JB said, "And since most of them also shot larger groups for a while after cleaning, I quit cleaning 'em much. Life is good."
Being a bit under the weather today, and bored, I will share some thoughts on this subject that all of you experienced folks already know, but may be helpful to some less experienced. Please pardon my rambling.
Not knowing that bit about larger groups right after cleaning tricked me sometimes many years ago when I started serious load testing. I thought the cleaner the better, for accuracy.
I would go to the range with a squeaky clean barrel to test some loads or a new bullet and it took a while for me to realize that the first group wasn't going to be a valid accuracy test. And the very first shot doesn't give a valid velocity through the chronograph, either.
In my experience most good barrels settle down within a couple of shots. A very worn barrel may need a dozen rounds to build up enough fouling to achieve the best accuracy it can provide. That is the case with my old Savage M-1920 in 250-3000. It starts out with a 5" group at 100 yards from a clean barrel, but from round 12 on the groups are all under two inches with most about an inch or so, some less.
In the Marines during our days at the rifle range we had to clean our rifles ridiculously clean at the end of each day, and pass inspection. Except, at the end of the last day before qualifying day the DI's forbid us to clean the barrels so we would start out the next day with fouled barrels. Since those M-14s were very worn it probably did make a noticeable difference.
Mike Venturino has mentioned his long-time habit of putting his first shot out of a clean barrel into the berm before starting on the paper target. Only for some of his hunting rifles did he want to know how far out of the group the first bullet went from a clean barrel.
A good recommendation for hunting rifles is to not clean the bore between your last sight-in confirmation shots and the first day of the hunt.
Many outfitters require their clients to check their sight-in after first arriving at base camp before starting the hunt.
This accomplishes three things: it confirms that the sight-in didn't get knocked off during travel, or gets corrected to a better sight-in. More than one hunter has showed up for an expensive hunt and when asked if his rifle is sighted in, has replied, "Yes, I just had that new scope put on the day before I left and the kid at the gun store said he bore-sighted it for me for free".
Secondly, the outfitter can see how the client handles his rifle (safely and with familiarity?) and how well he can shoot. And thirdly, it fouls the barrel for accuracy and demonstrates that the rifle and scope are functioning properly.
Now when I go to the range to test loads with a clean barrel I don't pay much attention to the first group. This is fine if I am starting with a lighter load and working up through increasing charges to find a good load.
If I am intending to start right out with a serious test I will put a few factory loads down range from one of the boxes I used to find initial accuracy and velocity info when I first obtained that rifle. Or I may have some leftover rounds from a load that has since been surpassed by better loads or bullets. Otherwise the obsolete, inferior loads get used for offhand practice.
Years ago, before DBC came along, and my knowledge increased, I used JB Bore Paste to get ALL the copper out after every shooting session, verified with my bore-scope. I spent a LOT of time and energy cleaning rifle barrels. Now the most frequent use for the JB Bore Paste is to prepare a bore for the DBC treatment. I also like the guy that wrote those cleaning directions. (smile)
Now I spend much less time cleaning barrels and life is better.
