Author Topic: How often do you clean barrels? (Read 1454 times)

KAYR1 · « **on:** March 25, 2009, 03:14:26 PM »

I was wondering how often you guys clean your rifle barrels, adn with what? I used to do it every hundred rounds or so, many times more. I now clean after every range session with a bore guide, copper solvent, and lots of patches. Is this being overly cautious? I am very careful with tools, the chamber and cown, but was wondering if I was going overboard. I guess since I have become an accuracy, and reloading nut, I was worried that I had become OCD with my barrels too! Whattya think?

charles p · « **Reply #1 on:** March 25, 2009, 04:12:49 PM »

Once I start hunting with a rifle, I do not clean it until the end of a season.

When I go to the range and shoot, I normally clean my rifle within a day or two.

bilmac · « **Reply #2 on:** March 25, 2009, 10:13:02 PM »

I was on a rifle team in the National Guard. The Master Sgt in charge told not to clean the Match grade M14 issued to me, he didn't even want me to field strip it to clean out the crud. The rifle just kept shooting.

Graybeard · « **Reply #3 on:** March 26, 2009, 01:47:29 AM »

Quote

I guess since I have become an accuracy, and reloading nut,

If in fact you are an accuracy nut then why are you doing things that reduce the accuracy of that rifle? Most barrels DO NOT shoot their best perfectly clean. They need some number of shots to foul the barrel to the point best accuracy begins. It will then continue for some period of time/number of shots and then begin slowly deteriorating.

If you clean every time you shoot then you'll likely never see the best the barrel has to offer.

Clean it and shoot it. Learn what accuracy the barrel can deliver and then shoot it until the accuracy begins to fall off and then clean again. For a rimfire for the most part that means almost never cleaning it.

jro45 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 26, 2009, 02:47:22 AM »

I clean my rifle barrel every time I shoot it. I leave a little copper in it so my first shot will be on target.
I never clean all the copper out unless I'm not to shoot it for awhile. Then I take all the copper out.

MZ5 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 26, 2009, 05:30:06 AM »

I'm not a high-volume shooter at all. I also generally buy rifles new. This means they're normally 'new' for many, many years.

Having said that, I generally clean rifles (except NOT 22 rimfires) after each range session for 2 reasons: 1, I don't 'break-in' my barrels so I want them clean to the steel every time so that they will 'break-in' better over the relatively few rounds I put through them. 2, I can never be sure when I'll get back out to shoot any particular rifle and I don't want nor need corrosion starting anywhere.

I use Hoppe's Elite cleaner (=M-Pro7, but usually a buck or two less expensive/bottle in my town) because it's non-tox, no smell, bio-degradable, and frankly it works a heckuva lot better than #9, Butch's Bore Shine, or any of a variety of other solvent-type cleaners I've tried.

AtlLaw · « **Reply #6 on:** March 26, 2009, 05:54:43 AM »

Quote from: Graybeard on March 26, 2009, 01:47:29 AM

Most barrels DO NOT shoot their best perfectly clean. They need some number of shots to foul the barrel to the point best accuracy begins. It will then continue for some period of time/number of shots and then begin slowly deteriorating.

If you clean every time you shoot then you'll likely never see the best the barrel has to offer.

Clean it and shoot it. Learn what accuracy the barrel can deliver and then shoot it until the accuracy begins to fall off and then clean again. For a rimfire for the most part that means almost never cleaning it.

<sigh>

+1 on what Bill said... he sure saves me a bunch of typing!

Tom47 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 26, 2009, 06:03:54 AM »

I clean mine when the groups at the range start to deterorate and 22s never just wipe them down after use with an rag treate RIG.

burntmuch · « **Reply #8 on:** March 26, 2009, 06:07:52 AM »

My rem 700 223 seems to shoot best after 15 or 20 rounds. I just learned this the hard way. On the way to a shooting session with my brother I bragged that the gun will do .5 groups. Well I pulled out my freshly cleaned rifle & comenced to shoot 2 inch groups $:-\$ After 12 rounds or so. I got under an inch. Each group got smaller & smaller. After 25 rounds or so It settled in at .6 or .7 inch groups The rifles probably better than that. Those are good groups for me

mjbgalt · « **Reply #9 on:** March 26, 2009, 06:27:07 AM »

i have run 2 or 3 patches through almost every time i go to the range.

maybe i need to rethink that. it makes ME feel better but does it help the RIFLE?

I know i have owned some tackdrivers that i did that to and they always shot well, clean or dirty. maybe i just got lucky. or maybe they could have shot even better...

