Rifle Cleaning

[ZAK13]

I clean my rifles thoroughly once a year, and I never use a copper solvent, because it takes to long to get any of my rifles to shoot properly.

 

[Marc Gauthier]

Have heard so many different ideals on bore cleaning and when it should be done. Was wanting to see what some of you guys do that shoot a great deal on when you decide to full bore clean. I have always done my reloading in 100 rnd batches and for years once I hit that 100 rounds fired I would reload a new 100 and do full bore clean. This has worked great but I recently started just shooting a rifle until groups opened up and then clean. I have also heard of PRS guys never cleaning a bore at all. Just wondering what some of you guys intervals are. Thanks fellows.

For a shooter or a hunter it's two different things. The shooter can wait for the grouping to change, just clean the room or pass a rope. The hunter can clean at any time, since he surrenders his weapon for a while. Whoever hunts with his shooting weapon is also different. -My grain of wheat.

 

[Mike AVM]

Depends on the rifle. I have a Kimber in 300 WM that starts throwing rounds after about 40 rounds and another with a Pac-Nor barrel that is great to a 100. It really depends on the rifle. If I had to have a universal gauge I'd clean every 50 or so. One man's opinion. You'll see a lot

 

[BrentM]

Very dependent on the barrel. My proof's get a carbon scrub at 50-100. My PRS rifles get a carbon after the match. Some of my factory barrels copper foul badly so I might need to copper scrub at 200-400. I rarely copper scrub on hand lapped aftermarket barrels under 400-500. I guess the main thing for me is that I don't like carbon build up and donuts so I like to get rid of carbon. During the hunting season I run a fouled barrel and will pull a bore snake just before hitting the field. Removes the oxidized chaulky carbon on the surface but leaves the main fouling alone.

 

[340Wby-4-everything]

Great tips all! Thanks. I was just wondering this about my .340Wby. groups had opened up and it is my go to hunting rifle, so some 40-60+ (lost track after 30-40) swabs later and a lot of Butch's via a bore guide, she's nice and sparkly! Any recommendations on a bore scope? And inexpensive would be key and much appreciated.

 

[acourvil]

One thing that should be mentioned is that the powder you are using can make a difference in how often cleaning is needed. For my target rifles that use a relatively clean powder, like H4350, I clean every 250 rounds or so, plus or minus 50 rounds. For a target rifle using a dirtier powder like H1000, or a powder that is known to form carbon rings, like RL16 or RL26, I don't go more than 150-200 rounds. For my hunting rifles, I typically clean once at the end of the season and leave a light coat of oil in the bore. At the beginning of the season, I run a patch through, do a bit of shooting to check zero and re-acquaint myself with the rifle, and then have a fouled barrel for the season. My hunting rifles will typically see less than 50 rounds a tear; my target rifles will have hundreds or 1000+ per year.

 

[biff's reloading]

Mine get wiped out before going in the safe, and cleaned for copper or carbon once a year when I get time. Most didn't need it. I have a Douglas xx that just stays clean on it's own. But I have an older savage 222 that I swear steals a grain of copper from every shot.

 

[FlyGuy11]

Two schools of thought and I'm in the middle.
1. Shoot until you reach copper equilibrium and once accuracy drops clean. To do this you must know when this begins anotherwards long test/practice sessions.
2. Clean everytime like a bench rest shooter.
3. Hybrid approach that I use: Base cleaning on type of cartridge. For example my 28 Nosler will get cleaned sooner than my 300 blackout. I base my cleaning on velocity of the round being fired. I have no science to what is better or best and neither do most professional shooters.
4. A must for cleaning is a good bore guide and a high quality 1 piece cleaning rod. Bore Tech and Dewey are the ones I use.
5. Do what gives you a warm and fuzzy. I'm using the 28 Nosler on a Bull Elk hunt so 1 round for a fouling shot and 1 round to confirm 200 yard zero then off to hunt, no cleaning.

 

[zr600]

What do you consider cheap for a bore scope? I have the Lyman one and it works very good. There like $150 or so. I think you can get a bore scope that plugs into your phone but make sure they will fit down your bore.

 

[jreagle]

I am cleaning the bore and chamber usually after each or every other range session. I have found that it is so much easier to clean at that interval. Where as once a year for me, it takes hours and some times days for the bore tech to melt thru all of the carbon and copper to get a clean patch from the bore.
with a clean bore, 3-5 fouling rounds are needed to get consistent results on target again.

 

[IPSC]

Surgically clean may not be the answer. The rifle often shoots better at SOME level of copper fouling that fills in the micro-cracks and irregularities...and if you let it go too far, it again gets worse. This guy as a 101 chapter video series on long-range/sniper shooting.... he has an odd way about himself but if you drill down and focus on the facts, his recommendations are nearly always spot on. Here is the vid on fouling/cleaning--->
To get a more-rounded view of this, you may want to look at some previous chapters of his that lead up to some of the things he says here. Cheers.

 

[clownbuster]

My interval is clean it when I get home from shooting it. Takes me less then 5 minutes.

Its true, more barrels have been ruined by owners "cleaning" their babies, whether not using a quality bore guide or non-coated rods; bouncing jags off the 4-o'clock to 8-o'clock positions of the crown, or my personal favorite: scrubbing the hell out them with metal brushes trying to get them back to factory shine, as if it grouped better back when it was new.

Whatever state of cleanliness your rifle gives the most consistent, documented results in, then simply keep them close to that state. My rifles shoot clean or 200 deep. However, I KNOW my rigs drill a 10 ring at distance with a clean, cold bore; so why would I bother finding out how dirty they have to be before they don't?

 

[coop2564]

I rarely shoot a gun more than 50rds a year, Except my CC, 6.5cm and 22 LR. My CC I clean after every range cession, 6.5cm 50rds, everything else gets once a year, even if not shot just to make sure its fresh oiled.

 

[kraig]

I don't believe there is a one cleaning regiment that fits all situations. Use, Velocity, Bullet, Barrel quality, & Powder have all played into my personal decision for each gun. High velocity light jacket (think varmint guns) seem to copper up quicker than average. Slower with dirty powder seem to degrade pretty quick too but with carbon not copper. (tend to clean these guys 100-150 rounds, then always shoot 3-5 fouling shots) I had a factory Rem700 SPS tactical that shot super .5 for about 50 rounds then by 75 rounds it would open up to over an inch. I always assumed that was due to the factory barrel and it wasn't much fun to clean. Then I have my long range rig I use mostly for steel and paper, I just wait until groups open up a bit. Currently at almost 300 rounds after initial break in. I'm wondering if the 5R rifling has something to do with that but don't know since it is my first. I feel like I've gotten lazy because I use to clean after every range trip, still do with pistols. I just can't argue with knowing where that first shot is going to hit & that was something that changed when I cleaned every time. (not a lot, but enough if I started at 500 yards or more)

Either way I wouldn't clean any rifle I care about wo/a chamber guide and for extra measure I don't pull anything back over the crown, but that would be for a different thread.