Just wanted to share this with you all. I got on the religiously-not-cleaning my rifle kick, and it looks like I went a bit too long.
I give my bore a pass or two with a bore snake at the end of every shooting session (20-100 rounds, depending on time constraints.) I first gave my AW a good bore cleaning using Iosso triple action and Iosso paste at 440 rounds, because it hadn't been cleaned yet and I wanted to give my new AI cleaning kit a test run. My accuracy dropped off and it took a bit to settle back in.
Anyhow, the past two shooting sessions, I had a hard time keeping my accuracy together at 230 yards (the furthest I can shoot at my range, lased with my new Swaro.) I was getting fliers that I didn't feel like were me, as I have been getting pretty consistent. I thought it might be wind or something because I was getting good accuracy at 100 yards, but I decided to clean it anyhow, as my total round count was up to 1050, so over 600 since the last cleaning.
The first five or so rounds were way off, which happened last time I cleaned it, but after that, it settled right in. I shot 5 consecutive 5 shot groups at 230 yards that were an inch or less. The conditions were ideal, but still, I was getting fliers before that were up to 3 inches off the point of aim.
Just felt like sharing, and NO, I'm not advocating cleaning every session, but I think I'm going to clean more like every 400 rounds or so now, just as insurance. Your mileage may vary and there are a lot of different barrels out there that may get more rounds between cleanings, and I know that different powders make a difference and such.
-BM
I give my bore a pass or two with a bore snake at the end of every shooting session (20-100 rounds, depending on time constraints.) I first gave my AW a good bore cleaning using Iosso triple action and Iosso paste at 440 rounds, because it hadn't been cleaned yet and I wanted to give my new AI cleaning kit a test run. My accuracy dropped off and it took a bit to settle back in.
Anyhow, the past two shooting sessions, I had a hard time keeping my accuracy together at 230 yards (the furthest I can shoot at my range, lased with my new Swaro.) I was getting fliers that I didn't feel like were me, as I have been getting pretty consistent. I thought it might be wind or something because I was getting good accuracy at 100 yards, but I decided to clean it anyhow, as my total round count was up to 1050, so over 600 since the last cleaning.
The first five or so rounds were way off, which happened last time I cleaned it, but after that, it settled right in. I shot 5 consecutive 5 shot groups at 230 yards that were an inch or less. The conditions were ideal, but still, I was getting fliers before that were up to 3 inches off the point of aim.
Just felt like sharing, and NO, I'm not advocating cleaning every session, but I think I'm going to clean more like every 400 rounds or so now, just as insurance. Your mileage may vary and there are a lot of different barrels out there that may get more rounds between cleanings, and I know that different powders make a difference and such.
-BM
