Rifle bore cleaning at range.

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  • DadSmith

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    When I'm target shooting at the range I have a habit of running a bore snake through my barrel every 5 rounds with some Ballistol on it.

    My question: Is that overkill?
     

    gregkl

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    I guess it depends on your personality and what your goal is. I know some guys who do this along with very specifically built rifles and extremely consistent hand loads tailored to the rifle. They are looking for super accuracy and cleaning the bore every so many rounds is part of the process. They also want to fire rounds with the barrel temps at that "Goldilocks" temp; not too cold and not too hot.

    For me, yes it is overkill. But I'm not a good enough marksman for any of that to really make a difference in my results.:)

    But since you are a Sharpshooter, I'd keep running that bore snake!:yesway:
     

    natdscott

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    When I'm target shooting at the range I have a habit of running a bore snake through my barrel every 5 rounds with some Ballistol on it.

    My question: Is that overkill?

    Yes, and it is a terrible idea.

    Oil in the bore means that at LEAST one shot following the "cleaning" is going to go someplace other than the group, and likely two-to-five, pending bore condition.

    Stop doing that.
     

    MarkC

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    For me, yes it is overkill. But I'm not a good enough marksman for any of that to really make a difference in my results.:)

    This is where I am; I clean my AR after I'm done on the range, at home. Usually. I will lube it up before I shoot if I haven't cleaned and lubed it after the last session.

    Also, I learned from what I saw in the Army. I clean the rifle "good enough," not the destructively clean it takes to get the unit armorer to accept it into the arms room.

    But, like Greg, I'm just not that good that the tiny bit of accuracy/consistency from cleaning would make a difference.
     

    Dmac22

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    I would say it is overkill unless it is a specific benchrest type of build. But then I still think you would want to use a proper cleaning rod instead And may skip the oil. I use boresnakes occasionally but I have taken the brushes out to mimic a dry patch. On most of my guns I don’t run a patch until accuracy starts to degrade or I’m not shooting it for a long while.
     

    DadSmith

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    Yes, and it is a terrible idea.

    Oil in the bore means that at LEAST one shot following the "cleaning" is going to go someplace other than the group, and likely two-to-five, pending bore condition.

    Stop doing that.

    Ballistol is like CLP but better IMO. Ballistol cleans and removes all types of bore fouling.
     

    devildog70

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    I'm more along the lines of Filthy 14, myself, except in my precision rifle, and even in that I'll go a few hundred between cleanings.
     

    Hop

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    I'll clean the bolt face & chamber once in a while but rarely if ever clean the bore. A snake if there's buildup but that's not often even in my 22LR rifles.
     

    natdscott

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    Ballistol is like CLP but better IMO. Ballistol cleans and removes all types of bore fouling.

    You would be pressed to find a bore cleaner I have not been familiarized with.

    Using them like you are ALSO removes any chance of shooting good groups.
     

    bobjones223

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    Okay I will chime in here.

    Depends on the gun. I have a Marlin 1894 that has a sweet spot of 5-15.

    Meaning shots 1-5 clean out the old oils and cleaning compounds. The next ten rounds are the sweet spot. After 15-20 accuracy starts to fall off.

    This has not been a problem because this is my deer gun and doesn't see the 20 round mark in a season but was something I learned about the gun.

    Knowing your gun and what it does will tell you what you need to do to keep it accurate.

    But like others have said your first 1-5 rounds will not be consistent because the bore is ever changing as the oil is slowly removed changing the bore tensions and frictions.
     

    DadSmith

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    You would be pressed to find a bore cleaner I have not been familiarized with.

    Using them like you are ALSO removes any chance of shooting good groups.

    My Grendel avg around 0.5" 5 shot groups at 100 yards with my method. I'll see how many groups I can shoot before accuracy starts degrading. If what you all say is a problem I should be able to tighten them up some more with less cleaning.
     
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