cleaning your rifle

[mjbgalt]

i clean mine after i shoot...i have a .25-06 and a .223 that I shoot at the range near my house. The other rifles I shoot are rimfire and only get cleaned when they start shooting like crap.

How often do I really need to be cleaning these? I have seen rifles go years without cleaning and the bore still looks nice.

On the other hand I paid good money for these...a Ruger No. 1 and a Remington 700...not cheap guns...and I want them to look nice and function for many many years.

I always wipe them down after handling or shooting them and I use CLP to wipe them down and then a coating of 5w-30 oil. Yes I know that sounds weird but it costs next to nothing compared to gun oil and it works great. In fact another guy on this forum I believe....tested oils and found that motor oil does a great job on guns and basically any metal...

anyway, how often do I really need to break out the solvent and brush and etc.?

-Matt

[Ramrod]

anyway, how often do I really need to break out the solvent and brush and etc.?

Not as often as some would have you believe. But a little shot of WD-40 or some other spray lube down the barrel is a good idea, to prevent rust until you do clean them. I always clean and oil well, though, whenever a gun is going to be put up for a long time, like till next season.

[mjbgalt]

i guess i am just thinking along the lines of getting copper out, etc...

i have never used an anti-copper agent, always just used Hoppes or CLP and then oil.

-Matt

[myarmor]

Just be careful of the WD-40 on the out side of your barrel. Made the mistake when I was young, and ended up screwing up the finish on my 870 Express...eats it up. Inside the barrel-yeah it's ok, outside=be warned.

[daddywpb]

The answer to your question is - Bore Snakes. My wife has been buying them for me for Christmas, birthdays, etc., and I have one for almost every caliber I own. Put some Hopees on the brush part, maybe a little copper cleaner further down, and some good gun oil at the end. Drop the weight down the bore, pull it through a couple times and your rifle is clean. Takes only a few seconds. I use them everytime the rifles come out of the safe. Keeps the bore looking like new.

[Savage .250]

If you`ve ever been in the military......then you know. You will clean that weapon!  No if`s and`s or buts.  
  Guys that have been in know what i`m talking about.  

 " The best part of the hunt is not the harvest but in the experience."

[John Traveler1]

ROGER that last, Savage .250!

Regular careful cleaning will prolong the useful life and accuracy of any firearm!

The military cleans its guns frequently of course...as part of training and routine.  Daily cleaning when fired.  Daily inspection and cleaning in harsh environments (humid or wet, dry and dusty, extreme cold or heat, etc), and at least monthly when inactive storage.  Some might think this is overdoing it, but it works for the professional weapons user.  

That Breakfree CLP is THE standard gun maintenance product is no accident either.  The Government set out ambitious procurement specifications for a product that combines the qualities of weapons cleaner, lubricant, and protectant.  The product selected was CLP and has been US Military and NATO standard for over twenty years.

You might consider more frequent cleaning and use of copper cleaner for those two high-velocity calibers (.25-06 and .223) you shoot.  Copper fouling is probably the most common reason for good shooting rifles to suddenly go sour.

[beemanbeme]

I clean pretty much after every range session.  While at the range, with the bore still warm, I put a patch or two of Kroil thru the barrel.  I used to use Hoppes but Kroil seems to work better.  That keeps the crud from hardening.  If I'm pressed for time, the rifle can go right into the safe like that for cleaning later.  I have an "oil rag" that I used to wipe the exterior even if I don't clean the bore.  Oil rag:  take a thick piece of cloth (I used a waffle weave dish towel) and run it thru the washing machine to remove lint.  Put a couple of tablespoons of oil on it and seal in a baggie.  After a couple of days, repeat the process until the rag is saturated to where you can wipe down a rifle and it leaves a thin coating of oil without any excess.  After each use, add a couple of drops of oil and keep in a sealed baggie.
When I clean, I clean with Hoppe's and swab out the bore.  Then I use a copper cleaner and swab that out.   Next I run a couple of patches of brake cleaner thru the bore.  And when that dries, I put an oily patch thru the bore followed by two dry ones.  
With my hunting rifles, I clean them throughly before the season and after I re-zero them, they're not touched until after the season.  I still use the oil rag on the exterior as I go along however.
It seems to be my experience that the smaller the bore, the more often it has to be cleaned to maintain accuracy.

[Redhawk1]

I clean all my guns when I am done shooting for the day. All my guns are clean and ready to go.  

[jro45]

You know I shot my 300 Win Mag the other day got home started cleaning
my rifle but it wouldn't take more than 6 patches with copper removing solvent on them then I couldn't get any more down the barrel, so I cleaned up and put the rifle back in my safe. Today I took that 300 back to the range and fired off 20 rounds and it shot 1/2 groups at 100 yds. So when I got home I finely got to get the copper out of that barrel. It took 70 patches with copper removing solvent. It was like I was cleaning for the 40 rounds I had shot. This is some barrel its a Shilen. Anybody else have this happen?

