How often do you clean your barrel?

[willie_gunn]

I always run a boresnake through my .308 before every outing. Once back home I run the boresnake through it again, once regardless and then once for each shot fired. Like @VSS, I make sure the rifle is dry and back up to room temperature before putting it back in the cabinet.

So last Sunday, for example, it was once before, then once post-outing for the muntjac buck I shot, and twice for the quick check zero I did using a new box of cartridges.

Don't recall ever cleaning the barrel using solvents or similar. Being at least the third owner the rifle - and after what must be hundreds, if not thousands, of rounds - it doesn't seem to have suffered as a result, and it remains as boringly accurate as I am ever likely to require.

 

[One on top of two]

If it’s been used I clean it.

if it’s been out but not fired I just clean /lube and put it away again

 

[Leeroy7031]

I always run a boresnake through my .308 before every outing.

+1 with the bore snake and more rigour if I've been out target shooting and sent lots down range.

 

[NullMac]

I think it is an interesting question but am not sure the answers will be as it probably depends on the cycle of use.

If I never clean the barrel is that a good answer as it preserves the bore condition or awful as it is a fast way to rot the barrel.

Is cleaning it back to pristine good as it removes all corrosive residues or bad as you will need a couple of shots to recondition the barrel every time out or if you rub it too much you are actually wearing out the barrel yourself.

I have done two, try to avoid the latter and to be honest am not convinced I am any more knowledgable than I started out. Some thoughts though....

a) target - thorough clean, couple of sighters gets you back in the game
b) frequent use stalking - nylon brush, couple of patches just to get the crud out no chemicals
c) long periods between stalking (days) - thorough clean, bang a couple through it at the start/learn where the first couple go from a clean barrel.

 

[75]

Occasionally. Sorry - can’t be much more precise than that! Just when it feels like I’ve shot enough rounds through it but there is no science behind when that point is reached

 

[J.kerslake]

To be fair last time you cleaned it, it did make it shine

And if I’m being honest the only reason I cleaned it the first time is because you suggested it would probably be a good idea

 

[Magnificent 7]

Occasionally other than a wipe down with an oily rag and left to acclimatise to the temp of house before it’s put to bed after use.I normally clean it with solvent and patches ect once every blue moon

 

[bogtrotter]

Seldom.

 

[muddy42]

I clean with the aim of removing moisture created by the shot going off and preventing rust. There is nothing you can do about wear from use. The other reason to clean is to remove copper and preserve accuracy, which I have never seen much evidence of, on a shot-by-shot basis on a low shot count. I find accuracy remains until 100 shots or so. I am a deer shooter not paper puncher, so extreme 1/2 inch groupings are not essential. Technique and the person behind the trigger has more impact on accuracy than the rifle, in my opinion.

After every use, all exterior metal gets a light oiling. Bore gets a dry patch followed by a very a light gun cleaner / rust inhibitor. Bolt is left open. I sometimes patch with meths and then after about 100 shots I deep clean by soaking with solvents and a nylon brush and patching clean. Several cycles are required. then rezero. Even more rarely, when I cannot seem to get the patches to come clean, I use a bronze brush.

 

[@theroedeerguy]

If I don’t fire a shot, get it back up to room temperature quick external wipe down with some Legia.

After firing, back up to room temperature, VFG felt soaked with KG-1, felts through until they’re clean and then pull through with a bore snake. Wipe down externals with Legia.

Once in a blue moon as above but overnight soak with Forest Bore Foam.

All the above keeps everything looking nice and confidence that when I pull the trigger the bullet is going exactly where I want it to.

 

[Bowland blades]

I clean if its been wet out ASAP on return . I clean unless i am out day after day at the venue , when i only clean if its been wet ! The only state you can return a barrel to exactly is clean . leaving coppered up or full of burnt powder residue traps moisture . Don't forget the chamber
Oh stainless isn't rustless until the steel is no longer attracting a magnet and you won't find that in a rifle barrel .

 

[DVS1]

If I notice accuracy drop off then I'll break out the patch out wipe out for a good cleaning and then shoot 5-10 fouling rounds to get back on song. I pull a Boresnake through after every outing when I've fired a round just to try and keep the fouling levels where my barrel likes it

 

[Ratel]

With 7mm clean outside with oily rag, run boresnake through if fired.
With Hornet, same for outside but very rarely clean inside. Goes slightly off zero from clean barrel, second shot ok, God knows why and he's not telling but same every time. Now always waste a couple of rounds before getting serious with it after cleaning.

 

[rem284]

Rifle i use daily:- any sign of moisture during use, dry patch through bore, external parts wiped dry. End of week bore cleaned, crown cleaned, light coat of ballistol on 1 patch then 2 dry patches down bore. Action, bolt cleaned, lugs lightly lubed. Stored without moderator on. Magazine checked infrequently.

Rifles that I use infrequently is given the end of week treatment as above for the bore and crown. Eternal surface lightly oiled esp. on my non stainless steel rifle. Action/bolt inspected, cleaned and lightly lubed as necessary. Stored without moderator on.

Moderator, dried, light spray of wd40.

 

[Hook'N'Bullet]

The range of answers here is wild. Here's my gripes with all of them and hopefully somebody can set me straight

Only at the end of season/seldom - This is what I used to do. Was under the impression that if I scrubbed the bore each time I shot a deer, the barrel would never foul and therefore would never "settle in" accuracy wise. This method of thinking ended up pitting the barrel

After every outing - This is what I tend to do after one shot on a deer- Oily rag on the outside, nylon brush with solvent. If none on hand, some brunox/Napier oil. Then dry patches until they come out clean and dry.

