Cleaning at the range. Recommended?

P

Pond James Pond

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The most I've shot through any gun in one sitting is probably about 250-300 rounds and that would have been 9mm or .22LR through either my (then) Glock 19 or my Ruger MkIII.

Putting that quantity of .308 downrange would be prohibitive cost-wise but if I decided to push the boat out, as it were, and buy a couple of boxes of .308 ammo to have a long day's shooting, every how many rounds would you run the bore brush down the barrel?
Would you even bother?

Assume FMJ ammo for this. Could be handloads, could be Norma or could even be Barnaul (re-considering my position on steel-cased ammo in bolt guns: I'd use it mainly for trigger practice and recoil acclimatisation, not aiming!).
 
If you have the time at the range, by all means run a couple wet patches through the bore before you head home for a more detailed cleaning.

If not, I wouldn't worry abou it, I've never seen a High Power shooter break their rifle down at the end of an 88 shot match for a quick cleaning at the range. Although I do know one President's 100 tab holder who runs a bore snake through his barrel after every string.

Jimro
 
I don't clean the barrel on centerfire rifles until accuracy starts to drop off. 100-300 rounds depending on the barrel. It takes 10-12 shots after a cleaning for optimum accuracy to return.

The exterior is cleaned and all crud from inside the action after every shooing session, but I clean barrels as little as possible. After I do clean them I won't take that rifle hunting until I get a chance to foul the barrel with about a dozen rounds and verify zero hasn't changed.
 
I clean right at range if needed. I do not wait for accuracy to drop. As for shooting lot''s of rounds,I do on a weekly basis. Was out yesterday and put 150 rounds down the 308. Also had the 6 BR,22-250 and 223 with. Each rifle saw at least 100 rounds. I clean every 50 rounds at range,same goes for other rifles. This time of the year it is very easy as the range very seldom has a waiting line.


The cleaning at the range is just a brush soaked in Bore-Tec and a few patches. Big cleaning comes at home later. Most people that shoot many rounds at the range do the same. There are those that shoot 20 or so rounds out of 3 or so rifles and don't clean. I never go to the range with out at least 100 rounds for a few of the rifles I bring. Exception would be load work up,but then I would have at least 2 or 3 other rifles to shoot afterwards.
 
Disclosure: Most of my extended shooting sessions at ranges have been done in a place where I had a well-subdivided lane to myself, the targets were moved by overhead rails, and NOBODY had to go forward of the line or cease fire for anyone else, or more recently in places where I had the luxury of time.

Under those circumstances, I would clean well at the end of a session.

If not, three patches go down the bore at once and then a more detailed cleanout follows when I get home and have the time to spare.

Of course, I am not shooting the most exquisite, last word in small-calibre, hot-load railguns so I can afford to be that casual.
 
I have no need to clean at the range unless I'm shooting corrosive ammo and even then dumping hot water down the barrel will be enough until I get around to cleaning.
 
I don't clean at the range, but i don't shoot corrosive ammo(i also live close by). If you have the time to clean there, then go for it.
 
I squirt wipe-out in the bore before I leave the range. When I get home I run patches wrapped around a bore brush to push the sludge out. Then I wipe down, clean the bolt faces, ect before I put them away.
 
I usually at least take a bore snake with me. Although I don't always use it. I just run that through the barrel midway through the ammo I plan to shoot. Can't hurt.
 
Since rapid-firing is likely to cause throat erosion, I never do that at the range, period. There's no rational reason for it. I'm a knowledgeable shooter who cares about his equipment, not the 'rifleman'.

I run a bore-snake wet with Hoppes#9 through the bore every third or fourth shot, whether it needs it or not.

This both cleans and cools the barrel. - When I examine the bore later with a bore-scope, I hardly ever see any copper or carbon build-up.

You couldn't pay me to let that stuff build up in the bore to the point where it starts affecting accuracy.

If more shooters could see what the inside of their guns barrel looked like, we'd be hearing a lot less about not bothering to clean it, rapid firing at the range, etc..
 
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A wet patch down the bore at the range while the barrel is still warm can help make cleaning easier.

I don't bother, or I may use some aerosol CLP if I shoot some very dirty ammo... Or was to shoot corrosive ammo, which is unlikely.

I like to put several hundred rounds through the gun before cleaning. I do hit critical areas with more lube on some guns like my ARs if I am shooting a lot.
 
Shooting for groups...about 17-20 centerfire rounds, though I am wary about doing harsh chemical bore brush work on windy days; with other nearby people hanging around.

For fun shooting...about every 300 rounds for a good bore brush workout.
Regardless, at the end of a day's shooting session {unless on a few day's hunting expedition}, I like to sparingly oil the chamber. For a 22, I use a wet lubed Q-Tip, with an occasional bore snake run-thru, or just a wet-patched Hoppes #9, along with an oily patch on a .17 caliber bore rod.

For corrosive ammo use...I like to clean the firearm after each shooting session, or wait one day at the most.
 
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At the indoor range I go to it is forbidden to clean your guns anywhere on the premises. Safety reasons I suppose. :rolleyes:
 
I see no reason to clean the bore of a gun unless and until accuracy degrades. I don't know how others clean, whether or not they do a barrel "break in" or whether or not it helps if they do nor do I know what they consider "accuracy degrading" but my .204 gets the bore cleaned every couple of YEARS and while I typically don't shoot it a ton, I can easily put 200 rounds a year through it. It shoots 1/4-1/2 MOA at 100 and about 3/4 at 400, every time. Actually, I cleaned it this year because I figured it'd been a while, couldn't remember the last time. It was still printing under 1/2" at 100.
 
I wonder if cleaning is one of those topics that people have different ideas on, and perhaps there is no or little real evidence to support what you do or how often you do it. I cleaned my M-14, M-16 and 45 auto according to the training I had in the Marine Corps. I may clean my civilian firearms more than really needed. But I enjoy tinkering in the shop. So watching Andy Griffith, Dragnet, and Highway Patrol- it just seems natural to clean the guns. As far as the range goes, I just keep Bore Snakes of different calibers in the box and normally make a few passes with a little bit of bore cleaner. It makes me feel better incase I don't get around to a detailed cleaning as promptly as I generally prefer. I know many factors come into play: semi-autos, levers, bolts, lead, copper, anal-retentiveness, laziness. There may be no single correct answer. Whether you do or don't and how often most likely varies quite a bit among shooters.
 
I see no reason to clean the bore of a gun unless and until accuracy degrades.
Click to expand...

Yep, me too. I put several thousand rounds through my handguns and around a thousand through my rifles between cleanings.

More damage done by excessive cleaning than by shooting. BUT, the barrel makers, cleaning product makers and associated retailers are all happy with the excessive cleaning many of you seem to enjoy.
 
I clean mine once per year...when deer season is over...it shoots better fouled, so during the year I just keep the bore lubed with CLP...and when deer session is over, it gets deep cleaned.

At the range....I just shoot it.
 
I see no reason to clean the bore of a gun unless and until accuracy degrades.
Yep, me too. I put several thousand rounds through my handguns and around a thousand through my rifles between cleanings.

OMG-- 1000 rounds between cleaning on a rifle?. That's just not right. Do you drive 10,000 mile on your oil in your car before you change?.

Your accuracy has not gone totally to pot by then?. More power to ya buddy.

My OCD would kill me.:D
 
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Change motor oil at 3k. 1/2 moa or so. Have a Remington 700 that has 600 rounds and 12 years since last cleaning. No velocity or accuracy change.
 
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