How to clean from a rifle's breech, even with lever-actions, revolvers...

[SteveM]

I suggested this in the "gun" forum as an aside, but it may be of value for hunters and rifle enthusiasts.

It is always recommended to clean a rifle from the breech (where it is loaded) and not from the muzzle end because the rod often rubs against the rifling. Such abrasion over time will spoil the rifling at the very location where the bullet leaves, imparting an undesirable asymmetrical spin, and consequential inaccuracy. But how do you do this with lever-actions and some auto-loaders which do not allow for a rod to be inserted from the breech? Here's my suggestion:

Insert the cleaning road from the muzzle, but WITHOUT ANY attachments. When the loose-fitting female end of the rod emerges in the open breech, screw the rod into the prepared (cloth, brush) cleaning accessory. This is like the tail wagging the dog as you screw a 30+" rod into a little accessory! Now, PULL the brush or cloth through. Repeat as necessary.

This procedure prevents damage to rifling at the crown, and preserves at least some accuracy to Model 94s, Model 336s and several others. I've even taken to cleaning my Ruger .357 the same way, using a short section of the cleaning rod.