Wire Brush for Cleaning?

[ritz]

I just bought a sig p238 for my wife, and its manual says not to use a steel wire brush for cleaning, as it can damage the smooth surface of the barrel. My pm9 manual does not advise either way, and I have been using one on it since I bought it. Should I be concerned about barrel damage? Also, should I discontinue use of the wire brush?

[TucsonMTB]

Bronze brushes are a much better choice for any barrel. If the inside of your barrel is still nice and shiny, no worries. But, switch to bronze as soon as you can. Steel might be useful if you are shooing lead, un-jacketed and un-plated bullets, but otherwise bronze does the job with zero worries about barrel erosion. :)

[ritz]

Oh, ok, thank you. The ones I have look bronze to me now that you mention it. I never even gave thought to the fact that there would be different types of them. Think I'm safe. Thanks again.

[MikeyKahr]

Definitely confirm that it is bronze. Cleans super well and doesn't damage your barrel. Steel wire brushes would definitely do damage over time.

[ritz]

will do, thanks

[CJB]

I'm gonna say this - and take all the flak too. Not a totally accepted practice, but.....


In the range days, we predominantly sold lead range reloads, which were not the hardest lead in the world, but not dead soft either. They'd lead up our rental guns something fierce. The fix: Stainless steel brush, on a cut off rod (no handle) and a Makita cordless drill. A few minutes of that would get all the lead out. I cringed for the rifling's integrity.

Butchaknowat? Never seemed to harm a thing! We had a Redhawk in 357 that leaded real bad, but I would have bought that in a heartbeat (it got sold out from under me). The rifling was fine, as were the chambers. We had Smith revolvers and Glocks and an (old) Auto Ordinance 1911 (back when they were just called "45's"). Never an issue.

Not promoting that method, just sayin... it got done, and nothing seem worse off because of it. I dont have a bore scope, but I am the crazy guy who regularly peers into both ends of barrels with a 7x comparator, which can get me about an inch in. Dunno... maybe Sig is being cautious.

[deadhead1971]

this is what I use, and it's bronze. http://www.hoppes.com/products/ca_boresnakes.html