This man's gun experience is so vast that he shows just how simple cleaning and maintenance really is! Not much he doesn't know! Old school ways still the best in 2021!
I agree. Over my nearly 70 years my bs sensitivity is finely tuned. Unlike so many utube gurus I detect zero bs from gunblue. His willingness to share his years of experience is a testament to the man's character.
Your videos are great! My wife makes fun of me for watching stuff like this lol. She ask me “how do you love guns enough to watch someone else clean one?” I just tell her I’m learning! I’m no gunsmith but I’ve always enjoyed the process of disassembling firearms, cleaning them, and putting it all back together. Thanks again!
I would have a quick retort to my Mrs.: “I don’t know honey, how do YOU love make up enough to watch someone else applying it to their faces?” It would probably cost me one or two nights with no action, but it would be well worth it.
Wow, I can't believe how you clean your firearm just like my father did. I use to think he was crazy how simple he done it until I got old enough to understand and he explained it to me. But now I see why his guns and his father guns that has been passed down to me are still in excellent condition. As always an amazing video with great knowledge shared. Thanks
Best common sense approach to cleaning a rifle I have ever seen. For years I have told my hunting companions they didn't need to de-copper the bore. Great job on this.
Your common sense, straightforward explanation in the first 24mins of this video has completely changed my whole outlook on cleaning firearms!! NOW by following your instructions, I will achieve consistent results in the correct cleaning and care of my firearms. THANK YOU!! You earned my sub!! 👍
I, too, would buy a set of dvds with the compilation of GunBlue videos His wealth of knowledge and clarity of thought and speaking is a treasure to be preserved
Thank you Blue, I'm 70 yrs old now and listening to you reminds me of my father with all of his wise advise. And by the way,,,, listen up all you of you younger folks, this is one smart fella with years of experience and little time for nonsense. He is giving it to you straight.
Thank you so much for continuing to generously share your knowledge. We can imagine that putting these videos together takes a tremendous amount of time and effort. The invaluable education we've received has simply been the foundation of our working gun knowledge. Please let us know your favorite charity. We'd like to make a donation on your behalf and as a way to say thank you. You are appreciated! May God continue to bless you. David & Elizabeth
So true. Reminds us of the parable Jesus tells in Luke 19:11--27. We are charged with multiplying the talents He's given us for His glory and kingdom. A day will come when we must account for what we've done with the gifts He's bestowed upon us. Will send an email shortly.
Seriously, I would pay good money for a compiled DVD set of all your videos no problem! Your wealth of knowledge is by far my favorite online. Thanks as usual for another great lesson on the shooting sports. Gerry
Agreed, especially if UA-cam bans gun videos. I haven't been seeing any ads lately for gun videos, so I wonder if that will be sooner than later. Would love to get this content!
I respect the knowledge and the time it takes to make these videos but my understanding is the AR platform needs to be wet but this gentleman stated that the chamber needs to be bone dry for the perfect fit between ammo and chamber so I'm a little confused there are too many opinions on how a rifle should be cleaned is my issue with UA-cam
robert pinto he is correct. Unless you only shoot in very controlled indoor situations, you want to lubricate it well, meaning completely, but you wanna make sure and wipe off ALL excess, as this oil will attract and become completely saturated with dirt and grit which can damage your weapon’s perfectly smooth steel surfaces.
If only my father would have been into guns. I didn't get into it until my 50's and I will be 60 later this year. I sure missed out on a lot of fun and knowledge. I really appreciate learing from you and others like you. So for some reason, I felt compelled to subscribe.
My dad only owned one gun. It was a Japanese Nambu pistol that he captured from a soldier on Guam or Saipan during WWII. He never cared to touch or shoot it. I think combat probably gave him all the shooting he needed in his lifetime. Anyway, I loved guns since I can remember, but I never had a mentor to show me the way. My dad & mom gave me my first gun, a .22 when I was 13 or so. No instruction, no nothing. Just go out to the farm and shoot! Somehow they trusted me. I have bought over 50 guns in my life and have about 20 now. One gun is the most valued though. My dad's Nambu.
I am sorry to hear that. My father was an ffl holder and a gun smith so I was taught about firearms at an early age. It has been a large part of my life and I learn something new all the time. There is nothing like the feeling of a successful hunt wherein you are able to spot the wildlife, stalk it to within range, dispatch it, and then get it back under your own power. I suppose I could call it a truly primal feeling of accomplishment. Even though you started late I think you have plenty of time to enjoy firearms.
One of the very few times when I feel that the Internet gives me access to an amazing wealth of knowledge I would otherwise never have found. Thank you, Sir! Excellent presentation!
I live in the woods and don't have many people to talk guns with. Just one of your videos is like having several conversations with multiple people over many months. Thank you for the insight and keep those videos coming. 2 thumbs up.
Listen to this man! He knows by EXPERIENCE what you need to do. I worked in metallurgy for 33+ years an I agree with everything he says. I too like Hoppe’s solvent just because of the smell. It’s a perfume to me. GREAT video sir!!!!!
In the age of the internet where everyone has a different opinion, method, 'right way to do it,' etc. on everything, I will always defer to the unassuming, straightforward guy who has likely seen it all but doesn't need to advertise it. Thank you; this video is incredibly helpful!
I recently discovered your UA-cam channel. I must say, this is some of the most useful and informative instruction on UA-cam. I watch all the big popular firearm UA-camrs, but you posess a degree of experience and knowledge that dwarfs the others. The way you describe things is easy to understand and also highly useful. I also like that your videos are not over-edited and not flashy. They are straight to the point with simple demonstration. I appreciate your videos very much, please keep making them!!! Sincerely, a novice firearm enthusiast and hunter.
very well put reminds me of a friendly neighbour i had many years ago when I was young and grass green who gave un biased knowlegable advice. To whom I remain grareful to this day.
I agree with Gunblue’s cleaning philosophy. I’m a hunter not a bench rest shooter. I’ve found cleaning a bore down to the bare steel requires multiple fouling rounds (15-20) to get the rifle shooting tight groups. I now run a couple patches with Hoppe’s, bronze brush a few passes, a few more Hoppe’s soaked patches and dry patch out. This will not clean the bore down to the bare steel but it will greatly reduce the number of fouling shots (3-4) required. I do not aggressively go after copper unless the rifle’s groups start opening up. This rarely happens because I don’t allow the bore to get into such a fouled state. Regular, light bore cleaning prevents copper to build up to the point it affects accuracy. During hunting season, I leave the bore fouled. I will run a bore snake if I’ve been in the rain or if possibly anything has gotten in bore. Otherwise I don’t want to disturb the state of the bore if it’s shooting well. Good luck.
I am in my 50's but watching this, I felt like I was a kid again, listening to my dear departed Uncle Bob when he would teach me how to clean my gun. We just used Hope's solvent and oiled with some oil he had in an old metal oil bottle. Probably military issue from WW2! Anyway, everyone who has guns should watch this and your gun oil video too.
This video saved me hundreds of dollars. Every other gun cleaning video makes you think you need a $200 tool kit and 3 dozen bottles of snake oil solvents to "properly" mop a bore. Watching this, I realized all I’m missing is a quality rod. Brass and aluminum rods are bad for your bore and all you need solvent-wise is Hoppes #9 and/or mineral spirits; both of which I already own. Thank you, GunBlue490!
This is hands down the best video for all that is really necessary for 99% of shooters out there. Thank you for the quality video on a free platform. I am now subscribed. God bless!
1990's Canadian army here. Same old. Clean clean clean!!! Drilled in to us so hard it's a compulsion. I'm easing up on the oil before storage now to what the factory says.
By far the best cleaning video I have ever seen. In addition to learning great common sense cleaning practices, you taught me how to use the many tools used for cleaning a rifle. Thank you!
You are officially my favorite UA-cam channel! I really appreciate your sense of humor, I think that is something that is missed by most. Your wealth of knowledge and your usage of the word cartridge should translate to a million subscribers! Again, I really appreciate your channel and look forward to viewing all of your videos.
