Loss of accuracy after cleaning

[Ttocs]

I have to say I’m a little puzzled. My Tikka T3x stainless in 204R has been a tack driver since purchase a couple of years ago. It’s had around 400 rounds down it both factory and home load.
Ill confess now, I’m not one of those folk that clean my bores on a regular basis, I look after my rifles but I tend not to clean the bores whilst it’s shooting well other than my 17 REM that gets a clean every 30 - 40 rounds.
Anyway, I was at the range a while ago and as usual, took my 204 to check the zero with a 3 shot group. As expected it was <1/4” despite being fitted with an NV scope. Chatting with one of the “gurus“ at the range, about rifle cleaning, he was disgusted with my habit of not routinely cleaning my bores despite my rifles consistent accuracy.
This played on my mind for a few days; giving in I decided to clean my 204.
So using a nylon brush on my carbon cleaning rod (with bore guide) I gave the bore a scrub with Bore Tech C4 carbon remover - patched this out - then 30 passes with JB Boreshine on a felt pellet - patched it out - then, using a nylon brush, foamed up some patch-out and left it to soak. I repeated the Patch-out then used dry patches until they cam out clean. Supprisingly there was very little copper fouling evident from the Patch-out cleaning.

As I was going to the range again I took the 204 to check the zero. I expected the usual first round fouling shot loss of zero but was horrified to find my group size was now >1” and after 3 groups of 3 hadn’t settled down. Disaster. What have I done???
N

 

[Rusty Gate]

Dont panic at all send a few more foulers down & it will settle back in. Is uour powder temp sensitive, that would add to the issue until fouled.

 

[Fair Hill]

Just fire another dozen or so rounds and it should sort itself out.

 

[stubear]

I have this really noticeably with a few of my rifles - it generally takes 6-12 shots to get the bore fouled up again and then the groups settle down.

 

[lochty]

Lesson learned....go back to your previous cleaning regime when it's settled down.

 

[Ttocs]

The rifle has now had about 50 rounds through it since the clean and it’s still not performing as it did before the clean hence my concern. I’ll probably end up taking of the NV and popping on my 5-25 Zeiss for a trip to the range to shoot a group or two when they open. That should eliminate any doubts about my eyesight using the NV scope. I’m hoping I haven’t totalled the barrel some how.
N

 

[VSS]

I made the mistake of giving my 270 a thorough clean once .
Now, while I continue to lovingly maintain the outside, the inside gets left well alone.
No more problems.

 

[NP435]

The rifle has now had about 50 rounds through it since the clean and it’s still not performing as it did before the clean hence my concern. I’ll probably end up taking of the NV and popping on my 5-25 Zeiss for a trip to the range to shoot a group or two when they open. That should eliminate any doubts about my eyesight using the NV scope. I’m hoping I haven’t totalled the barrel some how.
N

30 passes with JB should be no problem I use it my self not that many passes at one time. I would think more fouling shot's may correct things. I have about 1500 shots down my 204 and no loss of accuracy.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Some barrels take many, many rounds to lay enough copper in the ruts to deliver acceptable accuracy and by ruts I don't mean the lands!

K

 

[Steff]

Your load is obviously not suited for your current barrel state. Develop a new load for a clean barrel and keep your barrel clean. That‘s all.

As a side note, JB‘s is a real intrusive treatment you shouldn‘t use on a regular basis if you want first shot accuracy. Other than ‚normal‘ cleaning JB‘ really does severely influence the barrel surface.

 

[DVS1]

As above with more fouling rounds then keep a count to see if accuracy opens up after X amount of rounds...the only other thing to do is ignore the guru, what works for his rifle may not work for everyone's! If he was that much of a guru he would know this

 

[Ttocs]

I’m feeling reassures by what I’m hearing.
Thanks
N

 

[Dan Gliballs]

I made the mistake of giving my 270 a thorough clean once .
Now, while I continue to lovingly maintain the outside, the inside gets left well alone.
No more problems.

Same here, it gets a copper solvent through it at the end of stag season and that sees it through until next autumn. It looks like a new rifle on the outside though.

 

[VSS]

Same here, it gets a copper solvent through it at the end of stag season and that sees it through until next autumn. It looks like a new rifle on the outside though.

Ah, but one of the beauties of stalking in the UK is that there is no "end of season"! You just move from one species to the next, or from male to female, so the rifle never gets a chance to sit idle. Unused rifles are the ones that suffer horrible things like corrosion due to lack of cleaning. Best thing for cleaning a barrel is another bullet!

 

[20-250]

Note to self- don’t buy a rifle from any of the lazy sods on this thread who don’t keep their bore clean!
Seriously, though, Rider‘s point about finding a load to suit your newly clean barrel seems a good one. I am always surprised to read how many people suffer poor accuracy after cleaning. My rifles are cleaned after each outing, whether 1 shot or 51 have been fired and I never need a fouling shot and don’t experience sub standard accuracy from a clean bore in any of my rifles. Just clean them, it’s not difficult.

 

[biffo]

Can’t see anything wrong with either of the 2 groups in the pictures, or am I missing something??

 

[Sonicdmb73]

Have you left any cleaning solution in the chamber? Or do you make sure that is clean too?
You might be surprised how many people don’t clean the chamber out after cleaning the barrel. The fluid etc then causes accuracy problems (it can affect pressure etc). Just a thought.
The other being your barrel was/is rough and you have removed the copper that smoothed it out. Once you have put it back the rifle might come back to previous accuracy.

 

[Spix]

Some barrels take many, many rounds to lay enough copper in the ruts to deliver acceptable accuracy and by ruts I don't mean the lands!

K

Not a .204, I shoot a triple, but my experience with my 452 .22LR is that if taken back to squeaky clean (properly clean, not 'out of the box' clean) then the groups start to tighten at around 65 rounds, sharp and hard with something it likes.

 

[Ttocs]

Hi, groups are from before it was cleaned and I’m happy with them; they were shot using my NV scope which is not a day scope. The after cleaning groups were so bad I threw them out in disgust/temper.
once I’ve cleaned the barrel I patch it out until the patches come out dry and clean; I then wrap a patch around a wire brush and clean out the chamber making sure there’s no oil or debris left in the chamber.
N

 

[Klenchblaize]

Not a .204, I shoot a triple, but my experience with my 452 .22LR is that if taken back to squeaky clean (properly clean, not 'out of the box' clean) then the groups start to tighten at around 65 rounds, sharp and hard with something it likes.

My comment was part tongue-in-cheek but I do have one rifle (not for sale!) that I'm 100% convinced shoots better when there is plenty of copper splashed across and burnished into the less than perfect bore.

I do clean the barrel but only with a non aggressive conditioning lube to remove the crud and inhibit rifle safe storage induced rusting.

I am not a "Guru" of anything.

K