To clean your gun or not to clean your gun-thats my question

[MkJose]

Well, I clean my guns differently depending on the gun. I've not seen any damage done to a gun that was cleaned after each time it was let out to play. I know guys that will clean and re lube after shooting for just 25 rounds. I know others that wont for over 500 rounds.

Honestly. I don't see where you can hurt it using the normal brushes. Now cleaning rods might be an issue but most of them are much softer metals that any barrel is made of so I would think you will mess them up before a barrel too. The worst I can see is getting metal stuck into the twist of the barrel. So..Go on..Clean all you want..Just be careful when you do it and all will be great.

 

[memtb]

anyone do anything different with monolithic bullets.....clean less or more?

I think the answer is much like what many on here are saying.....let the particular rifle dictate the cleaning. In the early days of Barnes X Bullets, they were notorious for fouling. Some barrels were "MUCH" worse than others. I was using a "match grade" SS barrel, and found that it "did not" require cleaning due to copper fouling near as often as many standard barrels. I had a friend that had trouble with groups and excessive fouling with a new rifle with a SS barrel (the early days of factory rifles using stainless)....using the new X Bullet! I helped him do a thorough "polish job" on the bore.....which improved both grouping and fouling considerably!

With today's improved metallurgy of the mono's, it doesn't seem to be the issue it once was! memtb

 

[Savage 22-243 AI]

I use Moly coated bullets and don't have to worry much about the Carbon Ring........I shoot up to 600 rds. without a good cleaning unless packing up for the year.......I do run a patch down the barrel at 200 rds wet with spit only and look at patch. I will run up to 2 patches at that point and keep shooting..............I use patches mostly and a nylon brush for the stubborn cleaning. 22-243 AI, 22-250, .308, .308 baer magnum, 6BR, .223.

 

[Patriot Reaper]

There is some interesting research by Dan Flowers on rifle cleaning. In essence, he looked at accuracy over the number of rounds and its relationship to cleaning the carbon or cleaning the carbon and the copper from a barrel (fully cleaned). The conclusion was that it is always helpful to clean the carbon but only helpful to clean the copper after the accuracy noticeably drops off, which is dependent on the barrel. The theory being that the copper helped to fill micro pores in the metal and establish a surface prone to more accuracy. That is also the theory on why many high volume shooters notice that a certain number of rounds are needed after a full clean to re-gain the accuracy of their barrels.

 

[BountyHunter]

You need to clean routinely for both copper and carbon ring in the front of the chamber. Your rifle will let you know. I can tell you the longer you go, the more trouble it is to get out too. Zero accuracy competitors go 600 rounds before cleaning, so do not believe that BS. I could go 60-80 rounds at a 1K BR match no problem, but got a good cleaning afterwards. That is probably a good norm. Plus remember, it might take your rifle a few 3-10 rounds to settle down after cleaning also.

 

[Bob Wright]

I'm one of those sickos that actually enjoy cleaning. I have all the stuff to protect chambers, remove coppper.
One thing I can tell you is my son in law is super lazy and that carbon ring caught up to him. He blew two primers in a row and locked up the bolt due to cartridge destruction.
So, I'd rather just keep mine clean.

 

[260_Guy]

I don't clean my barrels until I notice accuracy is dropping off. I have noticed since moving from a very dry climate to a very humid climate, the time between cleanings has shortened up a bit. Not sure by how much though.

 

[JDBraddy]

I've put the question to five hall of fame benchrest shooters, all five agee, best investment you can make is a borescope to evaluate your cleaning regimin. These guys wear out six or more barrels a year, every year. They all agree that nothing destroys the accuracy potential of a barrel, and reduces barrel life faster than an ineffective cleaning regimin. I also foud they all had remarkably similar cleaning regimins.

 

[Roughwater]

I've put the question to five hall of fame benchrest shooters, all five agee, best investment you can make is a borescope to evaluate your cleaning regimin. These guys wear out six or more barrels a year, every year. They all agree that nothing destroys the accuracy potential of a barrel, and reduces barrel life faster than an ineffective cleaning regimin. I also foud they all had remarkably similar cleaning regimins.

OK JD, you teased us with that quote, so what is the Cleaning regimin of the hall of fame bench rest shooters?

 

[keithcandler]

Two idiotic comments stand out

a. I clean every 200-300 rounds.

b. best to clean the carbon out and leave the copper

If you clean every 200-300, you can bet that you are not getting the carbon out.

Copper is easy to get out as a rule, the carbon will be the very last thing you get out.

I have had a bore scope of sorts since '87, which was a medical devise. Then upgraded to a Hawkeye and Lyman. If you are serious about your accuracy, then buy a Lyman bore scope.

If you wait till the gun quits shooting to clean, you can be assured that you have a world class cleaning job on your hands, and using some kind of abrasive will surely be in order with multiple applications.

I expect very small groups in my rifles.

I shot registered benchrest for a long time, then turned to high volume varmint shooting, along with Large 7mm for deer hunting.

Most benchrest shooters will use the same cleaning regiment with very little variation. Guys that shoot large over bore cases as hunters have to use more of an effort than benchrest shooters.

Factory barrels can be a real piece of work to clean effectively. High end custom barrels can still take some work. Good bronze bristles brushes from Brownells' purchased by the dozen is a good place to start.

Accuracy is a relative thing. I like 3/8" and smaller groups, even on deer hunting rifles. Some guys are perfectly happy with 1.5" groups. This is a hobby, be happy.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I have often read, and tend to believe, that carbon and copper foul in layers. That being the case, how can you clean out the carbon while leaving the copper until some later point when you've determined that the copper needs to be reduced?

 

[Roughwater]

Well borescope it is then I guess. What am I looking for?

 

[Savage 22-243 AI]

Take a Bronze bore brush and move it back and forth on the underside of your barrel in one small place as many times as you would cleaning the bore. Now take a close look with magnifying glass or your good eyes. Neighbor had me do this on a SS Douglas XX barrel. Scratches!...........Haven't used anything but nylon brushes and patches since.

 

[keithcandler]

The Lyman bore scope can be had for $200 if you watch for promotions from Brownells'.
This is a wonderful tool for the cost. Buy the Lyman and become your own expert, as there are many ways to skin a cat, but good bronze bristle brushes is where the serious cleaning starts.

Kenneth, your neighbor is an idiot, please do not listen to him. I have the Hawkeye bore scope and this scope is high dollar where the Lyman bore scope is affordable to most to purchase. Both bore scopes will show scratches in the bore, minor pits, and imperfect edges on the rifling, chamber edge, crooked chambers, etc.

The best bronze bristle brushes are good for 100 strokes, max, throw them away frequently. The bristle has to flex back and forth in a scrubbing motion, and when the curve in the bristle is worn to the point to where the bristle is straight, the brush has quit doing a lot of it's job getting the carbon out of the grooves.

The best plastic brushes are made by ISSO and Montana Extreme, and these do not do the job that the bronze bristle brushes do.

The Hawkeye bore scope magnifies 25x, clear as a crystal optical image. You could see clearly if there were scratches in the bores. A lot of this nonsense of brushes scratching bores started back when Stainless steel bristle brushes were being used in bores, and they will ruin a bore in one usage, I have seen a friend ruin a new barrel.

I have several Max Heavy Varmint contours that have been rechambered 3x, cleaned frequently brushing with JB on P. dog towns. There are no scratches in the bores of these barrels that have 10K rounds on them with multiple chambers. Of course they started off at 30" finished lengths.

If you love accuracy and keeping your barrel running it's best, then get a Lyman bore scope....you will NEVER regret the investment.