Cleaning Stainless Steel Barrels

[CaddmannQ]

It just occurred to me that my new rifle is the first stainless steel gun that I have ever owned.

When I brought it home, I took it apart and gave it a traditional cleaning. I sprayed it out with solvent and oil and blew it all out with an air hose. I wiped everything down and patched the bore out. The stainless is all matte finish so I didn't really polish it. I gave the inside of the stock of good waxing down with Howard's wood conditioner with carnauba.

I wiped the metal down lightly with anti-corrosion oil, reassembled the weapon, and put it in the safe.

But it just occurred to me this morning that stainless steel guns might benefit from particular cleaning products or particular cleaning routines.

Also, I'm wondering if stainless steel barrels are any more or less prone to metal fouling?

 

[oli700]

not that I know.....stainless barrels have several characteristics that make them different than common barrel steel but I think I would clean it the same . the only thing I would do different would be to not use anti corrosion oil....you paid to not use that and it will just attract shit. Light lube on friction points.

 

[CaddmannQ]

I noticed that Hoppes says not to use their bore cleaner on nickel plated guns and stainless steel generally has a lot of nickel in it, so this kind of set me thinking.

But so far I haven't seen much specifically on stainless steel gun cleaning.

 

[John A.]

Nickel is typically a coating in that sense. Much like a chrome car bumper.

I don't know of any reason not to use any typical gun oil on a stainless barrel/receiver because the nickel is mixed in with the other metals during the actual forging process and all melted together.