RE: The Great cleaning debate.
 

I wait till hunting season is finished before I thoroughly clean my rifles, but i do pass a thin layer of oil every so often.

RE: The Great cleaning debate.
 

I run a patch of hoppes #9 down the bore followed by 3 or 4 patches after shooting I don't clean rifles between the last time I shoot them and the time I take them hunting.

I never clean the bores on rimfires.

RE: The Great cleaning debate.
 

During the offseason, I'll thoroughly clean my rifles after every trip to the range. I usually put about 20 to 25 rounds through each rifle when I'm at the range. After my last range session right before the hunting season gets underway, I generally leave them alone until after hunting season is over. I might oil the outside to prevent rust, but I generally leave the bore alone. I'll take a peek down the bore every now and then to make sure there's no debris in there and if there is, I get it out with a dry patch or some compressed air.

I friend of mine that I hunt with sometimes doesn't have the affection for rifles that I have. He doesn't reload and puts less than a box of factory cartridges through his rifle in any given year. I'll bet he hasn't cleaned his rifle bore in at least a decade. But guess what, he almost always gets his limit of deer each year. Just goes to show that a squeeky clean bore just isn't necessary.

RE: The Great cleaning debate.
 

Well if I shoot it I clean it that day.

If I'm hunting and I shoot it I clean it that day.

If I'm hunting and I dont shoot it and it rains I clean it that day.

If I'm hunting and I dont shoot it and it didn't rain then I just wipe it down that day.