[gun_nut_73]

Are you trying to use oversized brushes for the bore?

If you match the brush size to the bore, the brushes should last years. I have some brushes from WWII that still work well, if I use them in the correct bore.

IMO, it may sound like a good idea to use an oversized brush for a tighter fit, but unless you are scrubbing out a sewer-pipe bore, it is not needed after the first few cleanings. I use the cheapest bore brushes I can find at the gun shows for the inital clening of a new rifle, because the brushes are not as tightly constructed as the better brands. For regular cleaning, I use Hoppes, or similar bore brushes, in the proper caliber, and they last much longer.

 

[gun_nut_73]

Check out the Mosin Nagant websites www.mosinnagant.net and www.7.62x54r.net for tips on cleaning.

For myself, as I mentioned above, I use cheap brushes for the inital scrubbing of a new rifle. For regular cleaning, i use a good quality brush, and, since I only need to remove the fouling that accumulated from the last range session, I do not need the heavy scrubbing.

You may also want to look into using a bit of synthetic pot scrubber to scrub the bores. As it is softer than the metal of the barrel, it will not affect the rifling, but will do a good job in cleaning out the fouling.