To Clean or Not!

[Stikbrandon]

Quite the opinions on barrel cleaning out there and just want to know from all you guys, what’s your opinion on the topic?

Some guys clean after every range day regardless of how many round you put through her.

I personally don’t clean very often, I run a dry bore snake through the barrel a couple times after every trip to the range and check against the ceiling light for a visible dirty barrel but other then that I don’t give it a solid cleaning with chems until I notice an accuracy issue or pressure on a case which I have never found on a spent case.

Curious to know what all you guys do?

 

[Snake Charmer]

A clean bore is ahappy bore. Many good ways to do this but...it depends on the bore size, bullets being used as well as powder being used and oh by the way the brand of barrel can make a difference. Give me the info and I'll tell you what I would use.

 

[HATCHET1]

The assassin gets a bore snake thru her maybe once a year if she's lucky( like one pass with or with out lube)...She's a dirty bitch that gets used and abused ...Often..and she likes it that way...

 

[Bobevans]

Hunting rifles I clean at the end of season unless something extraordinary happens (dropped in water, etc.) Precision rifles I clean when patterns inexplicably open up or I’ve shot about 500 rounds. Plinking rifles rarely.
I generally clean actions after every shooting session unless it’s only a few rounds as I find malfunctioning happens way faster than measurable accuracy loss.

 

[Lungpopper]

Same as you Brandon.
Not that I don’t. But rarely put chemicals down the pipe.

 

[GUNDOGLOVER49]

I clean the weapons after every range or field day, but these are guns I borrow. I don't own any firearms, I'm ascared of them.

 

[Kellendv]

I don’t clean my barrel unless it’s off, or if I think something got in the barrel.

 

[NBK]

If it is a cut & polished barrel (Brux, Bartlein, Proof etc.), clean it only when your accuracy changes. Sometimes this can take 100's of rounds. Otherwise, don't mess with it.

If it is a factory barrel, well, they seem to shoot better clean.
@Snake Charmer , dont mess with your barrel!

 

[Stikbrandon]

bore snake for the win !

 

[HATCHET1]

Yes sir

 

[Aeon]

Cleaning won't make a pos gun shoot small but not cleaning right can make a good gun shoot big.

everything from the target rigs to my ar's get this

Clean after every match 80 rounds or so. Wet patch with boretech and let soak for a bit. Nylon brush not brass wet scrub. Here is where the art comes in. Scrub and scope your bore I'm looking for a return to my base line not perfectly clean. Each barrel will have its own happy spot. My goal is to stay in that 1-80 shot range in build up and not leave it. Not to clean not to dirty and never ever let a carbon ring form at the throat. Dry patch till the bore is completely dry. Then light oil patch.

Now a hunting gun might not need a cleaning for a long time if it's shot very little. If we are just cleaning to our base line and not scrubbing every last bit of copper out what does it hurt... Nothing. you know exactly what the gun does at base line clean state.

Always go foul the barrel with a few rounds after cleaning and just before a hunt. First rounds out of a oiled barrel often go very astray

The goal should be repeatability in results.

Get a bore guide and use it, every time

If you don't have a bore scope you are guessing. Get one that plugs into your phone they are cheap.

OH and did I say use nylon brushes!

 

[Stikbrandon]

That is great Info @Aeon !