Cleaning a hunting rifle

[Sawbuck]

Do you guys clean your rifles before hunting, or leave it alone after sighting it in? It seems to take about six shots for my rifle to start shooting good groups after a thorough cleaning so I was tempted to not clean it until the end of deer season.

[h20hunter]

I shoot, sight in, practice, that kind of thing. Clean it. Before season I shoot it some more, double check sight in, clean it, shoot one round, leave it alone. Right before hunting I go out with a cold one shot fouled bore, shoot it. As long as I'm on I put it back in the case and leave it alone.

[Bob33]

Do what your rifle tells you.  If it likes dirty, hunt with it that way.

[jyerxa]

Do what your rifle tells you.  If it likes dirty, hunt with it that way.

That is probably the best answer you can get because it reflects on you and your rifle. The more you shoot it the more you know its characteristics and develop that instinct for it. I like my hunting rifles clean as a matter of pride, but I have my plinkers that I just love to shoot that get a little more dirty over time. Rifles are like little puppy dogs, they all have their own personality. It is really up to you.

[runamuk]

Do you guys clean your rifles before hunting, or leave it alone after sighting it in? It seems to take about six shots for my rifle to start shooting good groups after a thorough cleaning so I was tempted to not clean it until the end of deer season.

sounds like it prefers to be dirty... I was having issues and I was also a cleaning freak with it.... last year I sighted in....then scope fell off  sighted back in and she was shooting quite well so I put her away like that figured it wouldn't kill me to not clean it and I wouldnt risk knocking something off kilter.

now my pistol was getting used so much she is generally a filthy little ...well....

[high country]

Another thing to watch is cold bore shots and clean cold bore shots. Few rifles shoot cb shots exactly where the group is.

[jackmaster]

exactly what others have said, if it shoots better dirty then go with it, i have had my ruger number 1 single shot falling block and i have never cleaned it not once, after huntn is over i wipe the barrel down clean the scope lenses, then wipe the rifle down with a real light oil, and my baby shoots like a dream, may not work for all, all i know is i learned it from the service my m203 always shot better the dirtier it was

[Sawbuck]

Thanks for the info guys. I think I'll try waiting to the end of elk season before I clean it and see how it does. I would rather use a dirty rifle that shoots where I aim it than a clean one that throws the first few shots.

[JimmyHoffa]

Another thing to watch is cold bore shots and clean cold bore shots. Few rifles shoot cb shots exactly where the group is.

  My chrony numbers usually have the first shot (clean and cold) about 50-70 fps faster than the rest. After that they are all within 10 fps of each other with occasional headscratchers.

[addicted]

season is year around at home so it changes around the year. during the summer i probably wont clean as much but during the winter in whenever I'm getting rained or snowed on i'll wipe it down with a rem oil wipe before i put it away. Whenever i'm going to the range the next day i'll clean them the night before inside and out then i'll just wipe down my hunting rifles after the shoot.

[demontang]

I never really clean my hunting rifle bore. I've seen a few test ran about it and after doing a little shooting I've come to believe them. As long as my gun stays dry I don't touch the bore other then a bore snake with little oil on it to keep the rust away. I can pull that rifle out of my safe and know for a a fact it will hit where I aim it every time.