How do you clean a target rifle?

[Axis II]

Or that. Either way, don't flatten a bottle of solvent by dissolving brushes in it.

well that's another thing ive been doing wrong all these years.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

well that's another thing ive been doing wrong all these years.

Eh, me too...lol

 

[murf]

suggest you keep your brushes clean. i hose mine off with wd-40 and wipe with a paper towel a couple times during a cleaning session to get the black crud out of the brush.

luck,

murf

 

[murf]

a rubber hose will wear a hole in a steel tube given enough time. so, a bore guide is a must when cleaning a bolt gun. no sense in rounding off sharp edges, imo.

murf

 

[jhansman]

... a bore guide is a must when cleaning a bolt gun.

Amen. First thing I bought after getting my rifle, next was a Tipton carbon fiber rod.

 

[Walkalong]

and wipe the rod off each time you use it

Forgot that one too. And that means after each pass, not when you are done.

 

[z7]

I keep it very simple,
bore guide and a stainless steel rod (proshot) (wiped down after each pass)
proshot jag
a few wet patches (2 or three) of hoppes #9 and let it soak for 5 minutes or so
2 passes of a bronze brush
alternate wet and dry patches

if I want to remove the copper, I use two wet patches of hoppes elite copper eliminator and let soak for 10 minutes

a few dry patches, a clean bore snake, and done. If I am going to store the gun for more than 1 month, or if it is the raining season here in FL, i run some rem oil on a patch down the tube.

I have removed the copper once in 700rds

I remove the carbon and prep for storage routinely because I don't want moister damage.

I will not remove copper again until I see my accuracy fall off, I expect 400rds or more before that happens (308 win). my gun is a 1/2 minute gun when I have a good day, 3/4 minute on most days and i am still learning how to shoot it.

 

[Skylerbone]

This is specific to rimfire but I find plenty of common sense cross-application for centerfire and modified my old haphazard "just scrub till it shines" routine since reading it years ago. It's 45 pages with pictures including many from a borescope so be patient while it loads.

http://www.ssvtexel.nl/index.cfm?act=files.download&ui=C5C9D865-2200-0A21-B5F5CF897974784F

 

[Walkalong]

suggest you keep your brushes clean

Yep, I use B-12 Chemtool. Doesn't leave residue like some things. If you don't rinse the solvents off the brush it will eat them up while stored.

 

[Picher]

Target rifles I own get cleaned from the breech end, with minimal amount of well-fitted one-piece rod, extending beyond the muzzle. Rod guide is used.

First a patch with solvent takes out grit (patches all removed at the muzzle). Then, three brush strokes with solvent on the brush (brushed removed at the muzzle before withdrawing the rod). Follow the brush with solvent-soaked patches until they come out pretty clean. Then, a dry patch to dry the bore...followed by a patch with a couple of drops of Break-Free to protect the bore.

Bronze brushes are cleaned after use with spray brake cleaner to neutralize solvent effects and remove trapped grit.

 

[quest4perfection]

I also noticed that i have a lot of solvent in the chamber area and have to use a larger patch or bore mop to sop it up. I thought the bore guide helped with that?

To clarify for those who need the info to be helpful. The rifle i am referring to is my varmint rifle (223rem) that i shoot a lot at paper trying different bullets, powders, primers, etc so it sees a lot of rounds out of all my rifles and i want to 1) keep it in tip top shape and 2) make sure the way i'm cleaning it wont diminish accuracy by damaging the barrel, crown, etc.

To preface, I almost exclusively shoot long range for groups and I have had to set back and recrown so I know how expensive that is and what mitigating measures one can take to get more accuracy life out of a barrel. Others might find what I recommend as unjustifiable or foolish. Each his own. I don't like removing an expensive barrel when my accuracy falls off prematurely or minutely.

Whenever running a metal brush through the bore, remove brush from rod after exiting muzzle. Barrels are often factory lapped going toward muzzle. And you won't drag crud back down the barrel. Keep that extra labor in mind when you read below re: Parker Hale jag.

Keep barrel cool - I have read that you should be able to hold your hand on the receiver for ten seconds after firing. My experience has been that you can still get damage to the throat at those temperatures. Always use a bore guide. Never use ropes. If you use a brake, keep it clean and tight.

