Looking down a rifle barrel

[Lloyd90]

How the hell do people manage to look down their barrel and see if it has fowling? 

I can barely see down it on my 243, I’ve just given it a clean out with Forrest foam, followed by patches, then KG1, KG12 and finally a patch with some oil (hope that sounds about right) 

I tried to look down several times to check for copper fouling but can’t see a damn thing 

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, try using a torch in the breech and look down from pointy end

[Lloyd90]

Can you see anything when you do that mate? I can see the rifling down the barrel but I deffo couldn’t make out any fouling if it was there 

[oowee]

Just now, Lloyd90 said:

Can you see anything when you do that mate? I can see the rifling down the barrel but I deffo couldn’t make out any fouling if it was there 

You and me both. I cant see a thing in mine either. 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Experience helps Mate!

[oldypigeonpopper]

19 minutes ago, Lloyd90 said:

Can you see anything when you do that mate? I can see the rifling down the barrel but I deffo couldn’t make out any fouling if it was there 

hello, why worry i have had my 22 L/R about 2 years and only cleaned barrel a few times, thats when i change from photon to day scope

[Lloyd90]

1 minute ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, why worry i have had my 22 L/R about 2 years and only cleaned barrel a few times, thats when i change from photon to day scope

I don’t bother with thyou rinfires but with 243 better give it a clean... 

saying that it’s been a bloody long time

[oldypigeonpopper]

1 minute ago, Lloyd90 said:

I don’t bother with thyou rinfires but with 243 better give it a clean... 

saying that it’s been a bloody long time

hello, ok  well as i said use a torch after cleaning till its shiney 

[Vince Green]

Sideways at the muzzle with a torch. Put some hoppes or similar through the bore first to etch the fouling and bring out the copper colour and you will see it in the grooves of the first few mm. when viewed from about 45 degrees

People say they never clean their rifles then they wonder why they get rust in their bore

Edited April 15, 2018 by Vince Green

[Walker570]

Lloydy, how many rounds do you fire ?  I maybe shoot two to check zero and then something soft and furry has to be seen in the cross hairs. My barrels, unless a wet misty day get a pull through about once a year.  Now, if you enjoy burning powder and killin' paper then the barrel will probably build up some fouling. Wet patch, dry patch ''til the patch comes out nice and clean.

IF I do have to scrub out then I will go and fire three or four shots to foul the barrel before the next outing and check zero.  My sniper rifle was treated as such for 14yrs and was shooting sub moa the day I left the unit.  Stored dry, ready to go at a minutes notice, no time to dry oil out and then check zero again. Someones life may depend on it.

Edited April 15, 2018 by Walker570

[Lloyd90]

3 hours ago, Walker570 said:

Lloydy, how many rounds do you fire ?  I maybe shoot two to check zero and then something soft and furry has to be seen in the cross hairs. My barrels, unless a wet misty day get a pull through about once a year.  Now, if you enjoy burning powder and killin' paper then the barrel will probably build up some fouling. Wet patch, dry patch ''til the patch comes out nice and clean.

IF I do have to scrub out then I will go and fire three or four shots to foul the barrel before the next outing and check zero.  My sniper rifle was treated as such for 14yrs and was shooting sub moa the day I left the unit.  Stored dry, ready to go at a minutes notice, no time to dry oil out and then check zero again. Someones life may depend on it.

Fire the 3 - 4 shots then put it away without cleaning ready to be used for hunting? 

I was wondering this, some lads who clean after every use must be going mad if you have to fire 3-4 shots to get it back on zero 

[Scully]

A mate has a Sako 75. He bought it new who knows how many years ago.

He is a Cumbrian hill farmer and has shot more foxes in all weathers than he can remember. It is never cleaned other than a rag to get the rain water off, is never oiled or lubed; the mod’ ( an old T8 ) is never removed, and it is as accurate as the day it was first zeroed. Amazing bit of kit. 

[scotslad]

57 minutes ago, Lloyd90 said:

Fire the 3 - 4 shots then put it away without cleaning ready to be used for hunting? 

I was wondering this, some lads who clean after every use must be going mad if you have to fire 3-4 shots to get it back on zero 

Rifles can be a queer thing, some are anal about there cleaning while other maintain u should never clean them.

I mind when i bought a rifle cleaning kit the gunshop owner just laughed.

 

Possibly if u have a new rifle/barrel its worth keeping it clean but if u have an older well worn or pitted or very cheap barrel sometimes ur better of not touching it as the  dirt/fouling will smooth the barrel out.

I rarely clean m batrrels, but i do tak mods off and have tape over mods to stop water running down them and give the rifle a good dry off (but my rifle were older when i bought them 2nd hand so could be a decent age now and stilll shoot pretty well)

As with many things rifle relatedall rifles can be different, even for the same brand/make of rifle and a lot will depend on how its been looked after in past

Edited April 15, 2018 by scotslad

[Walker570]

Had mine since new which was close to 30yrs ago ..ouch how time flies... I am out for a muntie or two with luck tomorrow and thought I would give the 22 Bench Rest barrel an outing. Have not shot it since early last year when I put a 60gr Nosler partition up the right nostril of a fox peeping at me through nettles at 140yrds or so.  I found I still had nine rounds of the same loading and set up a target at 75yrds and the bullet hole appeared right on the centre of the cross.  Did not expect any other but always check. The barrel had hung in my dry gun cabinet all that time, uncleaned.

Your going to ask , why 75yrds. Well, the ride I intend sitting on tomorrow is exactly 75yrds long and a few grey tree rats might also be in the bag as well.

Edited April 15, 2018 by Walker570

[team tractor]

Even if I have one shot I still chuck a patch through. Takes me seconds and it’s just routine now . 

My howa is estimated 10+ years old and shoots 1/2” at 112 yards. I still patch it every time.

i just do it but it doesn’t mean I’m right.

[Savhmr]

CF Barrels should ideally be cleaned of powder fouling whether you shoot one or 50 rounds. Any build up of carbon forms a hard deposit which can mask copper fouling which won't be able to be removed until the carbon is removed.  Leaving it to build up makes it a right PITA to deal with later.   The fouling residues also react with moisture and can cause corrosion of barrels.  Seen a fair few completely knackered barrels owned by people who never cleaned them and from those who leave mods screwed on permanently.  They wonder why they don't shoot well after a few years until its pointed out to them that the corrosion and pitting are due to a lack of barrel maintenance and leaving mods on.  I clean mine every outing using a wet patch of KG1 left in for 20 minutes before dry patching.  Takes seconds and is no bother.  Pull throughs I reserve for the shotgun.  My barrels are in tip-top condition and cold bore is little different to fouled in mine but I'll always shoot one or two to check zero anyway.  For the .308, I de-copper perhaps every 75 to 100 rounds as accuracy starts to suffer after that. The .223 needs doing more regularly, perhaps every 50 or so before accuracy drops off. I use both these at longer distances so need to know that they'll shoot where I dial and group at their best. This is the regime that I follow...others will do what suits them.  The 6.5 gets cleaned about the same as for the .308.

[Scully]

Each to their own. ?

[walshie]

If I've been out in wet weather I stick a dry patch through when I get home (most of the time). Other than that I rarely clean my guns.