Cleaning the bore of our firearms barrels may be a …boring job – pun intended. And time consuming too, plus it actually can harm the barrel if done incorrectly, ruining the firearm’s accuracy. Carbon buildups, copper and gilding alloys from the bullet, primer compositions and hygroscopic residues all conspire to ruin our barrels through corrosion. Using the wrong cleaning rod or brush can also damage the barrel. I always suggest using a bore guide with a rod. Over the years, many systems and detergents have been offered on the market, and I’m not going to discuss the merits of "pulling a brush with a cable out the bore" vs. "pushing the brush through the bore with a rod" methods. Rather, I will review an interesting set of bore cleaning products that European dealer Strobl.cz sent me: the Iosso ThorroClean Bore Cleaning System Set and Eliminator brushes. In my case, I used a classic Dewey one piece rod to test the brushes and detergent.
But let’s take a closer look at the kit itself: First off, it’s priced just above 30 euro, and includes two 118 ml bottles of cleaning liquids: the ThorroClean special bore cleaning agent and ThorroFlush penetrating and finishing cleaner, for a two-step cleaning process. Obviously, Iosso guarantees these products to be completely harmless to the barrel steel. In addition, Strobl.cz also sent me a few samples of the renown Iosso Eliminator bore cleaning brushes in .22, .30 and .45 calibers. These strikingly blue-colored brushes are well liked by the shooting community and are very gentle to the rifled bore of the gun while being tough on carbon deposits and other residues. Eliminator brushes are made with durable Nyflex fibers, that are very tightly wound and can be used in both directions (all the way out the bore and back) unlike standard brass or bronze brushes. STROBL.cz all prices them at 6,46 euros no matter size or caliber.
Practical test of the ThorroClean bore cleaning system with a Steyr AUG during a two-day shooting class
I used it with about 180 rounds the first day and 250 the second. The first day I used the Iosso ThorroClean Bore Cleaning System and Eliminator brushes, and unsurprisingly, got a very nice and shiny bore. I followed the instructions on the kit, using the Thorroflush penetrating agent first on a patch and following with a dozen passes with the ThorroClean detergent over the Eliminator brush; then a few dry patches to clean up and finish with three Thorroflush wet patches.
At the end of the second day I wanted to do a small experiment: Instead of using Iosso’s products, I ran the usual cleaners and bronze brushes I normally use for this gun, ending when I got a perfectly clean patch out of the bore. I then directly used the ThorroClean detergent over the Eliminator brush, running six times or so through the bore and I passed the patch. Well, what do you know, the patch came out less than white. Turn out I had not cleaned the bore as thoroughly as I thought after all. As a picture is worth a thousand words, I took a few pics to document this.
I’m pretty much convinced, and I’m sold on Iosso’s cleaning products. The ThorroClean detergent kit and Eliminator brushes are priced respectively at 31 euro the kit and 6,46 each brush - and the quality is all there. Highly recommendable.
Strobl.cz is located in the Czech Republic and delivers all over Europe.
For more information on the products shown please visit the STROBL.cz online store.
And if you are wondering what are the advantages of ordering in the Czech Republic and what is the online store STROBL.CZ about, just read our company presentation.