You have quickly become my favorite instructional firearm channel online. I love the straight forward no nonsense approach sir. Great to learn from someone who has many years of experience. Thanks again for taking the time to put these videos together and share them with us.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. That was the most comprehensive yet easily understood description of how to care for a firearm I have ever encountered. I recommend it to anyone with any level of experience. It will help you understand why you are doing what you are doing not just telling you what to do.
Just another newer gun owner to say thanks. As a former armorer in the US Army this type of logical speak is very much appreciated. I say this as someone who has his entire experience with military firearms but years down the road is just now getting into firearms as a civilian. New owner of my first hunting rifle (Tikka T3 lite in 308) and you're videos have done me so much good cutting through all the noise out there regarding conditioning/cleaning/sighting/etc. Hat is off to you sir. Thank you for taking the time to put these videos together and sharing your knowledge.
I would like to offer an alternative theory about why higher end rods use male threads. A female thread in my experience tends to bell out allowing the attachment to loosen easier (exacerbating the belling) and increasing chances the rod contacting the bore. Excellent instructional video.
I used mineral spirits and Hoppes to clean my firearms the last time out to the range with my .22LR rifles and my Hi-Point 4095 .40 cal carbine and I must say I have never had such good results. I used the Hoppes and wire brush, making 4 passes down the barrel from breech to muzzle and then used the mineral spirits and Ram Rodz brand cotton bore swabs for final cleaning. After about 5 Ram Rodz were run down the barrel each was as clean as a whistle. Thanks so much for the tip on mineral spirits and mineral oil! This will save a lot of money in the future!
00:14 -- Made my entire day in one second flat. Funny yet serious. I direct new shooters/gun owners here for a cleaning lesson. I sincerely hope that I'm as succinct and educational as this gentleman when I get a ways older.
I love wisdom! You have clearly made a study of this. Thank you for sharing your long held interest with us. You are also an excellent communicator. All the best.
Thank you very much for this SUPERB gun cleaning video! Simply THE BEST. As another person mentioned, everybody needs a Grandfather like you. You possess so much knowledge...and I appreciate your sharing it. I don't do ANYTHING with my guns until I've checked your many videos.
I have just come across this guy. I picked up some great pointers from this video. Tiny amount of copper in the bore is not a problem dont overshoot the rifle as the barrel becomes over hot esp just ahead of the chamber and will start to break down. Cotton flannelette only. No synthetics or dead t-shirts. Loved his bench area and that vice with his wooden protectors and too would love to see these excellent videos on disc. --------- One thing i do in gun cleaning. I insert the probe of a can of compressed air just inside the barrel and give a seconds blast to remove the loose dirt first. Hold a cleans swab in front of the barrel to see hm carbon/dirt/ whatever comes out. Then i go to the spirits etc. Thankyou for the knowledge and the great presentation.
Hello - thank you very much for clearing up so many myths! Everyday I watch these I am back in the classroom and truly with a master. So few people toady know the story behind the story. Long overdue - clearing the myths is the biggest gift you can give us shooters.
I tried the mineral spirits and mineral oil today, just wanted to say thanks again this works great it got all the micro rust off from being in the field and it don't smell like 3 in 1 oil , etc those oils make me nausas the smell.... But mineral oil is pretty much sentless I love this. ❤❤❤
A gun will never require more than very simple fluids to last a century or more. As you've found, mineral spirits or a Stoddard solvent, and a micro sheen application of a mineral oil is a done deal.
Been watching your videos over the last week or so....each time I finish one, I feel as if I just left a class room...Thanks for sharing your experience.
only just come across your vids and all i can say is what a breath of fresh air in the huge selection of gun vids on you tube.Your down to earth approach with no b/s is a refreshing change and I can now say that I will be able to remove a vast amount of other contribitors from my saved vids that I seem to have collected many with dubious advice,and you have become my first pot of call when i am in trouble and need reliable advice from U.K.
When using your tips and techniques on my guns for several years now, and it works great my friends all think I’m crazy they think you’re crazy, but I think you’re wonderful thanks for all the tips and techniques. We only use our guns for two weeks a year you know lower deer hunting. Thanks.
Hello! You have taught many of us the right way to clean our weapons. Thank you for your knowledge and willing to share the same with all of us. Your a credit to this country🇺🇸 your ability to explain in easy to understand terms makes us all feel we are there with you! Thank you😊
Been listening and commenting for a while now. Thanks so much . An older brother, father , and grandfather all in one, but also a friend anyone would admire.
You and I are probably about the same age. I Probably have a few years on you being born 1945 but I have learned quite a bit from you in watching your videos and I really appreciate your freely imparting your acquired knowledge. I took your advice regarding the use of the bench vice and I can whole heartedly endorse second your endorsement of this method of restraint you rifles whenever you are working on them, it is far superior to the commercially available gun visas that I unfortunately have and now no longer use. Thank you very much for that little tidbit. Just as an aside I noticed you also use the same cheap rubber mats to walk on in front of your bench as I do. The old arthritic joints do appreciate every little bit of help they can get to do their job. Like you I believe my two favourite cartridges for woodland deer are the 30-30(32 Spc) and the 7mm-08. I have shot most of the others over the years. My third choice would be the venerable marlin 336c in 35 rem. nothing like 200 grains of lumbering flat-nosed lead to move a spruce bow out of the way.
Just happened upon your channel. Seriously, you have a wealth of information to share and it's much appreciated. Not to talk much about myself, but i recently got into firearms and wanted to learn more about how the parts interact with each other and how you maintain them, and have found your channel a vast and invaluble resource for that. The whole shifting of mindset to just cleaning steel is helpful in of itself. Also, thank you for your service. My grandpa went career in the airforce during Vietnam, dropping ordinance out of a phantom. He didn't talk much about it when he was still on this earth but I know it was hard on him. What he did leave behind were some of his beautiful firearms. I believe a part of him is still in those firearms and being able to maintain them for the foreseeable future is special to me, so thank for you that.
One of my most eye-opening purchases was my bore scope and I had just gotten a custom Barrel from a reputable source. Well I was horrified when I saw all the gouges scrapes in tooling marks on this $500 Barrel! It looked terrible! Well that went on to become my most accurate Barrel. So I know you're telling the truth about copper. And incidentally I didn't have to follow some nerve-racking barrel break in procedure I took it out and shot it and after about 40 or so I brought it home and got the carbon out and that's what I do every time. And that Barrel shoots sub 0.5moa.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. 1) What do you do if the gun is not a bolt action? Say a Ruger 10/22 or a revolvers? 2) Do you use the mechanics vice for a shotgun bbl? 3) Do you wash your bore snake? If so , what do you recommend? Do you wash your lightly oiled rag or replace when dirty?
Thank you Sir for sharing your experience and knowledge, its people like yourself that are few and far between these days unfortunately, your giving attitude is much appreciated.
I wished we were neighbors cause I could listen to you all day and night and run stuff past you. I always think I'm pretty fluent and good to go on most things but I always love hearing it from a different perspective. Such a great hobby isn't it?
@52:00 you mentioned the brass bore brush with the steel wire core that was doubled-back to make a non-marring nose. I discovered Tipton makes a bore brush with a brass wire core, eliminating the possibility of marring the bore. But, I did round-off the front end on mine on the bench grinder just to be safe. Great video! I learned a lot.
