Mid hunting season wipe down question

[The Oregonian]

I don't want to clean my guns with lots of hunting still to go (Tennessee deer season ends in early Jan).

My guns are on the early round after cleaning - cleaned them after all practice, load verification, etc was done. I then fouled them and confirmed zero, then left them for hunting trip. Have shot a few times at game and to confirm zero when I got to where I traveled for hunting trips. They are all shooting right where I want them so don't want to do much of anything to them.

They haven't been out if rain but have been several mornings where there was quite a bit of fog and high humidity days, and it has been a month plus on any lube in the barrel. Do y'all typically give them a dry patch, then light oil, and more dry patches? Or just leave them for another month?

Not sure if what I described can create and rust potential in the barrels.

 

[jjmp]

Dry patch them clean , no oil causes flyers, if to dirty fully clean them foul them dry patch them then tape end of bbl . In wet damp tape will stop air flow n promotes rust to start , to much fowling attracts moisture then rust n pitting , use bore guide do the best you can .

 

[26Reload]

In off season maybe try the mzldr trick.....clean it really good then use ultra
fine graphite on the last dry patch.....works well...
I actually used brake cleaner after some particularly nasty rainy days and dry patched it out then the graphite.....

 

[gohring3006]

I usually use a bore snake to wipe it out.

 

[Hand Skills]

For me it depends - stainless or CM? I don't worry too much about stainless. More cautious with CM.

Depends a lot on whete I am too. Costal hunting is really hard on equipment. Blowing sand is really nasty too. At home here the main problem is condensation. Bring a cold gun in, as it warms condensation forms.

Normally I carry a boresnake (oh the horror!) in the field. It's more for emergencies, because with a taped muzzle the bore stays pretty dry. **Tape comes off whenever the gun moves inside.** Fresh tape going out the door. Keep 'em oiled on the outside, dry on the inside. No problems.

If you're worried about it, clean! Cleaning at the range is nice. One can foul and confirm zero immediately. With some rifles, clean bore anxiety is a real thing. No need to suffer 'too clean' or 'too dirty' anxiety though...

It's not a bad idea to specify conditions/environment. For me, a rifle might go a year without cleaning. The same rifle might get cleaned a few times through the next season - just depends on where it's been.

Remember to love your chamber as much as your bore.

 

[J E Custom]

In off season maybe try the mzldr trick.....clean it really good then use ultra
fine graphite on the last dry patch.....works well...
I actually used brake cleaner after some particularly nasty rainy days and dry patched it out then the graphite.....

I would not recommend your procedure for two reasons.
First = Graphite is Hygroscopic and collects moisture and retains it from the air. clean and dry is best as long as it is not subject to any moisture.

Second = brake cleaners can have chlorides in it that can harm certain metals and cause stress corrosion cracking in some stainless also.

Cleaning solvent are designed for barrels and would be my recommendations in Lew of substitutes.

If conditions are good, IMO it is ok to leave a barrel alone except for dry patching after each use to remove powder residue that could/would collect moisture. A dry bore snake works well in the field for this. Dry patching after each shot does not change the point of impact, but it does remove the carbon that Is abrasive when the bullet pushes it down the barrel

Just saying

J E CUSTOM

 

[NDF]

Plus one on everything mentioned above, only thing I might add is on the cold to warm thing is use a air compressor if you have one on the hard to reach spots, great for wicking away moisture, sand and whatever else accumulates

 

[26Reload]

First....let me clarify...there are two brake cleaners...one chlorinated the other not.....sorry i didn't mention the use of non chlorinated...
Second...after the rifle has been fired the collected amounts of burnt gun powder would be way more versus a patch with graphite on it...also not diluting the patch but enough to see...again...the rear of the dry patch would also remove most of the graphite on the same trip down the barrel...
Not talking about taping over the muzzle and pouring in graphite to fill the barrel....

 

[J E Custom]

First....let me clarify...there are two brake cleaners...one chlorinated the other not.....sorry i didn't mention the use of non chlorinated...
Second...after the rifle has been fired the collected amounts burnt gun powder would be way more versus a patch with graphite on it...also not diluting the patch but enough to see...again...the rear of the dry patch would also remove most of the graphite on the same trip down the barrel...
Not talking about taping oger the muzzle and pouring in graphite to fill the barrel....

No Problem.
Just wanted to make sure you weren't harming a good hunting rifle unknowingly.

By the way, Graphite is just an Allotrope of carbon and could damage the bore just like the carbon left behind after firing. (The reason I mentioned dry patching after each shot if possible).

I know you weren't filling the barrel with it, but just because it is slick In its normal form. when heated it reverts back to carbon.

Just more information to increase barrel life. (And inform and discuss the post for those that are interested).

J E CUSTOM

 

[jomiba]

You guys clean your guns?

 

[26Reload]

Hell JE.. the info i have taken from you here has been tremendously informative....and actually works....lol....
Glad this site hasn't fallen off the scale....it gets really close sometimes.....

 

[The Oregonian]

I'll just go ahead and clean them and run a fouler through it.

Thx for the info.

 

[snox801]

Glad you brought this up I'm always on the fence here also. If it's gonna be more than a week in between I'll run a wet patch of boretech eliminator and leave it. Dry patch out when ready to go and send a few down range if my shots will be at any distance.

 

[Greyfox]

Unless subjected snow or rain where the inside of the barrel took a soaking, I wouldn't worry about corrosion development for the amount of time you are talking about. I would simply leave the bolt open when brought inside to allow normal air flow. Current nitro powders and primers today are formulated with anti-oxidants and other additives that resist corrosion and oxidation. I have done this for years with my competition and hunting rifles for short periods (a couple of months), and have not experienced any rust or corrosion.
Unless I was able to re-season/test my barrel after subjecting it to wiping or cleaning, I would be worried about my cold bore performance, particularly if it was going to be at a good buck at long range. IMO.