How often to clean the barrel?

[m1ajunkie]

How often do you clean the barrel on your precision rifle?

I hardly ever clean my carbines and non precision rifles, but I don't want fouling to cause bigger groups. I also want the rifle to shoot as consistent as possible range trip to range trip. I think that if I clean after every range trip I will have to shoot fouling shots before it's good to go again, is this true or a myth?

Right now I have about 150 rounds through my rifle since the last cleaning and I am debating on cleaning it now or waiting at least another 100 rounds. I was out yesterday and shot great groups so I am thinking I will just hold off for a while assuming it won't hurt the accuracy over the long run.

[Belmont31R]

You don't need to clean the barrel as much as you think you do. I'd say every 1k at most. Some barrels take to not being cleaned often better than others depending on how it takes fouling.

[jaydoc1]

The guys at Rifles Only (if you don't know, these guys are the shit when it comes to precision rifle) clean their rifles when they start to see a decrease in their accuracy. This can be several thousand rounds. And they don't go freaking insane about the cleaning when they do it.

[carbinero]

Even benchrest guys aren't out to remove the copper and carbon, only the powder. If you keep cleaning it hard, you never know where you're at. After years of wondering, I've basically quit cleaning...

[m1ajunkie]

Thanks for the confirmation. I can't remember the last time I cleaned my non precision rifles so I am a fan of not cleaning if it's not needed.

I am glad to hear precision rifles are in the same boat. It seems things would stay more consistent the less you clean.

[Packman73]

Hmm, food for thought. I clean my rifle barrels after every time I shoot. Sounds like I should skip a few times.

[MistWolf]

How much a rifle needs to be cleaned to maintain best accuracy is dependent on the individual rifle

[NavyDavy55]

I run a bore snake down the barrel of my Rem 700 SPS Tactical after every range trip.

[Littlelebowski]

Clean when accuracy drops off.

[ALCOAR]

Hmm, food for thought. I clean my rifle barrels after every time I shoot. Sounds like I should skip a few times.

So do I, I'm not gonna try and pink steak or bare chest it in regards to cleaning and maintaining my rifles like so many claim to do....I clean every rifle be it precision or otherwise, the moment I have the adequate free time to do so. I most certainly always clean a high dollar match SS barrel after each time out with it.

If you bought a premium match SS grade barrel with very few tooling marks and such than it literally takes no time at all. Shitty barrels w. bad tooling marks can take forever to get all the copper and stuff out.

I exclusively use Hobbes Elite/Mpro7 for cleaning because it's cleaning effects compound upon each additional application whereas it's cleaning efficiency is enhanced and the amount of time required is dramatically reduced.