Learn something new everyday. Never knew you could clean and condition a gun with mineral spiritits and mineral oil.. I'm going to give that a try instead of paying a fortune for cleaning stuff. Thanks
Good Video, In the Grooves of My 1903 A3, I thought I had rust, I tried to scrub it out. I looked at My New Ruger Hawkeye 30 06, and it had the same thing. I figured out that it was just copper . I don't worry about it anymore. I just clean after a few shooting sessions pretty much the same way You do. I use a quality one piece, coated Cleaning Rod very similar to Yours. Great Video Sir
Dissimilar metals in the presence of moisture and the "salts" contained in and produced by smokeless powders and priming compounds leads TO "rust" and galvanic action and ultimately the kind of pitting and corrosion that will ruin your rifle bore if it isn't already. Copper fouling itself is indicative of something "wrong" with the barrel and/or ammunition. Fouling of copper or lead is the result of excessive pressures and/or clearances between bore and bullet allowing hot, high-pressure gas to "leak" through the "gap" between bullet and bore. That high-pressure, high-temp gas melts away the soft, low-melting point copper or lead while it heats the higher-melting point steel of the barrel and the fouling ends up "plated" onto the surfaces of the bore because those non-ferrous, soft and low-melting point metals end up being "soldered" into/onto the steel. Too tight of a bore and "oversize" bullets and too much friction can ALSO cause fouling so its probably more accurate to say that incorrect clearances rather than excessive clearances are the cause of fouling. But even with correct clearances, excessive pressures will also cause it. Like I said, there's always "something wrong" with a gun and/or its ammunition when its fouling. And fouling isn't a problem that gets "better" over time even if its "necessary" for the gun to shoot "right". There aren't fouling removers of both the chemical and mechanical type because fouling is "nothing to worry about".
Barrel break in done right.... the point in which the rifle barrel has had any rough edges knocked off and Imperfections in the metal become sealed with copper. It’s not fouling, it’s a natural seasoning of the steel. Your barrel will be most accurate after it has reached a state of a Copper equilibrium.
I bought a used 40lb. mechanical vise but haven't gotten around to cutting out some plywood to use to cushion the vise's grip on the barrel or even buy the lag bolts to secure the vise to the bench...I'm going to the range tomorrow so I cleaned my two rifles laying on their side on top of my coffee table very carefully..I got it done although it took a while. Thank you for teaching me to think outside the box..just cleaning metal is all it was.
lol just saw a guy say he used motor oil and you just said not too, very glad I found tgis video grandpa. As far as im concerned your my gun grandpa now. Thank you for the knowledge you've got youself a new student:)
This was a master class in gun cleaning. Found out I have being most of it correctly but also some mistakes...no more. I put a piece of terry cloth towel below the raceway when cleaning the chamber to catch any solvent off the patch as it is removed. I was using "Ed's Red' as a cleaning solvent but will change to just mineral spirits in rifles. Ed's Red is great for shotguns with the plastic build up that comes from the shot cups as it contains acetone which will take out any plastic residue. The other ingredients in Ed's are kerosene and auto transmission oil, this last ingredient and its additives a definite no no I just learned. Thanks so much for this very informative video!
By far the best video I have ever seen on cleaning a firearm. Thank you so much. Been cleaning for years and learned more from this than I have ever known!
This is one of my favorite videos. I have shared the heck out of this. The kind of non-hyped information that comes from knowing your stuff over years of experience.
I just loaded 40 rounds. 20 each.of 100.gr.and 117 trainers. Using h414.for 100 grainers.and 53.3 grains of retumbo.for 117. Rem.cases cci large rifle primers. SIR.,I LEARN FROM YOU EVERY TIME I WATCH. I BEEN LOADING FOR 50 YEARS. GOD BLESS U.AND FSMILY AND BEING A DOG MAN. LOVE YOUR DOG
Great video. I got a huge laugh at your ''de-programming'' technique with your volt meter! Cleaning a firearm is important and it's nice to learn that it can be accomplished without be so complicated. I really appreciate learning that we dont always have to remove all of the copper. Why clean away accuracy?! Your term ''copper conditioning'' is a good way to refer this topic.
Can you do a video on maintaining/cleaning/restoring wood stocks for rifles? Are wood stocks sufficient for cold weather/snowy and hot climates where wood stocks expand and contract? Thanks.
Wood stocks have been used all over the world in all possible climates for centuries, for military and civilian use. Minor changes in bullet impact can occur with tightly bedded barrels and/or non-bedded receivers, which is easily remedied with epoxy bedding receivers and free floating barrels. The INDUSTRY, with the help of quite a number of stupid writers who vomit such nonsense, has successfully convinced the public that plastic stocks are better, because they cost a tiny fraction of walnut, and they pocket the difference. The least expensive wood stock requires an expensive blank selected for stocks, skilled layout of the grain, primary cutting, lathe turning and inletting on a replicator, several progressive sanding operations, and application of weatherproof finish. It's a man-hour intensive process that requires manual skills and lots of time. A percentage of stocks never pass final inspection. Molded synthetic stocks are spit out like sausages, and even hand-laid fiberglass stocks are made with fast setting resins by low skilled workers that are complete stocks with very little production time or skill, and fancy camo designs are heat shrink wrapped onto a cheap blank and are easily damaged by many solvents. Skill is replaced by robotics and unskilled labor, which can be out-sourced overseas. I've been using wood stocks all my life, and I live in New England, where annual temperatures range from minus 20F in winter to over 100 in summer, and we have all extremes of humidity, from arid to tropical. Urethanes used for the last 50 years have sealed wood from the elements. My guns perform the same, with beauty, and reliable accuracy in all conditions. Most manufacturers are slowly leading people away from wood, which is entirely motivated by profit. Synthetic stocks have one advantage over wood: they can be abused. I don't abuse my guns, so it's not an advantage for me.
@@GunBlue490 Thank you for this most thorough response. I too have noticed the trend of synthetic rifle stocks and was curious to know your opinion of synthetic vs. wood stocks when the wood is properly cared for.
Just got back from town. I got me a can of mineral spirits and a bottle of mineral oil. After watching your videos I researched mineral spirits and mineral oil as well as a bunch of cleaning/lubricants etc and determined to go the old school clean/lube you recommend. I'll use my Ballistol on other projects. Now I have to go out and do some shootin and dirty up my guns! Take care.
Thanks that makes perfect sense. I was cleaning an old war rifle (bolt 30-06) that was neglected and not cleaned often and noticed that while going down the barrel. I also let hoppe's #9 sit in the barrel over night and noticed a greenish blue on my white patches. (gun Smith said copper fouling).Thanks for going so in-depth with all this. I am in my early 20's and appreciate learning the proper ways on things relating to fire arms. Great channel!
hahaha watching your video further I see you talk about the copper oxide and know I shouldn't have worried so much about the copper. I know I didn't remove it all though I can see some down the barrel
Wayne, I think I told you this before, but they sell soft rubberish inserts for vises called "soft jaws". They're fairly inexpensive and mount onto your vise with magents embedded into the soft jaws. I think you'd enjoy them.
This is great information. I had been told (numerous times, by multiple people) that automotive oil was terrific for firearms, because it was extremely cost effective. A quart of motor oil from your local auto parts store can basically last you a lifetime. Today I learned better.
I have a surplus rifle that I shoot corrosive surplus ammo through. It was my first rifle and when it came to cleaning, I didn't know any better at the time. I picked up some bad habits in the first couple of years. Ever since I watched this video, I have been using straight mineral spirits. I have found that it is way less work and my rifle is much cleaner. Also, I'll have to see if there is any improvement in accuracy since I'm not removing that layer of copper from the barrel anymore.
As i understand it the copper fills in imperfections from machining therefore increasing accuracy. Makes sense because my barrel is more shiny now than it was when new and i clesn it often. What are your thoughts on polishing a broken in barrel?
Great Videos! I've watched gun videos from many sites but you stand out. Your teachings make sense. I have 1 question. I've been shooting for 40 years and now realize I've been cleaning guns incorrectly for 40 years. I follow the idea that we need to be careful with the crown and it is better to run your rods from the chamber to the muzzle. However, I see videos of people running brushes, patches, etc from chamber to muzzle but then pulling it back through fairly aggressively. Why is it ok to pull the brush or patch back through the muzzle with what seems like little concern of damage to the crown?
