Written By - Phil W - 05/13/2007
Link to Original Article here

You should clean your rifle at the conclusion of each hunting season and, for best accuracy, after every 20 shots.

To properly clean your rifle you will need the following items matched to your rifle's caliber:

    * Bore Guide
    * Cleaning Rod
    * Action/Chamber Tool Cleaning Set
    * Bronze Bristle-brass Core Bore Brush
    * Pointed Solid Brass Cleaning Jag
    * Cleaning Patches
    * Cleaning Solvent -Shooter's Choice #7
    * Shooter's Choice All Weather High-Tech Grease
    * Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber
    * Gun Cleaning Cradle (optional)

Now follow these simple steps:

   1. Properly support your rifle.
   2. For bolt action rifles - remove bolt.
   3. Insert the bore guide.
   4. Push a cleaning patch wetted with rifle cleaning solvent from the chamber, through the barrel, and out the muzzle. Remove patch and withdraw cleaning rod.
   5. Push another wetted patch from the chamber, through the barrel, and out the muzzle. Remove patch and withdraw cleaning rod.
   6. Push the bronze bristle-brass core brush wetted with rifle cleaning solvent from the chamber, through the barrel, and out the muzzle and pull back through the barrel completely. Do this six or seven times.
   7. Push another wetted patch from the chamber, through the barrel, and out the muzzle. Remove patch and withdraw cleaning rod.
   8. Push another wetted patch from the chamber, through the barrel, and out the muzzle. Remove patch and withdraw cleaning rod.
   9. Let soak for 20 minutes. While waiting rinse the bronze bristle-brass core brush with Gun Scrubber so solvent won't eat away the brush.
  10. After 20 minutes push another patch wetted with rifle cleaning solvent from the chamber, through the barrel, and out the muzzle. Remove patch and withdraw cleaning rod. Inspect patch for copper fowling (blue-green coloration). If patch has significant blue-green coloration repeat steps 7 thru 10 until minimal blue-green coloration appears on patch.
  11. Push a dry patch from the chamber, through the barrel, and out the muzzle. Remove patch and withdraw cleaning rod.
  12. Push another dry patch from the chamber, through the barrel, and out the muzzle. Remove patch and withdraw cleaning rod.
  13. Remove the bore guide and dry the chamber.
  14. For bolt action rifles - apply a dab of grease to the back of the bolt locking lugs, replace the bolt.
  15. Wipe muzzle end of barrel to remove remaining solvent.

For long term storage run a lightly oiled patch through barrel. Before firing rifle run one or two dry patches through barrel to remove