Dont hunt with a clean rifles

[VinceMule]

LOL poor guy needs to find a new builder and barrel maker. My rifles built by Speedy do not vary on the first shot but maybe .10 MOA and the velocity less than 20 fps different (8 different handloaded cartridges) than the follow up shots. My rifles are always shot off of a clean barrel except during hunting season with one rifle. Clean it after the season ends in January. The competition rifles are cleaned between matches down to bare metal.

Now on a factory rifle this is normal. They like to be fouled slightly. If you ever look at a clean to the metal factory tube with a bore scope, you will see why.

I agree. My fouling shots are not off by much, and often that is from me or the bags settling.

The Cigarette lighter fluid is a degreaser. You can push these down the bore on a punch-type jag, followed by two or three dry patches. Check your own equipment using this method after storing for the Winter, and you will be happy with the results.

We hunted in Mexico for predators a lot years ago. Work like a dog all week, take off on Friday night, be back home on Sunday night. A two-gun permit was usually a Shotgun and a rifle with 50 rounds each allowed. We cleaned our rifle after every trip, with final patches to clean out the lighter fluid. We did not worry about our zero changing, and we were often making headshots on a predator at 200 yards because that was all we could see.

Our barrels were Remington, Winchester, Ruger, Hart, and Shilen. To me, all this never hunt with a clean barrel is much to do about nothing until you start shooting very long range.

 

[Barbourcreek]

Oil patch in fouled gun with dry patch ran through it

I have half testing done. shot 1000 yards, after running an oil patch and a dry patch behind it, was going to shoot through the magneto and the farmer decided he was plowing the filed today without telling us so next week on the magneto. (I have a wounded warrior event the next few days)

but 1st impact was about .25 MOA lower not significant in general.

 

[madair]

I only cleaned my new bartlein carbon barrel until it was broke in and shooting tight groups under 0.5moa. I haven't cleaned since. I would never clean right before a hunt, especially.

 

[hemiford]

I thought that the burnt residue from firing was somewhat acidic and therefore never good
to leave in the bore. This would be on both stainless or chrome moly.

This is a different argument then not cleaning to leave a "rough" bore somewhat "smoothed over"
to aid bullet travel, be it copper or carbon.

 

[xsn10s]

Oil patch in fouled gun with dry patch ran through it

I have half testing done. shot 1000 yards, after running an oil patch and a dry patch behind it, was going to shoot through the magneto and the farmer decided he was plowing the filed today without telling us so next week on the magneto. (I have a wounded warrior event the next few days)

but 1st impact was about .25 MOA lower not significant in general.

Thanks James. And thank you for your service and continued service.

 

[General RE LEE]

Ive found Birchwood Casey Barricade protects from rust but also doesnt affect cold bore POI like a traditional oil.

 

[Southern 62]

Oil patch in fouled gun with dry patch ran through it

I have half testing done. shot 1000 yards, after running an oil patch and a dry patch behind it, was going to shoot through the magneto and the farmer decided he was plowing the filed today without telling us so next week on the magneto. (I have a wounded warrior event the next few days)

but 1st impact was about .25 MOA lower not significant in general.

Thank you for all you share with us
Jimmy

 

[lancetkenyon]

Again, with the "cleaning witchery"?
What is this "cleaning" black magic you all speak of? The Devil's work!

 

[DoneNOut]

So, in hunting. It is not "cold bore" shot. It is "clean bore" shot. Heat isn't a factor
For competition the first shot is both clean & cold until the barrel gets to temp by string firing.

 

[DoneNOut]

I am getting a chuckle with this test though.

"Hey, I'm gonna conduct an experiment"
- Oh Cool! Shooting on paper to measure the difference?
"No"
- Oh ok, so measuring the shots on steel?
"No, in the dirt, shooting at a clay pigeon...
- ...

 

[QuietTexan]

I have half testing done. shot 1000 yards

You have the nicest target holders I've seen.

 

[xsn10s]

I am getting a chuckle with this test though.

"Hey, I'm gonna conduct an experiment"
- Oh Cool! Shooting on paper to measure the difference?
"No"
- Oh ok, so measuring the shots on steel?
"No, in the dirt, shooting at a clay pigeon...
- ...

Well Brad I see it this way. James could have just said to me "No I haven't tried that combination. So I cannot advise either way.". But he actually took the time to test it out. He even stated it was a half test due to time constraints. You could always do a test out to 1000 yards. IMO it's just one sample and I use it as a guide. As always I'll do it with my own set ups. That way I'll know whether the rifle, ammo, or shooter is up to the task.

 

[Muddyboots]

James, thank you for a moment of clarity where I now realize there is another level of precision to consider; fouling shot calibration. Every rifle will be different on number of shots to stability.

 

[memtb]

I've been reading these posts with interest! I've never heard of the lighter fluid cleaning bore process, though I've seen the dry patch method.
Once I learned the fallacy about constantly cleaning and keeping the bore lubed ….I changed my "stratergery" ! Maybe I'm lazy, just taking a shortcut, but for years just fired a round or 3 to foul the bore….as this , in my mind, would replicate what the rifle bore would be throughout the hunting season. With the present component shortage I may rethink "fouling shots"…..at least briefl!

And, contrary to what some others experienced, I have definitely observed first shot or several shots, different than previous zero! With my limited number of rifles and experience, my findings may be different that that of others. I have a couple of small bore rifles (.223 REM) that show first round from a cleaned and oil patch wiped bore to be off as much as 2"…often requiring 3 shots to achieve the previous zero. Our medium bore (.338 and .375) are usually near zero ….but, get a couple of "fouling shots" anyway! memtb