The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

[MDMarine84]

This may be an old thread somewhere but, Id like some input with the newest products. Strictly precision rifles. What process do you use to clean your guns? After how many rounds? What solvents are a go and which ones are a no go? Ratios for patches wet/dry? Dry lube or norm? The whole story. This will be interesting.

 

[Bluejazz]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

I found I was over cleaning.
Now going to try not to not clean until accuracy falls off.

 

[Bill Larson]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bluejazz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I found I was over cleaning.
Now going to try not to not clean until accuracy falls off.</div></div>
The only problem with this ...what happens if accuracy goes during a match...???
this fall i bought a rem. 243 from a fellow who was`nt happy with 5"MOA at 100 yds....it took 3 days to get the barrel clean....then it shot 1"MOA with the first load i tried.....
bill larson

 

[Captain Kirk]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

I use the proceeding round to clean up behind the previous

I clean every 200-300 rounds, no sooner. Fill the bore with WipeOut, plug the muzzle with a foam ear plug and let it sit for a hour or so, followed by a few patches, its done. I dont lube the barrel, but will run a dry patch with graphite powder, first CCB shot is right on with the graphite.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

I use Outer's Gunslick Foam Bore Cleaner. Fill the bore, set aside for about an hour, patch dry. Repeat once or twice, until patches stop showing green.

I clean each time I get back home from the range, and finish with a light, even coat of Hoppe's oil in the bore.

I don't believe in leaving fouling in the bore overnight, so it can't combine with atmospheric oxygen and moisture to produce electrolytic/bimetallic corrosion. Another name for that is pitting.

Greg

 

[Niles Coyote]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

I CLP the exterior and bolt, add a little grease behind the bolt lugs and every few hundred rounds clean the chamber with a cloth covered m16 chamber brush. Nothing touches the bore unless it’s been in the rain/snow or I see unexplained fliers.

 

[coldboremiracle]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bill Larson</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bluejazz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I found I was over cleaning.
Now going to try not to not clean until accuracy falls off.</div></div>
The only problem with this ...what happens if accuracy goes during a match...???
this fall i bought a rem. 243 from a fellow who was`nt happy with 5"MOA at 100 yds....it took 3 days to get the barrel clean....then it shot 1"MOA with the first load i tried.....
bill larson </div></div>
Thats why if you have a match coming up, you clean and refoul after wards.

 

[BigJohn141]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

I seriously have 500 rounds on my rifle with no drop in accuracy. I am about to clean it just because I feel its time and competition season is about to start for me.

 

[hewlett260]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

Modified Shooter's Choice instructions. One wet patch and then sit for a few minutes. Then a Nylon bore brush soaked in Shooter's Choice, one stroke for every five rounds. Follow with a Hoppe's Boresnake three times. Three wet patches, two dry and one patch with Rem Oil for storage. As for my bolts, wipe them down with Rem Oil rags, Q-tip the bolt face, dry it, and I'm done. I clean after each range trip which averages 40-100 rounds per bolt gun, and 200-300 when I had an AR.

 

[holy cow]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

A good bore guide and rod is the most important thing. Years ago i used to break my new custom barrels in using and trying everyone,s little secret way. Theirs really no secret way in breaking in a good custom barrel. Not any more and have not done it for some years. I run a wet patch or 2 followed by a couple dry on a new barrel to get anything out that may be in their and then go with it. I then clean if accuracy starts dropping or switching to a different bullet. If a rifle gets put up for a long stretch i like to clean it up good and run a couple patches with some type of oil down the bore.

 

[MadCountyDep]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

So when you clean, do you clean till the patches come out clean as they went in? I scrub till the powder is out and no sign of copper, but there's always color (light grey and some green) am I not being thorough enough guys?

 

[MDMarine84]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

I have found the biggest debate in the three following issues.
1. How many rounds before cleaning?
2. Will fouling cause a problem in the long run (barrel life)?
3. Is a little fouling a good thing?

 

[The-Fly]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

What would you guys recommend for a good bore guide?

 

[The-Fly]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

damn double tap

 

[Ren]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: The-Fly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What would you guys recommend for a good bore guide? </div></div>

I have a Lucas for .308 calibers and a Sinclair for .223 calibers. I like them both, both have an o-ring for a good seal in the chamber. The Lucas has a removable rear piece that does seem to hold the cleaning rod a little better though.

