After every time I am done using it before they are stored. No exceptions. All my rifles get the respect they deserve. Out of the 5 I have, I have 2 that are mirror bored after over 100yrs. 1 that is 50yrs and mirror bored and I have 2 that are not so good but one is still a tack driver and the other is dark between the lands and shoots like it, so-so
It matters if your going for the long game, If not well you get what you get. It is really not much of a chore once you get your procedure down on what you like to do. Just a couple minutes or even just a swipe or two and then a little oil if you didn't run to many rounds down it.
It matters if your going for the long game, If not well you get what you get. It is really not much of a chore once you get your procedure down on what you like to do. Just a couple minutes or even just a swipe or two and then a little oil if you didn't run to many rounds down it.
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Before and after zero check, then after the season before I put it away.
I clean when accuracy starts getting affected.
Hoppe's is tough to beat and Tipton has came out with felt cleaning pellets in a kit complete with a jag to use. Much better than patches IMHO.
I always use bronze brushes after wetting down the bore with Hoppe's and letting it sit for a bit.
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Hoppe's is tough to beat and Tipton has came out with felt cleaning pellets in a kit complete with a jag to use. Much better than patches IMHO.
I always use bronze brushes after wetting down the bore with Hoppe's and letting it sit for a bit.
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Cheaper on Amazon I think.
Steel doesn't go anywhere near my bores or chambers. I use a coated Dewey rod with a bore guide and a jag for whatever caliber. I also use a coated Tipton. I use bronze brushes with a brass core...no steel, no brass bristles. Only bronze or copper bristles. Under no circumstances does a rod go in the chamber and bore in my guns without a bore guide - best way to jack up your chamber and throat. I'll use a boresnake if I don't have a bore guide.
For borecleaner, I use Shooters on patches around the jag and remove the patch each pass at the muzzle. I'll brush it as well...if you don't have a jag at the time, you can use a bronze brush with a soaked patch wrapped around it as a substitute.
I use Sweets for copper solvent and swab the bore back and forth, let it sit for 5-8 min, then back to Shooters. I'll swab the bore once with shooters for storing overnight or a few weeks, then punch the bore before I go out to shoot. If I'm storing it for the year, I'll punch the bore with a light oil...same with the other parts so's rust don't show up.
For borecleaner, I use Shooters on patches around the jag and remove the patch each pass at the muzzle. I'll brush it as well...if you don't have a jag at the time, you can use a bronze brush with a soaked patch wrapped around it as a substitute.
I use Sweets for copper solvent and swab the bore back and forth, let it sit for 5-8 min, then back to Shooters. I'll swab the bore once with shooters for storing overnight or a few weeks, then punch the bore before I go out to shoot. If I'm storing it for the year, I'll punch the bore with a light oil...same with the other parts so's rust don't show up.
I generally run a really wet patch through the barrel with Butch’s Bore Shine, let it sit overnight, and then run a couple dry patches through it.
I “full clean” them once accuracy gets effected, or if I plan to put the firearm (pistol of rifle) away for long term storage. However, I regularly will oil the firearm to prevent rust, and will use solvent/oiled bore snakes periodically. Muzzle losers are different and get full cleaned wash time they are loaded/unloaded, regardless of it they were fired or they were just carried and then unloaded.
However, asking someone their preferred cleaning process is like asking someone which oil they think is best. Ask 20 people, you may get 20 answers, and none are wrong. Best to pick one that you will stick to, fits your usage level, and that you know how to “properly” and “safely” clean the bore without eating up your crown or rifling with improper techniques.
My father, a very well season firearm guy, cleans his firearms after every single range trip, jo matter if he shot one shot, or 500 shots.
My cousin, another well knowledged gun guy, cleans his main “range guns” every few months.
Some benchrest shooters do not clean theirs all year (from what I’ve seen them say, I’m no bench rest shooter).
