I was told to leave my gun "dirty" before going hunting, as in, only run a bore snake through it after your last target shot before the hunting season. Obviously this makes sense to me, as the shot will be the same as the rest of your target shots. In another thread, however, I saw that someone recommends using the clean bore as your first on game. Can anyone give me a supporting argument for this?
Clean Cold Bore Hunting??
- Thread starter Tycon
- Start date
To start with, no bore snake will ever be used in any of my rifles. Besides, if you run a bore snake down the barrel, you are partially cleaning it, so it isn't really fouled. As to whether a clean barrel shoots to the same point of impact as a fouled bore, depends on the particular rifle. I often hunt with a clean barrel, and I have tested my rifles to see if the point of impact, or the group size changes, once the barrel is fouled.
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
Sight-in, let gun cool or come back next day and see what you get for POI for your own info, do it once dirty do it once clean.
Realistically any accuracy changes will not give you a miss on the vitals within normal hunting distances.
I have some rifles that do not change with cold clean bores and some that do, but the difference is insignificant.
Realistically any accuracy changes will not give you a miss on the vitals within normal hunting distances.
I have some rifles that do not change with cold clean bores and some that do, but the difference is insignificant.
After shooting x amount of rounds I see a gradual degradation of accuracy(the severity, depending on rifle and bore/caliber). I clean marginally and exactly the same everytime. This lends itself to a consistent amount of "fouling" left in the bore and reestablishes the previous "accuracy." That is my Fouled Cold Bore and I know where it should impact at zero and different distances.
I also do similar, except I clean the bore much cleaner and then shoot it to determine what my Clean Cold Bore point of impact is and will be anytime the bore is cleaned to that state of cleanliness.
I now know where my round should impact with a "dirty/fouled" bore or a very "clean cold bore" wrt my zero.
I also do similar, except I clean the bore much cleaner and then shoot it to determine what my Clean Cold Bore point of impact is and will be anytime the bore is cleaned to that state of cleanliness.
I now know where my round should impact with a "dirty/fouled" bore or a very "clean cold bore" wrt my zero.
I always have a clean bore when hunting and after every day of hunting I run a dry patch through the barrel, after it had thawed out. I also wipe down the exterior of the gun and the bolt. While practicing and lining-up my rifle the POI on the first shot is the most important, all of my rifles shoot 2.5 inches high at 100 yards/meters. Although I always have a cluster of three shot groups, I'm only concerned with the first POI shot. The two remaining cartridges in the magazine are usually not required for follow-up.
Many years ago I acquired a rifle [make will remain anonymous] in 30-06 that out of a cold barrel, whether clean or dirty,
would throw the first shot about 2" high and slightly right from any subsequent shots.
Even though this rifle would put 3 shots into under 1" at 100 meters, I flogged it, because of the first shot issue, which I tried
to resolve several ways, without success.
I have shot a fair number of game animals with cold, clean barrels, and my rifles must put the first shot at 100M within ¾" of the next one,
whether clean or dirty, hot or cold.
Regards, Dave.
would throw the first shot about 2" high and slightly right from any subsequent shots.
Even though this rifle would put 3 shots into under 1" at 100 meters, I flogged it, because of the first shot issue, which I tried
to resolve several ways, without success.
I have shot a fair number of game animals with cold, clean barrels, and my rifles must put the first shot at 100M within ¾" of the next one,
whether clean or dirty, hot or cold.
Regards, Dave.
Had the same problem with a brand new 30-06; but I'm not shy about the brand. Sako. The cold shot was 3 inches high and it didn't matter what loads it was fed. It was easy to spot and prove with winter shooting.
I can say that the dealer gave me my money back, and I didn't even have to bother with the Sako advertised warranty. Ended up with my first Cooper right after that.
I'm sure someone will think I'm nuts but except for every 6 months to once a year once I know I've shot any said rifle quite a bit at the range do I do a proper cleaning - copper solvent, patches etc. Other than that my rifles get G96 with a bore snake every time I'm back from the range - along with oiling, wiping down the metal parts and a cloth over the wood.
That said, when I take a rifle to the range I'm not shooting much more than 30 rounds so I'm not sure it is getting particularly dirty between cleanings.
The major POI impact I see in my rifles is a cold bore vs a warm bore. So when I'm doing load development I spend a LOT of time waiting for the barrel to cool down between shots. I don't think I have seen much of a POI difference between fouled and squeaky clean; that said, I'm only bore-snaking for the most part so it is probably not that squeaky clean except for a once a year real cleaning.
I'm pretty new at both rifles and hunting so I have no idea if what I am doing is ideal or not. When I went on my first hunting trip this past year I went to the range a week before end sighted in so I was dead on where I wanted to be on the first three shots out of the cold "clean" bore. That is what I intend to do in the future as well.
That said, when I take a rifle to the range I'm not shooting much more than 30 rounds so I'm not sure it is getting particularly dirty between cleanings.
The major POI impact I see in my rifles is a cold bore vs a warm bore. So when I'm doing load development I spend a LOT of time waiting for the barrel to cool down between shots. I don't think I have seen much of a POI difference between fouled and squeaky clean; that said, I'm only bore-snaking for the most part so it is probably not that squeaky clean except for a once a year real cleaning.
I'm pretty new at both rifles and hunting so I have no idea if what I am doing is ideal or not. When I went on my first hunting trip this past year I went to the range a week before end sighted in so I was dead on where I wanted to be on the first three shots out of the cold "clean" bore. That is what I intend to do in the future as well.