Hi GunBlue490, I grew up all my life hunting and shooting with slug guns or rimfire, and just knowing that I needed to clean well after shooting with Hoppes. I just recently bought my first centerfire for hunting, which was a walnut stock .30-06. I pillar and glass bedded the stock (just the recoil lug and tang) and unfortunately got stuck in the mess of excessive internet garbage that had me feeling like I needed to remove all copper from my bore. I couldn't get that rifle to shoot better than 3" groups. If it wasn't my shooting ability, which it might have been, then I think it was my constant removal of all the copper and use of sweets copper solvent. I got rid of that rifle and bought a synthetic stock stainless Tikka t3x superlite in .30-06. I've shot groups with that rifle that are just as good or better than the other one, despite it being only 5.9 out of box. Unfortunately, I didn't see your videos until after I cleaned the barrel with sweets. I shot about 15 rounds when I got it, then cleaned the barrel with sweets that night. I didn't let the barrel "soak" for more than 5 minutes and I always drypatched it within 15, but I probably spent a good 45 minutes cleaning that barrel with sweets. Two questions on this: Did I likely do irreparable damage to my new Tikka barrel cleaning it with sweets? What type of accuracy can I expect from such a light gun and light standard sporter barrel that's fluted? Would bedding the stock help? It already seems to have a very tight fit around the recoil lug, and the shapes of the synthetic stock in the areas I would bed look like it would be a very different process than on the wooden stock I did. Sorry for such a long comment. Thanks for your videos! They're fantastic and comforting. I wish I'd have found them sooner!
You certainly didn't affect your new stainless barrel in any way with that amount of cleaning. As you probably are aware, Tikka rifles are made by Sako, which I consider one of the finest rifle makers in the world. Your rifle was factory bedded and free-floated at the highest state of the art. I personally have owned several Sako rifles that were all superb shooters from the box, and I currently own a Tikka .222 Remington that has shot tiny groups since the day I bought it. I featured that rifle in my two-video How To, where I demonstrated the entire epoxy bedding process in detail. I can assure you that I was doubtful at the start that any improvement to such fabulous accuracy was possible, and that was the case, in fact. The have a very unique engineering system and it works. You see, most rifles are capable of great accuracy, but the problem with many was movement of the action within the stock and/or barrel to stock interference. Tikka actions are perfectly mated to perfection and employ bolsters in addition to the recoil lug surface, and the barrels have a full .050" clearance with no possible collision. Your T3X uses the same bedding system, but features a couple of improvements since the T3, with a more durable recoil lug. Since I did this video, I discovered Klean Strip Green paint thinner, which cleans every bit as nicely as any product I've ever used, but it's inexpensive, almost completely odorless, and far less toxic. See me use it in my shotgun cleaning video and AR-15 cleaning video. Lots of inaccuracy is actually caused by incorrect bench technique and rifle instability. Watch the start of my recent video "Shooting the Berthier Carbine" and last summer's "Shooting the .257 Roberts Model 70", and study my equipment and bench technique. Several important points: The gun is rested solidly, never held or cradled with the hand. Never allow any barrel interference with any contact whatsoever (I've seen many folks actually rest their barrels!) The left hand holds the rear bag, and minor elevation adjustments are made by squeezing it. Bench rest shooters have been using Protektor bags since 1938, because they really do work. For sporter rifles, I use the #13B high bag with a solid base. Before every session, I dust the bags with plain talcum powder, which allows the stock to glide on firing, rather than catch. For ultimate accuracy, I've even covered the forend checkering with easily removable wide blue masking tape, lengthwise. The front rest should closely cradle the middle of the forend at the correct height, and should be micro-adjustable with pointed sharp claws that dig into the bench. You'll notice that mine has a repositioning gauge in front of the stock so that the gun is returned to the same place each time. In much testing over the years, I have never found stock mounted bipods to be as accurate as this system that has been used for decades to break records. This was not an expensive rest compared to the ones competitors use, but It's exceptionally stable, and even windage can be dialed in. Finally, don't let the rest be a substitute for good shooting technique. Squeeze, breath control, and exactly the same posture each time is critical, along with a rock solid bench. Sit as upright as possible and keep your feet under you. Lastly, watch for mirage, which will crop up when the barrel warms, and will cause refraction of the target image. The bending light waves can move a target 3 inches on a humid day over a hot barrel. It's not barrel movement that causes most stray shots after the first three, it's mirage! "Stringing" is very often the chasing of an imaginary target, which can be in any direction, influenced by breezes. Understanding how to shoot through the "swimming pool" separates the men from the boys and the women from the girls at matches. This is where solid rests are important. The shooter watches to see where the target always returns to, rather than where it wanders. Take your time and don't hurry; allow barrel cooling time to calm mirage.
@@GunBlue490 thank you very much for the quick reply and unsolicited technique advice! It's very much appreciated. Keep up the great work! I thoroughly enjoy your videos.
You are so wise! Thank you so much for your videos. Started cleaning guns for people just as a fun side business because it relaxes me. These videos have guided me more than anything else has.
As a first time rifle owner (which I have yet to fire), I find your videos brilliant, extremely educational and enjoy your no nonsense style - simple and effective. I'm amazed and appreciative of your allocated know;edge. Thank you for your generosity.
He knows what he's talking about. I've been a gun person all my life. I've always been around them and he clears up a lot of the common, confusing information that floats around. It shouldn't be that complicated in the first place.
Thank you. You told me stuff I never would have known, and actually are against my friends supposed "knowledge" but after witnessing some of their practices, well, was not sure I completely trusted them. Great video.
Thank you very much for your work and time invested in the production of your videos, they are very instructive and the sharing of knowledge is appreciated.
"You don't want to make cleaning a gun a big deal." Said at around 55:14 in a video over an hour long about how to clean a gun. That's hilarious! But a great video, as always. Very informative.
I'm very fortunate to have stumbled upon your videos. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I love to do things as correctly as possible and have great confidence in everything that I have learned from you this far.
great video.. do you have advise on cleaning a pump action rifle. I have a remington 760. I don't really like cleaning from the muzzle. I have taken it apart now and then to clean from the chamber end.. but it is a pain. are snakes a good or bad idea?
This man's gun experience is so vast that he shows just how simple cleaning and maintenance really is! Not much he doesn't know! Old school ways still the best in 2021!
*2023
The only guy on the interwebs I trust for proper firearms maintenance.
you sir are a savior. dont listen to all the wild kids online. listen to this man and his wealth of knowledge. good man.
HE IS A MASTER ARMORER. VERY RARE THESE DAYS.
HE COULD DO A GUN SCHOOL ONLINE. VERY
AUTHORITATIVE.
@@heofthebee i concur.
I agree. Over my nearly 70 years my bs sensitivity is finely tuned. Unlike so many utube gurus I detect zero bs from gunblue. His willingness to share his years of experience is a testament to the man's character.
Your videos are great! My wife makes fun of me for watching stuff like this lol. She ask me “how do you love guns enough to watch someone else clean one?” I just tell her I’m learning! I’m no gunsmith but I’ve always enjoyed the process of disassembling firearms, cleaning them, and putting it all back together. Thanks again!
Tell her that you are going to clean her nicely.
I would have a quick retort to my Mrs.:
“I don’t know honey, how do YOU love make up enough to watch someone else applying it to their faces?”
It would probably cost me one or two nights with no action, but it would be well worth it.
She's hinting....
@@VincitOmniaVeritas7 well said
Wow, I can't believe how you clean your firearm just like my father did. I use to think he was crazy how simple he done it until I got old enough to understand and he explained it to me. But now I see why his guns and his father guns that has been passed down to me are still in excellent condition. As always an amazing video with great knowledge shared. Thanks
Best common sense approach to cleaning a rifle I have ever seen. For years I have told my hunting companions they didn't need to de-copper the bore. Great job on this.
