Comments on: CLEANING TIP — Be Careful with Brushes and Jags

By: Editor

Editor — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 18:30:28 +0000

Paul,

There are a lot of good jags out there. I personally like the MidwayUSA nickel-plated spire-point jags. These won’t react with chemicals. They have a smooth, cylindrical “bearing surface”, and then the diameter of the jag is reduced in steps. I generally use one size under nominal bore diameter (e.g. a .22-cal jag in a .243 bore).

Here’s a link to a kit with multiple jags: http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=812503

Photo: http://www.midwayusa.com/midwayusa/staticpages/highres/812503.jpg

By: Paul

Paul — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 18:22:10 +0000

Telling about all the “bad” jags, can anyone tell me what jags are good to use?

By: Rob Lowe

Rob Lowe — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 19:07:34 +0000

I agree with shooter that grinds off the 2 areas closest to the threaded end. I place them when new in a drill with the tip-end in the drill so the surface of the jag is not damaged. It does not need to be too tight to allow you to spin the two areas on the jag over a the edge of a good file. This will remove the rough teeth and reduce the diameter of them as well. They can be smoothed even more with some fine sand-paper. I also use patches that cover all bumps on the jag as well. These are great jags if you prep them and use the best size patches.

By: Art

Art — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 03:06:33 +0000

I’ve used Dewey rods and jags for years. Grind or sand off 2 of the Dewey toothed rings closest to the treads and/or use a slightly larger patch. Problem solved !!! Common sense can prevail.

By: m1k3

m1k3 — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 02:33:10 +0000

Would this not be a good reason to use cheaper plastic jags vs the metal ones?

By: Josh Benin

Josh Benin — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:41:41 +0000

I’ll stay out of the crown discussion (insufficient experience) but the editor makes a couple of misleading statements:
“…look at the steel ferrules of a well-used fishing rod — there the steel is worn away by plastic” is incorrect. Fishing line, like many nylon filaments, often contains titanium dioxide, which is an excellent abrasive. Nylon itself has an extremely low wear rate vs. steel – that’s why it’s used for bearings.
“With time, water will wear away granite” isn’t too accurate either, it’s the suspended particulates (sand) that does the erosion.
The reason that soft materials often wear away much harder ones is the principle of lapping. Abrasives, grit, etc. embeds in the softer material and abrades the harder. No grit = not much wear. Your nylon coated cleaning rod won’t damage your expensive barrel if the rod is clean, but if the rod is allowed to pick up crud it will abrade the steel.

By: Dwight Larson

Dwight Larson — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:06:28 +0000

My engineering sense (and my common sense) is telling me that hot gas and particle erosion (as the bullet exits) will be much, much harder on the crown than any brush could ever be. The observed “serrations” on the crown might very well be the natural result of shooting.

Still, this might be very good advice. All that remains is for someone to quantitatively demonstrate the effects of this brush-induced crown wear on accuracy.

(I’m not volunteering.)