Cleaning....when is enough, enough?

[SDHNTR]

I clean mine after every time I shoot. I live on a peninsula surrounded by salt water. You’ll see rust in 2-3 days if not cleaned and oiled. I don’t get too aggressive with it. A few passes with a brush and then alternating solvent and dry patches until clean. Usually takes 10-15 patches. I use BoreTech Eliminator, and always use a bore guide.

I also blast out my bore guide with brake cleaner or gun scrubber every so often. That could be your problem.

 

[smith406]

You should take a few minutes to read through this thread. Pay particular attention to what Frank Green has to say.

Barrel Break in Procedure

I'm going to tell you....you best be careful with these over bore capacity type rounds and the 6.5PRC is a classic example of one. If you don't keep up with the cleaning and you let the barrel get away from you....I'm going to guarantee you that you will have problems! I had two guys back in...

www.rokslide.com

As far as solvents I’ve been really liking the bore tech stuff. Give the solvent time to work so your not scrubbing it.

Without getting to long winded just remember to put everything into context.

 

[smith406]

The last couple posts got in while I was typing. SDHNTR is a great example of context.

 

[2ski]

Why nylon and not brass?

 

[PathFinder]

So when you DO clean.... how extensively do you do that? And what is your experience for the accuracy post cleaning after that long amount of time?

How about the bolt/chamber, anything at all to that?

For a carbon ring, until it's gone (using a borescope). Mild solvent usually, not a copper solvent.
I like to shoot 3-5 rounds before hunting again.
I do clean the chamber and action somewhat frequently. Just as needed. It's less dependent on round count in bolt guns, dust etc is usually what causes me to need to clean it. My AR is usually every 500 rounds or so. Oiling in between cleanings.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[Thomasj1107]

For a carbon ring, until it's gone (using a borescope). Mild solvent usually, not a copper solvent.
I like to shoot 3-5 rounds before hunting again.
I do clean the chamber and action somewhat frequently. Just as needed. It's less dependent on round count in bolt guns, dust etc is usually what causes me to need to clean it. My AR is usually every 500 rounds or so. Oiling in between cleanings.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Without a bore scope... what do you use to clean the area where the carbon ring would form? Also, what do you use to clean the chamber?

 

[Newtosavage]

I think most of us were told by our fathers or uncles or gun writers at the time that a gun should be properly cleaned before you put it away. I also think that was because their fathers or grandfathers told them that, and so on.

I'm a lot more concerned about the outside of the gun than I am the inside of the barrel. That's why most of my hunting rifles are stainless with synthetic stocks - because I don't have to worry "as much" about cleaning the outside of those at the end of a day of shooting or hunting. My few blued/wood rifles and shotguns get cleaned more carefully, but again, on the outside.

My thinking is you should do one of two things. Keep it clean or leave it be. That means either clean it after every range session, or just leave it alone. There is plenty of evidence now to prove that leaving it alone might actually help you in the accuracy/consistency department, and that's enough for me to just leave them be.

I've had a number of hunting rifles now, I reload, and I shoot a few thousand rounds/year working up loads, breaking in barrels, working out my drops or just getting to know my rifles. I typically don't clean unless I am seeing a problem on the target AND I can see copper in the bore. Only then will I clean a barrel. Anything else and I leave them be. And I have no problems shooting the kinds of groups I want.

That's my .02 for what it's worth.

 

[25orSo]

I think most of us were told by our fathers or uncles or gun writers at the time that a gun should be properly cleaned before you put it away. I also think that was because their fathers or grandfathers told them that, and so on.

Primers and powders used to be corrosive and that is why your father / grandfather cleaned their rifle every time they used it.

The Marine Corps policy was that you cleaned your weapon for three consecutive days after firing it. Likely a left over from the old days of corrosive components.

I have a hard time not cleaning my favorite hunting rifle. It gets my anal retentive OCD all worked up. That said, the first shot from a cold clean barrel has a different point of impact. It is zeroed for a cold fouled barrel. When I am done with practice and reload verification and just before the beginning of hunting season it gets cleaned and then I put three rounds through it. Unless it gets wet it stays that way till season is over.

I use a bore guide, CLP & Butch's Bore Shine.

My varmint rifle doesn't get cleaned until the groups start to open up. With that rifle I can tell when that is happening.

While I am shooting a rifle for multiple practice sessions or load evaluation, I will run a patch or two of CLP through the barrel when I am done shooting. Prior to shooting it again, a patch or two goes though to remove the CLP.

I am slowly becoming less obsessed with clean, clean, clean and am watching more how my rifle barrel and groups respond.

 

[zrodwyo]

Cleaning properly is not going to damage a barrel. When people wreck barrels cleaning there is usually some kind of abrasive involved and unreasonable amount of scrubbing.

If consistency is important to your style of shooting I wouldn’t let a barrel get so dirty that the groups open up. You won’t find anyone in the bench rest or f class world doing that.

 

[Newtosavage]

Cleaning properly is not going to damage a barrel. When people wreck barrels cleaning there is usually some kind of abrasive involved and unreasonable amount of scrubbing.

If consistency is important to your style of shooting I wouldn’t let a barrel get so dirty that the groups open up. You won’t find anyone in the bench rest or f class world doing that.

Might want to check out the last 2 paragraphs of this article.

Record-Setting .284 Win F-Classer

6mmBR.com is the best guide for 6mm BR Benchrest precision shooting, complete with 6BR FAQ, Reloading Data, Shooter Message Boards, Reader Polls, and Photo Gallery. Match event calendar and rifle competition accuracy training tips. Equipment reviews (.243 bullets, 30BR cartridge, 6mm Norma...

www.6mmbr.com

 

[Reburn]

Primers and powders used to be corrosive and that is why your father / grandfather cleaned their rifle every time they used it.

The Marine Corps policy was that you cleaned your weapon for three consecutive days after firing it. Likely a left over from the old days of corrosive components.

I have a hard time not cleaning my favorite hunting rifle. It gets my anal retentive OCD all worked up. That said, the first shot from a cold clean barrel has a different point of impact. It is zeroed for a cold fouled barrel. When I am done with practice and reload verification and just before the beginning of hunting season it gets cleaned and then I put three rounds through it. Unless it gets wet it stays that way till season is over.

I use a bore guide, CLP & Butch's Bore Shine.

My varmint rifle doesn't get cleaned until the groups start to open up. With that rifle I can tell when that is happening.

While I am shooting a rifle for multiple practice sessions or load evaluation, I will run a patch or two of CLP through the barrel when I am done shooting. Prior to shooting it again, a patch or two goes though to remove the CLP.

I am slowly becoming less obsessed with clean, clean, clean and am watching more how my rifle barrel and groups respond.

Frank from Bartlein Barrels talks about CLR here. His specific recommendation is not to use it as it does cause pitting.

Carbon ring removal

Where did you take that picture at? Is that at the case mouth junction? That's what it looks like to me. Let me know. Yes. I believe so. If I have my chamber terminology correct, the upper part of the previous photo is the end of the neck area, and the part just below the lip in the bottom is...

www.snipershide.com

 

[4and1]

Reading through this thread just reinforces why I don't buy used guns. The lack of cleaning and care is astounding.

But, to each his own. To some, a rifle is nothing but a tool, a replaceable tool. To others, a rifle, an ACCURATE rifle, is a thing of beauty.

To the posts that state proper cleaning does not harm a barrel is 100% correct. Improper cleaning can ruin a barrel, trash a trigger.