-Matt

Daniel · « **Reply #10 on:** March 26, 2009, 06:39:21 AM »

I used to be really anal about this stuff until I finally came to my senses and realized it wasn't necessary to clean as often or as thorough as I was doing it. With a new rifle I'll clean after each trip to the range (15 to 30 shots) for the first 2 or 3 range sessions. After that it just depends on how the gun is shooting, whether I'm trying a new load, how I'm feeling that day, etc, etc, etc. I just don't worry about it much any more, 'cause in my experience it has little effect on whether I kill game or not. If I was a benchrest competitor I might feel differently.

Because I was so anal about it at one time I experimented with a little bit of everything when it comes to solvents; Shooter's Choice, Butches, MPro-7, TM Solution, Sweets, Barnes CR10, KG12, Extreme Copper Melt, Wipeout, Montana Extreme, Hoppes, and so on and so forth. Here's what I've pretty much settled on now for cleaning a barrel: For powder fouling I like 3 parts Shooter's Choice mixed with 1 part Kroil. Patch it in (2 or 3 wet patches), let it sit 30 minutes, brush (5 to 10 strokes), then patch it out (2 or 3 wet, then 2 or 3 dry). For copper fouling I like either Wipeout (when I've got more time) or Montana Extreme Copper Killer (when I want it done now). These days I generally don't clean for copper unless groups are opening up and/or there's a noticable heavy buildup in the bore. Of course oil your bore after cleaning, but make sure to remove any excess oil before shooting again.

Lastly, after the last trip to the range before hunting season I generally don't clean until after hunting season is over. I don't want my POI to change. Of course, every now and then it's a good idea to inspect your bore during hunting season to make sure you haven't gotten any mud or other debris in there. If so you need to push those out with a patch or bore snake.

woodchukhntr · « **Reply #11 on:** March 26, 2009, 11:28:00 AM »

When I was shooting in a summer 100 meter prone league there was a really good shooter that would clean his rifle after every set of targets, I believe we shot at 2 for score. It seemed very anal to me, but it worked for him, I guess. I wonder if hes score would have changed if he didn't cleas so often. I bet not!

I clean after every range session, and just wipe down after hunting. .22's, almost never, I get disgusted when the crud builds up and clean them then. Airguns, never.

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #12 on:** March 26, 2009, 11:54:56 AM »

I tend to run Bore Snakes through mine before and after every shooting session. Thorough cleaning occurs only when accuracy starts going downhill.

packerbacker · « **Reply #13 on:** March 26, 2009, 12:21:52 PM »

would you all group the .17 hmr in the same category as the .22 when it comes to cleaning (or should i say -almost never) i traded my remington .22 for the .17 hmr because i fell in love with the h&r after buying and shooting my first ( a 12 ga ush). i have since got the .20 for my son and now am looking for my first rifle ( a.25 06 or .270 - have not decided yet ) i love these h&r's.

that leads me to a follow - up. i too, am trying to take better care of my guns but do not know where to draw the line. would you treat the shotguns the same. much larger barrel and, depending on the slug type (ie litefield) they really foul.

i have shot the .17 twice (50 rounds total - have not cleaned yet except the outside of barrel ) i have cleaned the 2 shotguns thouroughly after each range ( 2x for the 12 ga and 1x for the 20 )

thanks
mitch

Swampman · « **Reply #14 on:** March 26, 2009, 01:11:51 PM »

Muzzleloaders - everytime as soon as possible.

Centerfire rifles - once a year after hunting season

Shotguns - usually after I shoot them

Rimfires - when the accuracy starts going south

Cleaning ruins more guns than neglect

gypsyman · « **Reply #15 on:** March 26, 2009, 01:28:04 PM »

.17's seem to have a tendency to foul much more rapidly than .22's and up. It might be the bullets are made out of a softer copper?? A good friend of mine, years ago, shooting cast bullets with gas checks out of his 7BR/XP-100, shot over 700 rds. before he ran a patch and brush down the barrel. I looked thru the barrel at 500+ rds., and all you seen was a little bit of powder residue.
Alot depends on how good the rifling was cut in, hardness of the bullets you use. If you do clean, and want to get all the oil/solvent out, run a couple patch's with rubbing alcohol down the barrel. That will dry out the barrel, and it should be pretty close to where it normally shoots. gypsyman

diggler1833 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 26, 2009, 02:03:08 PM »

Mine get cleaned every time after the range. I guess I'm a cleanliness nut. I usually scrub the powder fouling out until I've hit around the 200 round mark. Then I'll get the copper fouling.

The match rifle I used to compete with back in the day at Quantico came with a Boresnake. I was told only to use that and nothing else. We were also using moly bullets as well. Not sure if they are still doing that nowadays.

