When to clean Rifle

Hello Everyone.

I am getting ready for deer hunting season again, and have not fired my rifle since October 2019.

https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting...phy-hunter-xp-bolt-action-rifle/p/p32164

I bought the rifle in July 2019 and fired about 50 rounds of ammo through it.

Question please:[u][/u]

1. Should I clean the rifle per the gun manufacture instructions manual again? I cleaned and oiled it when I first bought it in July 2019


Thank you so much.

No, go to range and get the oil out of the barrel and check your zero after a few rounds. In fact practice a little.

Really depends on how it was stored. 2+ years I’d do a quick cleaning just to be on the safe side.

Maybe clean the bolt if you desire. But not the barrel after only 50 rounds. Buy 3 boxes of ammo and go shoot 2 boxes for practice. Save the last box for hunting. Better yet, buy 5 boxes and shoot 4 for practice...

Hello BOBO the Clown,

Thank you so much for responding to me.

My rifle has been laying in the case on top of my shelf in room since October 2019. See link below.

https://prnt.sc/1n1lyea

Question:

What does "get the oil out of the barrel" mean? Sorry, I am leaning as I go.

Thank you,

Hello P_102,

It was stored like this the past 2 years. https://prnt.sc/1n1lyea in my closet on the shelf in the house.

Shoot it out.

Ok , I will take it out to the range and no cleaning. Just practice shooting. Thank you so much.

No true.

Clean the oil out of the barrel first. Then foul it back in.

Oil in the barrel is probably one of the worst things that can line a barrel for anything other than storage. It is detrimental to how a barrel can shoot. You won't shoot it out. You have to clean it out.

Hello FiremanGJ,

Thank you for the response.

Questions:

1. What do you mean by "No true", do you mean not true?

2. When do you mean by "Clean the oil out of the barrel first. Then foul it back in." ?

3. Are you suggesting I clean the rifle per my rifle manual like the first time I bought it?

Thanks

Not true.

Go read the recent barrel cleaning thread in this section. There's tons of opinions on how to do it, and I shared mine. I get all manner of rifles, owned by other people come through on a weekly basis. I've got a couple of ways that have shown me to work. They work because after cleaning, it doesn't take but 6 to 9 shots to foul in, and begin to look like they will shoot tight.

I took it as he fired 50 shots through it and put it up, meaning there is currently no oil in the barrel. Gordo, can you be more specific? Did you fire 50 shots, clean it and put it up? Or did you fire 50 shots and put it up without cleaning?

Doesn't matter. It has sat long enough either fouled (with who knows what powder and bullet) or it has sat with oil in it. In either case, clean it, foul it, then you are working with "knowns".

Hello unclebubba,

I bought the rifle in July 2019
Clean and oil it in July 2019 per the rifle manual instructions.
Practice with it at the gun range and shot about 50 rounds.
Went a shot a deer and hog with 2 rounds in October 2019.
Put the gun on the shelf in my room closet like this https://prnt.sc/1n1lyea in October 2019.
I have not touch the rifle since October 2019 and have not cleaned it or oil it before putting in shelf in closet.
August 2021, I am ready to start preparing for hunting season again. Should I clean and oil the gun again.

Please let me know if I clarified it.

Thanks

Interesting. So if I have a rifle that I have fired 100 rounds through, then let it sit for a year, would you suggest I clean it before shooting again even though I'm shooting the same ammo with the same powder as the first 50 shots? What changes with the fouling when it sits for a year?

Goodo, Most of us never oil the inside of the barrel where the bullet travels. What ever you use to clean that inside part of your barrel with should be followed with dry cotton patches until they come out clean.

Not the case here.

Do you KNOW that factory ammo was loaded with the same powder, and powder charge as 87 lot numbers ago? He is not a hand loader, so things are different. You shoot your same exact hand loads versus someone shooting factory ammo is not the same set of recommendations.

True words.

Yes, thank you hermano W.

Yes correct, I recall I cleaned it out with white towel or napkin until there was no more black when I first cleaned it.

yes, I cleaned the rifle per the owner manual and followed a gun on youtube who has the same rifle as me. It was farily easy.

This time I may drop the rifle off at Carter's Country and let them clean it for $80 and be done with it.

Yes, I use ammo from the store. I do not make my own ammo.

Thanks for clarifying

I would not pay someone to clean my rifle. From my perspective that paying someone to avoid learning proper care for your firearm, therefore you will always be dependent on someone else, and have to trust their judgement.

It’s true that you will get varying opinions on here, you will have to filter that as you see fit and maybe go through some of your own trial and error methods. One day someone will look to you for wisdom, maybe your son, and you don’t want the answer to be talk to someone else who knows, I never took the time.

You can apply this to life in general.

Only oil a barrel for long term storage and never shoot an oiled barrel. You will waste 30-40 rounds of ammo before it starts shooting right again.

Paying $80 to clean a rifle is nuts. It can be as easy as spaying foam bore cleaner like Gunslick down the barrel, letting it sit an hour and then pulling patches through the bore until they come out clean.

