post... Tried a search and didn't find much relating to just Lee Enfields

What do you guys find best for cleaning .303s?
I currently clean the barrel using both carbon and copper solvent with copper brush and patches. I keep cleaning until the patches come out completely clean and the barrel looks spotless. I then wipe down the bolt and all metal with solvent followed by a light coating of oil.

Is this too aggressive a method to use for "daily cleaning"?
Do barrels "season" through less aggressive methods?
Should I stop searching for accuracy from an Enfield and just be happy with minute of man?

[saddler]

Boil it outbusing my WW1 armourers spout.

Then Young's .303 until the patches run clean

[dave_303]

Boil it outbusing my WW1 armourers spout.

Then Young's .303 until the patches run clean

Do you do that even with 'non-corrosive' factory ammo?

Currently do this routine with the rifles I use surplus ammo in, have one of those spouts, would be happy to use it on more guns if it suits as a technique.

[Explosive]

Any method that requires scrubbing the bore will cause damage to a rifle. Wipeout is your rifles friend. Boiling water then wipeout for corrosive.

[saddler]

Don't think it does any harm as it opens the pores, so to speak...

[Alpha1]

I can not remember the last time I cleaned my .303 I just shoot it.

[Maggot]

I knew and old boy who served with the SAS during the war (Documented (and some) so not a walt) who swore that he never cleaned the No4 he carried. Said it shot prefectly well but who knows what at or how far?

I started using various chemicals on my No4 and was warned by Phil Rose (Local Enfield man and its vendor) to lay off as the chemicals used might be fine on modern weapons grade (?) stainless, but not kind to the older rifles.

Phil is a good gun plummer but specialsies in the older ones and enfields so I took notice.

I wont say what these solvents were suffice to say one has been mentioned and one uses water to remove it.

I did notice that it needed a mag full to get it back to where it was (although that could have been me more than the rifle).

I now use Mpro7 and a bronze phosphor brush but I dont tear the arse out of it. This seems better, I dont think its quite as agressive.

I was surprised to see that we are OK to use Mpro7 for the L98s as well.

Out of interest, why would you use a bronze phosphor brush with copper solvents? I always used a stiff nylon one. This way it does not slowly disolve or give false readings (You need a copper free jag as well really).

[ovenpaa]

A good wipe over with a lightly oiled rag and the same through the barrel is usually enough for me.

[TomEnfield]

I knew and old boy who served with the SAS during the war (Documented (and some) so not a walt) who swore that he never cleaned the No4 he carried. Said it shot prefectly well but who knows what at or how far?

I started using various chemicals on my No4 and was warned by Phil Rose (Local Enfield man and its vendor) to lay off as the chemicals used might be fine on modern weapons grade (?) stainless, but not kind to the older rifles.

Phil is a good gun plummer but specialsies in the older ones and enfields so I took notice.

I wont say what these solvents were suffice to say one has been mentioned and one uses water to remove it.

I did notice that it needed a mag full to get it back to where it was (although that could have been me more than the rifle).

I now use Mpro7 and a bronze phosphor brush but I dont tear the arse out of it. This seems better, I dont think its quite as agressive.

I was surprised to see that we are OK to use Mpro7 for the L98s as well.

Out of interest, why would you use a bronze phosphor brush with copper solvents? I always used a stiff nylon one. This way it does not slowly disolve or give false readings (You need a copper free jag as well really).

I use a bronze brush for carbon solvent and a nylon for copper solvent.

Do bronze brushes actually damage the barrel?

[Maggot]

I knew and old boy who served with the SAS during the war (Documented (and some) so not a walt) who swore that he never cleaned the No4 he carried. Said it shot prefectly well but who knows what at or how far?

I started using various chemicals on my No4 and was warned by Phil Rose (Local Enfield man and its vendor) to lay off as the chemicals used might be fine on modern weapons grade (?) stainless, but not kind to the older rifles.

Phil is a good gun plummer but specialsies in the older ones and enfields so I took notice.

I wont say what these solvents were suffice to say one has been mentioned and one uses water to remove it.

I did notice that it needed a mag full to get it back to where it was (although that could have been me more than the rifle).

I now use Mpro7 and a bronze phosphor brush but I dont tear the arse out of it. This seems better, I dont think its quite as agressive.

I was surprised to see that we are OK to use Mpro7 for the L98s as well.

Out of interest, why would you use a bronze phosphor brush with copper solvents? I always used a stiff nylon one. This way it does not slowly disolve or give false readings (You need a copper free jag as well really).

I use a bronze brush for carbon solvent and a nylon for copper solvent.

Do bronze brushes actually damage the barrel?

I doubt it, they have been about for eons and bronze is softer than steel but good for shifting the crap. Personally I would not use snakes and pull throughs. They were issued so that Tommy, Fritz, Achmed etc did not need to hoof a full size rod about (probably a lot cheaper as well). Not great on barrel crowns but I guess it depends on what state the thing is to start with and what your expectations are.

I just bung some Mpro7 down the tube, a few passes with a brush and jag, then repeat and thats usually fine.

The thing is you could go on about this for years and get loads of differing advice as some rifles respond to one method where another identical one might not.

It was once a policy somewhere I was working to clean again a few days after as the bore was supposed to sweat and it helped prevent rust....dunno about that one.

I will use C2R every so often but not after every shoot like I would with my FTR rifle or when I can be arsed with my AR