[Redhawk1]

You know I shot my 300 Win Mag the other day got home started cleaning
my rifle but it wouldn't take more than 6 patches with copper removing solvent on them then I couldn't get any more down the barrel, so I cleaned up and put the rifle back in my safe. Today I took that 300 back to the range and fired off 20 rounds and it shot 1/2 groups at 100 yds. So when I got home I finely got to get the copper out of that barrel. It took 70 patches with copper removing solvent. It was like I was cleaning for the 40 rounds I had shot. This is some barrel its a Shilen. Anybody else have this happen?

I have never had to use 70 patch or even 10. And I shoot Barnes bullets.
All I can say is WOW.

[sgtt]

I would guess that you are not letting the copper solvent do it's job.  Most contain ammonia, I beleive.  Most directions will advise to soak the bore and let it sit for a spell.  You have to be carefull though as ammonia is corrosive stuff.

[Ramrod]

Redhawk says
"All I can say is WOW."
Me too!
I don't even use 5 patches on my muzzleloaders, and I don't shoot anything but real black powder!

[WINCHESTERSEVENTY]

The rule of thumb we use at matches is one trip of the cleaning rod for each shot fired, with a brass brush. I have won a few State of Michigan Highpower Silhouette Championships over the years, and clean after each 40 round match. Always use a rod guide (looks like a hollow bolt that fits in the action), which centers the rod and keep all the crud out of the action. I use a stainless steel rod and be sure to make a complete pass each trip through the barrel. Soft aluminum rods will pick up grit and are harder on barrels. Keep the muzzle pointed downward and the brush wet. It always good to have a rag to catch the fowling on running out of the muzzle. Then wipe the bore with clean patches and finish with a lightly oiled patch. I use Hoppe's Benchrest Bore Cleaning Solvent. ( but I like the smell of the old Number 9 better). I have got up to 6000 rounds through some barrels. You just have to remember the faster you push that bullet, the shorter the barrel life.(270 barrels will last two to three times longer than 7MM Mags). One other thing to keep in mind would be if you use some of the surplus military ammo that is now on the market, quite a bit of it is corrosive, and you should do a through cleaning job enven if only a few rounds have been fired.

[jro45]

Have you ever shot 40 barnes bullets thru your rifle? What I shot 40 bullets of was 180gr hornady & Serria bullets. What amazed me was that the rifle shot acturely even tho it was copper dirty.

[Redhawk1]

Have you ever shot 40 barnes bullets thru your rifle? What I shot 40 bullets of was 180gr hornady & Serria bullets. What amazed me was that the rifle shot acturely even tho it was copper dirty.

Just the other day I shot 60 Hornady 200 gr. through my 338 Win Mag and only needed 5 patches to get the job done.  

[jro45]

Have you ever shot 40 barnes bullets thru your rifle? What I shot 40 bullets of was 180gr hornady & Serria bullets. What amazed me was that the rifle shot acturely even tho it was copper dirty.

Just the other day I shot 60 Hornady 200 gr. through my 338 Win Mag and only needed 5 patches to get the job done.  

Are you taking all the copper out?

[lilabner]

Hoppe's #9 is a sentimental favorite of mine but I learned that it is not the best answer to copper fouling. I have a good old '06 that gets shot infrequently ( a few sight in shots and generally one more while hunting). Accuracy tailed off and I thought maybe the barrel was worn out. I read where a strong acting copper solvent like Sweet's or CR-10 will often bring a barrel back to life. Thought I would never get all the accumulated copper out but the patches finally came out white. The old rifle is shooting accurately again. Now I use the Hoppe's (love the memories it brings back) for powder fouling followed by a copper solvent to keep copper from accumulating. It works on this old rifle.

[Redhawk1]

Have you ever shot 40 barnes bullets thru your rifle? What I shot 40 bullets of was 180gr hornady & Serria bullets. What amazed me was that the rifle shot acturely even tho it was copper dirty.

Just the other day I shot 60 Hornady 200 gr. through my 338 Win Mag and only needed 5 patches to get the job done.  

Are you taking all the copper out?

I don't get so net picky. If the barrel is clean, that is where I stop. I have never seen a need to have a barrel factory clean. My guns shot good, I have very good accuracy. What is the peropus of all that work if you are shooting the guns all the time unless you are in a competition shooting. And from what I hear, the competition shooters foul there barrels prior to a competition.  Help me understand the need for such a clean barrel.  

