do you clean your bore after every shot?

[uzi 4 u]

Just a curiousity killed the cat question but how many of you guys swab your bore out after every shot when your sighting in a scope or a new load you made. Im not a long range hunter just a long range shooter since where I live you cant even hunt with a hi powered rifle except for coyotes. I clean my barrel after every shot in both cases. I read something about that a long time ago and the article stuck in my mind and made some sense so started doin it ever since.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

Just a curiousity killed the cat question but how many of you guys swab your bore out after every shot when your sighting in a scope or a new load you made. Im not a long range hunter just a long range shooter since where I live you cant even hunt with a hi powered rifle except for coyotes. I clean my barrel after every shot in both cases. I read something about that a long time ago and the article stuck in my mind and made some sense so started doin it ever since.

On a barrel break in I will clean every shot for 10 rounds then every 3 shots till 20 rounds, then after that I will not clean it again until one of two things happens. My accurcy starts to decline or I get to 200 rounds. This is by no means a rule just my personal system.

 

[kc]

I find all my rifles shoot better after the barrel is fould a little and than they get a good cleaning
and one or two shots and a dry patch, just a tich of Remington oil.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I shoot one or two fouling shots and then groups with that fouled barrel. That's the only way Iv'e ever done it and when the rifle goes out hunting it gets one down the pipe before the hunt starts and isn't cleaned until the hunt is over. I do just the opposite with a ML and want the first shot on the button with a clean barrel. I swab with a dry patch and pop a couple primers in the empty barrel before loading it for the hunt.

 

[load]

most lr guys will not do more than light wipe to get the excess carbon out of a barrel for around 200 to 350 rounds. the reason for this is simple: no bore is perfect and copper makes good bondo.gun)

 

[Broz]

I thoroughly clean my stainless steel barrels every 30 to 50 rounds with BoreTech Eliminator. I then store them leaving the bore wet with BTE. When I am ready to shoot that rifle again, I run a few wet and 5 or so dry patches to completely dry the barrel out and go shoot. We just tested this with a buddys rifle a few days ago. First 3 were spot on for elevation and a group under 2" at 550 yards. I do not claim this to work for every rifle, but the more I test it the more confidence I have on first round hits with a freshly cleaned bore with BTE.

Also I have found that chrome Moly barrels to be more prone to need fouling shots to come in. But I rarely hunt with factory tubes these days.

Also some rifes will go longer before really needing cleaning. Especially smaller calibers. A rifle will tell you as it will start loosing accuracy. I document this and try to clean before I see the loss for two reasons. One, I don't wish to take the chance the next shot is it if I am hunting. Two, I really don't like the thought of letting my bore build that much fouling. I would rather keep it clean and consistant.

Jeff

 

[dragman]

Depends IMHO. I have some barrels that after a proper break in I clean ever 30-40 shots I have some guns that only need it every 100-120 shots. the break in is the important part and also the one that people seem to over look the most.

 

[Coyboy]

I thoroughly clean my stainless steel barrels every 30 to 50 rounds with BoreTech Eliminator. I then store them leaving the bore wet with BTE. When I am ready to shoot that rifle again, I run a few wet and 5 or so dry patches to completely dry the barrel out and go shoot. We just tested this with a buddys rifle a few days ago. First 3 were spot on for elevation and a group under 2" at 550 yards. I do not claim this to work for every rifle, but the more I test it the more confidence I have on first round hits with a freshly cleaned bore with BTE.

Also I have found that chrome Moly barrels to be more prone to need fouling shots to come in. But I rarely hunt with factory tubes these days.

Also some rifes will go longer before really needing cleaning. Especially smaller calibers. A rifle will tell you as it will start loosing accuracy. I document this and try to clean before I see the loss for two reasons. One, I don't wish to take the chance the next shot is it if I am hunting. Two, I really don't like the thought of letting my bore build that much fouling. I would rather keep it clean and consistant.

Jeff

Jeff, leaving the BTE in the barrel? Do you store the rifle stood barrel up?
And if so did you have any issues with the BTE draining into the bolt/fire pin assembly and getting sticky?

I had a savage/custom barrel rifle I did just that too early on using BTE, and the bolt head showed some corosion on it and seemed to get a bit sticky.

 

[Broz]

Jeff, leaving the BTE in the barrel? Do you store the rifle stood barrel up?
And if so did you have any issues with the BTE draining into the bolt/fire pin assembly and getting sticky?

I had a savage/custom barrel rifle I did just that too early on using BTE, and the bolt head showed some corosion on it and seemed to get a bit sticky.

Hi JIm, yes I store them up in the safe. I use a wet patch but not so wet it will run out. Maybe damp is a better discription. You are correct about it getting sticky as it dries. I have had a jewel trigger go bonker when I got a drop in it. So this should be guarded against. Then if you will note my post, before shooting I run another wet patch first. This is to soften and loosen the coating so the next 5 patches can dry it out good.

I have seen no corosion a all, but will admit my rifle seldon go very long without being fired. The main reason I was testing this was to see what first rounders will do from a freshly cleaned bore. I nailed a 7" circle with my .338 LM cold clean bore at 1395 yards using this method.

I wish you would try it too. I have seen it work with several rifles but still recommend people test it to be sure the first one is on.

Jeff

 

[drwindmill]

I got hooked on the Bore Tech Eliminator a couple years back, and sadly I spend more time cleaning than shooting. Can't believe the crap this stuff gets out of my barrels!

 

[Coyboy]

Hi JIm, yes I store them up in the safe. I use a wet patch but not so wet it will run out. Maybe damp is a better discription. You are correct about it getting sticky as it dries. I have had a jewel trigger go bonker when I got a drop in it. So this should be guarded against. Then if you will note my post, before shooting I run another wet patch first. This is to soften and loosen the coating so the next 5 patches can dry it out good.

I have seen no corosion a all, but will admit my rifle seldon go very long without being fired. The main reason I was testing this was to see what first rounders will do from a freshly cleaned bore. I nailed a 7" circle with my .338 LM cold clean bore at 1395 yards using this method.

I wish you would try it too. I have seen it work with several rifles but still recommend people test it to be sure the first one is on.

Jeff

Got it, that could have been my issue a little too thick in the bore, Savage bolt heads seem to get nasty pretty easy though. I will give it a try, I have some dirty guns I will check zero on and then clean them up and try it.