Rust and Frequency of Barrel cleaning

[dashootist]

My question is about rust inside barrels. Do I need to worry about rust formation if I don't clean the barrel between trips to the range?

I live in a very hot and humid part of Texas. An old timer tells me that I only need to clean the barrel if I have trouble seeing the rifling, or about once per year for regular shooters. He said cleaning the barrel wears it out more than shooting it. But doesn't the oil that protects the gun from rust dry up after the gun is shot? Is the bullet lube keeping the barrel from rusting?

 

[FX]

If you live in a humid area it's better to clean the barrel and let some oil inside. But don't forget to quit the oil before shooting!

 

[rhubarb]

Cleaning doesn't wear out a barrel. Good luck creating as much heat, pressure, and friction with a cleaning patch or bronze brush as a bullet creates. If you clean using a piece of barbed wire for a boresnake you might damage the barrel, but that's not the same as wearing out a barrel from cleaning.

A pistol barrel requires very little in the way of cleaning unless it is leaded up. If it's leaded you need to clean it for sure. Why not do it every time you shoot your gun?

 

[dashootist]

I think he said the cleaner attacks the metal like acid.

 

[gwnorth]

I clean my barrel every time I clean my guns, which is every time I shoot them. I always also oil my barrel - run an oiled patch down it (I like Otis bore oil, but any good oil will do), let it sit for awhile, then a couple of clean, dry patches to remove excess. This will leave a very light, thin oil coating on the steel which will not in any way interfer with shooting the gun, but will be just enough to protect the steel. If the gun is going into the safe for awhile, I don't do the dry patches until I pull it back out to use it.

In a really humid environment, you might want to re-apply the light oil coating once a month or so, just to be safe.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Chemicals designed to clean firearms will not harm the firearm (except maybe the wood).

 

[Jackal1]

In general, cleaning a barrel will not wear it out.

FWIW: Some precision rifle shooters refuse to clean their barrels between rounds and wait until a match is entirely over because they believe over-cleaning can wear down their precision barrels. Those who think this is bunk need to realize that a Kydex holster will 'polish' a stainless slide, just as a brass cleaning brush will slightly effect a precision barrel.

Precision shooters aside, I clean my guns after every use!

 

[rcmodel]

I think he said the cleaner attacks the metal like acid.

He's full of brown turkey stuffing!
And probably talking about WWII GI bore cleaner that was in large part ammonia to remove jacket fouling & corrosive primer residue that lived under it.

A very hot and humid part of Texas?
Then Clean & Oil the barrel every time you shoot it.

Moisture can be attracted to powder fouling in the bore and cause rust.
Moisture can get under lead fouling in the bore and cause rust.
Salt sea air can quickly cause rust on any unprotected polished steel surface.

rc

 

[gun guy]

You go to the range, you shoot your guns, you go home, you clean your guns, that's just the right way to do things. If it is a carry gun, you visually inspect it every day, wipe it down at night, once a week or so put 1 drop of oil on a small patch and push it thru the barrel. Sometimes, if i'm taking the same gun to the range again the next day, I will just do a quick brush n patch down the barrel. A couple of rifles the scope has to come off during a tear down. After a full cleaning, I fire 1 or 2 rounds to check/set the scope, patch the bore, then put them away. Repeated disassembling of the weapon, will increase the wear some, so if you just fire a few rounds, it might not be worth field stripping unless you plan to store it away awhile. With a revolver its simple, shoot it, clean it. Same with a bolt action rifle. I have guns that have been cared for like this, since the civil war, and they all shoot fine still. With spray cleaners and oils, you can at least blast clean a weapon and lube it in what, a minute? A gun is an investment, and an heirloom, treat it a such.
Have a great day.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

FWIW: Some precision rifle shooters refuse to clean their barrels between rounds and wait until a match is entirely over because they believe over-cleaning can wear down their precision barrels.

I was under the impression they didn't clean between rounds because a clean bore and a fouled bore don't shoot the same. I would wager that's more the reason.

 

[rcmodel]

On the otherhand, many top level Benchrest competetors clean between every target.
Thats every 5 rounds.

Others clean between the 100 and 200yd match; which amounts to every 40-45 rounds.

rc

 

[.41Dave]

Bore damage occurs not from excessive cleaning but improper cleaning. A grit-embedded cleaning rod flexing and scraping the bore or crown can degrade accuracy.

 

[Old Shooter]

I'm shooting mostly handguns now and I usually strip and clean them after every session, usually 100-200 rounds at a pop. As to the barrel, I usually just wipe it down on the outside, dry patch for the bore just to get some of the powder residue out. I do a good bore scrubbing every third or fourth session, solvent , brush, dry, light oil and dry again. No particular reason, just the way I do it and haven't noticed any problems so far. I've never seen any rust in any of my barrels, mayby just lucky.

 

[AK103K]

Skip the oil and look into Eezox. Its one of the best rust preventatives and is also a lubricant.

For inside the bore, run a wet patch of it through after your done cleaning and let it sit while you do the rest of the gun, then run a dry patch through, and wipe down the rest of the gun and youre done. .