I don't really care an don't think it matters that much unless the barrels down right dirty.. I clean mine now an then. if distance is your thing then accuracy is needed, for general hunting a 3moa rifle is adequate lol...
most shoot moa.
wl
most shoot moa.
wl
eaglesnester
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Here is my way. Your milage may vary. I terminally clean my weapon even if I have only fired one round through it. Twenty years in the US military taught me this. They do this for a reason. Now for your clean cold bore shot. Clean your weapon, go to the range, put up a target back off 100 meters. Take a shot from a gun vise. Go home. Clean your weapon. Next day or next week take same rifle back to the range put up the same target and take another clean cold bore shot. Do this 5 times for a good picture of your rifles clean cold bore shot grouping is. Find the center of your grouping. Put your cross hairs on the bull and move your recticles to the center of your shot group. yur now good to go with a clean cold bore shot. a lot of professionals use this method.
Cheers&Tighter Groups: Eaglesnester
Cheers&Tighter Groups: Eaglesnester
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I hunt with a clean bore. My thinking is this, if the gun gets wet, I am going to clean it and oil it. If I have zeroed the rifle with a fouled bore, I can expect it to be "off zero" for the next few shots. If I choose to intentionally re-foul it, then that means I have to stay around camp until after legal light.
In comparison, if I have zeroed to a clean bore, I don't have to do any of that.
That all said, in my rifles, I have never noticed much change in the first 10 shots or so. What really matters, however, is making sure that the barrel is absolutely clean and dry. Any residual oil (by oil I mean G96) will throw off the first shots.
Fat
In comparison, if I have zeroed to a clean bore, I don't have to do any of that.
That all said, in my rifles, I have never noticed much change in the first 10 shots or so. What really matters, however, is making sure that the barrel is absolutely clean and dry. Any residual oil (by oil I mean G96) will throw off the first shots.
Fat
Republic of Alberta
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- ,location, location
Its not just clean bores that can shoot to a different point of impact. I have found that when some of my rifles get that green copper oxidization in them they will shoot to a different point of impact. So I like to run a shot out of them every once in a while during the hunting season to keep them "freshly" dirty.
Lol I think I got that rifle;-),mine was a Parker hale 3006 did the exact same thing from a clean bore.Never trusted it, & always hunted her dirty.
- Location
- WMU248 near Edmonton
had problems with my Ruger 7mm, POI would shift all over the place till it was warmed up. Ended up sighting it in based on a cold dirty bore and thats how I hunted with it. Never cleaned it till after the season was over and the rifle never came into the warm trailer. I got so pissed at the at rifle that it was put in the back of the gunsafe where it sat for about 10 years. I bought several other guns to hunt with. I took it out again 2 years ago, it got a new synthetic stock and bedding and now shoots just fine.
But with all my rifles I still hunt the same, pre season I confirm that they are properly zeroed with the ammo that I'm using to hunt and then they don't get cleaned til the end of the season unless they get wet and dirty.
But with all my rifles I still hunt the same, pre season I confirm that they are properly zeroed with the ammo that I'm using to hunt and then they don't get cleaned til the end of the season unless they get wet and dirty.
I used to work with an old guy (probably in his late 40s then) I was 18, he'd bring his rifle to work before hunting season and stop on his way home at the range and set up his target and fire 1 shot. He would do the same the next day and the next until he had fired 10 shots one day at a time. He showed me his target and it was a 10 shot group about 1 1/4", Didn't think to ask him if he cleaned it every night or not, but somehow I don't think so..........anyway he said that that was the only group that had any meaning at all in the hunting world. He has a point............
I got a 280 that throws it's first shot 3" high and then shoots 1/2 moa for the next 3, can't bring myself to get rid of it somehow.......
I got a 280 that throws it's first shot 3" high and then shoots 1/2 moa for the next 3, can't bring myself to get rid of it somehow.......
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As long as it was just the clean shot, no problem. The Sako that gave me grief would put the first shot 3 inches high whether it was clean or dirty, it didn't like being cold. A hunting rifle that doesn't like being cold is as useless to me as a target rifle that doesn't want to be hot. Or tits on a side of bacon.
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
Wait a minute; we're supposed to clean our rifles?Like,even when it's not raining?
This is how I was raised, honestly.
My dad would only clean his rifles if they had mud or obviously large buildups of dirt or grit on them that anyone could see would likely interfere wth functioning; even then, "cleaning" meant several squirts of WD-40 and a rag to clear up the mess. Nothing inside a firearm was ever cleaned, and he never owned a "cleaning kit". Bores were never pulled through, ever. Any firearm that couldn't function indefinitely in this manner was considered garbage, and was sold or traded on the cheap. Worked for him for a good fifty years, and he was an avid hunter and shot a few hundred rounds per year though his rifles.
I'm not the same way. I clean my rifles lots; everything gets cleaned after every use unless I have a clear plan to be out with that firearm again in the near future. I am in the habit of firing one "fouling shot" with a clean rifle when I start hunting, but honestly, I've taken lots of game with just cleaned rifles and never noticed a real difference. I think for typical hunting situations, say 200 yards or less, whether a bore is clean or fouled probably means nothing.
With so many of today's rifles having skinny barrels, a hunter who didn't kill his animal in the first couple of shots, and has to keep shooting, has more to worry about regarding a quickly heating up barrel, in my opinion. One more reason to take that extra bit of time and set up your first shot properly....
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