It is no secret that firearms work better clean than dirty. Good quality firearms are designed to keep running even with heavy fouling but in my experience once you get to a certain level of build-up things start to slow down. I have seen heavily fouled guns that just don’t cycle like they should and empty cases are not thrown as far.

Inside the barrel heavy fouling can affect accuracy, chamber pressure and muzzle velocity, and not in a good way. Butch’s Bore Shine from Lyman Products Corp., however, does a very good job of keeping your bore clean. This non-abrasive chemical solvent was designed by Butch Fischer, a well-known benchrest competitive shooter, to easily and quickly remove carbon, copper, lead, wax and plastic buildup from rifles, pistol and shotguns.

Pretreating the barrel with Butch’s Bore Shine also helps prevent copper fouling from building up in the first place, expediting future cleanings. It is safe to use on stainless steel, cleans all metal parts of the firearm and comes in three sizes. It is also a good idea to follow up your cleaning with a good lubricant like Butch’s Gun Oil bore protectant and conditioner, and parts lubricant, which further protects and conditions the bore as well as the moving parts of your gun. Made from natural oils, it will stand up to intense pressure, heat and friction as well as help prevent rust or corrosion.