How many shots until peak accuracy?

[Huntnful]

AFTER THE BARREL IS BROKEN IN AND SPED UP, how many shots (fouling shots) do you normally have to shoot to reach peak accuracy again after scrubbing the barrel clean? Removing just carbon if you prefer, or carbon and copper.

I've been really curious about this, because I clean my barrels OFTEN. I've never seen much accuracy gain after maybe the third shot. Seems like 2 foulers and then they just start stacking in there at the proven group size again. But I've honestly never even shot more than maybe 30-40 rounds through a barrel before scrubbing it again. So I don't have any long term shot string data.

So if you had a gun that shot consistent .5 MOA throughout say 100 shots. And you scrub that barrel clean, how many shots until it's sub .5 MOA again?

My vote is 0-5 shots.

 

[Zen Archery]

Way too many variables…

 

[Longtine88]

it's 0-5. Not sure how the hell I got 50-100 lol. My barrel must look like a rockslide down the bore lol

 

[Huntnful]

Way too many variables…

What variables affect your proven group size returning after cleaning the barrel? Other than shots? Maybe one options for carbon only removal and another for carbon/copper removal?

it's 0-5. Not sure how the hell I got 50-100 lol. My barrel must look like a rockslide down the bore lol

Hahaha dang longtine, you really foul those barrels up! haha. I just allowed it to let voters switch their votes!

 

[Bergerblaster]

Probably depends on how well you cleaned it. Probably also depends on the barrel itself.

 

[Reemty J]

Depends on how smooth the original bore was, lapped, etc…. As example, savage I had was a rough bore, browning xbolts, CZ, McWorter are all smooth, clean easier and copper way slower

 

[Huntnful]

Depends on how smooth the original bore was, lapped, etc…. As example, savage I had was a rough bore, browning xbolts, CZ, McWorter are all smooth, clean easier and copper way slower

Gotcha! I've only shot "premium" barrels. So that's my only experience.

 

[Dot_3]

I haven't taken copper out of my brux 260
In about, well, 750-800 rounds. Only carbon. It's starting to pressure up now so maybe I'll get the copper out. But I get after the carbon after about 100-120 rounds usually. If I'm shooting a match I get the carbon out then send about 20-30 rounds to get to the "same state" as the last match. But I can get clean cold bore impacts at 6-700 yards with doing a CLR and CLP regiment.

 

[74honker]

Probably an odd ball here but I have one that after a clean does not need a fouler. Puts the first one right where it should and all of them after. And it's a 100% factory.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Barrels are like women, some are really predictable and easy to live with. Some are red heads.

 

[Reemty J]

74honker, my 204 CZ, my 6.5 PRS Xbolt and my 7mm STW McWorter are all like that….a real blessing. No foulers needed.

 

[bigngreen]

I would bum hard if it took more than a couple!
You can see it on a chronograph when the velocity stabilizes.

 

[BillLarson]

Probably an odd ball here but I have one that after a clean does not need a fouler. Puts the first one right where it should and all of them after. And it's a 100% factory.

That happens..... out of all the guns I,ve ever owned prolly over 60yrs..... maybe 100....
I had maybe 4 that would do that.....most....not all were close enough to hunt at 200 yds.....

 

[Wolf76]

My factory barrels take 15+ shots before they are shooting again due to poor manufacturing. Aftermarket barrels come back right away.
Factory barrels tend to be picky with loads where as aftermarket barrels shoot everything well and some stuff exceptional.