New Barrel Cleaning Routine
 

Hey guys,
I just bought a new Browning Varminter in .22-250. I was just wondering what favorite barrel cleaner or cleaning ritual everyone has for a new barrel. I know some people swear by cleaning their barrels and conditioning them. Just a post to get some ideas. I usually just run wet patch, dry patch of Hoppes #9 through it till clean then take it to the range. Looking for some new solvent options. thanks

RE: New Barrel Cleaning Routine
 

Hoppes #9 and cotton bore patches do it for me. I'll use a nylon brush if the barrel is really fouled up, but I generally only get that in my 870. I clean the bore after every trip to the range. I don't bother cleaning anything else, but I do lightly oil that moving parts of the action and wipe the rest of the metal down with a silicone cloth. Nothing fancy, but it works.

RE: New Barrel Cleaning Routine
 

Get some ammonia smelling (sweets) bore cleaner for copper fowling and thoroughly clean the bore at least hundred rounds or there abouts.....

RE: New Barrel Cleaning Routine
 

I would have to agree on both products mentioned. The Hoppe’s #9 for cleaning after every time at the range and Sweet’s for removing copper fouling as has mentioned.

RE: New Barrel Cleaning Routine
 

BCinPA,
I use Hoppe's #9 for my cast bullet and incidental cleaning,but use Shooter's Choice when I shoot jacketed bullets.If I still see green after the first patch,I use Barns' CR#10,copper cleaner.
Frank

RE: New Barrel Cleaning Routine
 

Ditto what Frank said. I too use Shooter's Choice for powder fouling and Barnes CR-10 (or Wipeout) for copper fouling. There are much better choices out there than Hoppes.

RE: New Barrel Cleaning Routine
 

Was just reading a bench shooting book, recommended cleaning the barrel between shots with Shooters Choice for the first 20, then every 2nd or 3rd shot for the 20 or so. Never tried that, but not a bad consideration.

Then you get in the discussion of 'how many rounds to break-in a barrel'? Was at the range with my heavy barrel .243 the other week, advice to me was 100 rounds starts to get the barrel started to break-in with tighter groups. The rate of fire for heating up a barrel was the discussion topic that day, seems the standard barrel is not designed to handle high rate of fire as compared to a mil spec. But it takes some heat of rounds to get the barrel through a good break-in routine. Might try some research on that premise.

RE: New Barrel Cleaning Routine
 

Wipe-Out.
It has freed me from the pain in you know what of barrel cleaning.
No brushes, no scrubbing.

Spray Wipe-Out in the barrel. Let it set for an hour. Run a patch through it.
If the patch is dirty spray it in again, let it sit for another hour.
Repeat till the patch comes out clean. Usually twice. Three or four times with a really dirty barrel.
Gets out copper and powder and is easy on the barrel.

RE: New Barrel Cleaning Routine
 

The main reason you break in a new barrel is to make it easier to clean. If there is any improvement in accuracy, it's nearly impossible to measure. That said, if you are talking about hunting rifles that get cleaned a couple of times a year, it's not worth it to break them in.
On the other hand, if you have varmint rifles that might get cleaned ten times in an afternoon's shooting, it is worth doing. You can break in any barrel at any time as you are just smoothing out the tiny rough spots in the barrel by shooting thru a clean barrel. You have to clean thoroughly between shots as the copper fouling will protect the tiny burrs you're trying to remove. You'll know when it is broken in as the barrel will clean much easier. Good luck