Bore cleaning - how often / how much?

yukon100jack

When I am working up a few different loads for my 270 win or 30-06, how many shots should I fire before cleaning the bore and starting over again? I have been starting with a clean bore and one fouling shot before shooting groups of three with small increments of powder for each group. Ideally I see a group that hits the "sweet spot" somewhere in there and later load to replicate that round. Typically I shoot about 6 to 8 groups of three. After each testing (18 to 24 rounds) I clean the bore with Hoppes #9 and/or Hoppes Copper Killer and brass or nylon brush until the patches come out clean. Then I begin the cycle again with one fouler and the next load with 18 to 24 rounds. Does this cleaning regimen make sense to you more experienced shooters? Is one fouler enough? Do I even need to clean between each developmental cycle of 18 to 24 rounds? I don't want to clean excessively often or not enough. Thanks!

zimmden

For a clean cold barrel 3 shots will provide proper fouling and temp to give consistent shots for several groups. If your bore is not highly polished, you can get excessive copper-powder fouling buildup to affect accuracy. Many benchrest shooters clean after each relay (6 to 10 shots) to achieve 1/4 inch groups at 100 yds. Take plenty of time to shoot 6 to 8 groups since the 270 and 30-06 will heat up a lot with thin barrels and affect accuracy. Cleaning will cool barrel. PS: there is no such thing as "excessive" cleaning if done properly. Does your testing show a fall off in accuracy after 20 shots?

JustC

buy some wipe-out bore foam and quit working so hard.

clean the bore fater maybe 50rnds or when accuracy drops off.

Okie743

JustC is right on!
clean the bore after maybe 50rnds or when accuracy drops off.
You can use your Hoppes with a wet patch and soak the bore overnight, then run a snug fitting white patch through the bore next day,from the chamber end if possible and if it comes out loaded with dark blue green color indicating copper use a bore brush sparringly and then let it soak again overnight! I clean my copper bore brushs in hot water before storing so as the Hoppes won't eat them away during storage!
You can do more harm reducing accuracy or ruining a barrel by constantly cleaning a bore, that really don't need cleaning!
You can keep a heads up on accuracy, if it seems to fade, use the Hoppes blue/green test and if severe copper is detected, do a cleaning! With experience you can read a hoppes patch for cu fouling!

DChrz

Clean only after 50 rds??? seriously???? Try this: shoot 10 or 12 rds out of a clean barrel, then clean with JB bore polish or IOSSO paste, scrubbing short sections of the bore at a time on a single pass. That black, tarry goo will be the result of those few rounds. A couple of the variables on barrel cleaning are case volume (amount of powder per round), and smoothness/roughness of that particular bore. Generally, a really good smooth bore requires only one fouler, but your load or sighting work will tell you how many; it's the first one that shoots into what eventually becomes your group. If foulers make a serious difference on your particular rifle, and hunting is your ultimate intention, don't forget to shoot those foulers after your last range session prior to hunting.

jimbowby

[:D] Man that sounds like I wroteit--


quote:Originally posted by yukon100jack
When I am working up a few different loads for my 270 win or 30-06, how many shots should I fire before cleaning the bore and starting over again? I have been starting with a clean bore and one fouling shot before shooting groups of three with small increments of powder for each group. Ideally I see a group that hits the "sweet spot" somewhere in there and later load to replicate that round. Typically I shoot about 6 to 8 groups of three. After each testing (18 to 24 rounds) I clean the bore with Hoppes #9 and/or Hoppes Copper Killer and brass or nylon brush until the patches come out clean. Then I begin the cycle again with one fouler and the next load with 18 to 24 rounds. Does this cleaning regimen make sense to you more experienced shooters? Is one fouler enough? Do I even need to clean between each developmental cycle of 18 to 24 rounds? I don't want to clean excessively often or not enough. Thanks!


I do almost the exact same thing (except I clean after the shooting--30/40 rounds), with my .223/22-250 and enjoy the results--

Ciao

[:o)][:o)] JIMBO

jonk

Some match shooters never clean their bore until the end of the season.

Personally I clean corrosive ammo thoroughly, or clean if I see a fall off in accuracy. Which takes awhile.

To prevent the copper from turning green in the barrel- which doesn't hurt anything but just bugs me- I run one wet patch of LSA oil through the bore after shooting, then a dry patch before shooting.

mond

wow, some of you guys are making hard work of wearing your bores too soon. I shoot 2000+ hornet rounds a year ( maybe not a lot to some) I give her a real good foaming , brush & patch once a year ! but.... a hoppes pull thru every outing. The 223/6.5 get a same tratment having only used 3-400 a year . The 30 cals get a pull thru only , until she out of accuracy 1" at 100yds , they get 50-100 a year. All on hunts .

psssssssst , if you dont already know........keep the barrel dry & free of oil [:0]

Atb Mond

jonk

quote:Originally posted by mond
psssssssst , if you dont already know........keep the barrel dry & free of oil [:0]

Atb Mond

Mond,

Could you elaborate on that? While I don't advocate shooting a wet oily barrel, or leaving a gun so oiled stored vertically, leaving the barrel oiled or greased was good enough for the Swiss army and so I figured it would be good for me.

MIKE WISKEY

I agree with Mond, what accuracy is accepable to you. I've have several praie dog rifles that would go 500+ rounds and still keep all shots under and inch at 100 yrds. fouling doesn't keep building up, it goeas just so far and stops. .22 r.f. (non auto's) 5000 rds, most centerfires (unless 1/4" groups are importent to you) 200/500 rds. I have a friend that shot his way into distinguished without cleaning the barrel on his m-1A.

mond

quote:Originally posted by jonk
quote:Originally posted by mond
psssssssst , if you dont already know........keep the barrel dry & free of oil [:0]

Atb Mond

Mond,

Could you elaborate on that? While I don't advocate shooting a wet oily barrel, or leaving a gun so oiled stored vertically, leaving the barrel oiled or greased was good enough for the Swiss army and so I figured it would be good for me.


Leaving the bore oiled or gresesed may be ok when stood up , not in use. But........a bullet thru an oily barrel will diesel & in cases, causing bulging to a certain degree, leaving the rifle & bore in the best way i can describe Fu(3d ![xx(]

Clean & dry is the way to use the rifle with good results.

JustC

I leave bores oiled when stored. I THEN run a few dry patches through prior to shooting.

Justjump

IMHO
If you leave oil in the barrel, store vertical or muzzle down. Usually the week before deer season is when we get the "help me" guns. For some reason we see a lot of lever guns that have an incredible amount of built up crude from dust & oil in the actions. Often to a point of interfering with function. To a lesser extent the same with bolt guns.
BTW I want my first cold shot right on target. The deer round here won't hardly stand for a fouling shot[:D]

Okie743

quote:Originally posted by Justjump
IMHO
If you leave oil in the barrel, store vertical or muzzle down. Usually the week before deer season is when we get the "help me" guns. For some reason we see a lot of lever guns that have an incredible amount of built up crude from dust & oil in the actions. Often to a point of interfering with function. To a lesser extent the same with bolt guns.
BTW I want my first cold shot right on target. The deer round here won't hardly stand around for a fouling shot[:D]



BTW I want my first cold shot right on target. The deer round here won't hardly stand still for a fouling practice shot! Same type gun and grunt shy animals in this neck of the woods.
A-MEN[:D]

JustC

barrels should be fouled-in before deer season. I'll run 2-3 down the bore to check zero, then not clean it until after the season.