Your common sense, straightforward explanation in the first 24mins of this video has completely changed my whole outlook on cleaning firearms!! NOW by following your instructions, I will achieve consistent results in the correct cleaning and care of my firearms. THANK YOU!! You earned my sub!! 👍
I, too, would buy a set of dvds with the compilation of GunBlue videos His wealth of knowledge and clarity of thought and speaking is a treasure to be preserved
Thank you Blue, I'm 70 yrs old now and listening to you reminds me of my father with all of his wise advise. And by the way,,,, listen up all you of you younger folks, this is one smart fella with years of experience and little time for nonsense. He is giving it to you straight.
Thank you so much for continuing to generously share your knowledge. We can imagine that putting these videos together takes a tremendous amount of time and effort. The invaluable education we've received has simply been the foundation of our working gun knowledge. Please let us know your favorite charity. We'd like to make a donation on your behalf and as a way to say thank you. You are appreciated! May God continue to bless you.
David & Elizabeth
So true. Reminds us of the parable Jesus tells in Luke 19:11--27. We are charged with multiplying the talents He's given us for His glory and kingdom. A day will come when we must account for what we've done with the gifts He's bestowed upon us. Will send an email shortly.
Meaningful comments and thanks that we can all share in your sentiments so well expressed to Mr.GunBlue490. He is indeed a treasure to us all...
Seriously, I would pay good money for a compiled DVD set of all your videos no problem! Your wealth of knowledge is by far my favorite online. Thanks as usual for another great lesson on the shooting sports.
Gerry
gerry mckown
I second this motion
Agreed, especially if UA-cam bans gun videos. I haven't been seeing any ads lately for gun videos, so I wonder if that will be sooner than later. Would love to get this content!
I respect the knowledge and the time it takes to make these videos but my understanding is the AR platform needs to be wet but this gentleman stated that the chamber needs to be bone dry for the perfect fit between ammo and chamber so I'm a little confused there are too many opinions on how a rifle should be cleaned is my issue with UA-cam
robert pinto he is correct. Unless you only shoot in very controlled indoor situations, you want to lubricate it well, meaning completely, but you wanna make sure and wipe off ALL excess, as this oil will attract and become completely saturated with dirt and grit which can damage your weapon’s perfectly smooth steel surfaces.
your more of a moron that this guy. both of you must be democrats.. have tea with nancy you dumb down fools
The absolute best guide to rifle cleaning, thank you for imparting your knowledge in such a easy to follow way.
If only my father would have been into guns. I didn't get into it until my 50's and I will be 60 later this year. I sure missed out on a lot of fun and knowledge. I really appreciate learing from you and others like you. So for some reason, I felt compelled to subscribe.
My dad only owned one gun. It was a Japanese Nambu pistol that he captured from a soldier on Guam or Saipan during WWII. He never cared to touch or shoot it. I think combat probably gave him all the shooting he needed in his lifetime. Anyway, I loved guns since I can remember, but I never had a mentor to show me the way. My dad & mom gave me my first gun, a .22 when I was 13 or so. No instruction, no nothing. Just go out to the farm and shoot! Somehow they trusted me. I have bought over 50 guns in my life and have about 20 now. One gun is the most valued though. My dad's Nambu.
I am sorry to hear that. My father was an ffl holder and a gun smith so I was taught about firearms at an early age. It has been a large part of my life and I learn something new all the time. There is nothing like the feeling of a successful hunt wherein you are able to spot the wildlife, stalk it to within range, dispatch it, and then get it back under your own power. I suppose I could call it a truly primal feeling of accomplishment. Even though you started late I think you have plenty of time to enjoy firearms.
It must suck to be you ...only kidding about that welcome to the real world
One of the very few times when I feel that the Internet gives me access to an amazing wealth of knowledge I would otherwise never have found. Thank you, Sir! Excellent presentation!
I have always made cleaning my firearms a huge job. It is great to see someone do it easy and quick, and RIGHT! Thank you.
I live in the woods and don't have many people to talk guns with. Just one of your videos is like having several conversations with multiple people over many months. Thank you for the insight and keep those videos coming. 2 thumbs up.
Listen to this man! He knows by EXPERIENCE what you need to do. I worked in metallurgy for 33+ years an I agree with everything he says. I too like Hoppe’s solvent just because of the smell. It’s a perfume to me. GREAT video sir!!!!!
In the age of the internet where everyone has a different opinion, method, 'right way to do it,' etc. on everything, I will always defer to the unassuming, straightforward guy who has likely seen it all but doesn't need to advertise it. Thank you; this video is incredibly helpful!
I recently discovered your UA-cam channel. I must say, this is some of the most useful and informative instruction on UA-cam. I watch all the big popular firearm UA-camrs, but you posess a degree of experience and knowledge that dwarfs the others.
The way you describe things is easy to understand and also highly useful. I also like that your videos are not over-edited and not flashy. They are straight to the point with simple demonstration.
I appreciate your videos very much, please keep making them!!!
Sincerely, a novice firearm enthusiast and hunter.
very well put reminds me of a friendly neighbour i had many years ago when I was young and grass green who gave un biased knowlegable advice. To whom I remain grareful to this day.
Farmers love trans fluid for metal preservation. I use it to preserve raw sheet metal. Also one of the best gun lubes I have ever used.
I agree with Gunblue’s cleaning philosophy. I’m a hunter not a bench rest shooter. I’ve found cleaning a bore down to the bare steel requires multiple fouling rounds (15-20) to get the rifle shooting tight groups. I now run a couple patches with Hoppe’s, bronze brush a few passes, a few more Hoppe’s soaked patches and dry patch out. This will not clean the bore down to the bare steel but it will greatly reduce the number of fouling shots (3-4) required. I do not aggressively go after copper unless the rifle’s groups start opening up. This rarely happens because I don’t allow the bore to get into such a fouled state. Regular, light bore cleaning prevents copper to build up to the point it affects accuracy.
During hunting season, I leave the bore fouled. I will run a bore snake if I’ve been in the rain or if possibly anything has gotten in bore. Otherwise I don’t want to disturb the state of the bore if it’s shooting well.
Good luck.
Have to watch this about once a year - so much here. Thank you ! Thank you for sharing, and "God bless."
The section on copper conditioning and copper fouling is worth its wait in Gold 👏
I am in my 50's but watching this, I felt like I was a kid again, listening to my dear departed Uncle Bob when he would teach me how to clean my gun. We just used Hope's solvent and oiled with some oil he had in an old metal oil bottle. Probably military issue from WW2! Anyway, everyone who has guns should watch this and your gun oil video too.
Very informative, but common sense at the same time. I really appreciate your work in producing these videos.
This video saved me hundreds of dollars. Every other gun cleaning video makes you think you need a $200 tool kit and 3 dozen bottles of snake oil solvents to "properly" mop a bore. Watching this, I realized all I’m missing is a quality rod. Brass and aluminum rods are bad for your bore and all you need solvent-wise is Hoppes #9 and/or mineral spirits; both of which I already own. Thank you, GunBlue490!
This is hands down the best video for all that is really necessary for 99% of shooters out there. Thank you for the quality video on a free platform. I am now subscribed. God bless!
at last a no nonsense, clear and articulate explanation of how simple the cleaning process should be. thank you!!!
Great video. I'm guilty of over cleaning and way over oiling. Probably Marine Corps habit. Thanks.
Same here. "CLEAN"..."SIR, CLEAN HARDER SIR"
Same here - Air Force and then Army
Went in the Marines 1966, and it was no different then. And I still roll the same way.
1990's Canadian army here. Same old. Clean clean clean!!! Drilled in to us so hard it's a compulsion. I'm easing up on the oil before storage now to what the factory says.
@@rw7594 it’s a hard habit to break! I’m doing my best to ease up on the lube
By far the best cleaning video I have ever seen. In addition to learning great common sense cleaning practices, you taught me how to use the many tools used for cleaning a rifle. Thank you!
You are officially my favorite UA-cam channel! I really appreciate your sense of humor, I think that is something that is missed by most. Your wealth of knowledge and your usage of the word cartridge should translate to a million subscribers! Again, I really appreciate your channel and look forward to viewing all of your videos.
