Long Range rifle cleaning questions

[Rmeju]

So I've been watching T-Rex series of long range videos, including the rifle cleaning video, and it seems like some of what is says and does in there goes against the common wisdom I've previously heard. I don't mean to suggest that he's wrong, as he seems to really know what he's talking about, but I thought I'd ask around here to see what the long range guys do.

Some of the things that struck me as odd, in no particular order, were:

1. Don't clean the rifle at all until your groups start to get erratic, because the bore will reach carbon and copper equilibrium, and the powder residue of modern powders will actually protect the bore.

2. He seems to reverse direction of his copper brushes while inside the bore (he does this so that the brush isn't contacting the crown). I had always heard this was a huge no-no.

3. Is a true copper solvent (i.e. Sweets) necessary to get the copper out, as opposed to, say, Hoppes #9?

 

[WelshShooter]

Yeah I would definitely not reverse the direction of the copper brushes in the bore. If you're that pedantic about damaging the crown then just unscrew the brush after you exit the bore and reattach.

Break in procedures are six of one, half a dozen of the other. Some swear by it, others do not. My understanding of breaking in is the deburring of the leade, fire a few shots, clean, fire more shots, clean. Repeat until accuracy improves. This also prevents heavy copper fouling on the rifling from what I've heard. I've never followed this procedure however, I've just decreased and shot as normal. I do have some heavy copper fouling which is proving difficult in removing but my accuracy at 100m is still less than 0.5moa.

 

[redbullitt]

Don't clean until it won't shoot. By clean I mean chemicals and scrub, but I boresnake and put one wet patch through it if it isn't going to be shot for a while. Bore butter or some waxy stuff for muzzleloaders can work better than oil to avoid rust and help keep your consistency, meaning less fouling shots. Just depends what you like.

Always clean from chamber to crown. Patch goes out the barrel, don't drag patch or brush back through. That opens the chance of crown damage and makes it real easy to drag junk back into the action and trigger.

Copper solvent removes copper, hoppes does carbon in my experience. Mine do not get a scrub for copper very often at all... very rarely. Some calibers are different, but 308 and the like just don't seem to need it that often.

Let the gun tell you when its time. Trust me, groups will open up and you will notice. Until then your rifle will be more consistent and shoot better than the guys who cleans it after every session. You will know where the bullet is going, no fouling shot garbage or first round fliers.

I am not really on board with barrel break in ju ju. Most makers just put that info out there since people want to hear it. Any properly done barrel just needs shot. HOWEVER sometimes barrels need fire lapped if there are burrs or tight spots etc. Unacceptable on a precision rig, but possible on "hunting" grade and budget rifles.

As was said, you will hear lots about barrel magic. Some true, some not so much. These are just my observations.

My GAP 308 usually goes about 800 to 1000 rounds before accuracy goes STARTS to go south fwiw. Groups will open up and be around 1 MOA at 100 when its time, which for that rifle, I know something is up. At that point it gets cleaned for carbon etc. After a bit of shooting if it does not do what it is supposed to, then it would get copper removed. Rinse repeat!

 

[Delmar]

I clean for powder fouling after every range session. For copper, not so much because my rifle lays down a bit of copper in the barrel before the accuracy is optimal. I stopped using Sweets and CR10 because I found Bore Tech Eliminator. Seems to be more effective on copper build up and will not damage the bore even when left in the bore. It doesn't have ammonia either, so it doesn't stink the place up.

Breaking in a barrel depends on how its bored and rifled. For hammer forged barrels and button rifled, I just take it out and shoot it. The rifling process for both is smooth so no break in should be required. A cut rifled barrel I might shoot and clean up to 10-20 rounds in order to smooth everything out, but most cut rifled barrels these days are custom built and have been lead lapped prior to leaving the factory.