A ballistic barrel cleaning cartridge is provided. The ballistic barrel cleaning cartridge includes a casing including a casing recess. The casing recess is closed at a first end of the casing. The cartridge further includes a propellant disposed within the casing recess and an abrasive-binding agent composite slug constructed with an abrasive agent and a polymerized binding agent. The abrasive-binding agent composite slug is disposed within the casing recess at a second end of the casing. The abrasive-binding agent composite slug includes a bore forward recess configured for receiving a bore forward high-density weight and a retention lip configured for retaining the bore forward high-density weight within the bore forward recess. The cartridge further includes the bore forward high-density weight. Expansion of the propellant is operable to expel the abrasive-binding agent composite slug from the casing recess.