spandit Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 Desperate to get my brand new rifle some use but I've been told that I need to clean it after every shot for the first 20 shots or so. The problem is, I'm putting loads of patches (with Hoppes #9 bore cleaner) down and even after about 15, they still have some grey residue on them - should I keep going until they are completely white or give it a scrub with the brush? Don't want to damage the barrel (it's stainless if that makes a difference) but at £1.20 a go, it's frustrating and expensive. Loud without the moderator mind! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 I'll be honest and state that I have never ever cleaned a new rifle after every shot. I clean them when first purchased, and then that's that. My rimfire rifles have'nt had the barrels cleaned for at least a year, and I've fired well over 700 rounds through them. None of these have shown any accuracy issues. What caliber rifle have you got? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spandit Posted November 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 It's a .223REM I'm told that since .22LR bullets are generally not copper coated & low speed, fouling isn't so much of an issue but on full bore rifles it is (although .223 not as critical as larger calibres, I recall) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 Hopes No9 is quite a slow cleaner and needs to be left in the barrel for some time. In my view there are better cleaners on the market. If the patches are still coming out dirty you need to use a bronze brush which won't hurt the barrel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30-06hunter Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 i was zeroing my 30-06 in the other day.. just cleaned it after i was done. i imagine proper anal target shooters will do this, and also on the range. but for a average hunter i would just get it to zero, clean it and then check zero afterwards to make sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spandit Posted November 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 What faster cleaners can you recommend? Would brake cleaner work/be suitable? Not sure how to leave cleaner in the bore for longer - do j just pull a soaked patch through once or use a mop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 What faster cleaners can you recommend? Would brake cleaner work/be suitable? Not sure how to leave cleaner in the bore for longer - do j just pull a soaked patch through once or use a mop? Nylon brush and butches bore shine. Lots of solvent, good brushing while warm then just dry patch it, they should come out clean after a few. Then put one high strength copper solvent patch down (like shooters choice) leave for no more than three minutes and then patch dry - if no blue colour its fine on the other hand if its blue clean till there isn't any blue colour (this is copper) I assume this is a brand new gun, if its SH that horse has already bolted. A better way if you have the facility is just take it outside put one into the ground then leave it overnight soaking in bore foam, patch out till clean in morn and do this for about a week. Don't go firing off rounds in the back yard if you live in town obviously There is no reason to carry on if your getting no copper after the first 1/2 dozen singles IMO. The idea is to remove any tiny burrs that exist (even on a new lapped barrel) and prevent copper inbedding. I believe it makes a difference to ease of cleaning and barrel life and just a tiny tad to accuracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activeviii Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 For the first ten shots we recommend using jacketed bullets with a nitro powder load (Most Factory Ammo). Clean the oil out of the barrel before each shot using a simple window cleaner (like Windex®) which will soak the oil out of the pores. After firing each cartridge, use a good copper cleaner (one with ammonia) to remove the copper fouling from the barrel. We do not recommend anything with an abrasive in it since you are trying to seal the barrel, not keep it agitated. After cleaning with bore cleaner, clean again with window cleaner after each shot. Use window cleaner because many bore cleaners use a petroleum base which you want to remove before firing the next shot. This will keep the carbon from building up in the barrel (oil left in the pores, when burned, turns to carbon). To keep the temperature cool in the barrel, wait at least 5 minutes between break-in shots. The barrel must remain cool during the break-in procedure. If the barrel is allowed to heat up during the break-in, it will destroy the steel's ability to develop a home registration point, or memory. It will have a tendency to make the barrel "walk" when it heats up in the future. We have all seen barrels that, as they heat up, start to shoot high and then "walk" to the right. This was caused by improperly breaking in the barrel (generally by sitting at a bench rest and shooting 20 rounds in 5 minutes or so). If you take a little time in the beginning and do it right, you will be much more pleased with the barrel in the future. Look into the end of the barrel after firing a shot, and you will see a light copper-colored wash in the barrel. Remove this before firing the next shot. Somewhere during the procedure, around shot 6 or 7, it will be obvious that the copper color is no longer appearing in the barrel. Continue the window cleaner and bore cleaner applications through shot 10. Following the initial ten shots, you then may shoot 2 rounds, cleaning between each pair of shots, for the next 10 shots. This is simply insuring that the burnishing process has been completed. In theory, you are closing the pores of the barrel metal that have been opened and exposed through the cutting and hand lapping procedures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spandit Posted November 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2013 Thanks for that info. Just stripped my S/H .22LR down and cleaned the barrel - it was pretty filthy. Don't know how it will affect the accuracy as it's dark now but can't be any worse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandspider Posted November 10, 2013 Report Share Posted November 10, 2013 Might take 20 or so shots to get back on song accuracy wise after cleaning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reggiegun Posted November 10, 2013 Report Share Posted November 10, 2013 Desperate to get my brand new rifle some use but I've been told that I need to clean it after every shot for the first 20 shots or so. The problem is, I'm putting loads of patches (with Hoppes #9 bore cleaner) down and even after about 15, they still have some grey residue on them - should I keep going until they are completely white or give it a scrub with the brush? Don't want to damage the barrel (it's stainless if that makes a difference) but at £1.20 a go, it's frustrating and expensive. Loud without the moderator mind! Get some PPU ammo for breaking barrel in, half the cost. Reggiegun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
double10 Posted November 11, 2013 Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 i imagine proper anal target shooters will do this, and also on the range. nah not really, I shoot my club gun twice a week and I haven't cleaned it in about 2 months. I find that cleaning affects results negatively Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spandit Posted November 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 Get some PPU ammo for breaking barrel in, half the cost. I would if I could! I'll phone a different RFD and find out if they stock it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30-06hunter Posted November 11, 2013 Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 nah not really, I shoot my club gun twice a week and I haven't cleaned it in about 2 months. I find that cleaning affects results negatively sorry.. i meant proper anal shooters might, like the kind that measure temp, atmospheric pressure on the days etc etc. like really really anal to detail shooters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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