Cleaning intervals

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MR.Sako
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:19 am
Location: Grafton Rifle Club

Cleaning intervals

#1 Postby MR.Sako » Thu May 18, 2017 8:33 pm

I know this topic has been flogged to death and back but i am wondering how often and how hard i should clean my barrel.
My target rifle has a bartlein barrel on it which i clean with boretech c4 carbon remover and chameleon gel until i get no more dirty patches out once i have finished shooting 900 so when i get back to 300 the barrel is clean, but i have been told i should be cleaning after every range!
What would me my safest course of action?

Thanks

Pommy Chris
Posts: 441
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2014 12:05 pm

Re: Cleaning intervals

#2 Postby Pommy Chris » Fri May 19, 2017 8:01 am

I clean every 150-200 rounds depending on the barrel I use (mostly bartlein's), the gun just isnt accurate enough after a clean to clean so often, also cleaning so often you are likely to damage your barrel. The barrel I shot recently down in South Aus I won the Queens with, had 20 or so rounds on it since its last clean when I arrived in South Aus. I shot 40 odd rounds at the worlds practice and the Queens was 106 rounds I think so by the last range my gun had shot 166 rounds with no lose in accuracy. I do use moly which some say can stretch cleaning intervals, but I know an F open shooter who shoots nude ( not literally :) just no moly) and he cleans every 200 rounds. Every range is way way too often.
Chris

Jase PTRC
Posts: 221
Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2014 11:15 pm
Location: Adelaide SA "PTRC"

Re: Cleaning intervals

#3 Postby Jase PTRC » Fri May 19, 2017 9:04 am

if you know someone with a bore scope i would have a look in both your barrels. I think you will be horrified at what you see and I would say you will both have carbon built up in your barrels. I clean after each day regardless even if i have only shot 24 rounds.

Pommy Chris
Posts: 441
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2014 12:05 pm

Re: Cleaning intervals

#4 Postby Pommy Chris » Fri May 19, 2017 9:45 am

Jase PTRC wrote:if you know someone with a bore scope i would have a look in both your barrels. I think you will be horrified at what you see and I would say you will both have carbon built up in your barrels. I clean after each day regardless even if i have only shot 24 rounds.

Just did well recently anyway, a barrel had an issue so I checked it to see what was going on ( reamer damage, and I was having difficulty finding a good load). Barrel had done 600 rounds and no carbon build up at all, I cleaned it of course. I recently checked another good barrel which has 1450 rounds on it, I shoot ftr and 215 grain projectiles that barrel is very clean too, I was only checking it to see how much life it had left as 215 grain projectiles are a wee bit hard on barrels.
If I cleaned every day it would cost me quite a few fives and from the checks I have done it is not needed.
Chris

plumbs7
Posts: 1124
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2014 7:32 am
Location: Dalby/ Tara Rifle Club

Re: Cleaning intervals

#5 Postby plumbs7 » Fri May 19, 2017 10:01 am

For what it's worth , I'll shoot a whole Queens with it , be it Bart or Lilja and they are more accurate as they go! Don't clean after every ranged in a Comp. That will cost u points . Barts like to be foweld . At 5 shots before they will shoot hole through type accuracy.

With moly I've heard most people shoot out to 200 plus round count . Naked as I shoot ,
150-160 rounds.
But I always clean after club events . I believe the fowling takes up moisture and oxidises and turns white . This seems to have an effect on accuracy for about 10 -20 rounds !!??.
I also use carby cleaner every clean and bore brite to keep carbon in check .
Regards Graham.

RDavies
Posts: 2318
Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2006 7:23 pm
Location: Singleton NSW

Re: Cleaning intervals

#6 Postby RDavies » Fri May 19, 2017 10:44 am

Sounds like I am the odd one out here.
I have some barrels which I clean every range. Well actually at S.A I did 2 ranges with one barrel for the first time in ages which is unusual but this barrel has started to change its preference as it ages. I have had other barrels which need to be cleaned every 2 ranges, but then I have also had barrels which just get better and better the longer I shoot without cleaning. Every barrel is different, it is not brand specific. The only way to tell what it likes is to keep shooting it until accuracy drops off. Sometimes it will just get better and better, but even with these barrels I always cleaned it before putting it away in the safe. I would let them stay fouled for a week of shooting but before they got put in the safe they always got soaked in something.

I think the safest way if you don't want to clean too much is to just clean the guns when they are being put away in the safe for more than a few days. Even my barrels which liked to shoot with fouled barrels always got soaked in something if they were going to be put away for more than a few days.

KHGS
Posts: 934
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2005 12:46 am
Location: Cowra NSW

Re: Cleaning intervals

#7 Postby KHGS » Fri May 19, 2017 11:25 am

MR.Sako wrote:I know this topic has been flogged to death and back but i am wondering how often and how hard i should clean my barrel.
My target rifle has a bartlein barrel on it which i clean with boretech c4 carbon remover and chameleon gel until i get no more dirty patches out once i have finished shooting 900 so when i get back to 300 the barrel is clean, but i have been told i should be cleaning after every range!
What would me my safest course of action?

