I have been shooting my new Wby .257 Mag and cleaning after 10 rounds or so. Because I am cheap, I guess, have not been shooting the first round in the air or off the target. Despite this, my 3 round groups have been well within the sub-moa that Wby guarantees. Best group was .295". I was taught by my dad to always clean my gun after a day of shooting. Is it really neccesary to fire a fouling shot before every session or is it just a way to sell more ammo?
Barrel fouling after cleaning?
- Thread starter Jetjock
- Start date
Never heard that one but maybe I missed it along the way. . After the bore is cleaned some folks like to run an oiled patch down the bore and put it up wet like that and wait to run a dry patch down the bore before the first shot. . I'm not keen on someone shooting the first in the air, on the firing line, a safety issue.
I agree with running a dry patch down the bore before you shoot the first shot. Try it and see how that first shot groups with the next two shots. If you get the group you like then you don't need the fouling shot.
There are various views on breaking in a new barrel. Generally it's a good practice to clean the barrel before shooting the first round. Then I would clean the barrel after every shot for 5 rounds fired. On a new rifle I am looking for any residue in the barrel or copper build up. I'll let the barrel cool in between each shot - so the first session takes a bit of time. Most times I will clean the bore after three - three shot groups. After that I will clean the barrel after a 5 shot group, This may use up a box of ammo, Naturally I am sighting the gun in while I am shooting these initial rounds.
I prefer to clean the bore before it is stored in the safe, with a light coat of oil on a cloth that is dragged in the barrel. When I take the gun out the next time I wipe the bore before shooting the rifle's first round and do a foul shot down range, My next shots are shot for a group to see where the bullets are printing on the target. This lets me know if my scope is set-up right.
I like to find at least one brand of factory ammo that shoots well in the rifle so that I will know what I could use if I didn't work up some loads for the rifle.
It's good to know how a gun shoots with a clean barrel. And it's a common practice to shoot a shot to foul the barrel. In this way we can determine what we can expect from comparing shots from both a clean barrel and a fouled barrel. When hunting the first shot is often times the most critical so I want to know which is better when that big buck steps out.
I prefer to clean the bore before it is stored in the safe, with a light coat of oil on a cloth that is dragged in the barrel. When I take the gun out the next time I wipe the bore before shooting the rifle's first round and do a foul shot down range, My next shots are shot for a group to see where the bullets are printing on the target. This lets me know if my scope is set-up right.
I like to find at least one brand of factory ammo that shoots well in the rifle so that I will know what I could use if I didn't work up some loads for the rifle.
It's good to know how a gun shoots with a clean barrel. And it's a common practice to shoot a shot to foul the barrel. In this way we can determine what we can expect from comparing shots from both a clean barrel and a fouled barrel. When hunting the first shot is often times the most critical so I want to know which is better when that big buck steps out.
I take a new gun off the shelf and put about 150 rounds thru it, getting used to it, not getting it hot, then zero it and try a few groups. Then I just shoot it.
When the accuracy degrades, I record that number and I take Hoppe9, a copper brush and do 10 strokes then dry patch until I still have a little color on the patch and I call that clean. I shoot to validate return to zero and it does. I don't clean again until accuracy degrades again like at 150 rounds for example on 223 or 300 + on a 308.
I have done that for years and have the ultimate confidence in that and my return to zero on numerous rifles, calibers, consumer grade and custom LEO rifles.
When the accuracy degrades, I record that number and I take Hoppe9, a copper brush and do 10 strokes then dry patch until I still have a little color on the patch and I call that clean. I shoot to validate return to zero and it does. I don't clean again until accuracy degrades again like at 150 rounds for example on 223 or 300 + on a 308.
I have done that for years and have the ultimate confidence in that and my return to zero on numerous rifles, calibers, consumer grade and custom LEO rifles.
I have read that numerous times but I am unclear how to apply when going hunting rather than to the range. Normally I get up in the pre-dawn and make my way to where I am going to hunt. I can't quite understand when and where I am supposed to fire a fouling shot. .??
If guys do take a fouling shot often called a ''greaser'' it's done the day before the hunt. If there's no time to do it, run a dry patch down the pipe. When I'm shooting at targets throughout the spring/summer months, either for practice or developing loads, I'll clean my rifles every 20-40 shots or so. It could be a couple of weeks between cleanings and I won't bother oiling the barrel knowing I'll be shooting within a week of cleaning.
Once I zero in with my hunting rounds at the beginning of the season I won't clean my rifles until after the season is finished because I know accuracy shouldn't be affected,,,,,unless by chance I was to bumped my scope on something. Every couple of weeks through the season, I will check to see if my sights are still zeroed in,,,,mostly because I'm itching to do a little shooting because it's not like you get to shoot all that often during the actual season. This year,,,,3 deer=3 shots so ya, not a lot of shooting. One thing I always do during the season is tape the end of my barrel to insure nothing falls into it.
At the end of the season after cleaning my rifle I'll put an oiled patch down it before locking it up in storage.
Assuming your rifle isn't caked in mud or soaking wet, maybe start cleaning after 40 or so rounds or more, depending on where accuracy drops off. If your groups are good, forget about any fouling shots or whatever, just zero your rifle and shoot.
- Location
- Victoria BC
For the purposes of hunting where you will most likely shooting from a cold bore, it would behoove you to sight your rifle in waiting until your barrel returns to ambient temp before repeating additional shots...
Your first shot fired from a clean / cold bore will have a different POI then say if you fired a 3 or 5 shot string in quick sussesion
having a fouling shot isn't a bad idea , if you put in into practise and observe your results you just might fare better on your hunt... having a better idea how your rifle will act depending on fouling / barrel temp.
I know my dad swears by it... he always shoots a few fouling shots the day or two before coyote hunting....
The gun will tell you, if you ask. Anything we tell you is just a guess when it comes to
Your rifle.
I seldom clean rifle bores unless they get rained on, quit shooting, or are being stored long term. It's no big deal on a rifle
Being used regularly, when you live in a dry climate. If I lived by the ocean I'd likely do the opposite.
I wouldn't put the first range shot into the air or ground. Why waste the opportunity to find out where your cold bore shot goes? Use a separate target if you want. A powerful argument can be made that it is the only one that matters on a hunting rifle.
Your rifle.
I seldom clean rifle bores unless they get rained on, quit shooting, or are being stored long term. It's no big deal on a rifle
Being used regularly, when you live in a dry climate. If I lived by the ocean I'd likely do the opposite.
I wouldn't put the first range shot into the air or ground. Why waste the opportunity to find out where your cold bore shot goes? Use a separate target if you want. A powerful argument can be made that it is the only one that matters on a hunting rifle.
