New Barrel Cleaning Routine
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: SE Pennsylvania
Posts: 30
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
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
#2
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.
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Newburgh N.Y. USA
Posts: 59
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
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
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Olive Branch MS USA
Posts: 1,032
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.
#7
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location:
Posts: 46
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.
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.
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: meridian idaho USA
Posts: 429
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.
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.
#9
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 77
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
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