Maintenance systems for gun barrels typically involve cleansing the barrel of a firearm with a cleaning solvent, sometimes followed by application of an oil or other rust inhibitor. A common form for cleansing the barrel and applying the rust inhibitor are so-called “pull-through” devices, which feature a compressible body at the end of a rope or string. The body is oversized relative to the bore of the gun barrel to be cleaned, so that the body exerts a radial force against the interior surface of the bore when inserted into the barrel. The body is then pulled through the length of the barrel using the rope or string, with the interference between the body and the bore providing a snug-fitting sweep of the bore, leaving behind a coating of the solvent or rust inhibitor.
Challenges arise for rifled barrels. The spiraled grooves typically harbor debris that are more difficult to reach than, for example, smooth bore barrels. A device that provides enhanced contact with the grooves of rifled barrels in an economical form would be welcomed.