Tunaman · « **Reply #17 on:** March 26, 2009, 03:16:01 PM »

I agree with swamp man on this one. The only exception is with 17 Rimfires. I find that my Mach 2 needs cleaning about every 200-250 rounds and my HMR needs cleaning every 150-200. Ultimatley I let accuracy tell me when they need to be cleaned but somewhere around those numbers are where accuracy starts to fall off.

Wyo. Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #18 on:** March 26, 2009, 03:27:00 PM »

:)Every time I shoot my centerfires, I run a bore cleaner though the barrel. I like a bore free of stuff that will collect moisture and possibly cause the barrel to pit. It can happen quickly in the right conditions. ???Some of my pals seldom clean their rifles, but from what I have seen neglect has ruined more rifles than cleaning. Damp humid climates are the very worst. Also, I was told by an arms company that Stainless does not elimiate the need for cleaning as the copper fouling can react with the steel and cause pitting. >:(Usually, I run a patch soaked in BoreTeck through the barrel and let it sit for a few minutes, then another soaked patch and wipe dry. If I am putting the rifle in my safe, I usually scrub with Shooters Choice, and run Remoil patch thru the bore before storing. If you are shooting matches every day, I can see not cleaning, but a damp climate or rain can cause ones rifle to rust over nite. $:-\$

Daniel · « **Reply #19 on:** March 27, 2009, 05:02:12 AM »

The rifle that shot the group pictured below, an old model 1891 7.65mm Mauser with iron sights, was left in a closet uncleaned for about 20 years at my dad's house before I decided to take it and reload for it. When I cleaned it after all those years the crud that came out of that old bore was amazing. Lots of rust in there. The bore now looks like someone cleaned it on a regular basis with sandpaper. But guess what, the old girl shoots and shoots well. I guess my point in posting this is to try to help folks keep things in perspective and not obsess over this stuff. There are more important things to worry about than a little rust in a rifle bore.

Dave in WV · « **Reply #20 on:** March 29, 2009, 04:24:40 AM »

My carbon steel barrels get cleaned after every range session and after the deer seaon is over (two to three weeks). My stainless barrels I don't clean as often.

I've found if I run a carburator cleaner soaked patch through my carbon steel barrels before the first shot to get the oil out, the first shot is in the group and not a flyer.

Rex in OTZ · « **Reply #21 on:** April 01, 2009, 03:41:01 PM »

I use a Mosin P-27 and shoot corrosive FMJ ammo its a must every time, Ive seen what happened to a Remington 721 30-06 that shot corrosive ammo and the shooter thought it wasent and he shot it and then put it up for 5 years without cleaning, what a surprise when we went out to sight in our rifles and cleaned after shooting, he brought out all his other arms for a good cleaning afterwards, thats when I discoverd the ruined 721, he pitched it in the garbage the next day, lucky I was able to retreve it for parts, Never assume you dont have to clean your firearm, I dont care if its the age of non-corrosive ammo its poor riflemanship to use a fire arm and not clean & oil it. Thats a careless mindset to get into and filters down in all things you do, I inflate my truck tires, check my oil, keep lubricated and serviced everything I own, I take care of what I got cause I invest for the long run and expect things to last if I do my part. wither its my home, auto, firearm or shovel out in the shop when I pick it up and expect to use it It will be ready to go or function when needed in the case of the Home.
A well maintained woodhandled hammer kept in the shop will work just as well as a rusty old fiberglassed handle hammer that been laying out in the weeds, but what would you choose first when you had a choice? the nice looking well cared for one or the rusty one that never had any care at all? what would your offspring be prowd of possesing the rusty hunk you left them of the one that say's you care enough to even cared for a simple item as a claw hammer?

Daniel · « **Reply #22 on:** April 06, 2009, 10:09:21 AM »

Well, I hope my kids are more proud of the way I raised them, spent time with them, was there for them when needed and so on rather than whether or not I left them a nice shiney hammer.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #23 on:** April 06, 2009, 10:45:12 AM »

ya sopose to clean um ?

ML- Not as often as i should .
Carry gun every few weeks , pocket crud , ya know .
Shotgun every time i shoot my O/U's , pumps ? can't remember but i do at least once a year , autos when they get slow.
HP rifles after hunting season , all get cleaned if they get wet

KAYR1 · « **Reply #24 on:** April 06, 2009, 03:08:39 PM »

Looks like everyone has their own system that works for them. I will just keep using the bore guide and cleaning every 100 or so rounds for my varmint rifles and after the season for my big game guns. I will keep firing fouling groups after a cleaning.

With the investment and sentimental value, I just cannot fathom letting my "babies" go uncleaned for too long.