Some use oil - To my understanding, people use oil instead of solvent as to not remove all of the fouling which makes sense if your rifle likes it.

Some say dont use oil - Can cause chamber pressure spikes but solvent will remove all fouling and will need a couple of fouling shots before barrel is ready again - I don't have the facilities to shoot off a couple of rounds after cleaning, plus, does that not defeat the purpose of cleaning it? I'm putting it back in the safe with more rounds through than before I started cleaning it (one shot at a deer remember)

Only when accuracy drops off - Sure I'm shooting one shot a week at a push - I feel this more related to range work? While stalking, a group could open up to the size of an orange and I probably wouldn't notice once the deer is on the ground

There doesn't seem to be a standard method of madness to it.

 

[Sakoodin1]

Every 50 rounds for me, I find that works for my style of maintenance

 

[Foxyboy43]

The range of answers here is wild. Here's my gripes with all of them and hopefully somebody can set me straight

Only at the end of season/seldom - This is what I used to do. Was under the impression that if I scrubbed the bore each time I shot a deer, the barrel would never foul and therefore would never "settle in" accuracy wise. This method of thinking ended up pitting the barrel

After every outing - This is what I tend to do after one shot on a deer- Oily rag on the outside, nylon brush with solvent. If none on hand, some brunox/Napier oil. Then dry patches until they come out clean and dry.

Some use oil - To my understanding, people use oil instead of solvent as to not remove all of the fouling which makes sense if your rifle likes it.

Some say dont use oil - Can cause chamber pressure spikes but solvent will remove all fouling and will need a couple of fouling shots before barrel is ready again - I don't have the facilities to shoot off a couple of rounds after cleaning, plus, does that not defeat the purpose of cleaning it? I'm putting it back in the safe with more rounds through than before I started cleaning it (one shot at a deer remember)

Only when accuracy drops off - Sure I'm shooting one shot a week at a push - I feel this more related to range work? While stalking, a group could open up to the size of an orange and I probably wouldn't notice once the deer is on the ground

There doesn't seem to be a standard method of madness to it.

Correct. Next question?

 

[VSS]

The range of answers here is wild.

The range of usage will be wild too, and without knowing that you're not comparing like with like.
Some people will be firing more rounds in a day, every day, than others use in a year. Some people's rifles will sit in a cabinet for months at a time, whereas for others it's just a matter of hours. The cleaning regimes are bound to be very different.
Personally, I'm of the opinion that rifles deteriorate most when not used (out of sight, out of mind, and by the time you spot the corrosion it's too late) so if you're an infrequent shot then yes, drying, cleaning and oiling before storage is very wise. Hence why my rifles only get a proper clean at the end of the fallow season - that's the only time they're likely to be unused for a while.

 

[Bowland blades]

The range of answers here is wild. Here's my gripes with all of them and hopefully somebody can set me straight

Only at the end of season/seldom - This is what I used to do. Was under the impression that if I scrubbed the bore each time I shot a deer, the barrel would never foul and therefore would never "settle in" accuracy wise. This method of thinking ended up pitting the barrel

After every outing - This is what I tend to do after one shot on a deer- Oily rag on the outside, nylon brush with solvent. If none on hand, some brunox/Napier oil. Then dry patches until they come out clean and dry.

Some use oil - To my understanding, people use oil instead of solvent as to not remove all of the fouling which makes sense if your rifle likes it.

Some say dont use oil - Can cause chamber pressure spikes but solvent will remove all fouling and will need a couple of fouling shots before barrel is ready again - I don't have the facilities to shoot off a couple of rounds after cleaning, plus, does that not defeat the purpose of cleaning it? I'm putting it back in the safe with more rounds through than before I started cleaning it (one shot at a deer remember)

Only when accuracy drops off - Sure I'm shooting one shot a week at a push - I feel this more related to range work? While stalking, a group could open up to the size of an orange and I probably wouldn't notice once the deer is on the ground

There doesn't seem to be a standard method of madness to it.

Oil protects the barrel while in storage , its removed with patches and meths ( including the chamber ) . Cold rifle warm room = condensation Leaving powder residue attracts moisture , copper traps moisture under it leading to corrosion. its more getting the longest period of use out of an expensive item you wish to keep than shooting tennis balls .
No there is method in the above but there is a lot of madness around like "the next one down cleans it!"

 

[Hook'N'Bullet]

The range of usage will be wild too, and without knowing that you're not comparing like with like.
Some people will be firing more rounds in a day, every day, than others use in a year. Some people's rifles will sit in a cabinet for months at a time, whereas for others it's just a matter of hours. The cleaning regimes are bound to be very different.
Personally, I'm of the opinion that rifles deteriorate most when not used (out of sight, out of mind, and by the time you spot the corrosion it's too late) so if you're an infrequent shot then yes, drying, cleaning and oiling before storage is very wise. Hence why my rifles only get a proper clean at the end of the fallow season - that's the only time they're likely to be unused for a while.

Yes I understand what your saying VSS. That is why I put emphasis on the scenario where you take one shot. I was looking for insight into what other people do.

Do they leave it alone since some clean every 10/20/30 shots?

Do I solvent clean it as it might be stored for a week until my next outing? Or just oily patch, scrub with nylon and dry patch

Do I play it safe and use solvents that will strip the minimal fouling that has come from the one shot fired? Keep in mind, I cant get out mid week with work to refoul the barrel prior to my stalking trip.

I've been using nylon brush and oily patches followed by dry patches, then once a month I'd solvent clean it. Even though its only been shot a handful of times in that time.

I may be being a bit autistic about it though