I do not normally comment but I wish to express my gratitude for your sharing of knowledge.
God bless.
Respect from Australia.
You have quickly become my favorite instructional firearm channel online. I love the straight forward no nonsense approach sir. Great to learn from someone who has many years of experience. Thanks again for taking the time to put these videos together and share them with us.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. That was the most comprehensive yet easily understood description of how to care for a firearm I have ever encountered. I recommend it to anyone with any level of experience. It will help you understand why you are doing what you are doing not just telling you what to do.
Just another newer gun owner to say thanks. As a former armorer in the US Army this type of logical speak is very much appreciated. I say this as someone who has his entire experience with military firearms but years down the road is just now getting into firearms as a civilian. New owner of my first hunting rifle (Tikka T3 lite in 308) and you're videos have done me so much good cutting through all the noise out there regarding conditioning/cleaning/sighting/etc. Hat is off to you sir. Thank you for taking the time to put these videos together and sharing your knowledge.
Thank you. And most importantly, I thank you for your service to our great country and the US Army.
I would like to offer an alternative theory about why higher end rods use male threads. A female thread in my experience tends to bell out allowing the attachment to loosen easier (exacerbating the belling) and increasing chances the rod contacting the bore.
Excellent instructional video.
I used mineral spirits and Hoppes to clean my firearms the last time out to the range with my .22LR rifles and my Hi-Point 4095 .40 cal carbine and I must say I have never had such good results. I used the Hoppes and wire brush, making 4 passes down the barrel from breech to muzzle and then used the mineral spirits and Ram Rodz brand cotton bore swabs for final cleaning. After about 5 Ram Rodz were run down the barrel each was as clean as a whistle. Thanks so much for the tip on mineral spirits and mineral oil! This will save a lot of money in the future!
00:14 -- Made my entire day in one second flat. Funny yet serious. I direct new shooters/gun owners here for a cleaning lesson. I sincerely hope that I'm as succinct and educational as this gentleman when I get a ways older.
I love wisdom! You have clearly made a study of this. Thank you for sharing your long held interest with us. You are also an excellent communicator. All the best.
Thank you very much for this SUPERB gun cleaning video! Simply THE BEST. As another person mentioned, everybody needs a Grandfather like you. You possess so much knowledge...and I appreciate your sharing it. I don't do ANYTHING with my guns until I've checked your many videos.
The fact he is wearing a Central Grocery apron from NOLA is all I need for my approval!!!
I have just come across this guy.
I picked up some great pointers from this video.
Tiny amount of copper in the bore is not a problem
dont overshoot the rifle as the barrel becomes over hot esp just ahead of the chamber and will start to break down.
Cotton flannelette only. No synthetics or dead t-shirts.
Loved his bench area and that vice with his wooden protectors and too would love to see these excellent videos on disc.
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One thing i do in gun cleaning. I insert the probe of a can of compressed air just inside the barrel and give a seconds blast to remove the loose dirt first. Hold a cleans swab in front of the barrel to see hm carbon/dirt/ whatever comes out. Then i go to the spirits etc.
Thankyou for the knowledge and the great presentation.
Hello - thank you very much for clearing up so many myths! Everyday I watch these I am back in the classroom and truly with a master. So few people toady know the story behind the story. Long overdue - clearing the myths is the biggest gift you can give us shooters.
I tried the mineral spirits and mineral oil today, just wanted to say thanks again this works great it got all the micro rust off from being in the field and it don't smell like 3 in 1 oil , etc those oils make me nausas the smell.... But mineral oil is pretty much sentless
I love this. ❤❤❤
A gun will never require more than very simple fluids to last a century or more. As you've found, mineral spirits or a Stoddard solvent, and a micro sheen application of a mineral oil is a done deal.
The steps you go through are so helpful. The ongoing conversation contains so much important details. There should be entirely more likes.
Been watching your videos over the last week or so....each time I finish one, I feel as if I just left a class room...Thanks for sharing your experience.
only just come across your vids and all i can say is what a breath of fresh air in the huge selection of gun vids on you tube.Your down to earth approach with no b/s is a refreshing change and I can now say that I will be able to remove a vast amount of other contribitors from my saved vids that I seem to have collected many with dubious advice,and you have become my first pot of call when i am in trouble and need reliable advice from U.K.
When using your tips and techniques on my guns for several years now, and it works great my friends all think I’m crazy they think you’re crazy, but I think you’re wonderful thanks for all the tips and techniques. We only use our guns for two weeks a year you know lower deer hunting. Thanks.
Gun care is not expensive or complicated. Guns are simple mechanisms that require very little attention and more shooting.
I love your channel, brother. No politics. No macho nonsense. Just some science and experience.
Hello! You have taught many of us the right way to clean our weapons. Thank you for your knowledge and willing to share the same with all of us. Your a credit to this country🇺🇸 your ability to explain in easy to understand terms makes us all feel we are there with you! Thank you😊
Great information, thank you very much for demonstrating the cleaning process of a bolt action rifle🙏.
The best videos of all the internet, thanks so much !
Been listening and commenting for a while now. Thanks so much . An older brother, father , and grandfather all in one, but also a friend anyone would admire.
There is a log of good information here. A lot of this I already knew, but I learned from this video.
I just bought a new Winchester featherweight. 270. Thanks for the assistance. As a mechanic I find my tools are already oily and just need a wipe.
You and I are probably about the same age. I Probably have a few years on you being born 1945 but I have learned quite a bit from you in watching your videos and I really appreciate your freely imparting your acquired knowledge. I took your advice regarding the use of the bench vice and I can whole heartedly endorse second your endorsement of this method of restraint you rifles whenever you are working on them, it is far superior to the commercially available gun visas that I unfortunately have and now no longer use. Thank you very much for that little tidbit. Just as an aside I noticed you also use the same cheap rubber mats to walk on in front of your bench as I do. The old arthritic joints do appreciate every little bit of help they can get to do their job. Like you I believe my two favourite cartridges for woodland deer are the 30-30(32 Spc) and the 7mm-08. I have shot most of the others over the years. My third choice would be the venerable marlin 336c in 35 rem. nothing like 200 grains of lumbering flat-nosed lead to move a spruce bow out of the way.
Just happened upon your channel. Seriously, you have a wealth of information to share and it's much appreciated. Not to talk much about myself, but i recently got into firearms and wanted to learn more about how the parts interact with each other and how you maintain them, and have found your channel a vast and invaluble resource for that. The whole shifting of mindset to just cleaning steel is helpful in of itself.
Also, thank you for your service. My grandpa went career in the airforce during Vietnam, dropping ordinance out of a phantom. He didn't talk much about it when he was still on this earth but I know it was hard on him.
What he did leave behind were some of his beautiful firearms. I believe a part of him is still in those firearms and being able to maintain them for the foreseeable future is special to me, so thank for you that.
One of my most eye-opening purchases was my bore scope and I had just gotten a custom Barrel from a reputable source. Well I was horrified when I saw all the gouges scrapes in tooling marks on this $500 Barrel! It looked terrible! Well that went on to become my most accurate Barrel. So I know you're telling the truth about copper. And incidentally I didn't have to follow some nerve-racking barrel break in procedure I took it out and shot it and after about 40 or so I brought it home and got the carbon out and that's what I do every time. And that Barrel shoots sub 0.5moa.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. 1) What do you do if the gun is not a bolt action? Say a Ruger 10/22 or a revolvers? 2) Do you use the mechanics vice for a shotgun bbl? 3) Do you wash your bore snake? If so , what do you recommend? Do you wash your lightly oiled rag or replace when dirty?
Thank you Sir for sharing your experience and knowledge, its people like yourself that are few and far between these days unfortunately, your giving attitude is much appreciated.
I wished we were neighbors cause I could listen to you all day and night and run stuff past you. I always think I'm pretty fluent and good to go on most things but I always love hearing it from a different perspective. Such a great hobby isn't it?