It’s all in the eye of the, uhh, “rifle-holder”
However, asking someone their preferred cleaning process is like asking someone which oil they think is best. Ask 20 people, you may get 20 answers, and none are wrong. Best to pick one that you will stick to, fits your usage level, and that you know how to “properly” and “safely” clean the bore without eating up your crown or rifling with improper techniques.
My father, a very well season firearm guy, cleans his firearms after every single range trip, jo matter if he shot one shot, or 500 shots.
My cousin, another well knowledged gun guy, cleans his main “range guns” every few months.
Some benchrest shooters do not clean theirs all year (from what I’ve seen them say, I’m no bench rest shooter).
It’s all in the eye of the, uhh, “rifle-holder”
Dedicated benchrest shooters clean after almost every string of fire...you're talking 40 rounds max, and usually half that. The thing about their cleaning diligence is that they know how their barrel will shoot with 1-20 rounds through it...but once you add additional carbon and copper fouling that adds variables. Granted, they're trying to shoot 1/4" groups at 200 yards...not 1.5 MOA at 100.
F-Class guys aren't as crazed about it, but I bet you won't find a national-level competitor that goes over 150 rounds without a thorough cleaning and verification with a borescope.
I fall along the lines of the F-class guys, but I am not a competitor myself. I have previously subscribed to the PRS mindset that you only need to clean when accuracy goes away...but you can't guarantee that you can time perfectly when that occurs...maybe mid string on a course of fire...maybe it's when you have that trophy in your sights at 500 yards, and now you're tracking a wounded animal.
I will run a wet patch down the bore at the end of the season on my hunting rifles just to prevent rust, but aside from that I just keep notes and will clean thoroughly every 100 rounds or so. This differs from my exterior rifle cleaning, where I am obsessive about rust and corrosion prevention. No barrel ever gets thoroughly cleaned just before the start of the season. I want at least five rounds through it before I'll confirm cold bore zero.
My thorough cleaning regimen consists of going after carbon fouling with (insert brand of choice) solvent and brush intermittently until the patches aren't showing much, then I go after the copper. Once I'm not seeing anymore copper, I go another time after the hard carbon. From there, I'll run a chamber brush to try to prevent carbon ring buildup. I don't use abrasives, so I'm sure I'm not getting all of it, but I am able to get accuracy back to my baseline level for the next 100 rounds before I repeat the process. I'm just trying to keep myself in a known accuracy window.
2023 will see me investing in a borescope and probably experimenting with a couple different solvents. Until one has a borescope...hard carbon and carbon ring buildup is just a guess.
F-Class guys aren't as crazed about it, but I bet you won't find a national-level competitor that goes over 150 rounds without a thorough cleaning and verification with a borescope.
I fall along the lines of the F-class guys, but I am not a competitor myself. I have previously subscribed to the PRS mindset that you only need to clean when accuracy goes away...but you can't guarantee that you can time perfectly when that occurs...maybe mid string on a course of fire...maybe it's when you have that trophy in your sights at 500 yards, and now you're tracking a wounded animal.
I will run a wet patch down the bore at the end of the season on my hunting rifles just to prevent rust, but aside from that I just keep notes and will clean thoroughly every 100 rounds or so. This differs from my exterior rifle cleaning, where I am obsessive about rust and corrosion prevention. No barrel ever gets thoroughly cleaned just before the start of the season. I want at least five rounds through it before I'll confirm cold bore zero.
My thorough cleaning regimen consists of going after carbon fouling with (insert brand of choice) solvent and brush intermittently until the patches aren't showing much, then I go after the copper. Once I'm not seeing anymore copper, I go another time after the hard carbon. From there, I'll run a chamber brush to try to prevent carbon ring buildup. I don't use abrasives, so I'm sure I'm not getting all of it, but I am able to get accuracy back to my baseline level for the next 100 rounds before I repeat the process. I'm just trying to keep myself in a known accuracy window.
2023 will see me investing in a borescope and probably experimenting with a couple different solvents. Until one has a borescope...hard carbon and carbon ring buildup is just a guess.
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