Bore cleaning???

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....
 
SInce this post seems to have gotten on how often you clean:D. Every time i get home ,Don't matter if it's 5 rounds or 100 rounds. Rifle gets cleaned every 20 rounds at most. I guess i see it as- Cleaning outside of rifle only= Taking a shower every day and eating junk food all day. Sure ya look good on the outside ,but inside,,It's going to catch up to you sooner or later. A lot depends on how much you shoot also. I run about 250 to 300 rounds a weekend down both my 223 and 308. Just got a 6MMBR and am doing about 200 rounds a week down that. Went out with a friend last week and between 223,308,6MM we went through 800 rounds. I have had my 223 for 4 years now and lost count way back around 12000 rounds. Still shoots under 1/2 groups at 100 yards all day. Would it still do that with out the cleaning it has had ???.. Don't know,don't care to find out. I will just take your word that it makes no difference:). Everyone has there own method to the madness and that's what makes us all chat and exchange ideas. I don't think there is a right or wrong answer,just a what ever works for you answer,

On a side note,,Above is all done on a single stage press. Old RCBS Partner press.:eek:
 
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I use Hoppes. Wet the bore, then about 10 passes with the brush. Then I rinse the brush in paint thinner and put it away.

After that I just use wet patches--I let the Hoppes work at least 10 min but often for 6+ hours. You shouldn't be seeing anything but mostly blue/green patches (indicating copper) at this point. If it takes more than a say 10 patches, then I go to something more aggressive (sweets). Let the solvent do the work.

If the bore is pitted, it'll take forever to clean up (if it ever does). IME, bores like that shoot poorly when they're clean, so I get out the big chunks as described above (no more than six patches used in total) and then call it quits.


Since you're seeing so many black patches, you've either got a decent amount of pitting or the brush is putting carbon back in the bore (stop brushing).

Also, don't dunk the brush in the solvent bottle--it dirties up the solvent. Plus the solvent won't eat much copper in the bore after you've been feeding it brushes all the time. Use a dropper bottle to put solvent on brushes.
 
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Since you're seeing so many black patches, you've either got a decent amount of pitting or the brush is putting carbon back in the bore (stop brushing).

Also, don't dunk the brush in the solvent bottle--it dirties up the solvent. Plus the solvent won't eat much copper in the bore after you've been feeding it brushes all the time. Use a dropper bottle to put solvent on brushes


Plus one to that- See it at the range more than you would think.
 
If you use Ed's Red starting with a clean barrel, there will be less copper fouling to deal with later on. I've tried just about every thing on the market and I'll take Ed's Red over them all.

Tony
 
If i had to put a time limit on it. I would say it takes about 45 minutes to clean each rifle when i get home. I do not consider this to be a long time. When i go shooting after that i always have a least 3 fouler shots before i start keeping track. I have never tried the bore foam myself,but have heard good things about it. I do think that the bore foams are more or less for a neglected barrel or a very very dirty one. All my rifles ( when New ) after 25 shots and a very good cleaning get treated with Mircolon gun juice. ( laugh if you will ). I have found it to do just what it say's it does. ( So did the Military ) Rifles clean up easy,fouling is reduced very much. ( Plasebo affect:) ) Don't know,but works for me. I hear tell of some saying there rifles shoot better dirty than clean. I hear it enough that i won't argue that point ( must be true ) I do question the quality of the barrel or the over all condition of the barrel in those cases.
 
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