Hopefully it's not too insulting to you Goodo, but I've seen a bunch of dudes in Houston who do these sorts of things. From $80 cleanings to $50-80 bore sighting and paying for all sorts of gun services that seem like one can don themselves. There is a prevailing "weekend warrior" culture that seems to like owning and talking about guns than shooting and getting familiar with them.

Goodo, I'd take that $80 and get a bore guide, a one piece rod (as in the ones that do NOT required assembly from 3 pieces), the appropriate cleaning jag and the solvent mentioned before gunslick.

Foaming products like these are fairly simple to use. Just spray some from the back/breach end of the barrel (trying not to get any inside the receiver), letting it sit in there however long it says and then running pathces until youget one that comes out clean.
https://opticsandammo.com/product/gunslick-foaming-bore-cleaner-12oz-mfg-92098/

bore guides are important and totally worth the initial, small investment. It ensures that then you shove the cleaning rod into the barrel, that it is centralized.
https://www.amazon.com/Tipton-Universal-Bore-Guide/dp/B07NKP3ZFY

Oh, and get proper cleaning patches or use cloth. don't want to start leaving little paper particles in your rifle.

Nothing wrong in my opinion with someone paying a professional to disassemble and clean their firearm if they have the money. In fact, I would recommend it to those who aren't very mechanically inclined. Talk to any gunsmith and I'm sure they'll tell you that people who shouldn't be taking their guns apart help generate business. They'll likely also tell you that improper cleaning methods have led to the early demise of many a rifle barrel.

While I change my own oil and perform all the routine maintenance and basic repairs (at least for me) on all by vehicles, I understand completely when others prefer to pay a professional to do it for them.

Paying someone to do it for you for convenience vs paying them because you don’t know any better is two different things. I’ve restored 3 old cars and built several race motors, but I no longer change my own oil. I’d sooner undertake an engine swap than an oil change. It’s about convenience for me.

Sorry, got off subject, if you don’t mind paying, pay a gunsmith to teach you. They tend to be grumpy because they deal with know it all people all day. Go with the intent to learn and they will be much more open.

Fair enough. I guess I assumed this was a bolt action rifle and also it being a fairly new gun all one really needs is the bore cleaned. That said, god bless the world of youtube and the like. It has a how to video on dang near everything, just sifting through what is bs is a little difficult.

Amen. YouTube can also be a great resource for deciding if a job is more than you can handle, or simply don't want to handle.

Run a few dry patches until the patch is clean is ideal but A couple shots will dry it out
.
Oil in your barrel will cause Point of Impact Changes. Very few non-over bore calibers get shot enough to really foul out for point of Impact changes.

Go have fun at the range. Don't over think it

Hello scottfromdallas,

lol, thank you sir. You are right, I need to stop being lazy and learn to take care of my rifle I use to enjoy my time with and clean my own rifle and get ready for hunting season.

You are correct sir.

You seem to be admitting inexperience, so I dont see a problem paying to get the gun cleaned if you are uncomfortable. However, I highly suggest you do it with the intention of learning how to do it yourself. See if they will teach you or get someone to teach you or use utube to learn. I clean my bore more often than some are saying(for accuracy) so I would hate to have to pay someone to do it that often. It really isnt difficult to do but you need to research/learn first. Good luck.

Exactly. If I were in Houston, I'd tell you to bring me a 6 pack of beer and I'd teach you to clean your rifle. It is very easy.

Thank you wp75169,

I will clean the rifle myself sir. Thank you for the advice.

Thank you all very very much for helping me.

Today I called Savage technical support and asked them should I clean the rifle. They said definitely yes, and to follow the manual for cleaning instructions. They representive also said to prevent fouling to clean the barrel after about 10-20 shots to prevent fouling and to check the zero after each cleaning to make sure my zero is still good. He stated that fouling could could eventually cause inaccurate shooting.

So next Friday, I will follow those instructions in manual to clean the barrel and oil the outside, and then go zero the rifle and then clean it again before going out the next weekend for practice.

My plan is to practice shooting about 10 rounds per weekend at about 100 yards. I was surprised he said to clean the barrel every 10 rounds to prevent fouling but it is there rifle so I guess they are right.

I clean my savage every 150ish rounds. You do you though. Many clues were dropped but you just missed them it would appear.

There was a time when I’d clean the bore every 12 rounds. Then fire 2, let it cool and fire two 5 shot groups. Then repeat. I don’t do that any more. I clean it when my accuracy tells me to clean it. For your purposes, you can clean the bore as often as you like or, like my Dad, never clean it. For a weekend paper puncher and deer hunter, it just isn’t that darned important. Clean it every 50 rounds. I have a couple of rifles that need cleaning after about that many rounds. I don’t have any that need cleaning more than that.

Use the cleaning gear that has been suggested. 50 rounds. Good starting point.

You could drive to my place, use my range, then use my cleaning gear. I’ll show ya how to do it. I’m 140 miles north of you, up I-45.

Hello 603Country,

Thank you very much sir. Perhaps, I will take you up on your offer sir and come and visit you for a one day trip.

Cleaning after 50 rounds does sound agreeable and reasonable.

How do you know when your rifle needs cleaning?

Hello 2Beez, what model savage do you have?

Also when do you clean your rifle after 150 rounds?