Barrel Cleaning frequency

How many shots roughly before you clean your barrel or start to lose accuracy?

A lot depends on the barrel. Shoot it enough and it will tell you when to clean as accuracy will start dropping off. I have barrels that will go hundreds of rounds and others that will not. One drops off after about 20 rounds.

I think 2Beez knows.

P_102

To answer YOUR question on YOUR rifle, the answer is to know your rifle and ammo. Cleaning frequency depends on many factors, like bullet weight, bullet type, powder charge, hunting conditions, mixing different ammo, etc. If you are running a Barnes TSX at 3000+ fps, cleaning may be every 20 rounds. If you are running a 308 with a 168, it may be 500 rounds. I also do not like mixing different brands/types of ammo on the same cleaning cycle. I have seen several rifles open up after mixing different ammo ( different powder and bullet). So, I'll clean between each ammo type.

Most 6.5 calibers will go 100-200 rounds no problem. My 300 WM needs cleaning after about 70-80 rounds.

Here's some info on cleaning on what I do.

http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4661544/1/Rifle_Cleaning_for_deer_season

Adding a footnote to the advice already given, if the barrel is not stainless, it needs to be cleaned before being put away for an extended period, meaning more than a few weeks.

If time is scarce, squirt Wipeout into the muzzle until foam just starts to peak out of the chamber. Store it muzzle down into a plastic container with a paper towel or cloth in the bottom. The Wipeout cleans and also acts as a protectant. Then run a brush and patch or two through it before shooting the next time. Sometimes something is better than nothing.

As Chad mentioned, depends on the barrel and ammo combo. One of my rifles can easily go 500 rounds and another only 50. When accuracy falls off, it is time to clean.

Make sure to push a couple of patches through a clean barrel to remove oil before firing the first shot. And shoot at least a few foulers before taking it out hunting or to the big match.

Indeed, my factory savage needs a good douching every 175-200 rounds. That rifle picked a bad time to lay down on me lol.

KMon1, Chad, and Jeffbird all gave sound advice, as usual.

I clean, when it tells me it needs it.

But cleaning for the sake of cleaning is silly in my opinion. My best analogy for cleaning just because is this:

You mow your yard every Wednesday. You mow Wednesday, it's a normal August (not this one) it's 95-102°, and no rain. You don't irritate. Next Wednesday rolls around and the yard has not grown even a quarter inch. You gonna mow, just because it's on the schedule?

Same as barrel cleaning. Is it still shooting as best as you've ever seen it shoot? Why clean it, then?

I clean everything after EVERY shooting session. My stuff is all for sale, so they stay as pristine as I can keep them. I would never buy a rifle or pistol from anyone who didn't keep their equipment always clean. there is no telling what you are buying. I document every shot through every barrel, so I won't have to guess (lie) about how many rounds have been fired through it when I post guns for sale.

wouldn't you like this if you were buying a used gun???

kind of that Marine Corp thinking, plus I'm anal and like my things nice.

Good info guys but the question I thought was worded more towards your personal practice or experience........for example my .284 is about every 100-150 rounds, 6.5 about the same, 7stw every 50ish, 300WM every 50ish, AR's get cleaned often due to dust from riding in the truck or ranger.

I used to clean when accuracy fell off but know I've started cleaning every 250-300rds. I was noticing some inconsistencies in dope/velocity. After visiting with a few top competition shooters and some gunsmiths we decided it was likely a carbon ring causing pressure/velocity increase. Cleaning at the intervals seems pretty good so far and I've noticed the numbers from the magneto are much more consistent.

clean it when you lose accuracy, and not a minute sooner.

I think it's important to remember that you're increasing your chances of damaging the bore too, if you're doing it often but incorrectly. No bore guide, crappy aluminum screw-together rods, dragging a jag over the crown, etc.

My Savage 308 took about 200 rounds before accuracy started degrading. My Tikka 223 accuracy starts degrading much faster (seems to be about 70-80 rounds).

Nut up and buy Mike Lucas Bore guides for each rifle plus a good Tipton or Bore Tech Rod, these guides have a special insert so the rod will never touch the bore or crown. They are $65.95 each but look at it as insurance.

Much of the chemicals these days will clean your bore with just patches and a few strokes of a properly sized NYLON bore brush. No more need for bronze brushes and all that work.

I agree some cheap, factory barrels need allot of scrubbing

but if you clean more often the copper will not build up.

"pay me now, or pay me later"

or don't ever clean, I really don't care, it's your barrel

^^^^^^Yup got a few of em. Got to keep it clean to prevent corrosion.