The nylon bristle brush plays a vital role in firearms maintenance. We prefer the GI (tooth brush) double ended cleaning brush such as this one here, for all of our cleaning operations. But why? Your fingers, the "T-shirt" rag or cleaning patch your using cant get into all the nooks and crannies of your firearm, and that's where the brush comes in. It will brush away carbon deposits, brass shavings and residue from your firearm. However a dirty brush wont clean as effectively as clean one, even if you are using oil or solvent. When the bristles on your nylon brush turn grey or black its time to clean them.
Moisten a section of a 100% cotton rag (your old T-shirt works great for this) with a good cleaning solvent (rifle bore cleaning, Hoppe's No. 9, etc.) and scrub the bristles across the moistened rag. Don't press so hard that you deform the bristles but hard enough to work the solvent into the bristles. Once it is clean you can use it (if you want solvent on the area your about to brush), or let it dry for another days use. I clean my brushes as the final step in my firearms cleaning evolution so that they are ready to go the next time I need them. Next time your done cleaning your firearm, clean your brushes also; you will be amazed at how well it performs the next time you use it.
Stay safe and keep your powder dry.
Wisconsin Gun Workz, LLC