Try not to use steel wool (3/0, or 4/0 being the finest weaves), as it leaves little steel threads in the dark corners where it starts to rust, then gets the gun metal rusty.
Bronze wool is a better choice, but a little harder to come by. Synthetic coarse cloth (like green scrubby-things, or better, the softer blue ones) aren't as damaging.
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While I've never noticed any "dark corners" on a rifle barrel... especially after I wiped down the entire barrel and other metal parts with a lightly oiled, leather-backed lamb's wool I use to keep all my firearms from getting any rust on 'em... but it seems that bronze wool would work as well or possibly better since the bronze wool would eliminate ANY possibility of leaving any little steel threads anywhere.
Frankly, I never heard of "bronze wool" until Jeff G. mentioned it in this thread, but it obviously can be found... somewhere. Nothing was said about "bronze wool" when I purchased the very fine steel wool from the local hardware store, but I'm glad to know that bronze wool exists.
I guess one can always learn something new 'most any time... even at my age, eh?
Ron T.
