Never Clean your Barrel?????
- Thread starter Turftech1
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Cleaning from the muzzle end may not be all that bad for accuracy.
I've wore out four 7.62 NATO chambered Garand barrels and always cleaned every 50 shots or so. Pushed that bare steel one-piece military rod back and forth into and out of the muzzle with first a wet brush then patches to remove all the residue of solvent and powder and primer.
After 3000 to 4000 rounds of best accuracy (4 to 5 inches max at 600 yards with good handloads or commercial match ammo when new then slowly getting worse), the bore and groove metal had been worn away enough to let the muzzle gauge read "2." The bore had eroded away .002" and no copper wash was visible the last 2/3rds inch of the bore. Accuracy had degraded by about 50%.
Yes, the muzzle was belled like a blunderbuss, And accuracy was now about 6 inches or a bit more, max; one MOA at 600 yards. That's shooting 20-shot test groups. Time to rebarrel for competitive shooting.
I've wore out four 7.62 NATO chambered Garand barrels and always cleaned every 50 shots or so. Pushed that bare steel one-piece military rod back and forth into and out of the muzzle with first a wet brush then patches to remove all the residue of solvent and powder and primer.
After 3000 to 4000 rounds of best accuracy (4 to 5 inches max at 600 yards with good handloads or commercial match ammo when new then slowly getting worse), the bore and groove metal had been worn away enough to let the muzzle gauge read "2." The bore had eroded away .002" and no copper wash was visible the last 2/3rds inch of the bore. Accuracy had degraded by about 50%.
Yes, the muzzle was belled like a blunderbuss, And accuracy was now about 6 inches or a bit more, max; one MOA at 600 yards. That's shooting 20-shot test groups. Time to rebarrel for competitive shooting.
Gun Master
Member
Doesn't the lubricated bullet do that for you ?
If that doesn't work, use 3-in-1 oil for light jobs and WD-40 for rusty ones.
Also, a primitive lead weighted string pulling a cotton pad ( old T-shirts cut up will do). For the bad boys, a cheap aluminum rod cleaning kit pushing an appropriate size brass brush with Hoppe's # 9 or charcoal lighter.
If that doesn't work, use 3-in-1 oil for light jobs and WD-40 for rusty ones.
Also, a primitive lead weighted string pulling a cotton pad ( old T-shirts cut up will do). For the bad boys, a cheap aluminum rod cleaning kit pushing an appropriate size brass brush with Hoppe's # 9 or charcoal lighter.
Carl N. Brown
Member
Even with corrosive primers, it supposedly take 7 hours for the chlorates to draw moisture and start corrosion. The key there is to shoot the gun every six hours or so.
J-Bar
Member
I shot on an ROTC rifle team, four position with .22 LR. We never cleaned the guns, and accuracy obviously did not suffer.
I have shot one shot per year through my Ruger #1 in .270 Winchester for the past several years (the point of impact simply does not change), and still clean the barrel before putting it away for the next deer season. Hoppe's #9 until the patches are clean, then a patch with Break Free CLP. The deer are still going down.
I shoot black powder loads in rifle, revolver, and shotgun in cowboy action competition. I clean the guns within a few days after a match, and have no problems with rust or corrosion.
So, I think it is whatever works for you and your particular firearm and the ammo you use.
I have shot one shot per year through my Ruger #1 in .270 Winchester for the past several years (the point of impact simply does not change), and still clean the barrel before putting it away for the next deer season. Hoppe's #9 until the patches are clean, then a patch with Break Free CLP. The deer are still going down.
I shoot black powder loads in rifle, revolver, and shotgun in cowboy action competition. I clean the guns within a few days after a match, and have no problems with rust or corrosion.
So, I think it is whatever works for you and your particular firearm and the ammo you use.
I might offer the concept that if you can't put the cleaning rod thru the chamber then it isn't a professional grade gun. 
But I was taught by professionals who only used guns that could. What do they know?
It still goes to the concept of what the gun is, and how it is used. A program of cleaning that ignores the differences is just the same as vehicle maintenance that ignores what kind of motor and use it's getting.
