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Cleaning or Breaking-in New Firearm |
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oratius54
Optics GrassHopper Joined: September/06/2020 Status: Offline Points: 22 |
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Posted: September/20/2020 at 13:04 |
Just want to get opinions on the subject matter. Should one clean their new firearm prior to shooting? Should one break-in their barrel, and if so, how? Thanks for your opinions in advance.
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Longhunter
Optics Journeyman Joined: February/02/2006 Status: Offline Points: 466 |
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Clean it or at least check it. If for no other reason, just to make sure there isn't a bore obstruction
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Bigdaddy0381
MODERATOR Georgia peach Joined: February/27/2007 Location: Georgia Status: Offline Points: 13682 |
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clean and shoot it!!! in about 500 rounds reclean and shoot it more.
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P&Z Firearms , Pro gun cleanings and gun repair and wood refinishing.
Ecclesiastes 10:2 |
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DPI
Optics Apprentice Joined: January/02/2020 Location: UK Status: Offline Points: 286 |
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Shoot as much as possible, then hand it to your man for cleaning, simples
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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You mean one is supposed to clean a rifle more than once???
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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Son of Ed
Chuck Norris Joined: June/18/2011 Location: TEXAS Status: Online Points: 122200 |
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I buy used ones so I don't have to bother....
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Visit the Ed Show
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8shots
Optics Jedi Knight Lord Of The Flies Joined: March/14/2007 Location: South Africa Status: Offline Points: 6253 |
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Don't listen to these guys...they are being frivolous and never owned any decent firearms.
The truth is there is not a simple or correct answer. Some firearms shoot well without needing to be cleaned regularly. But even these firearms needs to be protected from rust and other corrosion. So a less vigorous cleaning regime is required. But some powder and copper solvent cleaning aids run through the bore and a bit of oiling afterwards can do no harm. Other firearms perform best with a clean as a whistle bore, in which case you need to run copper solvent and powder solvent soaked patches through the bore until they come out clean. The so called breaking in of a barrel is also mostly unproven. The idea is to remove any machining marks on the inside of the barrel. So various polishing pastes etc are run on a patch through the barrel to smooth it up. Again the story goes...shot 3 rounds, clean polish barrel....shoot 3 rounds and repeat till you get tired....job done. Mostly my experience is a barrel either shoots from day one or it never will. My most accurate rifle hold accuracy irrespective of cleaning or not. After cleaning the rifle is slightly less likely to group at its best.
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DPI
Optics Apprentice Joined: January/02/2020 Location: UK Status: Offline Points: 286 |
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Personally, I've never owned any firearm. They all belonged to the government. Used them a lot though.
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oratius54
Optics GrassHopper Joined: September/06/2020 Status: Offline Points: 22 |
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Thank you for a comprehensive answer.
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tahqua
MODERATOR Have You Driven A Ford Lately? Joined: March/27/2006 Location: Michigan, USA Status: Offline Points: 9042 |
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I have never done the intensive cleaning regimen with a new gun. I clean the barrel and action of all manufacturing residue and shipping coating. I may pull a barrel snake through after 10 rounds. But nothing like cleaning every, then every third round after.
I agree with Wouter, either it shoots well or it doesn't.
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Doug
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Son of Ed
Chuck Norris Joined: June/18/2011 Location: TEXAS Status: Online Points: 122200 |
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I never "broke in" a barrel. I cleaned any grease out of it and shot it. I cleaned it when it needed it. I always shot a clearing shot after cleaning before settling down to shooting for real.
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Visit the Ed Show
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Bigdaddy0381
MODERATOR Georgia peach Joined: February/27/2007 Location: Georgia Status: Offline Points: 13682 |
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I have shot 3 cleaned/scrubbed... shot 3 more cleaned/scrubbed... repeated for 100 rounds.
I have cleaned and shot until it was nasty around 500ish rounds then cleaned. I have hand lapped the barrel then shot 3 cleaned/scrubbed then repeat till 100 rounds I have hand lapped and just shot until it was nasty and then cleaned. The truth, I really depends on how much time you have and what makes you feel better about your set up. Out of all the shooting I have done, nothing has made such an improvement in my grouping shots that I "just have too" do. basically the only time I will clean one of my rifles is when I'm at a hard core match and having to drag it thru the rain and mud.
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P&Z Firearms , Pro gun cleanings and gun repair and wood refinishing.
Ecclesiastes 10:2 |
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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I've gone through all those regimens as well... what it boils down to is your rifle will tell you when it needs cleaning... ARs are the most cleaning sensitive shooting sticks I've ever owned, also the dirtiest. I've pretty much gone back to cleaning them every time I shoot.
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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koshkin
MODERATOR Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13182 |
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On cleaning the gun overall: it is a good practice to wipe everything down after you are done shooting especially if you are in an environment that is particularly humid or very dry and sandy. You do not have to clean the bore all the time (unless you had a very long firing session), but generally wiping down the action and some internal and exposed metal is a good idea. When I say "wipe down", I am talking about the kids of things that take me about a minute to do.
Once in a while, a thorough cleaning is in order. Howe often depends on how much you shoot. Bore cleaning: barrel break-in regiment seems to be a bunch of huey, but it also will not make things worse. What it does do is help you determine for the future how often you should be cleaning that particular barrel. ILya |
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Son of Ed
Chuck Norris Joined: June/18/2011 Location: TEXAS Status: Online Points: 122200 |
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Of course, I always cleaned my rifles before them away for awhile. But I've had 22s that I didn't clean for years! Well, actually, I cleaned them just to handle them and make 'em sparkle, but today's 22 ammunition is so clean that you actually could leave it for years.
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Visit the Ed Show
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