Questions about HBN?

[Deviant]

I have decided to use HBN on some of my long range rigs and was curious what some of you guys are doing.
1. How often do you clean your rifles when using HBN?
2. Do you treat the barrel with an HBN alcohol mix after every cleaning?
3. Is it ok to use a dry patch down the barrel after 30 or so rounds at the range or will this remove too much of the HBN?

I am using the David Tubbs kit and any tips or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks, Al

 

[Pdvdh]

1) Strictly for hunting and prepping for hunting, not very often. Long spans of storage time dictate cleaning more than the number of shots fired.
2) Only if I clean thoroughly down to the raw steel, removing the utmost of carbon and copper fouling.
3) A dry patch isn't going to remove HBN, IMO. Dunno that even a wet patch will remove it. Acetone is reported to remove HBN, but even it may not remove some that's been embedded into tiny voids in the bore surface.

 

[Orange Dust]

1) Not often. Carbon fouling is more of an issue than Copper.
) Make sure the barrel is REALLY clean first. Pretreating just lowers the number of rounds fired before everything restabilizes again.
3) Guess it would be ok, but not really necessary. Big overbore rounds like a 300RUM or 22-6mm can easily go 100-200 rounds or more between cleanings. I clean my hunting rifles after the season is over needed or not. Shoot them a little, but often all year, clean again after the next season etc.. Target rifles I would clean after every match, but the gun will tell you when it wants to be cleaned.

 

[gohring3006]

I use a bore snake after each range trip, then coat with slurry.
These are range trips, not competition or hunting. I can't fire a few shots and get the barrel back to normal when going to the range. But as we all know, hunting and comp needs the cold bore in the group, so I don't touch it.

 

[highdrum]

I have a 300 norma being finished in next few weeks if manners would get their stuff together. I'm going to hbn this one, as well as the next 7mm build. Tagging in for as much info as possible!

 

[dok7mm]

I used to clean to bare metal after about 75-100 rounds. That was just to see what the powder and copper fouling situation was. After seeing the results, I now go to 150-200 rounds prior to cleaning unless I change bullets or powder.

I will normally dry patch the carbon after each session. I have no reason to think it effects the burnished HBN as it's pretty hard. I do think it's probably not a good idea to leave HBN in a barrel for long-term storage. It doesn't take too long to treat the barrel and 5-6 shots gets my rifles ready to go.

When I've cleaned, then retreated the barrel, I always shoot 2 shots with a reduced charge to avoid over pressure.
I once forgot to load the reduced ammo and that first shot sure got my attention.

 

[Orange Dust]

I used to clean to bare metal after about 75-100 rounds. That was just to see what the powder and copper fouling situation was. After seeing the results, I now go to 150-200 rounds prior to cleaning unless I change bullets or powder.

I will normally dry patch the carbon after each session. I have no reason to think it effects the burnished HBN as it's pretty hard. I do think it's probably not a good idea to leave HBN in a barrel for long-term storage. It doesn't take too long to treat the barrel and 5-6 shots gets my rifles ready to go.

When I've cleaned, then retreated the barrel, I always shoot 2 shots with a reduced charge to avoid over pressure.
I once forgot to load the reduced ammo and that first shot sure got my attention.

Good info. I should have mentioned the reduced loads. Important!!!

 

[eklarsen]

1. I clean every time I shoot
2. I treat the barrel after every cleaning to keep cold bore consistant
3. Yes, the barrel treatment is all about the cold bore, after that he treated bullets will keep the barrel coated.

And the reduced velocity is real due to the increased slipperiness, you will need to add a few grains to keep your velocity similar.