Question on Cleaning Full Choke Shotgun

JustPlinking · Nov 25, 2018

I have an O/U with threaded removable chokes (browning cynergy) that I usually shoot with a full choke in one barrel and a modified in the other.

I have 2 12g cleaning jags I use to push a patch down the barrel, one is solid brass but is very loose/not snug. The other is aluminum but has 3 rubber o rings and is very snug.

The problem is that after a long day of shooting, I can barely get the jag with rubber o rings through the full choke and it almost feels like its going to get stuck.

After the first few passes it gets better but its always very snug. The modified choke is not too much of a problem.

Is it ok to clean the chokes outside of the gun and exposing the threads inside the barrel to the solvent/brass brush?

Also I notice that I am getting brass metal flakes coming off my cleaning rod near the breach as I am hitting the extractors with the rod as I am pushing it down the barrel.

I try my best to keep the rod dead center on the barrel as I am pushing it down and bringing it back but am not always successful.

Any tips on how to stop this from happening? I think that if I can clean the barrels with the chokes out it will be easier to control the rod since the force needed to get it through the barrel will be much less.

Thank you for any input.

PapiBarcelona · Nov 25, 2018

Is this all clay targets?

Sounds like you're doing more damage than good. Basically only small amount of plastic build up. Factory target loads don't leave much unburnt powder behind

I pretty much almost never clean my Browning and may wipe the exterior down after a use and a quick wipe or use some compressed air with the breech open. Maybe 15,000 hulls ran through the gun, perhaps cleaned as much as you described once or twice.

I switched to Muller Chokes a number of years ago, they got a ceramic coating that resist the wad buildup a little better than most if that bothers you. I only ever shoot U2 in both barrels, basically a light modified. Sporting clays and target throwers on the farm.

Are you doing trap with full choke?

JustPlinking · Nov 25, 2018

PapiBarcelona said:
Is this all clay targets?

Sounds like you're doing more damage than good. Basically only small amount of plastic build up. Factory target loads don't leave much unburnt powder behind

I pretty much almost never clean my Browning and may wipe the exterior down after a use and a quick wipe or use some compressed air with the breech open. Maybe 15,000 hulls ran through the gun, perhaps cleaned as much as you described once or twice.

I switched to Muller Chokes a number of years ago, they got a ceramic coating that resist the wad buildup a little better than most if that bothers you. I only ever shoot U2 in both barrels, basically a light modified. Sporting clays and target throwers on the farm.

Are you doing trap with full choke?

Yes this is all clays and all trap.

I usually will start with my modified barrel and then once I get in a groove start using my full choke barrel. Today I shot 12 rounds of trap and my barrel was caked pretty good. I was using winchester super x.

This was my second time at trap in over a decade. I went a few weeks ago and did 10 rounds with federal top gun and then barrels were a lot cleaner.

PapiBarcelona · Nov 26, 2018

Only tip I can give is just don't bother cleaning it. Shooting cleaner ammo would probably get some other ammos leftover powder residue out. Its just plastic buildup on the chokes and powder residue in the barrels, it's not corrosive and at least has chrome lined chambers. Maybe a 12 gauge boresnake if the poweder residue bothers you.

Procastination and lazyness might not be what you're looking for but it's just a waste time IMO to get something squeeky clean and go shoot another 100 targets the next weekend. lol

bigjohn · Nov 26, 2018

Use a bore brush first to get and loosen the plastic build up. Then a saturated patch of goof off or acetone. Acetone is cheaper. To keep the brush centered in the chamber, I have taken a spent 20 ga hull, inserted it in a spent 12 ga Hull. Drilled the primer pockets out to fit the cleaning rod. With smooth chokes, a tornado brush is awesome

pbharvey · Nov 26, 2018

A few passes with a bore snake with the bristles on it and I’m done.

Mack C-85 · Nov 26, 2018

This!! (Boresnake, didn't quote for some reason!!!!)

And I would definitely look into a different shell.....I usually shoot the value box shells and 5 rounds usually results in a two bore snake pass cleanup.

P.S. I'm shooting a Browning Special Sporting Clays with Briley Extended Mod/Imp. Mod. Chokes

Sent from my LG-G710 using Tapatalk

Redcobra · Nov 26, 2018

IMHO, Clay sports shotguns are self cleaning. :lol2:

Seriously, I clean my guns maybe once a year (I do wipe down the exterior after every shoot). Plastic wad build up is really not a problem with good wads or ammo. A little plastic can make the full choke a little more full, and so what.
I used to pull the chokes, soak them and then clean them all the time.
Then I quit. Scores remained the same.

I just keep shooting more rounds until the barrel is clean.

ps: The op said he shoot 12 rounds of trap the other day, did you really mean 12 rounds with 25 shots per round? That's 300 shells. OUCH!

JustPlinking · Nov 26, 2018

Redcobra said:
IMHO, Clay sports shotguns are self cleaning.

Seriously, I clean my guns maybe once a year (I do wipe down the exterior after every shoot). Plastic wad build up is really not a problem with good wads or ammo. A little plastic can make the full choke a little more full, and so what.
I used to pull the chokes, soak them and then clean them all the time.
Then I quit. Scores remained the same.

I just keep shooting more rounds until the barrel is clean.

ps: The op said he shoot 12 rounds of trap the other day, did you really mean 12 rounds with 25 shots per round? That's 300 shells. OUCH!

Yes, 12 rounds with 25 shots. I did not think it was a lot until I went to check out/pay and the gentlemen cashing me out made me repeat it 3 times to be sure.

The browning cynergy is my first o/u and I am loving it so far, it has very minimal felt recoil.

My shoulder id hardly sore. Oddly my wrist is what was the most sore the next day, the gun is very stiff to break open and I do not yet have that muscle build up.

Though from what I hear, browning o/u's are known for their stiffness when breaking them open.

Also, what ammo would you recommend? Thus far I've only shot federal top gun and Winchester super X. I hear that Winchester AA is supposed to be good but 10 dollars a box is a bit too steep for me.

possumman · Nov 26, 2018

I usually just pull an oily rag thru mine -Browning 725-at the end of the day and wipe down the outside before I put it in the case -thats the extent of the cleaning--once in a while I will unscrew the chokes and put some fresh grease on them-I use what ever bargain shells are available from academysports.com (Monarch 1 oz. shipped to your door free shipping -no sales tax) or Cabelas (Herters brand)or even Field and Stream from Dicks when they are on sale for less than $5 /box. Sometimes the guy at the gun counter will knock off some $ if you are buying a couple of flats--just ask. Don't obsess- jut shoot it.

PJDiesel · Nov 29, 2018

Best thing to is, pull the chokes, wipe the threads down really good with solvent then dab some grease on.

Next, pull a bore snake twice down each tube. Then, roll up a paper towel (or small rag) small enough to spin inside the threads, put the chokes back in and you're done.

I know a guy who had over 200k rounds though a CG Summit Sporting Limited. The gun was almost NEVER cleaned and most definitely abused, dropped, thrown in trash barrels,..... functioned just fine.

Other regular shooters here can vouch for this recently passed away avid (rabid) shooter as someone who used his gun 100% as a tool and couldn't give two shits about it cosmetic/cleanliness wise.

As others have said, you're likely to do more damage/cause handling marks by messing around with it. I know it goes against what most of is were taught about clean, clean, clean.

Question on Cleaning Full Choke Shotgun

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