How often do you clean your rifle bore (poll)?

[N7XW]

Opinions vary widely on this.  Some guys say they only clean the bore after 600 - 800 rounds and never notice a change in accuracy.  Others say clean after every few shots.  What say you?

[kselkhunter]

I voted after every range session.  But I do run a bore snake through the barrel after every 10 or so shots.   No cleaning solution, just one of those cloth bore snakes with the metal brush sewed in.   

[Antlershed]

Opinions vary widely on this.  Some guys say they only clean the bore after 600 - 800 rounds and never notice a change in accuracy.  Others say clean after every few shots.  What say you?

Interested to see the results of this poll. I, too, have heard of guys that say they never clean it and it has no effect on accuracy.

I tend to clean it after each range session, or if I’ve been out hunting in wet weather. I may try and see how long I can go this year before accuracy starts going downhill

[jrebel]

I try and do it after every range session or quite often durring the range session.  I take my cleaning stuff to the range.....   With that being said, If I don't get to cleaning right away, I don't freak out and will do it when I have time. 

[7mmfan]

I'm somewhere in the middle. Usually every 25-30 shots. I like going into the woods with a fouled barrel, so I usually shoot a few rounds before the opener and don't clean it until I'm done for the season.

[257 Wby Mag]

When the accuracy starts to go

[chiwawadan]

I try to make a habit of cleaning after ever session of shooting.

[N7XW]

I'm doing a little experiment with my Savage right now.  Didn't clean it for about 60 rounds or so shot over multiple sessions.  Took it to the range dirty again and shot groups at 100 yds.  Then cleaned it (MPro7 cleaner on patches - Mpro7 cleaner on bronze brush - Mpro7 on patches again - dry patches) and shot two foulers.  Shot another group and it was definitely tighter.  Now I'm leaving it dirty and going to see if groups open up even more over time.  That will tell me how fouling affects accuracy in that particular rifle.

[SkookumHntr]

I run a bore snake through after about 10 shots, I do a deep clean taking it all apart after the season usually.

[Magnum_Willys]

I'm somewhere in the middle. Usually every 25-30 shots. I like going into the woods with a fouled barrel, so I usually shoot a few rounds before the opener and don't clean it until I'm done for the season.

Mine shoots well clean and after a couple foulers but after 35-40 rounds accuracy drops off.   It shoots better clean than dirty but I use carbon remover not copper cleaner.   I have used copper cleaner (boretech) in the past and it didnt seem to effect anything but I think my es is slightly better if I leave the copper in. 

[Karl Blanchard]

I don't touch it till accuracy drops.  That's about 500rnds in my main rig.  A bore snake or anything else abrasive will never touch my barrel.  Patches only.

[jrebel]

I don't touch it till accuracy drops.  That's about 500rnds in my main rig.  A bore snake or anything else abrasive will never touch my barrel.  Patches only.

Out of curiosisty....why not a bore brush?  Any science behind it or just personal preference? 

[Henrydog]

25-30 years ago the NRA published a test in American Rifleman that there was no fall off on accuracy with modern rifling being dirty (1000 rounds dirty vs right after cleaning) as I recall.  They did note fall up do to copper fowling

[baker5150]

25-30 years ago the NRA published a test in American Rifleman that there was no fall off on accuracy with modern rifling being dirty (1000 rounds dirty vs right after cleaning) as I recall.  They did note fall up do to copper fowling

I recently read about water in a barrel effecting accuracy, simply form rain getting in, it was a test done by a writer for Outside magazine IIRC.  I wonder how the 2 would differ.

[Hilltop123]

I don't touch it till accuracy drops.  That's about 500rnds in my main rig.  A bore snake or anything else abrasive will never touch my barrel.  Patches only.

This is my routine, it works for me. The pic is a 500 yrd. group with a sporter barrel on a slightly molested 700 CLD.

[N7XW]

I don't touch it till accuracy drops.  That's about 500rnds in my main rig.  A bore snake or anything else abrasive will never touch my barrel.  Patches only.

I was of the same school of thought - no brushing at all.  Then I brushed the bore after removing every tiny spot of powder fouling with just wet patches (perfectly white).  Then wet patched again after brushing.  Those patches started coming out black again.  Proved to me that you can't get all the fouling out with just patches.

[762Armo]

I usually clean after hunting season, and store it until next hunting season. I check zero before hunting season and that's it.
I'll clean and oil if the rifle gets wet or dirty during hunting season.

[CaNINE]

After the break-in period I don't clean unless accuracy drops off.  All of my rifles reach equilibrium somewhere after 20 - 40 rounds and maintain consistency for several hundred rounds before powder and/or copper fouling starts to effect bore dynamics.  One side effect of maintaining a dirty barrel I've discovered is that after a few weeks without firing a small amount of surface corrosion forms in the bore which will cause my cold bore shot to impact low.  The solution is to fire one fouling shot, this clears the bore and restores zero, velocity and ES.

[Jonathan_S]

I don't touch it till accuracy drops.  That's about 500rnds in my main rig.  A bore snake or anything else abrasive will never touch my barrel.  Patches only.

I was of the same school of thought - no brushing at all.  Then I brushed the bore after removing every tiny spot of powder fouling with just wet patches (perfectly white).  Then wet patched again after brushing.  Those patches started coming out black again.  Proved to me that you can't get all the fouling out with just patches.

