Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
Well, I'll admit to cleaning my brass until it gleams but that's only because it doesnt take any more effort, just run the tumbler longer.
I also admit that I used to be a "If you shoot it, you clean it" kind of guy. Until, that is, I found out that the residue isn't hurting anything. At that point, I remembered how lazy I am and I've hardly cleaned a gun since.
My .204 is a good example. I've fired 3 separate load work ups through it (25-30 rounds each), with 3 seperate powders, without cleaning in between, and probably another 75-100 rounds at woodchucks or paper besides. This over at least 2 years. I clean the outside, a quick wipe down with Eezox but never the bore in that time.
If I look down the barrel, it's shiny. The gun shoots 1/2 MOA on a bad day. Why would I clean it?
I see similar results with my other guns. The only one that gets cleaned every time it gets shot is my carry gun and that's ONLY to verify condition/function/wear.
I see threads like this about how nasty guns get so quickly and how hard they are to get clean and then other threads about how "barrel break-in" is such a waste of time and I think to myself about how every rifle I own has been through the break-in procedure and I've never had one that's hard to clean or fouls quickly or loses accuracy after 5 shots and it makes me wonder....
I also admit that I used to be a "If you shoot it, you clean it" kind of guy. Until, that is, I found out that the residue isn't hurting anything. At that point, I remembered how lazy I am and I've hardly cleaned a gun since.
My .204 is a good example. I've fired 3 separate load work ups through it (25-30 rounds each), with 3 seperate powders, without cleaning in between, and probably another 75-100 rounds at woodchucks or paper besides. This over at least 2 years. I clean the outside, a quick wipe down with Eezox but never the bore in that time.
If I look down the barrel, it's shiny. The gun shoots 1/2 MOA on a bad day. Why would I clean it?
I see similar results with my other guns. The only one that gets cleaned every time it gets shot is my carry gun and that's ONLY to verify condition/function/wear.
I see threads like this about how nasty guns get so quickly and how hard they are to get clean and then other threads about how "barrel break-in" is such a waste of time and I think to myself about how every rifle I own has been through the break-in procedure and I've never had one that's hard to clean or fouls quickly or loses accuracy after 5 shots and it makes me wonder....