One days diamonds the next day coal

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William Suter

Well-known member
I thought I had a couple of decent loads worked up for my AR. At least they shot really good the other day. I took 20 rounds of each to the range yesterday and they shot just OK. Not near as good as the last time. Same brass, powder,primers, bullets and seating depth. I did clean the barrel and now has me wondering if the barrel likes being dirty rather than clean. I only shot 10 of each and its still dirty. I think I'll leave it dirty and go shoot the rest. I just hate leaving my firearms dirty.
 
I clean by barrels only when accuracy degrades. I also keep a log book on all my rifles... and I have A LOT of them.

When I come home from a day of shooting or hunting where I've fired a round, or a hundred rounds, all I do is run a barely moist patch with CLP/Oil just to ward off moisture.

Many barrels like to be "seasoned" thus they perform more consistently, that's been my experience.
 
IMO it takes about 4-5 shots to burn/blow out residual cleaning solition/oil after you've cleaned it. So I take a few rounds of blasting ammo to shoot and let the gun cool down before shooting groups after a cleaning. If the rifle has sat for a few months I will run a dry "virgin" (never touched a solvent of oil) bore snake through the barrel about 3 times in case a little copper verdigris has formed.
 
Was the temp close to the same? Ive found that some powders will shoot great in certian temp ranges and not others. Though It could be it doesnt like a clean barrel
 
William Suter said:
I did clean the barrel and now has me wondering if the barrel likes being dirty rather than clean. I only shot 10 of each and its still dirty. I think I'll leave it dirty and go shoot the rest. I just hate leaving my firearms dirty.
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This was my first thought reading your post. My 300 BO shot terrible until I finally let it get dirty. I have a 257 Weatherby Mag that's the total opposite. I clean that barrel every 3 shots. Some guns are just finicky.
 
Coyote-conquest said:
Was the temp close to the same? Ive found that some powders will shoot great in certian temp ranges and not others. Though It could be it doesnt like a clean barrel
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Temp was pretty much the same. I usually shoot out of our all weather building so the temps are pretty consistent. I was using a different rest that day. Also, I may expect more from the rifle than it is capable of doing. Extremely accurate rifles will spoil you into thinking that they should all be extremely accurate. Not the case!! But usually ends up costing me money!!
 
I have a 1966 vintage Model 70 in 30-06, that was my Dad's. When I inherited it, I worked up some loads and off to the range. It would not do better than 2"+, with any load.

I cleaned it with about 1/2 a bottle of Hoppes Benchrest Copper Cleaner, and I was still getting color (copper) on my patches. Then I got a can of Wipeout, and the barrel was still giving up copper. Finally, after 2 overnight soaks with Wipeout, the patches came out clean.

Off to the range!

On the squeaky clean barrel, the first shot missed the target, completely, at 100yds. Shot #2 was 6-10" off center, and after the 3rd shot, it settled down and started to shoot MOA. After about 23-25 rounds though, the groups start to open up again, and I need to clean. This is normal for this rifle.

On the other side, my main coyote rifle, the Sako L461 in 222RemMag, will place the first shot from a clean barrel in the same place it put's the 80th shot.

Each rifle is unique to itself.
 


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