Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Clean barrels

Of the 4 or so accurate rifles I have owned in the last few years everyone was best the first 5 or so shots after a good cleaning. The third 3 shot group or so would always be larger, sometimes way larger. Just last week I took out my 25-06 and 7-08 and after a couple shots getting them on paper both guns shot under 1/2" 3 shot groups. Then they opened up. Cleaned again and two more groups with different loads around 3/4".
Is this normal for you guys?
Dave

Are your rifles factory? They sound like Douglas. Some claim that proper break in would of prevented this. Of my rifles, only my Kimber Montana would foul and open up after just a few groups. The rest (factory, PacNor and Krieger) I could shoot all day w/o problems.

2 are factory tubes (I have no history on one) the other is new and is not broke in yet.
The other 2 are Shilens, one was broken in using the one and clean method the other I shot one and cleaned for the first 5 then shot 3 shots and cleaned for the next 12 or so.
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Dave

Are you sure your not just fully cooling your barrrel when you clean. You might find letting the rifle set awile longer before starting a new group will help keep groups down. I`ve seen a difference with a couple of my rifles when I let them set 5-10 minutes between groups and when they set 20 minute.

Dave, I think Ol' Joe might be on to your problem. My factory tubed 700 in 25/06 loses accuracy with cleaning and requires 10-12 shots to get back to normal where it will again put 5 shots in an inch at 100 yards. I don't think I have any rifles where the accuracy deteriorates in as few shots as you're describing. I used to be a clean barrel fanatic and then just started shooting them until accuracy dropped off. My poor little lightweight .223 hasn't seen a cleaning rod in a loooong time and still hits what I'm shooting at. I'd try out what those rifles would do after 20 or 30 shots before cleaning. Ward

Could be, seems that I never have enough time. Although the 25-06 always shoots under an inch but when it's spiffy clean the first group is like 1/2" or better. The 7-08CDL is brand new so we will see. I'll see about letting them cool completely.
Thanks for the help. Attached is a group from each rifle after a good scrubbing.

Lots of good info here. For my hunting rifles(thats pretty much all my rifles). When I get to the range with clean bores, I'll shot 3 rounds into the bank under the target, then chat with the guys for 15 minutes. I now have a fouled, cool rifle(which is what I will have in my stand) to shoot groups with.

Ric

I was thinking about this today. I don't shoot my 30-06 much. Too much gun for the deer and hogs I shoot. I use my 7x57 and 7-08. Any way I have run about 150rds, mostly milsurp, through it and haven't cleaned the barrel in over 18 months. This week I worked up some new loads using a 165GK and it shot most groups around 1.25" with one group .79" The average with 5, 3shot groups was 1.3". I also shot a 10 shot 1.75" Milsurp group. My question is should I clean it or just shoot it some more? capt david

My 100% bone stock Ti 7-08 has 500rds through it and hasn't had a cleaning rod or any bore maintenance through it,since the first primer was popped.

'Course I believe in moly and don't clean until groups open up and warm barrels spook me none.....................

You're supposed to clean 'em? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

coupla my rifles don't settle in until they've had a half dozen foulers shot through them. I am a lot less concerned with barrel cleaning now than I used to be. Clean 'em when accuracy is starting to go, or if I happen to remember it's been a looong time since I cleaned the bore on one of 'em. Then I am more concerned with fouling that barrel again before using it for hunting or shooting at the range.

CaptDavid, try the new managed recoil loads from Remington for your 30-06. I've tried them in my 270, and am very pleased. Haven't killed anything with them, but they shoot well, very well.

I think if you have a really top end lapped barrel, it will perform a little better when clean- if this wasn't so, all the BR shooters wouldn't clean between relays- most all of them do. I even see the moly guys clean the carbon out between 10-shot strings. On a hunting rifle, you will have to shoot more rounds to know. I have some that will shoot a lot and still maintain the same accuracy. I had one, that had to be cleaned after 25 rounds or it would really open up- I got rid of that rifle. I have never had a rifle that took 5 rounds to calm down.

A couple of other points. I think it may depend on what powder you use- some are real dirty ( H450, H414, H870, W760 and probably a few others) Some are quite clean ( Varget, Ramshot TAC and probably quite a few others) Just like black powder rifles will start to throw rounds after only a FEW shots, I think that a smokeless rifle can do this if it gets too much powder fouling.

I also think it depends on WHAT you clean with. Some cleaners will definitely cause a flyer when you shoot the clean barrel, others seem to shoot 'into the group' . I usually wipe my bore with Kroil (when done cleaning) and then dry patch it. They seem to shoot into the group just fine this way and I wouldn't be afraid to take it into the field thusly cleaned.

Guys,

If you want to shoot groups in the off season, do so. If you want to sight in for opening day, you have to mimic that situation.

Ric

The barrel breakin is interesting, a custom barrel instructions were to clean 25 pulls per shot for the first 25 shots then 10 pulls per shot for the next 25 and then 3 pulls per shot for the next 25 shots.

I think this was to allow for ambient level cooling and remove copper fouling. Was a lot of work, seemed to equal the performance of my usual 3 - 4 shots clean/cool. Final pull with SU2000 synthetic lube, seemed to tighten groups and clean easier.

I have four Weatherbys, three are MK. V's, the fourth is a Vanguard. Most recently, I have been working up loads for the Vanguard, a .270 WSM (their new Sub-MOA model, which it certainly is!). What I've found with this rifle is that accuracy improves after 6 or 7 rounds have been fired. The tightest groups I have shot with this rifle have been between 10 and 20 rounds through the barrel, without cleaning. Typically, if I start off with its favorite loads, using 130 gr. or 150 gr. Nosler Partitions out of a clean barrel, I get a 1" 3-shot group, which usually tightens up to .5" or less with subsequent groups. I have not shot it enough at one sitting to know at what level accuracy will deteriorate due to a dirty barrel.
BTW, I used the one shot and clean breakin procedure. Don't know if it helped, but this barrel is very easy to clean.
My other 3 Wbys also show a tendency towards better accuracy after several rounds.
I'll take any of them hunting with 10 rounds or so down the barrel without cleaning.