# Clean or fouled barrel



## asolde (May 22, 2004)

When you sight in to go hunting do you clean your rifle after shooting or do you leave it fouled for hunting? What are your thoughts?


----------



## arcfiddler (Apr 30, 2009)

*To clean or not to clean*

Rattle snake,

Very interesting question. I just read an article on this which I believe was in the last issue of American Rifleman magazine. Where ever I came across the article, it was pretty in depth.

Get yourself a copy and draw your own conclusions.

As for me, I'll typically check my zero by burning a few rounds, then clean the rifle, including running a patch down the barrel with a lite coat of oil. I think the oil trick is more out of habit for me developed from shooting surplus ammo out of my assualt rifles. This is in the scenario where I have time only 3 weeks or so before the hunt to shoot the rifle.

In any event, I'll clean the rifle before the hunt, and foul the barrel with one shot before heading out.

All rifles are different, as more so are the shooters. I guess the more important thing would be to do the same routine everytime so you know how the weapon reacts and what to expect.

I pulled multiple rifles out of the safe, ran a dry patch down the barrel, and hit the field without fouling it when I was pressed for time and harvested game regardless.

I guess whatever cleaning / fouling routine you choose is probably more important with a rifle that has had a lot of lead down the tube more so than one with a rather fresh barrel.

Just my thoughts.

Happy hunting...and be safe.


----------



## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

Know your clean bore zero, your fouled bore zero, and the zero for two quick follow up shots. 

On many weapons, these three are so close, it don't make a wit of difference in 99.999% of hunting situtations. 

Tightest group I ever shot in my current AR were the first five shots, shot as foulers, from a clean bore. The second tightest group I ever shot out of the weapon were rounds 123 -128 of the day. The center of these two groups were within .25 of an inch from one another at 200 yards.


----------



## Africanut (Jan 15, 2008)

Most of my cut-rifled barrels shoot back to zero on the 3rd round after a super duper hard clean. That being the third cold bore with 20 minutes between shots, uncanny but true.I Always shoot three foulers before hunting.


----------



## baldhunter (Oct 8, 2004)

I did have a rifle that would really throw the first shot off from a clean barrel.I'm talking 2-3",then it would be back on after a shot or two.I didn't realize it was doing it until many years later and it could be the blame for a miss or a bad hit.I always hated that rifle because,I like a clean barrel.I just don't feel right putting a rifle away that's been exposed to a lot of dirt,rain or fog.Now I take my cleaning stuff with me when I go to the range and check for this.The rifles I own now seem to shoot about the same,clean or fouled.


----------



## Bantam1 (Jun 26, 2007)

Ernest said:


> Know your clean bore zero, your fouled bore zero, and the zero for two quick follow up shots.


I couldn't agree more.


----------



## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

Every gun's different, but here's what I do. I sight in at the beginning of the season with typically 10 shots, starting from a clean barrel. After sight in, I just clean the gun with powder solvent (Hoppes_) and NOT copper solvent. After hunting, I just use powder solvent too. At the end of the season, I strip the gun and clean thoroughly including a copper solvent. Lather, rinse, repeat next year.


----------



## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Well folks can go overboard on this issue. Yes my gun changes a bit but not much. I shoot a few in the dirt and then zero and dont touch it until after the season.

Charlie


----------



## davidb (May 10, 2006)

Only way to know is test it. 

I like to know for sure at least one rifle will shoot with a cold barrel with one oily patch and one dry run through it. Then that's the one I'll use for rainy weather. Even stainless should be treated like this for wet weather.

Whatever you find works then always hunt with the rifle that way.


----------



## Kyle 1974 (May 10, 2006)

I rarely clean my barrel with solvents... maybe after 200 shots when I see the accuracy start to suffer. I think cleaning after 3-4 shots is pointless... just MHO. 

when I go shoot my AR, I might run a bore snake through it (dry) after 50-60 rounds just because it takes a few seconds. 

as for hunting... I never clean my rifle right before I go, I always shoot a deer with a fouled barrel.


----------



## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

I do clean my barrels a couple of times a years as we practice most of the summer and early fall.
BUT, I hunt with uncleaned barrels in all of my rifles as do my boys and wife....
I'm not gonna sweat the small stuff and worry what works and what dont....
When I was a kid of 20 years old, I bought my first rifle, a 270.
I killed 3 or 4 deer every year for a decade before I knew of bore cleaners and solvents. My dad didnt deer hunt so I had no mentor.
I would have cleaned it if I knew better, but my point is it never mattered...


----------



## Friendswoodmatt (Feb 22, 2005)

go zero your gun -- I clean after every 7-10. IF I am going to hunt and am making sure its"on" then I shoot a couple-3 groups, and then clean the gun and shoot 1 round through the clean barrel and then leave it alone and put it up for the hunt.


----------

