Cleaning and Accurancy. Is there such a thing as to clean and oiled?

[Rockrivr1]

I was on BiggerHammer yesteday and posted a questions about an accuracy issue I was having with my Serbu BFG-50. Basically my first and second shot out of it were off target when the barrel was cold. The third shot and all consecutive shots where dead on. One of the responses asked me about how much cleaning I do on the rifle, especially in regards to oiling the barrel.

This got me thinking in that I follow the same cleaning procedure with all of my rifles and handguns. Is there such a thing as to much cleaning and finishing with Rem Oil or Break Free patches down the barrel. Maybe I'm leaving to much oil residue and it's causing my shots to go off some to start with.

I doubt (and hope) that I will never need my rifle/handgun in a life and death situation. But if I do, I want to have a warm and fuzzy feeling that my first shot will be on target and not have to worry about whether my last cleaning will make that first shot off target.

What do you all think? Can you over clean / leave to much oil residue in your rifle/handgun? Have any of you experienced this issue?

 

[clubsoda22]

If i remember correctly, rem oil contains teflon, which is a big no-no for the bore.

 

[Sven]

It's TOO clean if you clean it more often then necessary and/or are not careful.... for example, it is very easy to damage the crown if you aren't watching what you are doing... this can affect accuracy. Some Long range and Highpower shooters have posted their reports on inspecting the barrel over the life of a gun, and found that almost every cleaning they could see some damage made by their cleaning efforts.

Based on all that, I now clean my M1A every 500 rounds using an Otis pull-through kit. If I could, I would clean my rifle from the breach and use a boreguide, but... no option with most military semi-autos.

Good luck with your 50!

 

[ocabj]

With respect to precision rifle:

1. Shoot barrel dry. Any solvent or oil will affect the first shot or two. I've tried shooting with a thin layer of oil in my barrel to verify a point of impact shift and I got a cold/clean bore shot to go 6 inches off of zero.

2. Avoid Breakfree, Rem Oil, or any other oil that uses Teflon in your bore. Teflon based oils will leave deposits in the bore that will build up and become very difficult to remove (just like moly).

After a range session, I always clean my bore completely then run a patch saturated with Butch's Gun Oil and follow through with a dry patch to remove excess and spread the oil thinly.

Then the next time I shoot, I run two dry patches through the bore to remove the oil.

 

[gulogulo1970]

I've read and experienced oil degradation of accuracy for a couple of shots. Not witha 50 BMG, mind you, but a 300 Wea Mag. What I was told by a helpful "rifle guy" at the range was, after you are done shooting is to clean and oil your barrel at the range. Then, shoot 2 or 3 rounds after it has been cleaned. Then run dry patches though it til they are pretty clean. This eliminated the first few flyers I had been experiencing.

I know some hunting buddies that do this with rifles they cleaned and then take hunting. They shoot a few, then go hunting with the rifle. First shot with a hunting rifle is probably the most important shot. They swear by this method.

I like clean guns so this method kind of bothers me but it does work. Really, fouling is fouling whether dirt, gunpowder residue, or oil and you got to get it out to shoot accurately.

 

[R.H. Lee]

There seems to be an obsession with some for cleaning firearms-especially the bore-which is the most easily damaged. Probably more firearms are worn out/damaged by excessive cleaning than by shooting.

Modern ammunition is non corrosive, and although an excessive lead or copper build up in the bore CAN affect accuracy, it would only concern the "two bullets through the same hole" benchrest types.

Some ammuntion is dirtier in that it causes more carbon fouling in the action, under the extractor, etc. I like to use Mobil 1, it seems to keep the carbon is suspension and makes the action easy to wipe clean.

Just my .02, FWIW

 

[Steve in PA]

Rem Oil is meant as a lubricant!! It may have rust preventative qualities, but I do not use it to clean any of my guns. As a lubricant, I find it excellent.

Can a weapon be too clean? As far as the bore, yes. Ever heard of a "fouling shot?" Some guns will have better accuracy after firing a shot or two. I learned this when I was in the USMC during fireams qualifications. We Marines are finatics when it comes to cleaning weapons, but during qual week you did not clean your rifle (punch the bore) the day before you qualified (Friday).

The same thing happens with my deer rifle. One year I scrubbed and scrubbed my bore to get rid of a little bit of copper fouling because everyone was saying how bad it is.

Quess what? Next range trip my groups stank, until I had fired several shots then it was back to normal (great accuracy). So now when I'm done, I'll clean the rifle, punch the bore, but I don't spend hours trying to get rid of every little trace of copper.

Now, none of what I've said seems to matter with my handguns, as the normal range I shoot at (25 yds) hasn't shown me any difference in cleaning methods.

 

[Mikul]

It all depends on the gun. Some rifles don't care if there's a coating of oil on the bore. It doesn't affect their first, second or twenty-seventh shot. A guy on SnipersHide did a test with CLP and actually found that his rifle shot BETTER with some wet oil on the bore. A friend of mine always gets a first-round flyer from his AR when he leaves some CLP in there. A couple of dry patches before he shoots and the problem goes away.

Handguns are a different beast. We only expect 8 MOA out of them and a wet vs. dry bore doesn't matter with those tolerances.

 

[Sean Smith]

We only expect 8 MOA out of them and a wet vs. dry bore doesn't matter with those tolerances.

I'm hoping for more like 3 MOA from mine.

Interestingly enough, Wil Schuemann (of Schuemann barrels) doesn't recommend over-cleaning rifle OR pistol barrels.

http://www.schuemann.com/Content/clean2.htm

 

[rust collector]

I was taught to keep the bore oiled between outings for rust protection, but to run a clean patch or two through before firing. Where possible, the first shot or two should be sighters to let it settle in. If you repeat that cycle a few times, you should get a feel for your POI shift and may be able to compensate if you ever have to make the first shot count.

 

[cracked butt]

Having too much oil in your bore can wreck your barrel if you shoot it. the oil is pushed forward by the bullet and builds up to the point where it acts like a bore obstruction- typically bulging the barrel near the muzzle. Not an old wives tale, seen it happen to a guy first hand, and have seen a few rifles with bulges near the muzzle.

I oil the bores for storage, but always run a dry patch down the bore before shooting.

For hunting- after I sight my rifle in, it doesn't get cleaned until the season is over. Having a clean bore will throw the first shot or two. A little powder residue fouling in the bore isn't going to hurt anything if you store your rifle in a dry place with a stable temperature.


One rifle I received from my dad hadn't been cleaned in 20 years- he sighted it in and hunted with it, but would only wipe the surfaces down to prevent rust. The rifle shot really darn good for me until I gave it a thorough cleaning. It took about 15 shots through it before it began to settle down and shoot like it did before.

Some people are obsessive about cleaning guns, some people never clean guns, I'm sort of on the fence- I'll keep the mechanical parts cleaned and lubed, but only clean the bores if the accuracy falls off.