clean between powders?

[SPAK]

Do you guys clean between shooting loads of different powders? I had a long range shooter at the range tell me that if I used different powders I should clean my barrel before using another powder or it might change my accuracy.

Any thoughts to this? would a boresnake suffice to get the powder residue out???

 

[Grumulkin]

Re: clean between powders?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Frogman77</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Do you guys clean between shooting loads of different powders?

Any thoughts to this? would a boresnake suffice to get the powder residue out??? </div></div>

I've never cleaned between powders as I don't think that factor makes any difference in accuracy. If you decide to clean, I think a bore snake would be sufficient.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: clean between powders?

At the technical level, the bore's fouling state is in constant change from shot to shot, although it does reach a state where it changes so little that it appears for all practical intents and purposes to be a steady state.

The kernel coating constitutes the greater portion of the 'carbon' fouling, and while different powders may have different coatings they all pretty much consist of graphite and/or (maybe) moly.

I would be more concerned about resetting the bore to CCB status than about any (probably) smaller influence the variations in kernel coatings may produce.

If it bothers you, employ some 'foulers' before firing the 'real' shots, same as you would with a CCB bore. I don't.

Greg

 

[vman]

Re: clean between powders?

I agree with Greg

If you have doubt handload a few "foulers" and shoot those and everything will be same same

 

[jrob300]

Re: clean between powders?

Like a lot of other things, if you shoot enough and keep good records, you'll notice if it does in your rifle.

The OEM barrel on my Tikka seemed sensitive to the transition from RL22 to H1000 and back. If I didn't clean just enough to knock the crap out, the initial groups would open up. This was confusing for me when I was doing load development and gave me false results.

My second barrel is a hand-lapped match barrel and doesn't seem to care what I feed it. It also doesn't seem to need to be cleaned very often.

John