just how CLEAN do you get your rifle barrel?
 

here in CA we are required to shoot non-toxic ammo at big game.

i have bad rifle gun-habits and it bit me in the ass. i dont keep my barrels clean. regular Nosler Partitions seem to shoot GREAT for a long long time. when i clean..i swab/brush with Hoppes #9, get the swab to come out clean and call it good.

my 257 wtbymag suffered some more. i didnt clean it often. it shot great until recently when i sent some brand new copper slugs down the tube. it fouled horribly.
here is what happened:
my gun was shooting tight (for me) 3/8th groups @100. i went and inserted a copper round..POW! in the same spot! i was stoked. i fired another and i kid you not..it looked like i threw the bullet down there with a slingshot. it was 2" high right..then it looked more like a pattern than a group. i went back to a lead round..and it was 2" low. i called it a day..and started cleaning my barrel.

i'm using WIPEOUT copper remover. the first swab looked like i wiped down a Smurf. it was dark dark blue. (instructions say BLUE=copper) it got lighter and lighter. i am following instructions..some overnight soaks. the swab is hazed blue now. do i want it WHITE coming out? do you guys go for surgical clean?

the rangemaster guy said high velocity rounds..really lay down the copper fouling. dunno.

My bores are shiny when clean.

I usually start with a foaming bore cleaner and let sit for 20 minutes. Then I push a dry patch on a jag through. Then a few patches of liquid bore cleaner. Then a bore brush, then a copper solvent, then a squeegee. Then a few more patches of powder solvent.

Peeking in..my barrel looks like a mirror. the rifling is clear and distinct.

the patch still comes out blueish.

and my wife said i didnt need a $250 bore-scope. pftt..what does she know?

carp.

the timing of this thread is less than perfect..

I have a $30 Harbor-Freight-quality bore scope. I don't worry about destroying it. :)

$21.99 on Amazon

https://amazon.com/Depstech-Semi-rigid-Inspection-Megapixels-Waterproof/dp/B06WRNGYXY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1506963360&sr=8-3&keywords=usb%2Bborescope&th=1

This one comes with tools! for $19.99

https://amazon.com/Depstech-Semi-rigid-Inspection-Waterproof-Adjustable/dp/B0749BQG1B/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1506963468&sr =1-2&keywords=usb+borescope+apple

too fat..

i dont think either of those would go down my 30 cal..

but i want one!! and i am gonna order one. there are a myriad of other uses!!

More rifle barrels are ruined by cleaning than by shooting. Most folks vastly over-clean their rifles.

I clean my smokeless powder rifles with Hoppe's #9, Shooters' Choice, or Birchwood Casey solvents (it used to be whichever one was either in the goodie bag or given out with the prizes at a match). Since I'm not shooting many matches anymore and forced to buy my own, it's been #9.

I never use a brush of any kind. I simply run about half a dozen wet patches down the bore in succession, then finish up with a couple of dry ones. Done. The only difference with my black powder guns is that I do this exact same drill with water before I go to the #9.

My only exception is my Ruger #1 with a 28" 12" twist Lilja barrel in .220 Swift. I will use a copper solvent on it about every 50 rounds or so. I like Sweet's 7.62. Pretty nasty stuff - follow directions or risk damaging the barrel. My other centerfire, jacketed bullet shooters like the .223, 6.5 Swede, .308, .30-'06, .375 H&H, .458 Win Mag, 7mm Rem Mag, do not get the Sweet's treatment. Ever. They don't need it.

While we are not compelled to use non-toxic bullets (yet...), I have used an awful of of the various Barnes varieties of monolithic copper bullets. I've never been able to get them to shoot as well as traditional bullets in any of my rifles. It has never been due to fouling, however. And I would certainly never expect them, even in matching bullet weights, to shoot to the same point of impact as other bullets. And absolutely would never think that alternating them with a traditional bullet, like a Partition, would result in one tight little group. In other words, I don't think your varying point of impact has anything to do with fouling.

Just take your preferred "non toxic" (I alway thought that was funny as hell - they are all pretty darn "toxic" at the velocities modern rifles launch them) to the range and re-zero the rifle with them. Leave the other ammo at home. Don't expect as good of groups, just zero it. How good does a hunting rifle have to shoot anyway? Our modern obsession with group size has gotten a bit comical. I'll happily hunt anything, anywhere with a 2 MOA rifle and not feel disadvantaged in the least. So, don't worry about it. Zero it and go hunting. And good luck out there.

bore snake with ballistol after shooting, and some hoppes 9 once a year.
copper fouling don't bother me when my rifle shoots 1/3 moa

Well since all I shoot are muzzle loaders my velocity maxes out at about 1260 FPS with a 540 grain slug. I have no issue with copper and the lube or paper patches keep lead off the bore. To clean the breech I use a small hand held steam cleaner with an adapter for the nipple hole. Remoil when done, store on the muzzle and shop cloth.

I rarely clean my rifles. Swabs of Hoppes #9 till it comes out mostly clean, then light swab of oil. I never use brushes.

I'm with Jeff and HD, I don't think I am in the over cleaning camp by any means.

Hoppes #9 and a light oil guy here. Agree with Jeff on grouping obsession. 5 shots under an inch @ 100 yards with factory ammo is a very accurate sporting arm. I "zero" to be an inch high at 100, so in the heat of the moment, will be in the ballpark out to 200. If not into reloading, buy a few boxes of standard ammo. see which groups best with your rifle, stick with it. For example, I've stick with 115 grain Remington corelock for my old .257 Roberts. Grouped much better than Winchester silvertip.

Have you ran a bore brush down the barrel or just the swab?

Bore snake guy here. I even use it on my Benelli shotgun.

3 Pull throughs of the barrel and it's done.

How clean do I get it? Very.

you guys that dont over clean..

you shooting copper rounds?

i'm going to the rifle range thurs. i hope my cleaning regiment puts be back into the ballpark. at this point 1" MOA would make me fist pump the sky in happiness.

https://www.amazon.com/Smartphone-Endoscope-Inspection-CrazyFire-Waterproof/dp/B01B4J8OJ4/ref=sr_1_11?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1506978194&s r=1-11&keywords=usb+endoscope

This one is 5.5mm and cheaper