Do you hunt clean or dirty?

[ReddingArcher]

I like it dirty.

 

[Billinsd]

My rifles are always clean for hunting, and the bores too, since the point of impact is the same with a clean or a fouled bore. Bill

 

[12wander]

Check zero and only clean/wipe the outside of the firearm if I hunt in the rain or snow. The bore stays dirty till seasons end or I run out of tags.
Same with my black powder. I’ll snap off a few primers before even loading the first time using it to fowl the bore.

 

[Thebigbaby]

Dirty

 

[Bubblehide]

That cleaning rod flexes and drags against the inside of the barrel, prematurely wearing it. Many barrels are not shout out, they are cleaned out, so to speak.

 

[Tmac]

Mostly dirty. But…will generally clean my chosen hunting rifle before a hunt, then give it 10-20 rounds at the range a week or so before the hunt, just cause I don’t want it to tell me on a kill shot it needed to be cleaned.

I do have one Tikka 270 that likes a 130 TTSX for about 10 shots, then pukes. It goes from hero to zero. Only has a couple hundred down the tube, so who knows. But that one gets cleaned often, for now.

 

[bigdub257]

DIRTY!

 

[Zappaman]

Mostly dirty. But…will generally clean my chosen hunting rifle before a hunt, then give it 10-20 rounds at the range a week or so before the hunt, just cause I don’t want it to tell me on a kill shot it needed to be cleaned.

I do have one Tikka 270 that likes a 130 TTSX for about 10 shots, then pukes. It goes from hero to zero. Only has a couple hundred down the tube, so who knows. But that one gets cleaned often, for now.

Yep... the long range guys always shoot a "fouler" (or two) after scrubbing a barrel between matches. As I don't want the first "flyer" to happen on my first shot of the season-- before you hunt... clean it good, take it out for 4-5 rounds (to check zero) and your at peak accuracy. Then I go hunt all season with my hunting rifles (which will all make a good 40 rounds or so before "acting-up").

And definitely take a day soon after the season to thoughly clean, oil it all, and run an wet oil patch down the bore (I don't run a dry patch- it's going in the safe for 4-6 months- rust happens). But then don't forget to clean the oil out before the next season! My method is always hit the range (farm) before the opener the next fall. Clean, repeat (check zero)... and then you're 100% GTG for another season. I often shoot several loads in one rifle so I have (a few times) benefited from this process (finding my POI is on the wrong bullet I want to use for the hunt). My 243 shoots the TSX bullets exactly 3 inches left of my coyote load- Nosler 70g. (***Notes in the ammo box help there too

 

[Mikido]

For the guys that go dirty until accuracy degrades….you don’t see any rust at all during the off season? Or are you shooting year round?

 

[wrexstex]

I can't help myself but I cannot store a rifle without running an oiled patch down the bore.

 

[hunting1]

For the guys that go dirty until accuracy degrades….you don’t see any rust at all during the off season? Or are you shooting year round?

If you are in wet or extremely dirty environments then clean the barrel and bore. I tape the muzzle to keep moisture out.

 

[roosiebull]

I hunt dirty, and rarely clean my barrels… if I see groups open up, I clean then.

It’s extremely wet here, I used to tape my barrel, but water still gets in when it’s dumping rain, so I gave up doing that too… my extent of cleaning is drying my rifle off when I get home, the bolt is the biggest problem, I have had water trapped in the bolt and rust the firing pin pretty bad.

I use a bore light a couple times a year to make sure it looks good (always does)

It takes a lot of shooting for me to see any accuracy loss from being dirty, and over cleaning does more harm than good

The bolt is the problem area in wet weather… though I never hear it mentioned.

Disclaimer- all of my rifles are stainless/and stocks aren’t wood

 

[archp625]

Dirty. If for some reason my barrel needs to be cleaned due to accuracy reduction. I always makes sure I shoot a few before I hunt. I clean the outside when it needs it.

 

[PassCreek]

Definitely dirty. Like others have said, I may wipe off the outside of the rifle but I only clean the bore when I feel like I have to (accuracy starts to degrade)

 

[General RE LEE]

Dirty. My Tikka's accuracy doesnt start to fall off for 75-100 rounds. Honestly probably would remain accurate beyond that. I will run a bore snake if I think any particles or water got in bore from a hunt.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I clean it once after every season...round count is usually around 200 with summer practice and hunting season.

 

[ChrisAU]

Dirty...I clean mine with high pressure explosives and some molten lead moving at roughly 2,045 MPH through the tube. I don't think I could rub anything off with some cotton that my method couldn't work on from normal use. IF the barrel gets plugged with mud, yeah. I'll clean it. Happened once.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I always clean after I shoot and since I sight in clean I figure things should stay the same as that. It might be better dirty but that’s just how I’ve always done it and it works for me so I just keep doing it that way. If I don’t shoot but conditions are particularly dusty or wet I’ll run a couple patches through it. I have read that some copper bullets tend to foul barrels faster due to the longer bearing surface of the typically longer bullet but haven’t looked too far into it. There’s probably not a wrong way as long as it works.

I’d be very cautious to do it this way. Go shoot clean bore then see what happens dirty. My gun will routinely shoot sub .5 moa but with a clean barrel the first shot is shot 1.5 moa off. If you shoot one shot a season then you’re good, but if you miss, then you’re shooting a different POI. it’s a lot easier to clean, then go to the range, foul the barrel and go hunting and have same POI for all your shots.

 

[2muchhp]

Dirty for sure, I have a couple guns that will be off 2" on a clean barrel

 

[Elkfitness]

Dirty here as well. I will clean every 60 to 100 rounds, but will always shoot five rounds to verify the zero.


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