THE GUN FORUM

Ofcourse it would. I was just quoting what others around me think about frequent use of Hoppes Gun Powder Solvent. I disagree with them. Heck, I even used it in my NIB Shadow with only 5 rounds test fired through it from the factory, lolzz

One may use brass brush thoroughly after every 100-200 rounds to ensure proper removal of carbon and metal deposits, specially if one is shooting cast lead bullets

Khalid bhai. Won't the brass brush harm the internals of the barrel, like further scratch it ? I normally use the soft brush provided with the box.

@ Furrukh:
The Brass or Copper brush will not harm the barrel! The bullets that go through it is also copper jacketed!

What it will do is, scrap out the tiny amount of fouling deposited on the edges of the rifling. But please make sure you pull it out "One Way", and not use it like you use a brush for you teeth!

Thanks for the clarification MR bro. I need to ask you that if I start using the copper brush so the use of the normal soft brush which is usually provided by the company in the box is not required anymore ? If the use of the soft brush is do required then could you please eloborate the sequence in which both the brushes (soft and copper) should be used. Thanks

The soft (nylon) and the Brass brush perform the same function. I think you know which one would perform better!

You don't need to use it after every session. But I would use it once around 400-500 rounds (FMJ) have gone through the barrel!

If you're using Cast Lead bullets, that figure will come down to about 100 or so rounds!

Thanks a lot. I use the following rounds, I'm sure you'll be kind enough to let me know if the below are cast lead bullets or not:

1. 9mm FMJ SnB 124 grains
2. 9mm JHP SnB
3. 9mm FMJ Chinese Red Box
4. 9mm JHP Armscor 124 grains

@Farrukh
When two metals come in contact, the softer metal will be scratched and not the harder one. Now, steel used in barrels has a hardness of around 6 to 6.25 (Diamond being the hardest element in the world has 10 hardness. All other elements are compared with diamond.) Brass, conversely, has a hardness of around 4.5. Therefore, there is no way that brass brush would scratch the barrel, it would be the other way that barrel will ultimately wear out due the brass brush.

Since years, I am using a brass brush for cleaning barrels of my rifles and pistols quite regularly, though not every time. Under normal circumstances, my pistols never cross 150 FMJ rounds before I give them a thorough cleaning with brass brush.

Now this bring me to another point. Silicon particles in the sand (the shiny ones) have a hardness of 7, ie, harder than the hardest steel. They would therefore scratch the barrel if rubbed with force. So be careful when cleaning your dirty barrel. If you are in a desert or a place where there is lot of sand having silicon particles, inspect the barrel before cleaning and its better to spray some solvent thoroughly into the barrel so that any sand particles if there are blown out before you start using a tight swab.

FMJ = Full Metal Jacketed
JHP = Jacketed Hollow Point

So all of them are jacketed, don't worry!

Thus, cleaning the barrel after every 400 rounds is recommended, right ?

No.... the barrel must be cleaned even if you shoot 5 rounds. If you are talking of cleaning with a brass brush than it is up to you. I clean the barrels of my pistols with a brass brush after around 150-200 rounds in case FMJ bullets and at less than 100 rounds when using cast lead bullets. Normal cleaning, as much as required, is done even if I fire ONE round.

I forgot to use the word brass brush in my earlier post. What are cast lead bullets ? that is what is confusing me.

Cast lead bullets are bullets casted with lead using a mould. They do not have a jacket over the bullet as in case of FMJ and JHP rounds. Normally done by reloaders. Here are some of them......


.356 round nose and flat nose bullets in 124 grain.


.358 semi wadcutter bullets, 158 grain.


Tumble lubed 148 grain .358 wadcutter bullets.

Since lead is much softer than copper (used in jackets of FMJ bullets), lead bullets tend to cause more fouling in the barrel called "leading". That is why it needs a better and quicker cleaning when using cast lead bullets (which are mostly reloaded rounds).

Hope it helps.

Thanks Khalid bhai. You should take up teaching I swear.

Totally agreed

Student here