How often to clean barrel when testing reloads?
- Thread starter crazy_train04
- Start date
Depends....if its a new barrel, I would clean after every group to help with barrel break-in.
Otherwise, if you're testing with 5 shot groups, I'd clean after each group of tests, that way you're actually testing loads, not how long your barrel wiil go before it fouls.
I know, break-in and cleaning are both a waste of time to many, this is just my opinion.
Otherwise, if you're testing with 5 shot groups, I'd clean after each group of tests, that way you're actually testing loads, not how long your barrel wiil go before it fouls.
I know, break-in and cleaning are both a waste of time to many, this is just my opinion.
Like Dmay said...if new barrel, yes clean it. For my target rifles (223 & 6.5 x 55) the barrels aren't touched until I get home, the same for my hunting rifles. I personally have never seem a drastic accuracy change from one shooting session of 50 to 100 rounds from my 223. Letting the barrel cool between loads I feel is more important.
Why don't you shoot a hundred+ rounds through it in 10 shot groups and see how your groups turn out. You might find they're open then they close then they open back up. Figure out what your gun needs to shoot as accurate as you want.
I was at the range the other day and talking with another range member who said he cleaned his barrel in his 1954 winchester 30/30 for the first time in years. When he was done cleaning he couldn't hit a 4'x8' board at 100yards. It took 20 rounds before his gun shot as good as before. This is an extreme example but you get the point.
I was at the range the other day and talking with another range member who said he cleaned his barrel in his 1954 winchester 30/30 for the first time in years. When he was done cleaning he couldn't hit a 4'x8' board at 100yards. It took 20 rounds before his gun shot as good as before. This is an extreme example but you get the point.
There seems to be 2 camps about cleaning barrels. Camp number 1 cleans at least every day or after "x" amount of rounds per day.
Camp number 2 cleans when the groups open up. I have won matches with over 800 rounds down the barrel without cleaning.
Something new is the last couple of years as far as fullbore F Class shooting goes, is a "blow-off" period, first relay of every day. This allows the shooter to foul their barrels, if they wish. So why do they foul the barrel after cleaning it? Maybe they have figured out the first shot through a clean barrel isn't always in the group.
A cold bore, clean barrel shot may or may not be in the group. This is something you need to figure out, but, during load testing is not the time to do it.
Camp number 2 cleans when the groups open up. I have won matches with over 800 rounds down the barrel without cleaning.
Something new is the last couple of years as far as fullbore F Class shooting goes, is a "blow-off" period, first relay of every day. This allows the shooter to foul their barrels, if they wish. So why do they foul the barrel after cleaning it? Maybe they have figured out the first shot through a clean barrel isn't always in the group.
A cold bore, clean barrel shot may or may not be in the group. This is something you need to figure out, but, during load testing is not the time to do it.
In my 243 wssm my handloads open up after 20 rounds. It doesn't seem to matter what powder either. My 220 swift opens up around the 100 round mark. 30-06 makes no differance at least not noticable. Fouling shots seem to depend on the gun, my 243 takes 1, 220 about 5-7. I do belive cleaning a barrel is important to the life od the gun, however how often? i think that is for the gun to decide and you to find out.
