Cleaning a rifle

[njc110381]

I'm a bit confused by the idea of rifles not shooting to zero after cleaning. Does this mean that you don't clean the barrel after each use? I was always under the impression that powder residue was corrosive, and needs to be removed before a gun is stored. If you only fire say 25 rounds per week, how long can you leave the gun before getting the rods down it? Do you do it to a time scale, or on a rounds fired basis?

[Peter_HMR]

I take it its a rimfire well theres alot of different views out there

 

Alot of barrels will not fire exactly on zero from a cold barrel as well as clean barrel it really depends on your gun and barrel (sporter, heavy) you'll have to test it for hunting i'd recomend zeroing as normal and then leave the rifle 10mins fire a shot adjust fire another

 

For target shooting whats done to overcome this is firing fouling shots your zero should be warm zero i guess you'd call it before firing for groups say 5 shots are fired to check the gun is on zero, to warm up the barrel and to foul the barrel (line it with lube from bullets and lead depoits)

 

Some people clean the rifle after everytime out some clean it once a year barrels are all chromed nowadays so it wont do it any harm myself id clean it after every 50 shots or 2-3 weeks whichever comes first its a hunting rifle.

[hawkeye]

My .22 rimfire has never been cleaned in 3 yrs and shoots great very accurate...

 

My .17 HMR gets a snake bore pulled through every couple of boxes of ammo if i remember and theres nowt wrong with the accuracy of that one either..

 

I think some people have an obsession with cleaning rimfires and there is no need to half the time thats my view other people might not agree but thats life..

 

 

CF thats different gets cleaned regularly wether it needs it or not

[P03]

I stopped cleaning my .243 and it's never been more accurate. If it starts throwing flyers.....then I'll clean it.

[Spook]

When I was getting into target shooting I cleaned my rifle every now and then and it threw my groups everywhere, I havent cleaned it since...I will if my shooting goes down hill My sporter I clean about once a quarter but then I shoot a dozen or so fouling shots just to make sure there grouping well.

Shotguns I clean after every outing.

[njc110381]

I always clean the shotgun, unless I'm going out again the next day. I rub down the outside with an oily rag either way.