@52:00 you mentioned the brass bore brush with the steel wire core that was doubled-back to make a non-marring nose. I discovered Tipton makes a bore brush with a brass wire core, eliminating the possibility of marring the bore. But, I did round-off the front end on mine on the bench grinder just to be safe. Great video! I learned a lot.
Knowledge passed down through generations, thanks for taking the time to share it.
Sir I really enjoy your videos. Especially the Smith revolver breakdowns! Thanks for your service to the firearms community
Learn something new everyday. Never knew you could clean and condition a gun with mineral spiritits and mineral oil.. I'm going to give that a try instead of paying a fortune for cleaning stuff. Thanks
You sir are still awsome here in 2019
Good Video, In the Grooves of My 1903 A3, I thought I had rust, I tried to scrub it out. I looked at My New Ruger Hawkeye 30 06, and it had the same thing. I figured out that it was just copper . I don't worry about it anymore. I just clean after a few shooting sessions pretty much the same way You do. I use a quality one piece, coated Cleaning Rod very similar to Yours. Great Video Sir
Dissimilar metals in the presence of moisture and the "salts" contained in and produced by smokeless powders and priming compounds leads TO "rust" and galvanic action and ultimately the kind of pitting and corrosion that will ruin your rifle bore if it isn't already. Copper fouling itself is indicative of something "wrong" with the barrel and/or ammunition. Fouling of copper or lead is the result of excessive pressures and/or clearances between bore and bullet allowing hot, high-pressure gas to "leak" through the "gap" between bullet and bore. That high-pressure, high-temp gas melts away the soft, low-melting point copper or lead while it heats the higher-melting point steel of the barrel and the fouling ends up "plated" onto the surfaces of the bore because those non-ferrous, soft and low-melting point metals end up being "soldered" into/onto the steel. Too tight of a bore and "oversize" bullets and too much friction can ALSO cause fouling so its probably more accurate to say that incorrect clearances rather than excessive clearances are the cause of fouling. But even with correct clearances, excessive pressures will also cause it. Like I said, there's always "something wrong" with a gun and/or its ammunition when its fouling. And fouling isn't a problem that gets "better" over time even if its "necessary" for the gun to shoot "right". There aren't fouling removers of both the chemical and mechanical type because fouling is "nothing to worry about".
Barrel break in done right.... the point in which the rifle barrel has had any rough edges knocked off and Imperfections in the metal become sealed with copper. It’s not fouling, it’s a natural seasoning of the steel. Your barrel will be most accurate after it has reached a state of a Copper equilibrium.
I bought a used 40lb. mechanical vise but haven't gotten around to cutting out some plywood to use to cushion the vise's grip on the barrel or even buy the lag bolts to secure the vise to the bench...I'm going to the range tomorrow so I cleaned my two rifles laying on their side on top of my coffee table very carefully..I got it done although it took a while. Thank you for teaching me to think outside the box..just cleaning metal is all it was.
lol just saw a guy say he used motor oil and you just said not too, very glad I found tgis video grandpa. As far as im concerned your my gun grandpa now. Thank you for the knowledge you've got youself a new student:)
This was a master class in gun cleaning. Found out I have being most of it correctly but also some mistakes...no more. I put a piece of terry cloth towel below the raceway when cleaning the chamber to catch any solvent off the patch as it is removed. I was using "Ed's Red' as a cleaning solvent but will change to just mineral spirits in rifles. Ed's Red is great for shotguns with the plastic build up that comes from the shot cups as it contains acetone which will take out any plastic residue. The other ingredients in Ed's are kerosene and auto transmission oil, this last ingredient and its additives a definite no no I just learned. Thanks so much for this very informative video!
He was referring to engine oils (and their additives), transmission oil is fine as is Ed's Red.
By far the best video I have ever seen on cleaning a firearm. Thank you so much. Been cleaning for years and learned more from this than I have ever known!
This is one of my favorite videos. I have shared the heck out of this. The kind of non-hyped information that comes from knowing your stuff over years of experience.
I just loaded 40 rounds. 20 each.of 100.gr.and 117 trainers. Using h414.for 100 grainers.and 53.3 grains of retumbo.for 117. Rem.cases cci large rifle primers. SIR.,I LEARN FROM YOU EVERY TIME I WATCH. I BEEN LOADING FOR 50 YEARS. GOD BLESS U.AND FSMILY AND BEING A DOG MAN. LOVE YOUR DOG
Great video. I got a huge laugh at your ''de-programming'' technique with your volt meter! Cleaning a firearm is important and it's nice to learn that it can be accomplished without be so complicated. I really appreciate learning that we dont always have to remove all of the copper. Why clean away accuracy?! Your term ''copper conditioning'' is a good way to refer this topic.
Mate, I love your videos. You are like the shooting father I never had.
Can you do a video on maintaining/cleaning/restoring wood stocks for rifles? Are wood stocks sufficient for cold weather/snowy and hot climates where wood stocks expand and contract? Thanks.
Wood stocks have been used all over the world in all possible climates for centuries, for military and civilian use. Minor changes in bullet impact can occur with tightly bedded barrels and/or non-bedded receivers, which is easily remedied with epoxy bedding receivers and free floating barrels. The INDUSTRY, with the help of quite a number of stupid writers who vomit such nonsense, has successfully convinced the public that plastic stocks are better, because they cost a tiny fraction of walnut, and they pocket the difference. The least expensive wood stock requires an expensive blank selected for stocks, skilled layout of the grain, primary cutting, lathe turning and inletting on a replicator, several progressive sanding operations, and application of weatherproof finish. It's a man-hour intensive process that requires manual skills and lots of time. A percentage of stocks never pass final inspection. Molded synthetic stocks are spit out like sausages, and even hand-laid fiberglass stocks are made with fast setting resins by low skilled workers that are complete stocks with very little production time or skill, and fancy camo designs are heat shrink wrapped onto a cheap blank and are easily damaged by many solvents. Skill is replaced by robotics and unskilled labor, which can be out-sourced overseas. I've been using wood stocks all my life, and I live in New England, where annual temperatures range from minus 20F in winter to over 100 in summer, and we have all extremes of humidity, from arid to tropical. Urethanes used for the last 50 years have sealed wood from the elements. My guns perform the same, with beauty, and reliable accuracy in all conditions. Most manufacturers are slowly leading people away from wood, which is entirely motivated by profit. Synthetic stocks have one advantage over wood: they can be abused. I don't abuse my guns, so it's not an advantage for me.
@@GunBlue490 Thank you for this most thorough response. I too have noticed the trend of synthetic rifle stocks and was curious to know your opinion of synthetic vs. wood stocks when the wood is properly cared for.
Just got back from town. I got me a can of mineral spirits and a bottle of mineral oil. After watching your videos I researched mineral spirits and mineral oil as well as a bunch of cleaning/lubricants etc and determined to go the old school clean/lube you recommend. I'll use my Ballistol on other projects. Now I have to go out and do some shootin and dirty up my guns! Take care.
Excellent video... thank you for sharing your encyclopedia of knowledge with us....
I wish this guy was my dad! What an awesome fellow. Thank you sir for the proper American way! Much respect. God bless you and yours!
Thank you for your dedication and informative comments. You, Sir, are a living encyclopedia!
Thanks that makes perfect sense. I was cleaning an old war rifle (bolt 30-06) that was neglected and not cleaned often and noticed that while going down the barrel. I also let hoppe's #9 sit in the barrel over night and noticed a greenish blue on my white patches. (gun Smith said copper fouling).Thanks for going so in-depth with all this. I am in my early 20's and appreciate learning the proper ways on things relating to fire arms. Great channel!
hahaha watching your video further I see you talk about the copper oxide and know I shouldn't have worried so much about the copper. I know I didn't remove it all though I can see some down the barrel
Wayne, I think I told you this before, but they sell soft rubberish inserts for vises called "soft jaws". They're fairly inexpensive and mount onto your vise with magents embedded into the soft jaws. I think you'd enjoy them.
when knowledgeable persons like you talk, I just want to shut up and keep listening.
