How often do you clean your barrel? Have some other newbie questions as well, thanks.

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Brappp306

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Hey guys, so I just picked up my first true long range precision unit. kind of new to the whole long range game. 300WM Rem Tac Built by ATRS. Original owner only slung 13 rounds through it. But I'd still like to go through it before heading out the range this weekend. For future reference how often do you guys clean your barrel? After every range day or when you start seeing accuracy decreasing? As well when it comes to zeroing, do you guys zero with an absolutely clean barrel or after it is slightly fouled? Anyone against using bore snakes on their EXSPENSIVE precision rifle haha? Finally one more question! Would I be safe using a carbon fiber tipton rod without a bore guide, if used with care?

Thanks, have a good one.
 
Clean it when it needs cleaning. Depending on the rifle that could be every 20 rounds or every 400.

I always zero my rifle in the conditions that I will be shooting it in. So with a fouled bore and for long range rifles I zero from a bipod.

Carbon cleaning rods are fine. Just pick up a proper bore guide.
 
I clean after 300 or 400 rds. Never zero with a clean bore. I find dirty barrel is more consistent. Better ES.
 
I clean mine every 60 rounds or so. Copper solvent and a light scrub. I usually shoot 5 rounds before I get down to business (just to foul the barrel).
 
I just started with a new Accuracy International AT in .308 and clean when the group starts opening up. In my case that seemed to be around 250 rounds.

As mentioned, a bore guide (Lucas bore guide) helped for sure along with Wipe Out and Dewey cleaning rod.

My POI is off about 1/2 MOA on a clean barrel but was fine after 1-2 fouling shots.
 
I have a shillen match barrel in 6br that shot a 0.626 five shot group at 300 meters after I fouled the barrel with 3500 rounds, probably another 1000 through it now and it is just starting to perform like it should...........

I have a benchmark 6ppc that shot a 0.527 inch five shot group at 300 meters, round count is around 1000 now and it is just starting to tighten up and shoot like a star........

I quit cleaning all together almost 3 years ago, took a morning of shooting to foul the barrels and get good groups so now I put them away dirty and run them even dirtier...........
 
Does anyone use a bored snake? I bought a bore guide but it is so tight I can't get a patch through it. I probably have a 7mm or something.
 
My rifles never see a metal cleaning brush of any type. A blast of Wipe Out, soak for 10 - 15 minutes , push cleaning patches threw till nothing shows up as powder or copper fouling.
Foul the barrel with a couple of shots good for another couple of hundred rounds before accuracy starts to fall off. Bore guide is a must have regardless of rod make up. Check crown with a magnifying glass ever so often. Touch up as required with lapping compound and brass ball.
Everyone has a different regime that they follow, so that was my 2 cents worth!

RC
 
My rifles arrive clean. I normally don't clean them until I'm ready to sell lol

My precision gun I honestly never clean the barrel. I too believe it performs more consistent. There is no study proving a dirty barrel being damaged or anything like that. I think ever round fired blows everythig out and leaves it's fouling behind. So ultimately your barrel is as dirty as the last round you fired. That's my opinion. I can't see crap building up as if that was the case how would your bullet exit the barrel? Plus I don't see how scratching the hell out of the inside is going to help accuracy? It will ruin your rifling IMO.

All my guns though if it was in the weather. I will wipe, oil the entire gun and inside the action. I very much take care of all my rifles and none have ever had a speck of rust. But cleaning.... Nope.
 
Roddy said:
Does anyone use a bored snake?
Click to expand...

You can make your own bore snakes real easy. Just tap a couple nails into a 2x4 that are farther apart than your barrel is long. Now wrap cotton butcher string around and around from one nail to the other. Once you get the right amount of wraps for your caliber tie the ends off. Once you do that just braid the loops loosely so they don't tangle up and tie a knot at the other end too. Now you have what amounts to a big long cotton swab. Add a leader string and a split shot to get it started down your barrel.

Soak it with solvent and pull it through. Let it sit for a while and then tug back and fourth a couple times.

Hey it's cheap and it's a good way to keep the solvent in contact with the barrel. You can use them with oil too.

These swabs are also real nice to keep on you while hunting in case you need to clean some crap out of your barrel.
 
Oh as for guys not cleaning their barrels...
I see guys in TR who brag about how infrequently they clean, but then again, it's TR. (That'll wind em up)

F-Class guys who shoot 1/2 MOA V-Bull to 1000 yards are much more particular. Most of us clean daily or after 40-60 rounds.

How do we clean? Well ask 10 guys and you'll get about 20 answers. I can tell you this though... Exactly how you clean will make a big difference in how well you shoot. (Assuming you have a proper rifle)

It will also determine how well the rifle shoots for the first few rounds after you've cleaned it.
 
BadAsMo said:
You can make your own bore snakes real easy. Just tap a couple nails into a 2x4 that are farther apart than your barrel is long. Now wrap cotton butcher string around and around from one nail to the other. Once you get the right amount of wraps for your caliber tie the ends off. Once you do that just braid the loops loosely so they don't tangle up and tie a knot at the other end too. Now you have what amounts to a big long cotton swab. Add a leader string and a split shot to get it started down your barrel.

Soak it with solvent and pull it through. Let it sit for a while and then tug back and fourth a couple times.

Hey it's cheap and it's a good way to keep the solvent in contact with the barrel. You can use them with oil too.

These swabs are also real nice to keep on you while hunting in case you need to clean some crap out of your barrel.
Click to expand...

That sounds like way too much work. Just tie a knot in a shoelace, spit on it and yank it down the barrel...



...of your sks;)
 
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