Everyone has their own equipment preferences. These are those which I have chosen:

I would recommend a Parker Hale jag https://www.brownells.com/gun-clean...od-jags/parker-hale-style-jags-prod32722.aspx because you can keep it in the bore while you run the rod back and forth and not have to remove patch each time through, after you have removed most of the more abrasive matter. Works good for liberal application of presoak of bore cleaners, back and forth scrubbing bore (especially carbon in front of chamber that is often experienced in overbores, i.e. .22Br., applying even coating of oil prior to long term storage, etc.

I completely cleaned a rifle with patches and a jag until all that remained was the slightest hint of gray. Then I used the Parker Hale with a slightly oversized patch and it came out with near perfect dark lines drawn on the patch from the corners of the rifling. You can get there anyway but this jag is efficient and distributes evenly. Additionally, the Parker Hale makes it convenient to form a ball on the end of the jag (patch is attached slightly diagonally, thus forming a fold able tip) to clean the ends of the rifling somewhat, soak up excess solvent, and protect the lands should the guide slip away a little.

Clean as soon as you can. Carbon bake can be further reduced by running wet patch down bore after your last shot and allowing it to soak on the way home. Once cooled, it has fully bonded. Copper cleaners have been addressed elsewhere I read on a thread where a person hadn't removed copper till they got to 500 rounds. In true accuracy shooting that will come into question. BTW: if you shoot moly coated bullets, different approaches may need to be used, especially factory molys.

Bore guides sometimes allow seepage past the tip. I use those that have an 0-ring (Possum Hollow) When it does occur: https://www.sinclairintl.com/gun-cl...sku749003115-35492-66822.aspx?sku=749-003-115 is about $22. If you look it up I believe you will see it addresses your need regarding the build up of solvent in that hard to reach area, though I have used shotgun mops, long q-tips, etc. There are felt disks available as well but I am not attempting to cover everything, for I know at least one that will want to chime in and refute anyway.

Just keep in mind, I don't plink and I don't shoot gallon jugs of water from 300 yards. I shoot from 500-1000, where everything you can do to promote accuracy and extend barrel life is of primary concern. If I can help further in any way, please do let me know. I get a sense that you want to be impeccable in the maintenance of your firearms. I respect that a great deal.

 

[lightman]

I use a Dewey one piece coated rod to clean with. I'll start by running a solvent soaked patch or two through the barrel and let it sit for a few minutes. Then I'll run a wet bore brush through with maybe 5 to 10 full strokes. Then I'll run a few more wet patches through to wash out the gunk and then a few dry patches follow by an oily patch and then a dry one to mop up the excess oil. I'll use a bore guide if possible. I also disassemble the bolt every so often for cleaning and lube the lugs. The chamber gets a mop run into it with some solvent and then dried out. Outside metal surfaces get wiped down with whatever oil is in favor. And yes, I do have a pretty good investment in cleaning stuff!

 

[WestKentucky]

Just don’t bang on the crown. Hoppes stinks but then again it smells like a clean gun.

 

[Picher]

I use bore guides, and brass or aluminum rods to clean my rifles, from the breech to just beyond the crown, then,before withdrawing the rod, remove the patch, or bronze brush. I use Shooter's Choice or Butch's Bore Shine for solvent.

First, one patch with solvent, to remove grit and coat the bore, then four strokes with a solvent-coated brush, then another soaked patch and let the solvent work for a few minutes. I watch the color of the patches after exiting the muzzle, and when they comes out as clean as I want, I run another patch with Break-Free to keep the bore from rusting in storage. Solvent doesn't adequately protect a stored bore. After the last brush stroke, I remove and spray the brush with Gun Scrubber or brake cleaner to clean it and neutralize any remaining solvent.

Bolt cams are lubed with gun grease or Action Magic, but not excessively. Firing pin raceways are sometimes lubed with Dri-Slide, a moly dry lube.

Exterior surfaces are treated with Liquid Turtle Wax to protect from rust and abrasion. It's much better than using gun protectants and doesn't retain grit or finger prints. It also doesn't rub off and effectively seals the surfaces against moisture.