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Joined: Oct 2010
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Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2010
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Every now-and-again I give my centerfire rifles a really thorough bore and chamber cleaning down to bare metal.... When I get them back to the range, I always see these range results following the deep-cleaning:
- Some of them start grouping well, right after one or two fouling-shots. - But, a few of them need 10-20 shots to “settle-in”, then group well, and continue to group well in following range sessions.
Why do some barrels need those extra rounds through them following a deep cleaning?
Thanks in advance for your replies on this!
Cheers.
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” --- Will Rogers
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,278
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,278 |
Because they’re all individuals...
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,468
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,468 |
I have seen the same thing, especially with a 22LR. Depends on the barrel I guess, some need more fouling than others to "settle" in. To me, the first cold bore shot is the money shot, except for 22LR target rifles. Then I want consistent grouping.
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 6,765
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 6,765 |
To refill the tool marks, rough spots, pits, with the copper/gilding metal you removed cleaning the barrel down to bare metal. Some barrels will shoot better slighly fowled rather than when they are squeaky clean.
Old Corps
Semper Fi
FJB
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 754
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 754 |
To refill the tool marks, rough spots, pits, with the copper/gilding metal you removed cleaning the barrel down to bare metal. Some barrels will shoot better slighly fowled rather than when they are squeaky clean. Makes sense. Thanks for the education!
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” --- Will Rogers
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 17,098
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 17,098 |
I've long ago taken JBs advice and stopped cleaning rifle barrels so much
The government plans these shootings by targeting kids from kindergarten that the government thinks they can control with drugs until the appropriate time--DerbyDude
Whatever. Tell the oompa loompa's hey for me. [/quote]. LtPPowell
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Joined: Oct 2010
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Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2010
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I've long ago taken JBs advice and stopped cleaning rifle barrels so much I’m inclined to join the club.
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” --- Will Rogers
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,293
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,293 |
I've long ago taken JBs advice and stopped cleaning rifle barrels so much I’m inclined to join the club. X2 i don`t clean my rifles or my shotguns much i just wipe my rifles down some
LIFE NRA , we vote Red up here, Norseman
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 20,893
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 20,893 |
The one & only time I cleaned my favorite 300 WSM, it needed12 rounds before it settled back in. I was starting to fret. Had me concerned. Have not cleaned it since. That was about 400 rounds back. Still driving tacks.
"I never thought I'd live to see the day that a U.S. president would raise an army to invade his own country." Robert E. Lee
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 10,955
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Apr 2008
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I've long ago taken JBs advice and stopped cleaning rifle barrels so much Same. Don't need to be making any more work for myself.
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Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,373
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Good to read that I'm not the only one who has seen this and I always thought that it was just me having had too much coffee or something might have been loose. A Shilen custom barrel should not be full of tool marks, rough spots or pits and a synthetic stock shouldn't be moving around either. I know now that I was cleaning too often lots of times only after a few rounds to confirm the zero. Minute of a whitetail brisket, but a little disappointing on a target.
My other auto is a .45
The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3,998
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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JB wrote an article where he talked about a rifle he had that he couldn't get to shoot. He was at the range and decided to just shoot a bunch of rounds to see what happened. He shot something like 25 or 30 rounds and it started grouping. I would never have that much patience.
I am continually astounded at how quickly people make up their minds on little evidence or none at all. Jack O'Connor
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,518
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2011
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With a new gun or a new barrel, I clean to bare metal after each range session until I have about 200 rounds through. After that I clean just enough to get out any excess fouling. Just me.
If we live long enough, we all have regrets. But the ones that nag at us the most are the ones in which we know we had a choice.
Doug
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 349
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 349 |
I will have to quote Big Stick, "Cleaning before your groups open up is like wiping your but before you take a dump" Most rifles will tell you how often they want to be cleaned by the results on paper. Having said that I was raised to clean after each trip to the range. I now believe we should pay the most attention to the "cold bore shot" I see on Utube many folks speak of warming the rifle up before shooting for groups. For hunters the first shot from a cold bore should be on target and the rifle will tell you if that is from a clean or a fouled bore. Pavementends
Elevation is math Windage is Voodoo
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Joined: Oct 2004
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 26,526 |
My Rugers prefer a dirty barrel, and I have heard others say the same thing.
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