Thanks


Yep, done to death. Go to archives, I have dealt with this subject several times. My comments on this issue are based on sound professional knowledge & 47 years of competitive shooting.
Keith H [-o< [-o< [-o< !!

Pommy Chris
Posts: 441
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2014 12:05 pm

Re: Cleaning intervals

#8 Postby Pommy Chris » Thu May 25, 2017 8:57 am

KHGS wrote:
MR.Sako wrote:I know this topic has been flogged to death and back but i am wondering how often and how hard i should clean my barrel.
My target rifle has a bartlein barrel on it which i clean with boretech c4 carbon remover and chameleon gel until i get no more dirty patches out once i have finished shooting 900 so when i get back to 300 the barrel is clean, but i have been told i should be cleaning after every range!
What would me my safest course of action?

Thanks


Yep, done to death. Go to archives, I have dealt with this subject several times. My comments on this issue are based on sound professional knowledge & 47 years of competitive shooting.
Keith H [-o< [-o< [-o< !!

I dont know what was done in the past, and I have not seen other threads on the topic, but today we are aiming at the X ring at 1,000 yards and to be competitive we need to hit it. In the recent NQRA Queens the open guys did not drop a single shot in the whole Queens and the X count was huge. Cleaning during the comp would be a huge risk, dropping an X is almost certain, but getting a 5 is also possible. Years ago it was all target rifle and the bull is the 5 ring so cleaning is probably less critical as a clean is unlikely to give you a 4.
Just my 2c
Chris

KHGS
Posts: 934
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2005 12:46 am
Location: Cowra NSW

Re: Cleaning intervals

#9 Postby KHGS » Thu May 25, 2017 10:24 am

Pommy Chris wrote:
KHGS wrote:
discipline wrote:I know this topic has been flogged to death and back but i am wondering how often and how hard i should clean my barrel.
My target rifle has a discipline barrel on it which i clean with boretech c4 carbon remover and chameleon gel until i get no more dirty patches out once i have finished shooting 900 so when i get back to 300 the barrel is clean, but i have been told i should be cleaning after every range!
What would me my safest course of action?

Thanks


Yep, done to death. Go to archives, I have dealt with this subject several times. My comments on this issue are based on sound professional knowledge & 47 years of competitive shooting.
Keith H [-o< [-o< [-o< !!

I dont know what was done in the past, and I have not seen other threads on the topic, but today we are aiming at the X ring at 1,000 yards and to be competitive we need to hit it. In the recent NQRA Queens the open guys did not drop a single shot in the whole Queens and the X count was huge. Cleaning during the comp would be a huge risk, dropping an X is almost certain, but getting a 5 is also possible. Years ago it was all target rifle and the bull is the 5 ring so cleaning is probably less critical as a clean is unlikely to give you a 4.
Just my 2c
Chris

This forum has an archive, if correct cleaning is important to you (it should be) I strongly suggest you spend some time researching the archives on this site.
Correct cleaning is always critical if you want consistent performance & long barrel life. It matters not the discipline shot, targets or game/pest shooting. The amount of barrels I have replaced over the years due to improper maintenance would make your hair curl, good for business though. [-X [-X [-X
Keith H.

Pommy Chris
Posts: 441
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2014 12:05 pm

Re: Cleaning intervals

#10 Postby Pommy Chris » Thu May 25, 2017 10:40 am

KHGS wrote:
Pommy Chris wrote:
KHGS wrote:
Yep, done to death. Go to archives, I have dealt with this subject several times. My comments on this issue are based on sound professional knowledge & 47 years of competitive shooting.
Keith H [-o< [-o< [-o< !!

I dont know what was done in the past, and I have not seen other threads on the topic, but today we are aiming at the X ring at 1,000 yards and to be competitive we need to hit it. In the recent NQRA Queens the open guys did not drop a single shot in the whole Queens and the X count was huge. Cleaning during the comp would be a huge risk, dropping an X is almost certain, but getting a 5 is also possible. Years ago it was all target rifle and the bull is the 5 ring so cleaning is probably less critical as a clean is unlikely to give you a 4.
Just my 2c
Chris

This forum has an archive, if correct cleaning is important to you (it should be) I strongly suggest you spend some time researching the archives on this site.
Correct cleaning is always critical if you want consistent performance & long barrel life. It matters not the discipline shot, targets or game/pest shooting. The amount of barrels I have replaced over the years due to improper maintenance would make your hair curl, good for business though. [-X [-X [-X
Keith H.

I dont doubt you Keith, people get all sorts of mad ideas about cleaning and some will be detrimental to barrels. That said but my barrels do get bore scoped and they dont suffer fouling issues, nor premature wear either and they are very accurate indeed. Cleaning during a comp in F class WILL lose you points, not a chance I am willing to take and going on the accuracy and condition of my barrels it is not something I need to do either.. Not just me but some of the best in Aus do the same, Marty I think cleans every 200 rounds, he is one of the best in the world IMO, clearly not hurting his accuracy.
Chris

Julian D
Posts: 224
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2014 4:42 am
Location: Mackay

Re: Cleaning intervals

#11 Postby Julian D » Thu May 25, 2017 2:51 pm

Or if you have access to an industrial ultra sonic unit ..... mine goes in this week.


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