Really dirty barrel? Need to re zero in?

[elks96]

So i ended up with a rifle. It look clean and I went and shot it at the range, grouped really nice.

Come home tonight and have been cleaning it for 3 hours and can't get it clean.

It has always been stored in a dry place etc. but I am not sure it has ever had a brush down it. I let it soak 30 minutes then run the brush then a couple dozen patches. It starts to
Clean up but then I run the brush again and it turns the patches black again. Done this 2 dozen times and like 200 patches...

After I do get it clean what are the
Odds it will need to be zerod again?

Had a little blue from
Copper at first but now just black...

 

[Homer]

it grouped really nice???.....stop f.cking with it.....

 

[DW]

Kind of agree eith Homer. And yes, you will need to re zero it. I'd run a half dozen thru it before moving anything, may come right back on after you foul it up a little. Just been my experience.


#livelikezac

 

[Chesterwyo]

Agree with the above. Should?ve just left it. But if you want to get it down to bare metal, go buy a can of wipe out. Run that in there.

 

[Homer]

"clean" is over rated

 

[RELH]

What kind of cleaning solvent are you using? Also could your cleaning brush be dirty and leaving the dark colored deposits.

RELH

 

[Cahunter805]

I agree with above. I'd stop cleaning it and go shoot it again. If it's grouping well your done. If not I'd shoot a few more groups and it will probably settle back in.
Just curious what solvent are you using? Bronze brush or Nylon?

 

[Butts]

Many barrels shoot better/group with fouled rounds.
You might be hitting the sweet spot, before cleaning..

Ignore cleaning till groups spread...

PERIOD!!!

 

[Captain_coues]

I agree with not cleaning it. Even though it feels like a lazy, sloppy way to treat a gun. It's not a combat rifle in an abrasive environment and hundreds of rounds a week go through it, it usually only gets fired once in a while and then cased up and stored in a clean place when not in use.

I sometimes have a hard time with not cleaning them. When I get a new custom, I break in the barrel by cleaning between the rounds during development and may run a few patches through with one oiled patch to store it. When it comes time to hunt, I usually go the the bench and dirty it up before I go.

 

[Focoelkman]

>it grouped really nice???.....stop f.cking with
>it.....
>
>
>

LOL - I knew someone was going to say that!

What he is sayin is: wipe it down apply a bit of oil to the action and leave it alone

 

[eelgrass]

I have a rifle that hates to be over cleaned. Like most women, they perform better if you abuse them a little.

 

[feddoc]

Eel, my cabin is empty, if you need a place to stay. I'll make sure the dead rabbits are gone.

?Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. "

 

[TSX]

Agree with has been stated: You never clean a barrel that is grouping great!

Regardless of when the last cleaning was done or how many rounds have been shot.

Only when it stops grouping well do you clean it!

Stop where you are at and go shoot it and hope it starts to group again after several rounds.

 

[REDDOG]

>After I do get it clean
>what are the
>Odds it will need to be
>zerod again?

Odds are high.

Like most have said stop cleaning it unless it tells you it needs it.

I've had a few barrels that shot out before they asked for a cleaning rod. I adjusted seating depth to keep up with erosion but never cleaned them. By the time I tried a cleaning rod they were toast. I'm talking well over 1000 rounds.

That is a small sample, most of course require cleaning every so often.mostly because of the environmentals they're subjected to not because it's dirty..

I hate cleaning it oils the bore and makes things screwy for the next dozen rounds, even if you use a de greaser.

 

[KennyT]

Takes my rifle 10 rounds to start grouping again.

 

[gznokes]

I had a similar experience and asked a gun expert what was going on. He said, "Your barrel is clean even if it is still returning dark patches. The big thing is to get the copper fouling out."