Cleaning your rifle

[Padre']

I have always been taught to clean your gun after every shooting session. My knowledgeable friends who do long range shooting are now telling me if I shot my rifle regularly to only clean my rifle if I see accuracy begin to deteriorate. Seems a little sacrilegious to me, so I am open to second opinions.

Thanks

 

[Km22]

Re: Cleaning your rifle

You can bore snake it after a shooting, but I think most of the responses you'll get from here is to clean it when the groups start to open up. So not too often...

 

[Temp9]

Re: Cleaning your rifle

Do a search here. General consensus on the Hide says you don't have to clean your gun until accuracy drops off, which varies from 2-600 rounds, depending on the gun.

 

[rkaires]

Re: Cleaning your rifle

Your friends are giving you good advice. On my bolt guns accuracy begins to drop of between 250 to 300 rounds so I clean when I approach 300 rounds.

 

[leadbullet]

Re: Cleaning your rifle

like said above, only clean when accuracy drops, for instance, my .308 will go 450 rds before it groups above 1/2 MOA
260 remington goes 350 and the 204 ruger 225.
simple to test and keep track off.
hope this helps.

 

[ColoWyo]

Re: Cleaning your rifle

I feel your friend was giving you good advice.

I clean the barrel every couple of hundred rounds.I do clean the action/bolt more frequently.

And always after the Steel Safari. Some serious junk in the rifle after that match. EVERYWHERE.

 

[Boomholzer]

Re: Cleaning your rifle

I've gone over 1000rnds <bore> on a custom rifle with no ills. Mostly suppressed so that can't help. Every rifle is different but it certainly did not hurt anything or the investment. A more frequent chamber wipe leaving it clean and dry is a good idea.

I very rarely clean my best rifles <bore> before going back in the safe. If I am going to go a periodic swab, I do it during range time and note the effects. Some bores just don't like to be clean so the POI affects can be at both ends.

 

[Bugaboo]

Re: Cleaning your rifle

I clean the chamber and the locking lugs after every shooting session, the bore after every few hundred rounds. An exception is if I am out in heavy rain, then I clean it thoroughly.

 

[Padre']

Re: Cleaning your rifle

Gentlemen Thank you for you advice.

Padre'

 

[HkPlinker]

Re: Cleaning your rifle

I guess I need to let the Otis Ultra Bore dry or get a new bore snake. I pull the thing through after every shoot (15-40 rds)

Hell, I don't wash my car that much.

 

[turret]

Re: Cleaning your rifle

i'm fairly new to the game, but this is the same advice i was given. i cleaned during initial break-in but haven't cleaned since. when accuracy drops off, then it's time.