How clean is clean enough?

[Ben Long]

I pay good money for my rifles and want to take care of them. But I am also lazy by nature. I clean the bores regularly, scrubbing them with a copper brush and using Shooter's Choice solvent. Every article I've ever read about this tells me to clean the bore until a patch comes through white. They never seem to come through white. I clean and clean, but the patch comes through gray. Am I doing something wrong? Or is light gray clean enough? I'm not a match shooter -- just plinking and hunting.

 

[HighDesertSage]

I take a few passes with the bore snake and call it done. It'll never be perfect.

 

[BuzzH]

Throw the brushes away...and buy some wipe-out.

 

[mtmuley]

Yep, no brushes. If so use a nylon. And if I were you, I'd stay away from Boresnakes. Most people clean rifles too much anyway. mtmuley

 

[RobG]

What is wrong with boresnakes?

 

[Lawnboy]

Throw the brushes away...and buy some wipe-out.

This!

 

[mtmuley]

What is wrong with boresnakes?

Nothing if you think they get your rifles bore clean. A quality rod, proper jags and good cotton patches are the way to go. I shudder to think of getting one of those snakes stuck in a barrel. mtmuley

 

[Carl]

I am a match shooter. I clean my barrels every 400-500 rounds, usually with two applications of wipe out, each of which I follow up with two patches.

My current competition barrel has ~2300 rounds, and I've probably put about 25 patches and no brushes down it in that time. I'm certain that when I'm done cleaning a patch with solvent wouldn't come out clean, and that's exactly what I'm looking for.

Also, there is next to no concensus among competition shooters as to the best way to clean, so take that for what it's worth.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Wow! Glad I clicked on this thread. I usually clean my rifle once a year or after I get it soaked in the rain. I was feeling guilty that I didn't do it enough.... I think I might feel better about myself.

 

[devon deer]

Wow! Glad I clicked on this thread. I usually clean my rifle once a year or after I get it soaked in the rain. I was feeling guilty that I didn't do it enough.... I think I might feel better about myself.

I was keeping quiet until you posted Gerald, same as me, once a year, maybe
Cheers
Richard

 

[VAspeedgoat]

I tend to clean right after I am checking the zero and realize somethings not right. So I guess that's once a year. Devon is right, I wouldn't have posted otherwise.

 

[jakesdad]

The only guns I am very meticulous about are my muzzleloaders..........I keep them spotless.Everything else gets it once a year with patches and solvent.

The odd thing is my muzzys shoot much better on a dirty barrel,so every year before hunting they get a light fouling shot because they do not shoot the same vs. a clean barrel.

 

[ccc23454]

i clean my hunting rifles in the spring, do a copper remove (with BTE) and then just wipe them down after use rest of year. if it rains or snows i just run a boresnake to prevent corrosion. i shot a lot thru the year and this works well for me. most of my rifles lose accuracy after cleaning good, so i have to refoul the barrel and the groups tighten right back up. one gun takes about 20 rounds to get barrel back to seasoned but thru the years have learned what works for my guns. its very easy to damage a rifle while cleaning so minimize and just keep it wiped down to prevent corrosion.

 

[mtmuley]

I have several .22 rimfires of which the bore has never seen a cleaning patch. mtmuley

 

[Bulldog0156]

I swear my point of impact changes on my .243 by 6" or so from fully clean to fouled. It's dead on when fouled; can't hit anything when clean. I've noticed this the past couple times I actually got the barrel clean. Crazy.

 

[earlybird]

I swear my point of impact changes on my .243 by 6" or so from fully clean to fouled. It's dead on when fouled; can't hit anything when clean. I've noticed this the past couple times I actually got the barrel clean. Crazy.

I have a 22-250 that acts the same way. And like several others I too feel better about by gun cleaning after clicking on this topic. :hump:

 

[danr55]

Buy have you opened a can or worms.. or snakes or something.. a fouled barrel will change the oscillation frequency of the barrel which changes the point in the moment of oscillation that the bullet exits the barrel which changes the point of impact in the target. That's why long range shooters talk about "cold shots". The most difficult shot to make at distance, with any rifle or any load is the "cold shot". Fouled barrels will also affect chamber pressure. If you've been using a load for years and suddenly it starts blowing primers, you probably need to clean the barrel really well. The first shot from a cold, clean barrel should be high and right or left depending on the rifling twist in the barrel.

Oh, and if the patch is coming out grey, the barrel is not clean. What you probably have is layers of powder residue covered by layers or lead or copper depending on what type of bullets you are shooting. Use some type of heavy duty solvent to remove the metallic residue then more powder solvent. Repeat until the patch comes out the same color as it was originally. Whe you are through, be sure to use a neutralizing agent like gun oil on the bare steel to stop the corrosive action of the copper solvent. My preference is Sweets 7.62 Solvent and Outers gun oil.

 

[1_pointer]

I only clean them when they quit shooting the way that I think they should. I think I've only cleaned a rifle 2X in the last 4 years. I don't shoot as much as I'd like...

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I am a match shooter. I clean my barrels every 400-500 rounds, usually with two applications of wipe out, each of which I follow up with two patches.

My current competition barrel has ~2300 rounds, and I've probably put about 25 patches and no brushes down it in that time. I'm certain that when I'm done cleaning a patch with solvent wouldn't come out clean, and that's exactly what I'm looking for.

Also, there is next to no concensus among competition shooters as to the best way to clean, so take that for what it's worth.

This is worth reading twice, as Carl gets results on paper, steel and game...

 

[Recon_Doc]

Theres absolutely nothing wrong with boresnakes. I've used them for almost 20 years in the military, and they guys in our sniper platoon used them all the time. Anyone who says otherwise is il-informed