Cleaning regime for a full bore rifle

[Sako7mm]

Why ?

Perhaps you could enlighten us to the proper method

I clean my fullbore rifles every time they have been used, whether I have fired 1 shot or 51.

Forrest borefoam left overnight, rather than the short time recommended on the side of the can. I repeat the borefoam as necessary, pushing it out with a well fitting patch on a jag. This is followed by a patch soaked in Hoppes 9 benchrest solvent. I occasionally use JB compound, generally during break- in for a new barrel.

I would never use a bore snake and I NEVER experience a change of impact from the first shot from a clean bore.

Edited February 21, 2017 by Sako7mm

[Harnser]

Do as I used to do . Clean it once a year wether it needed it or not and then shoot a few rounds through it to dirty it up again . The 308 is not considered a hot round ,but the slow and heavy bull its will kill any thing that you might want to stalk . You won't shoot the barrel out using it as a stalker . Always clean it if it gets wet without exception . If stalking in the rain stick a bit of masking tape over the muzzle and carry the rifle muzzle up . This will prevent water getting into the chamber or the barrel . Carried this way the water will run down through the holt housing and out the back . The tape dos not have to be removed to take a shot ,you can shoot straight through it .

Harnser

[Old farrier]

I clean my fullbore rifles every time they have been used, whether I have fired 1 shot or 51.

Forrest borefoam left overnight, rather than the short time recommended on the side of the can. I repeat the borefoam as necessary, pushing it out with a well fitting patch on a jag. This is followed by a patch soaked in Hoppes 9 benchrest solvent. I occasionally use JB compound, generally during break- in for a new barrel.

I would never use a bore snake and I NEVER experience a change of impact from the first shot from a clean bore.

Thank you very informative 👍

 

I adopt a slightly different procedure however as one rifle is black powder and the other one fairly old (pre Forrest bore foam ) I will stick to the cleaning solvent provided by the makers alongside there oil

I also don't expect to experience a different point of impact from a clean barrel

 

All the best

Of

[Dougy]

Mungler,

I know what you think of cleaning, and any time not shooting with a gun is time it should be in the cabinet not out of it.

Odds on it will be a sinch to clean, for an easy no fuss clean I can recommend Forrest bore foam. Spray in barrel leave for a while (an hr) patch out till clean.

[Redgum]

Precisely why I never buy used rifles.

 

Well ok if you can afford it . I think we shouldn't be too put off second hand rifles as there are some great deals on used rifles, well hunting rifles ( not so sure if I would buy a secondhand target rifle unless I just wanted the action). Many deer hunting rifles don't see a lot of rounds down the barrel and a lot are well looked after. My first 243 was a brand new Remington 700, wouldn't shoot whatever I did, the next 243 I had was a Tikka hunter, the wood was banged about but the metal work and barrel were excellent, I redid the woodwork, still have it and it shoots clover leaf with 100grs. Buying secondhand from a dealer is recommended especially if they have a bore camera. Saying that a mate took his 25yr old 25 06 to a friend who's a rfd with a newly acquired bore camera, the rifles done thousands of rounds and still shoots like a demon yet the inspection showed pitting and crazed throat.

[Scully]

My T3 was secondhand and shoots like a dream. 👍

[armourer103]

there used to be a very good article on rifle cleaning by Parker Hale if you can still find it on the web, its a bit long winded as it explains what happens chemically inside the bore during and after firing, i edited it down just to the cleaning process and laminated it for the Army cadets who use 7.62 for there target rifles,hope this helps,

[mick miller]

Got an hour. Everything is here (almost).

 

[welshwarrior]

Many used stalking rifles fire under 20 rounds a year loads of life left as they are look after, if the buy can't tell good from bad well that's another issue.

 

Cleaning after every range session or 25 rounds (a light clean after each outing)

 

Kg product are all I use new and vfg pellets.

Barrel

De carbon

De lead

Oil

Lightly grease threads

 

Action remove all debris and dirty lightly oil

Strip bolt oil and grease.

 

Stock clean and wax exterior

Remove any rubbish from swivels and wax

 

Scope open up everything remove any dirty clean all lenses.

[srspower]

 

This is what I do. My Tikka T3 barrel is rarely cleaned ( and my .22rf never ) and prints groups better than I can shoot despite one dealer telling me it is pitted. It was secondhand when I got it so may have been pitted even then.

A very good mate who has shot more foxes with his Sako than anyone I know, literally never cleans it an has owned it from new over 15 years ago. The mod' is never removed and is corroded to the point it 'vents' quite dramatically at night, and is pinpoint accurate.

I'm not saying don't clean it, or in fact neglect it, but in my experience it doesn't seem to make a difference to a rifles accuracy.

 

Interesting, when I last asked this question about my new tikka t3x in .243 I was lead to believe I should soak it in wipeout every 50 rounds. So far I have shot 120 rounds and have just used a pull through.

[6.5x55SE]

Do as I used to do . Clean it once a year wether it needed it or not and then shoot a few rounds through it to dirty it up again .

Harnser

Totally agree 👍

Reason being buy a new factory rifle and it has been fired God knows how many times.

Have a custom rifle built or a Rifle rebarreled it gets fired to be proffed

So imho all the running in cleaning routine is a waste of effort.

Unless you are benchrest one shot clean target shooter's.

So in reality we all Buy second hand rifles that have been fired and we don't know the shot count

Edited February 24, 2017 by 6.5x55SE

[Lloyd90]

When some of you say clean do you mean a wipe down or a full barrel clean etc?