[jro45]

I don't mean to be net picky but yes I clean all the copper out and yes the rifle is factory clean. Ready for the next 20 or 40 rounds to be shot. And yes I used to shoot in competition. I just like all my rifles and other guns to be clean ready for me to shoot.  I keep a couple fouled but not my rifles.
The reason I keep my rifles clean is because after 20 rounds being fired most of my rifles loose their accuracy and one looses it after 18 rounds.
Then I have others that you can shoot until the moon turn blue and they never loose their accuracy but I keep them clean also. I guess its all in the metal.
Before I go hunting I always foul my barrel of the rifle I'll be using. Because with a clean barrel the first shot will always be off about 3 or 4 inches.

[jerkface11]

Clean your rifle throuroughly then shoot it over a chronograph. When you see how eratic the velocities are you won't take a clean gun hunting again. I just run an oily patch down the barrel after each shooting session. If accuracy drops i give it a good cleaning. Of course when i buy a used gun i clean it since you never know what the last guy shot out of it. I like birchwood casey solvent best.

[rockbilly]

    At least once a year every gun I own is stripped and cleaned from a to z..  Most of them have not been shot in years.  I also keep an oily rag in a zip top plastic bag in my safe, each time a gun is handled it is wiped down before going back in the safe.

I usually zero three rifles each year for deer hunting, these are only wiped down on the exterior after each use during the season no matter how many times they are fired.  Once I zero a gun, I don't touch the bore again until I am ready to put it away after the season closes.  I agree with jerkface11, a clean bore is not as accurate as one that has been fired a "few" times.  Some people take a bore brush and cleaning equipment with them to the range, and run a swab through the barrel after each shot.  This has never worked for me. :roll:

[mavrick10_2000]

Many folks have noticed that a factory clean barrell creates larger groups until copper fouled a bit, and then groups tighten up.  

 I clean with Hoppes, Kroil and occasionally CR-10 if I think it's getting overly copper fouled.   Just to get the dirt out, not a deep clean, unless I know the rifle is going to be put up for a while.    If I'm putting the rifle up for a long period I will gently deep clean which includes removing the copper, lead fouling and so forth.   Be gentle when cleaning also, most damage to the bore is done by trying to clean improperly, without the use of a bore guide and getting too aggressive.  YMMV, especially for custom barrels like Shilen etc, but usually a little fouling will help keep the groups a little tighter.

Another tip, DO not use CR-10 or any other agressive copper remover (Read: Ammonia based product) followed up by Shooter's choice, it will etch your barrell chemically i.e. hose it up big time.  Use rubbing alcohol or some brake cleaner or a patch to degrease and deactivate the chemicals in the cleaner followed up by a light patch of oil, or boresnake treated oil.   Those boresnakes are great tools, but remember to clean them in the washing machine regularly, why introduce more grit and dirt into your chamber/bore.

Don't overlook, or believe all of the hype about Copper Fouling as being horribly bad for groups by solely focusing on it.  Get a good powder solvent like the trusty old Hoppes #9, most accuracy decreases due to a build up of powder residue (crust, if not addresse) just ahead of the chamber.  Get a good chamber brush for your caliber and clean it gently but thoroughly and degrease.

CLP works fine for daily maintenance.  But my opinion, (MINE) is that CLP does none of these functions really well (Clean, Lubricate, Protect) for long periods of storage or normal civilian usage or maintenance.   Like stated by others the military is diligent in daily or multiple daily cleanings if warranted and in that case it works pretty darn well.

[Swamp Yankee]

I try to clean my guns after every use. Sometimes it isn't practical or I just don't have the time. I will always manage to wipe them down though. I like Kroil and follow up with the number 9 and then CLP. I used to use silicone on the outside but found it didn't do the job that oil would. I don't mind spending the time to clean, it is a great escape from the wife and gives me quality time with my guns. [did I just say that?] They are kind of like works of art to me and I take pride in maintaining them.......Jim

[cal sibley]

I clean my rifles every time after returning from the range, but sometime don't do a great job of it.  Earlier this year I noticed a couple rifles weren't shooting as small a group as usual.  I think that little by little copper was building up because I was lackadasical in removing it.  So I settled in and scrubbed hell out of the bores, starting with Butches Bore Shine, then Sweets Copper Removal, then J&B and finally repeating the entire process.  I'd never cleaned the bores that thoroughly.  I spent several hours on each rifle.  The next trip to the range the accuracy returned.  I wouldn't want to go through that lengthy process each time, but it really paid off.  Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[6Shooter]

I believe in cleaning my guns after every time I shoot them.
 If copper and lead are left in the barrel, well, under that copper and lead in the rifling, that's where pitting and rust will start and you won't know it until it's too late.
 If you clean the bore often, it's easier to keep that bad stuff out.