Thank you sir for sharing your valuable experience
This is great information. I had been told (numerous times, by multiple people) that automotive oil was terrific for firearms, because it was extremely cost effective. A quart of motor oil from your local auto parts store can basically last you a lifetime. Today I learned better.
I have a surplus rifle that I shoot corrosive surplus ammo through. It was my first rifle and when it came to cleaning, I didn't know any better at the time. I picked up some bad habits in the first couple of years. Ever since I watched this video, I have been using straight mineral spirits. I have found that it is way less work and my rifle is much cleaner. Also, I'll have to see if there is any improvement in accuracy since I'm not removing that layer of copper from the barrel anymore.
What a great video, answered all my gun cleaning questions, I can now take real good care of my rifles. Thank you!
I am very happy to learn the truth of firearm care. Thank you, and the Lord Jesus bless you sir.
As i understand it the copper fills in imperfections from machining therefore increasing accuracy. Makes sense because my barrel is more shiny now than it was when new and i clesn it often. What are your thoughts on polishing a broken in barrel?
Great Videos! I've watched gun videos from many sites but you stand out. Your teachings make sense. I have 1 question. I've been shooting for 40 years and now realize I've been cleaning guns incorrectly for 40 years. I follow the idea that we need to be careful with the crown and it is better to run your rods from the chamber to the muzzle. However, I see videos of people running brushes, patches, etc from chamber to muzzle but then pulling it back through fairly aggressively. Why is it ok to pull the brush or patch back through the muzzle with what seems like little concern of damage to the crown?
Hi GunBlue490,
I grew up all my life hunting and shooting with slug guns or rimfire, and just knowing that I needed to clean well after shooting with Hoppes. I just recently bought my first centerfire for hunting, which was a walnut stock .30-06. I pillar and glass bedded the stock (just the recoil lug and tang) and unfortunately got stuck in the mess of excessive internet garbage that had me feeling like I needed to remove all copper from my bore. I couldn't get that rifle to shoot better than 3" groups. If it wasn't my shooting ability, which it might have been, then I think it was my constant removal of all the copper and use of sweets copper solvent.
I got rid of that rifle and bought a synthetic stock stainless Tikka t3x superlite in .30-06. I've shot groups with that rifle that are just as good or better than the other one, despite it being only 5.9 out of box. Unfortunately, I didn't see your videos until after I cleaned the barrel with sweets. I shot about 15 rounds when I got it, then cleaned the barrel with sweets that night. I didn't let the barrel "soak" for more than 5 minutes and I always drypatched it within 15, but I probably spent a good 45 minutes cleaning that barrel with sweets.
Two questions on this:
Did I likely do irreparable damage to my new Tikka barrel cleaning it with sweets?
What type of accuracy can I expect from such a light gun and light standard sporter barrel that's fluted? Would bedding the stock help? It already seems to have a very tight fit around the recoil lug, and the shapes of the synthetic stock in the areas I would bed look like it would be a very different process than on the wooden stock I did.
Sorry for such a long comment. Thanks for your videos! They're fantastic and comforting. I wish I'd have found them sooner!
You certainly didn't affect your new stainless barrel in any way with that amount of cleaning. As you probably are aware, Tikka rifles are made by Sako, which I consider one of the finest rifle makers in the world. Your rifle was factory bedded and free-floated at the highest state of the art. I personally have owned several Sako rifles that were all superb shooters from the box, and I currently own a Tikka .222 Remington that has shot tiny groups since the day I bought it. I featured that rifle in my two-video How To, where I demonstrated the entire epoxy bedding process in detail. I can assure you that I was doubtful at the start that any improvement to such fabulous accuracy was possible, and that was the case, in fact. The have a very unique engineering system and it works. You see, most rifles are capable of great accuracy, but the problem with many was movement of the action within the stock and/or barrel to stock interference. Tikka actions are perfectly mated to perfection and employ bolsters in addition to the recoil lug surface, and the barrels have a full .050" clearance with no possible collision. Your T3X uses the same bedding system, but features a couple of improvements since the T3, with a more durable recoil lug. Since I did this video, I discovered Klean Strip Green paint thinner, which cleans every bit as nicely as any product I've ever used, but it's inexpensive, almost completely odorless, and far less toxic. See me use it in my shotgun cleaning video and AR-15 cleaning video. Lots of inaccuracy is actually caused by incorrect bench technique and rifle instability. Watch the start of my recent video "Shooting the Berthier Carbine" and last summer's "Shooting the .257 Roberts Model 70", and study my equipment and bench technique.
Several important points: The gun is rested solidly, never held or cradled with the hand. Never allow any barrel interference with any contact whatsoever (I've seen many folks actually rest their barrels!) The left hand holds the rear bag, and minor elevation adjustments are made by squeezing it. Bench rest shooters have been using Protektor bags since 1938, because they really do work. For sporter rifles, I use the #13B high bag with a solid base. Before every session, I dust the bags with plain talcum powder, which allows the stock to glide on firing, rather than catch. For ultimate accuracy, I've even covered the forend checkering with easily removable wide blue masking tape, lengthwise. The front rest should closely cradle the middle of the forend at the correct height, and should be micro-adjustable with pointed sharp claws that dig into the bench. You'll notice that mine has a repositioning gauge in front of the stock so that the gun is returned to the same place each time. In much testing over the years, I have never found stock mounted bipods to be as accurate as this system that has been used for decades to break records. This was not an expensive rest compared to the ones competitors use, but It's exceptionally stable, and even windage can be dialed in. Finally, don't let the rest be a substitute for good shooting technique. Squeeze, breath control, and exactly the same posture each time is critical, along with a rock solid bench. Sit as upright as possible and keep your feet under you. Lastly, watch for mirage, which will crop up when the barrel warms, and will cause refraction of the target image. The bending light waves can move a target 3 inches on a humid day over a hot barrel. It's not barrel movement that causes most stray shots after the first three, it's mirage! "Stringing" is very often the chasing of an imaginary target, which can be in any direction, influenced by breezes. Understanding how to shoot through the "swimming pool" separates the men from the boys and the women from the girls at matches. This is where solid rests are important. The shooter watches to see where the target always returns to, rather than where it wanders. Take your time and don't hurry; allow barrel cooling time to calm mirage.
@@GunBlue490 thank you very much for the quick reply and unsolicited technique advice! It's very much appreciated. Keep up the great work! I thoroughly enjoy your videos.
I love your videos and I learn so much. I wish growing up I had someone like you in my life. God Bless!
You are so wise! Thank you so much for your videos. Started cleaning guns for people just as a fun side business because it relaxes me. These videos have guided me more than anything else has.
Simply great! Thank you for sharing your time and knowledge.
As a first time rifle owner (which I have yet to fire), I find your videos brilliant, extremely educational and enjoy your no nonsense style - simple and effective. I'm amazed and appreciative of your allocated know;edge. Thank you for your generosity.
He knows what he's talking about. I've been a gun person all my life. I've always been around them and he clears up a lot of the common, confusing information that floats around. It shouldn't be that complicated in the first place.
Thanks for sharing your videos and keep them coming please.
Thank you. You told me stuff I never would have known, and actually are against my friends supposed "knowledge" but after witnessing some of their practices, well, was not sure I completely trusted them. Great video.
Thank you very much for your work and time invested in the production of your videos, they are very instructive and the sharing of knowledge is appreciated.
"You don't want to make cleaning a gun a big deal." Said at around 55:14 in a video over an hour long about how to clean a gun. That's hilarious! But a great video, as always. Very informative.
I'm very fortunate to have stumbled upon your videos. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I love to do things as correctly as possible and have great confidence in everything that I have learned from you this far.
great video.. do you have advise on cleaning a pump action rifle. I have a remington 760. I don't really like cleaning from the muzzle. I have taken it apart now and then to clean from the chamber end.. but it is a pain. are snakes a good or bad idea?