So how many of you break out a metal funnel and pour water down a smoking barrel in your rifles? I witnessed this yesterday and out of curiosity I asked him why he was pouring water down the barrel he replied “so the barrel can be cool when he cleans it”
I’ve only seen that after a Civil War re-enactment for the purpose of cleaning out the blackpowder residue.
It somehow doesn’t make such sense in a modern firearm.
Only if you’re wearing a wet-suit and are working for HK 
Uh…no
i dunno about a DI AR but I know the HK416 can safely shoot directly after being fully submerged in water… so it cant hurt that much, right?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZpZryZEiY4
I have never heard of such a thing. I’ve only seen water (and it was hot water) used to clean out the residue left by corrosive ammo.
That’s a new one. 
Derek
I have seen people pour hot soapy water in MN rifles, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone do it in a AR. would this also weaken the metal?
I dont think it can be very good for the firearm. Similar to putting a hot glass in cold water.
You should have asked him what his ARFcom username was.
:eek: Yep you went there…
i actually try to run a patch with solvent through as soon after shooting as i can, while the barrel is still warm before leaving the range. in my mind, it makes it easier to clean when i get home. don’t know for sure if heat has anything to do with it (i actually think it does), but i’ve found that the bore’s easier to clean since the solvent has been sitting in there for an hour or two already.
LOL:D
Indeed. I try to get CLP into my carrier group right at the range, then clean the next day. It makes cleaning a little easier I think.
Someone did claim that carbon fouling hardened with cooling.
I asked Ken Elmore about this years ago. (not to the extreme of pooring water down the barrel, but pooring water on a hot barrel to cool it a little.)
He didn’t know for sure, but brought up the point of the Chrome lining cooling at a different rate than the barrel steel… and that might create a problem.
I use hot water and dish soap to clean my glocks and Black Powder guns, but I don’t use much water on my other firearms.
Quenching hot metal in cold water should make it stronger. Though I’m not familiar with the metallurgy of the barrel in question and I generally think they quench in oil.
In terms of blackpowder you wouldn’t do it to a hot barrel, but when you’re cleaning you’d boil water to pour down the barrel and clean. The hot water is a better solvent than cold water, but it also heats the barrel so any residual water would evaporate rather than settle and rust.