Oil in the Barrel

just-shoot

Iv'e read many time on this forum how shooters do a dry swipe down the barrel to remove the slight bit of oil in the barrel prior to shooting. I allways put a slight film of gun oil down the barrels of my riffles and handguns after cleaning to prevent surface rust, but when I go shooting, I pull them out and head for the feild. What am I doing to the fireame leaving that slight film of oil and firing ammo through them? Never too old to learn something new, Thanks.

CS8161

A gunsmith I know told me that having oil in the barrel will cause a rippling condition in the barrel. As the bullet passes down the barrel, it pushes the oil like a hydraulic ram and causes ripples down the length of the bore. I think a very light film of oil would not cause a problem, but alot of oil could be bad.

Chris8161
Admit nothing, deny everything, demand proof!

binder

If you put a light amount of solvent, say on a swab down the barrel before putting the gun away that is good, but oil will cause the ripple effect and the first shot at your prize animal may be off up to a couple of inches. The barrel doesn't have to be absolutely dry, but the drier the better, most of the time.

Mr. Lobo

The first shot out of a slightly oiled barrel is 2 to 3 inches high on my 06. The next shot is within the limits of the rifle most times.

Jim

v35

You will waste the first few shots at best and ring the bore in the worst case. The risk isn't not worth the experiment. What can happen is the bullet can override the oil or grease and bulge the barrel.
It's best to run a tight patch or two before shooting.

Nighthawk

It is always wise to put a light coat of oil on your weapon and in the barrel before you store it. But I would Highly recommend before using it to run a shooters swab through the barrel. Your gun will thank you for it, plus it will make the weapon safe to shoot. As to much oil in the barrel could damage it or cause physical harm to the shooter Hope this helps.


Good Luck.

Rugster

Edited by - rugster on 05/09/2002 15:23:58

leeblackman

Only put lube in your barrel for storage purposes to keep it from oxidizing. And when you shoot, for optimal accuracy, you don't want anything that can disturb friction between the bullet and the bore. This includes oil. Unless you have the exact same amount of oil in the same place in the barrel on every shot, having oil in your bore will cause inaccuracy. Not only that but it also aids in gunk biulding up in your bore.

I just wish I had a dollar for every gun I wanted, then I'd be a rich man.