Professionals don't do that with fleets, either. Cars, trucks, tanks, and lift cranes have different requirements. If you treated them all the same way, some would get too much service, others too little.
Treat a black powder Dragoon the same as an AR15? Do we even need to attempt to justify that only one kind of cleaning is needed for both? Because that's what I've been reading so far.
I kind of doubt it.
But I was taught by professionals who only used guns that could. What do they know?
It still goes to the concept of what the gun is, and how it is used. A program of cleaning that ignores the differences is just the same as vehicle maintenance that ignores what kind of motor and use it's getting.
Professionals don't do that with fleets, either. Cars, trucks, tanks, and lift cranes have different requirements. If you treated them all the same way, some would get too much service, others too little.
Treat a black powder Dragoon the same as an AR15? Do we even need to attempt to justify that only one kind of cleaning is needed for both? Because that's what I've been reading so far.
I kind of doubt it.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Oh really? And what exactly is a "professional grade gun"???
No it isn't. I'd like you to point out a single post in this thread that implies that blackpowder guns NOT get cleaned after every shooting session.
I wouldn't expect it to. It stayed at the same level after a couple hundred rounds were fired through them after their last good cleaning. That's been normal for rimfire 22's for decades.
And all of them probably never shot scores even close to setting records. Did anyone ever shoot one scoring over 750 in a 4P 800 agregate?
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Gtscotty
Member
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Oh really? And what exactly is a "professional grade gun"???
A GMC branded gun, obviously...
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Young&Ret.
Member
I clean all my "professional guns" with a bleach, chlorine and amonia coctail because I love the smell... jokes. Do not try this!
If your profession requires surgically precise cold bore shots just clean for carbon, allow the barrel to fowel copper and, achieve copper equilibrium (around 50 to 90 rounds depending on barrel). Keep an obsessively detailed log of the barrels performance characteristics as your career/life truly depends on it. Upon noticing a decrease in consistency remove fowling COMPLETELY. Achieve equilibrium again and so on. There is no evidence that this process will make your barrel last longer or wear faster. Just the best method for absolute consistency.
If you are only shooting for recreation (paper/game/cans) its your firearm so clean as you see fit. Maybe you don't shoot very often, compared to military or LE designated marksman, then a spotless clean barrel might be best. When it comes to cleaning, a firearm is similar to a nice car... don't neglect and don't obsess. If your driving it regularly, service as prescribed or needed. If your not going use it for a long while, make sure the oils clean, fuel is preserved and, the tires will hold before you park it. That way next time you pull her out she doesn't miss a beat. Or say screw it and put gas in a diesel, oil in your radiator and, 2 stroke in your tractor... again joking.
As long as you don't have a highly appraised historical firearm I honestly don't care how you clean it. IT'S YOURS so try cleaning it with a sand blaster... joke but seriously.
If your profession requires surgically precise cold bore shots just clean for carbon, allow the barrel to fowel copper and, achieve copper equilibrium (around 50 to 90 rounds depending on barrel). Keep an obsessively detailed log of the barrels performance characteristics as your career/life truly depends on it. Upon noticing a decrease in consistency remove fowling COMPLETELY. Achieve equilibrium again and so on. There is no evidence that this process will make your barrel last longer or wear faster. Just the best method for absolute consistency.
If you are only shooting for recreation (paper/game/cans) its your firearm so clean as you see fit. Maybe you don't shoot very often, compared to military or LE designated marksman, then a spotless clean barrel might be best. When it comes to cleaning, a firearm is similar to a nice car... don't neglect and don't obsess. If your driving it regularly, service as prescribed or needed. If your not going use it for a long while, make sure the oils clean, fuel is preserved and, the tires will hold before you park it. That way next time you pull her out she doesn't miss a beat. Or say screw it and put gas in a diesel, oil in your radiator and, 2 stroke in your tractor... again joking.
As long as you don't have a highly appraised historical firearm I honestly don't care how you clean it. IT'S YOURS so try cleaning it with a sand blaster... joke but seriously.
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