 

How often do you do this?

 

After cleaning do you then take it to the range and zero? Then clean it? Does it shoot the same after every clean?

 

Some people are saying "I clean it after every use" and some saying "it takes a few rounds to get back to zero after cleaning".

 

Sounds like a nightmare for a hunting rifle.

[Dougy]

Depends on what I've been out with, 22.250 a couple of shots a night then a quick patch through. If it's been out every night in a week then it's a full barrel and action clean. I was out last night with a 17 shot about 20 rabbits and that's a full barrel clean.

All shoot on zero after a clean.

[Sako7mm]

In my experience, the barrels which change point of impact after cleaning are neglected ones. As already said, I clean the bore thoroughly after each use and the zero never moves.

[welshwarrior]

In my experience, the barrels which change point of impact after cleaning are neglected ones. As already said, I clean the bore thoroughly after each use and the zero never moves.

I don't agree with that my 22-250 changes poi after a clean for 2-3 rounds always has done with this barrel it's a match grade shillen it's only an inch or so.

[fieldwanderer]

Mine used to be;

 

2 patches of hoppes #9 for the worst of the soot and carbon with a couple of dry patches to remove it.

 

A patch of kg12 or pro-shot copper solvent and leave for 5mins, phosphor brush with solvent (whichever I'd used) and then clean patches, repeated 5 or so times until I stopped seeing copper on the patches.

 

I thought I was a bit o.t.t. but it was a lother Walther match grade and I wanted to look after it. However, I've just had it rebarrelled and the guy showed me the bore with a borescope. I'd been leaving a fair amount of carbon where the lands met the grooves.

 

I've bought a new brush and jag for the new calibre, switched from phosphor bronze to stiff nylon (Iosso) and got some boretech eliminator which the smith recommended (going to get something specifically for carbon too).

 

I've patched it so far after it's proof and I'm very impressed with the boretech. First of the running in shots later today but I could do with my new brushes etc turning up soon so I can make sure I'm doing it as well as possible.

 

I won't be going mad this time though, I think clean thoroughly after each shot for the first 10 will be plenty. It's a border barrel that's been lapped on their machine and meant to be super dooper straight off the shelf.

Edited February 26, 2017 by fieldwanderer

[Sako7mm]

I don't agree with that my 22-250 changes poi after a clean for 2-3 rounds always has done with this barrel it's a match grade shillen it's only an inch or so.

That's as maybe, Daf. But what I said is true of the 10 or 11 centrefire rifles I currently own, some custom, some semi-custom and some factory. It was also true of another 20 or 30 I owned before. I think you must be very unlucky.

[welshwarrior]

That's as maybe, Daf. But what I said is true of the 10 or 11 centrefire rifles I currently own, some custom, some semi-custom and some factory. It was also true of another 20 or 30 I owned before. I think you must be very unlucky.

That's your view I only see 15-20 rifles a week and in my experience it's not only poorly kept rifles that change poi on cleaning.

 

I will agree that if a pitted barrel requires fouling to shoot well it normally requires more bullets down it to be back on song that a barrel in good condition.

[Dougy]

Chemical residue left in the barrel will also add to 1st shot zero problems, that's why I always use a patch soaked in Acetone pushed through after cleaning, then followed by dry patches. I have never left oil in any barrel either.

[Lloyd90]

KG1 followed by KG12 then patches until dry. Bit of oil then put away.

 

Acetone through barrel before use and should shoot on zero.

 

Sound about right?

 

Just picked up some KG 1 & 12 from the gunshop and have a bore guide on the way in post!

[Wb123]

Some interesting variation here. What would the expected lifespan of a never cleaned completely abused rifle or shotgun be?

[Lloyd90]

Some interesting variation here. What would the expected lifespan of a never cleaned completely abused rifle or shotgun be?

So many variables. A rifle used on the range or out of a vehicle may not get the same issues as one used in the rain and put away wet etc.

 

Different people have their cabinets in different rooms, some may be warmer and dryer than others, I imagine this could have an impact?

 

Different types and velocities of ammo could play a part.

[Albert 888]

KG1 followed by KG12 then patches until dry. Bit of oil then put away.

 

Acetone through barrel before use and should shoot on zero.

 

Sound about right?

 

Just picked up some KG 1 & 12 from the gunshop and have a bore guide on the way in post!

Spot on,KG1 patch through until carbon has gone then kg12 patch through until you can't see a copper build up in your rifling at the muzzle end,use a torch.

 

I've tried all sorts and the kg stuff is faster and easier to use than others I've used.

I target shoot with mine so get quit a bit of carbon and copper build up.

The kg copper remover doesn't turn blue hence why you look down the bore as an indication.

[Lloyd90]

Spot on,KG1 patch through until carbon has gone then kg12 patch through until you can't see a copper build up in your rifling at the muzzle end,use a torch.

 

I've tried all sorts and the kg stuff is faster and easier to use than others I've used.

I target shoot with mine so get quit a bit of carbon and copper build up.

The kg copper remover doesn't turn blue hence why you look down the bore as an indication.

 

 

Cheers mate. It says on the bottle I should use KG 4 degreaser after the KG1 to remove any left over KG1, although they didn't have any. Is this a necessity?

[Albert 888]

 

 

Cheers mate. It says on the bottle I should use KG 4 degreaser after the KG1 to remove any left over KG1, although they didn't have any. Is this a necessity?

I can't really say, I don't use it,I just use brake cleaner,gasket remover, acetone or anything that evaporators whithout leaving a residue.