Barrel cleaning

vette81

Hello everyone again, I don't think i posted this here before or not, well anyways my question was, i have a sporterized 03-A3 Springfield, rechambered for 6mm remington, before i got the gun i don't think it was cleaned on a regular basis, i took bore solvent on a patch and put it through the barrel a bunch, then i pull a dry patch through, i have done this dozens of times, at first the patches were turning blueish green, i think this was from copper fowling, the barrel looks super shiny when i hold it up to light, and now the patches are coming out cleaner, it doesn't appear to have any fouling residue on it, only residue from the gun oil, is this mean its clean enough? How can i remove the resudue quicker in the future? If you leave the gun dirty will it harm it? besides reducing accuray?

10/22 stainless carbine
Custom O3-A3
savage 24
stevens 67h
winchester x-150 .50
winchester 88 .308

vette81

Hello everyone, i posted this at a different forum, but wanted to get a bunch of opionions from a bunch of different people, so to the questions, what type of bore cleaner do you use to clean your gun and get copper and residue out? I have the foaming bore cleaner, hoppes 9, Hoppes elite, and rem cleaner, and jb nonembedding bore cleaner...i have tried and tried to get all the copper out of my barrel but it seems like the patches always come out black when i put a solvent on them...when i put a clean patch through it comes back out white right now...but when i look at the barrel very carefully with no light, it looks like a dull color on the rifleing...what is this? i thought it might be where the blueing worn away on the rifling from the bullet but im not sure...also how do u know when to stop cleaning the gun and when is it clean enough? also i use it for deer so it doens't have to be 1/2 moa accuracy for varmints or anything like that if that makes a difference...also which cleaner do u recomend? Thanks!

vette81

How often should I clean my rifle barrel?

Hawk Carse

However often you shoot it.

GuvamintCheese

I clean my .22's about every 200 rounds.

cpermd

I clean when accuracy drops off.

CP

nononsense

vette81,

There is a myriad of answers for this question:

Black powder rifles need to be cleaned every time you finish shooting them.

Firing corrosive military surplus ammunition in your rifle requires cleaning immediately after the session.

Most rifles require cleaning only when accuracy falls off, as stated. Many folks simply clean too often as the benchrest folks have found. They wind up doing more damage by cleaning than if they would leave some of the fouling intact longer.

Let your rifle dictate when it needs a good scrub.

Best.

kidthatsirish

This subject is open to just about everyone's opinion...and remember, opinions are like a-holes. Everyone has one, and they all stink. However since you are asking...

I have realized that todays rifles that fire modern ammunition (i.e. non-corrosive) gone go a long time without cleaning and have no negative affects. Mind you Im only taking about the actual rifleing and bore.

I have actualy read by rather authorative authors such as jack o'connor that you pretty much never need to clean the rifle/bore of a 22lr. bolt action so long as you use modern day copper plated or waxed bullets.

Thing is, after a while, accuracy can be affected in a negative way. I clean the bore on my 22 every 1000 rounds as that is when it seems to need it and it is what marlin reccomends, so it gets cleaned about 5 times a year.

My 45 I clean after every range session, just be careful not use a wire brush all the time. You really dont need to use one of those as often as you might think.

The only exception I can think of about always cleaning is after heavy field use where moisture was def. exposed to the gun, or if it was really hot at the range, and your sweat may have dripped into/near the action (yeah its gross but think about it...its basicly salt water). Also if you use ammo with corrisive primers you should clean every time you shoot (as well as get some new ammo!).

Remember that if you are cleaning to get rid of salt, the only thing that will get rid of it is water, or ammonia, so yes, you may actually have to run soaken wet patches with water through your bore. Just be sure to dry it out well and lightly oil afterwards.


If your rifle is chrome lined, your mileage may be even further.[;)]

vette81

Thanks guys, Some great advice[:D]

jonk

If you don't clean it, note that the copper may oxidize and appear 'green' in the bore. So long as it is modern non corrosive ammo, this is harmless.

Just as a general preventative, I usually spray a little oil down each bore after shooting and store it wet, then dry before shooting.

I clean thoroughly every 200 rounds or so- a soak with foaming bore cleaner, followed by a few dry patches, a wet brush with Ed's Red, about 2-3 wet patches, then dry.

Might or might not be squeaky clean. Small pores in the metal can keep releasing just enough carbon to keep your patches coming out slightly gray for hours, and drive you nuts- I say ignore.

Obviously corrosive military ammo or blackpowder is another matter. There, hot water and plenty of it are your friend, followed by a thorough drying and oiling.

For .22s, I clean the bolt and action (if semi auto) every time, or just the bolt if a bolt action every time, but ignore the barrel. It gets a bore snake maybe once a year.

ern98

The only thing I'd like to add is that rifle barrels these days are available in a vast array of qualities. Vintage barrels that are still shootable date back to pre 1900. Milspec barrels from the various war and countries run the gamet from terrific to awful. Current production barrels range from discount mass market to superb custom limited production. So my take on the subject is that a barrels need for cleaning is a product of it's internal qaulity of finish. A really good barrel has had a really good finish made to the interior lands and grooves. A really poor barrel is a length of pit and crators looking to suck in junk. Not to say some of these poorer barrels don't shoot just fine, they just need more attention. So you need to learn what your rifle needs to function well for you and to understand that all barrels are different. Two barrels made on the same line in the same caliber, etc, are mostly likely to be somewhat different in their wants and needs for cleaning and loads. The one thing I really insist on is that if I'm putting a rilfe away for the season, then I insist that I detail clean and oil it before putting it in the safe. There is little worse then taking a rifle out six months later and having rust everywhere and knowing that only you are to blame.......