But how much does cleaning the barrel of a rifle affect accuracy? I'm not the best at cleaning my guns. I don't do it nearly as much as I should. But tonight I'm running patches through the barrel of some of my rifles and I just wondered how much, if any difference will I see in accuracy or change in point of impact? I wouldn't think it would make much of a difference if any. But I could be wrong.
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Ironically, there are two theories: clean your rifle every time you have finished shooting; and clean your riffle seldom, and when you do, don't feel too much pressure to get it squeaky clean. I have a limited knowledge on the subject to be honest and I am certain more knowledgeable folks will chime in. I tend to lean on the latter theory, but I still get anxious and feel guilty when I know I haven't cleaned my rifle after a trip where I put 20 rounds down range. The thought process once you fire 1 bullet, everything fired after will be fired through an unclean system, so why go through the process of detailing it?
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That was my thought process as well. I didn't say it but I kind of thought maybe the 1st shot through the clean barrel will be slightly different but after that it'll be shooting the exact same as it was before it was clean. But I don't know.Originally posted by ctom87 View Post
As for cleaning every 20 rounds.
......Ummmm..........I've probably put 200 through one and haven't cleaned the barrel until now. Still shot great so I just never bothered with it.
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I am too cheap to send more than a box down range, and the man who taught me about rifles explained to me if I shot it, it needed to be cleaned until the patches came out white.Originally posted by okrattler View PostThat was my thought process as well. I didn't say it but I kind of thought maybe the 1st shot through the clean barrel will be slightly different but after that it'll be shooting the exact same as it was before it was clean. But I don't know.
As for cleaning every 20 rounds.......Ummmm..........I've probably put 200 through one and haven't cleaned the barrel until now. Still shot great so I just never bothered with it.
I am not lazy, but dad gum that's a lot of patches. Needless to say, I don't clean them after every time I shoot them. That's just what I was told to do. I am not an expert by any means though and think it's a great question.Comment
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Modern ammo is much cleaner shooting and doesn't need a cleaning after every trip.
Though, we were all pretty much taught shooting practices by the generations that did need to do this.
Shoot until accuracy changes and then clean
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I hardly ever clean my barrels and get great accuracy out of all my rifles. A lot of rifle shoot better with a fouled barrel.Comment
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I clean my muzzleloader. Other guns get a spray of oilComment
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I clean carbon only and usually on a frequency of about every 300 rounds. Cleaning carbon will not affect your accuracy or point if impact. Velocity will be a touch slower for the next 5-10 shots though.
If you clean copper and all down to bare metal, your point of impact will be off and velocity will tank until you’ve built up copper fouling again.
Whatever you do, make sure to swab out the chamber and get all residue out as a final step.Comment
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I clean when accuracy drops off. That may be 20 shots in rifle A or never in rifle B. When I clean, I take it to bare metal with a good copper solvent and brush. Then a couple fouling shots before I'm shooting for accuracy again. All my rifles get a oily patch at end of season and a fouling shot or 2 before confirming accuracy the following season.Comment
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I never clean my barrel during the hunting season. I was taught cleaning will affect accuracy. Right or wrong I wait till seasons over.Comment
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I was raised in the clean it every time mindset but that isn't how I do it now. I have some rifles I clean everytime they are shot. Those are rifles that I don't shoot often and don't hunt with. They may sit in the safe for years between trips to the range. Those would be collector or sentimental type rifles and since they just sit for long periods and I don't depend on them to be on and ready for use all the time I clean them well before I put them away. All the rifles I shoot often and hunt with are used until I see an issue with accuracy and then I give them a good cleaning and then go run a few rounds thru them to foul the barrel before hunting with them again.
I think more damage is done with a cleaning rod used too often than by not cleaning a rifle until the accuracy drops off.Comment
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I clean all my rifles after season a put them up oil wet and foult them before I hunt. Pistols after every time I use them.Comment
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I was taught to clean after I have shot it!
I do not do a complete cleaning but I do run a Bore Snake thru the bore after I have shot the rifle and do a complete cleaning at the end of the season. I clean my pistols each time I use them.Comment
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Originally posted by 14JKURX View Post
Can't say that I do the complete cleaning at the end of the season, but I do try to use the bore snake after each shooting session. The bore snakes make it so easy. Not sure it does the greatest job, but it makes me feel better.Comment
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Once per year, whether it needs it or not.
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