Mr. Longbeard

My rifle will not shoot much better than 1.5 with cleaning between shots. But if I dont clean between shots it will shoot .75-1.0... Has anyone else ever had a gun that shot better with a fouled barrel???

Roskoe

Usually this is a sign of a barrel with some pitting or roughness. The copper fills in the low spots in the bore and it shoots better when it is fouled. Those electronic bore cleaners are notorious for causing older, but servicable, barrels to suddenly shoot really poor. After a couple dozen rounds, they return to shooting like they did before.

bigcountry

Almost all barrels shoot more consistent with fouled barrel. With a spanking clean barrel, you always have some of your cleaner left in it. Also all barrels especially factory barrels usually have some gauges or pits. The fouling will make your shot to shot much more consistently.

Briman

Yup. Have a remington 700 that really tightens up after about 10 rounds are put down the pipe. The barrel is pitted. I don't bother cleaning it thoroughly anymore other than running a solvent wet bore snake through it to remove most of the powder residue.

Roskoe

You might re-consider that cleaning policy. If you leave the barrel with copper fouling in it for long periods of time, there is a chemical reaction that occurs between the copper and the steel. Eventually, it will cause really severe pitting. I would much rather clean the barrel down to bare metal at the end of each shooting season -keep a good preservative in the bore during the winter, spring and summer; and then shoot it enough tofoul it before hunting season. That will at least keep the roughness in the barrel from getting any worse over time.

bigcountry

Actually Roskoe, I have heard its the byproducts in the carbon buildup between the layers of copper. So in a rifle where the carbon hardens to a rock and has a hard layer of copper over it, thats where you can end up with problems. At least I have seen it happen.

Roskoe

That very well could be how it works. I always understood that the same forces that turn the copper fouling green in a barrel after it has been left in there for years are the same forces that pit the crap out the steel underneath the copper. At any rate, we seem to be in agreement that it is a bad long term policy . . . .

bigcountry

Absolutely. I seen the damage on a springfield 1911. The guy said he never cleaned it really and shot like 1200 rounds thru it over a year or so period. And when he did clean it it was full of pits. That was the first time I heard of this. But I seen it.

skeeter 7MM

I would agree it has to due with the barrel condition. I have seen them go both ways, shooting off till lightly fouledor shooting the same clean or fouled.

I agree, personallythinking more can go wrong by leaving them uncleaned then cleaning. So I would suggest clean it and shoot it. When it is hunting season shoot what is required to acheive the groups desired and then go hunting. After season strip it down and start over.For me while I love to go to the range and bang out good groups, if it takes a few "spoilers" who really cares. I am just trying to find what works best for the fall for each firearm.

BC hits onsomething IMO is important, the need to make sure your bore is free of solvents and oils before firing. As far as solvents are required leaving them in a bore for extended period can cause damage as it will attack the steel, therefor it makes it important to "neutralize" the solvent prior to putting away the firearm.Since most use a light oil to protect the bore in storage, it is important to remove any excess oil to ensure pressure isn't excessive.

crimedog

Benchrest shooters foul their bore prior to match, why? Because consitancy, the first and only the first round will be fired on a clean barrel and the rest will be fired on a fouled barrel. I expect no one really cleans their bore to absolutly clean condition after shooting one round at one deer, although they may wipe the gun with oil, and I hope they do it with scent free gun oil, yes they do make it.