Solvents do the work, the patches are just the vehicle. On a real smooth and clean cut bore like what Karl is shooting, I think it works real well

I don’t really care about cleanliness as much as I do about accuracy and no rust. My 6.5-06AI fouls insanely with Retumbo but I only clean the copper out. Only twice in about 300 rounds.

[h20hunter]

My last two quality guns I've broken in the pipe slowly and have not used a brush. Patches and Swab-its for me.

[jagermiester]

Of course I would clean out an obstruction but I was taught to never mess with it unless there is a need so I've never cleaned a rifle barrel. I used to shoot with a buddy who's first shot was always a "flyer".  Then the gun would shoot normal again. Then he would clean his gun and hopefully make it back to the range. Then we would go hunting and he would want to take a couple shots before going out because he was worried about his "flyer". I begged him to stop the nonsense, he wouldn't. I don't hunt with him any more, JK I'd still hunt with him if he lived close to me.

[jackmaster]

Idk about you guys and if any of you were in the military, but the ONLY time my M203 let me down is when it was cleaned, as long as we weren't firing tons of blanks I did my best to not ever do a thorough cleaning , I do the same with my huntn rifle, I shoot a single shot falling block ruger 30-06 and she has NEVER failed me !!

[hogslayer]

I clean about every hundred unless it gets rain in it from hunting.  I also check the lands then as well for throat erosion.  I use boretech and a couple wet patches followed by a nylon brush.  After having a rifle with a tight neck chamber and developing a carbon ring, I am more paranoid about that.  I pay more attention to the neck area not having any build up.  Travis at Rbros mentioned he would never ever use a bore snake.  A good fitting bore guide is a must.

[Bofire]

Depends, if I am just shooting paper, I clean after every rifle outing, if sighting in for deer or elk or what ever, I sight in and do not clean until season is over or I kill. I shoot pistols about 500 rounds before cleaning. shotguns I purty much run non stop and clean once in a while. I did own one gun in my life that would not shoot well until it had 10-15 rounds thru it. I clean non shooter collectors once a year.
Carl

[Bob33]

Patches and solvent only (no brushes) for me, and I never hunt with a clean bore.

[grundy53]

When the accuracy starts to go

Same here

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Bill W]

depends on the gun.  If it's a hunting gun it gets cleaned after every trip to the range.  If it's a benchrest gun it gets cleaned at the bench between groups.

[Crunchy]

usually after every range shoot.  I make sure to shoot a fouler or 2 before the season though.

[Magnum_Willys]

Travis at Rbros mentioned he would never ever use a bore snake. 

 

I use a bore snake on my beater rifles but sure wouldn't drag a metal bristled dirty rope through my good rifles. 

[h20hunter]

Travis at Rbros mentioned he would never ever use a bore snake. 

 

I use a bore snake on my beater rifles but sure wouldn't drag a metal bristled dirty rope through my good rifles.

Meh....what does he know.

[Magnum_Willys]

Meh....what does he know.

He would cringe at the thought of you taking a GI brush to your new baby he slaved over.  hehe

[h20hunter]

I wouldn't dream of it! Final 10 rounds of break in this weekend.

[runamuk]

My accuracy went way up when I quit cleaning them.  The person who told me to clean after every trip to the range was a dork.  I now only clean if there is a good reason.

[actionshooter]

 Every gun is different..... my Rainier Arms AR Ultramatch will go 500 rounds before I start loosing accuracy and my Rbros 7mag is the most accurate at 40-70 rounds and has to be cleaned by 150. I also have a .300wm that has a shilen barrel that shoots best from10-40 rounds then goes to crap....

[jasnt]

After the break-in period I don't clean unless accuracy drops off.  All of my rifles reach equilibrium somewhere after 20 - 40 rounds and maintain consistency for several hundred rounds before powder and/or copper fouling starts to effect bore dynamics.  One side effect of maintaining a dirty barrel I've discovered is that after a few weeks without firing a small amount of surface corrosion forms in the bore which will cause my cold bore shot to impact low.  The solution is to fire one fouling shot, this clears the bore and restores zero, velocity and ES.

a few weeks how do you cope???

[CaNINE]

After the break-in period I don't clean unless accuracy drops off.  All of my rifles reach equilibrium somewhere after 20 - 40 rounds and maintain consistency for several hundred rounds before powder and/or copper fouling starts to effect bore dynamics.  One side effect of maintaining a dirty barrel I've discovered is that after a few weeks without firing a small amount of surface corrosion forms in the bore which will cause my cold bore shot to impact low.  The solution is to fire one fouling shot, this clears the bore and restores zero, velocity and ES.

a few weeks how do you cope???

Man it’s tough....working and commuting sucks. Looking forward to a time when going to the range means opening the back door.

[N7XW]

So this thread has got me thinking about brushing vs not brushing again.  Poll #2 coming up.

[yorketransport]

I only clean when groups open up. I will oil the bore and dry everything out if I was out in the rain though.

[Magnum_Willys]

So this thread has got me thinking about brushing vs not brushing again.  Poll #2 coming up.

And nylon vs metal

[rudysts]

 After having a rifle with a tight neck chamber and developing a carbon ring, I am more paranoid about that.  I pay more attention to the neck area not having any build up. 

I always use a bronze brush to reduce the chance of getting a carbon ring. when you are at the range and all of a sudden you can't chamber a round and your scratching your head WTF is going on you get home start measuring your ammo and its all good. then you have a carbon ring time to use that bronze brush because that patch with solvent won't help you unless you break it free with a brush.
in my experience A bronze brush works better then nylon brushes.