 

[Bluejazz]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

Lucas is all I use in all my rifles.

 

[DAVETOOLEY]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

first what calibers are we talking about?
second what is the round count on each barrel?
third what is normal number of rounds fired in a shot string and in what length of time?

Some calibers are forgiving up to a point in round count. Others require more frequent cleaning and as round count goes up more aggresive cleaning methods are required. The more powder you burn the more attention has to be paid to cleaning. Take a 300 Win Mag, new barrel, shoot 100 rounds without cleaning and chamber pressures will have gone up 4% caused by fouling. Then it will take some amount of effort to get it clean again. It's that pay me now or pay me later thing.

There are no hard and fast rules. With my shooting background I clean more frequently than most.

 

[JWV]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

My 260AI needs cleaning every 100-150 rounds. I clean it after every match. Shooters choice cut with about 10% Kroil is amazing. Especially if you are shooting moly.

 

[Jethro3898]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

I don't shoot matches (yet), but here is what I do:
1. Clean the bore when I first get a rifle.
2. Shoot until I notice a drop-off in accuracy.
3. Clean the barrel and note this in my round count-log in my data book.
4. Shoot some more.
5. Clean again when accuracy degrades.
6. Start to make notes of the pattern.

If I were to shoot matches (which I do not) I would look at the last time I cleaned my rifle and gauge whether or not I should clean before the match. I can't even remember the number of rounds it is before cleaning now, but it is pretty darn high to me (maybe 350 or 400). Even then, there is rarely any copper, but a fair amount of carbon.

I clean with Boretech exclusively. I do not lube my bore after cleaning unless it is going to sit for a long time (which it never does). If I do "lube" I simply run a wet patch of Boretech thru the bore and leave it. I'll run a dry patch before I shoot the next time to wipe out any of the solvent.

Some guys and I were talking this weekend when we went to my little rifle sight-in station on my hunting land. I don't know if I just happen to have a good factory barrel on my 700P, but I have never noticed a POI shift from either a cold-bore shot or the first round after cleaning. If there is a shift, it is so small that my groupings aren't affected when I check zero.

I used to be one of those "clean after every range trip" kind of guys until I joined this sight. I gave it a try and realized they were telling the truth. There really was no reason to clean so much.

 

[HBAM1]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

bore snake after each range session under 50 rounds.

Full cleaning before every match or 300 rounds, including action and bolt.

remington 700 3500+ round count, i can still get 5 round groups using FGMM 168 under 3/4".

 

[JWV]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

My 260AI needs cleaning every 100-150 rounds. I clean it after every match. Shooters choice cut with about 10% Kroil is amazing. Especially if you are shooting moly.

 

[MDMarine84]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

What's the story with this JB Bore paste? Anyone tried it? I hear it'll help clean up pits. How is this possible?

 

[Jig Stick]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

Butches Bore Shine after every outing. Couple wet patches. Let sit for 15min. Scrub with a brush. Then dry patches. I use the plastic white sinclair bore guides. Work great. This is the same process the majority of benchrest shooters use at teh Supershoot as well.

 

[Jig Stick]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

Butches Bore Shine after every outing. Couple wet patches. Let sit for 15min. Scrub with a brush. Then dry patches. I use the plastic white sinclair bore guides. Work great. This is the same process the majority of benchrest shooters use at teh Supershoot as well.

 

[Jig Stick]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

Butches Bore Shine after every outing. Couple wet patches. Let sit for 15min. Scrub with a brush. Then dry patches. I use the plastic white sinclair bore guides. Work great. This is the same process the majority of benchrest shooters use at teh Supershoot as well.

 

[mlsheffield]

Re: The Truth about precision rifle cleaning

I for one have never been a fan of truly cleaning my GAP's barrel, that being said, after every outing the action gets wiped down with Sinclair's Action cleaning tool kit (no chemicals).

http://www.sinclairintl.com/gun-cleaning...-prod35492.aspx

A must have IMO, and the barrel gets a couple dry patches run through. Every two hundred or so rounds I'll use chemicals, but never will I brush the barrel or run more than three wet patches (one minute to soak).

Gun still shoots as good as the day I got it, so no need to go crazy.