Barrel prep

[Tim N]

Hi All
Just wondering what procedure you go through prior taking the first shot off a clean barrel?
One of our leading gunsmiths recommended a light patch of sweets gun oil followed by a clean patch so the first shot isn’t on a squeaky clean barrel.
That’s the procedure I have followed for a lot of years- does it work? Seems to.
What’s your method?

[DannyS]

Sounds good to me.

[ben_g]

I used to run a patch with ballistol and then two dry patches and shoot. However I seemed to have wandering elevation for at least 4 shots.

For the last two years I have been patching clean with Shellite then patching it completely dry, I get a predictably low first sighter and the second sighter is right into the group. At 1000yards first sighter is low, second still a little low and then into the group.

I have been told shooting over a completely dry barrel is bad for fouling, but I have been doing this in 5 different barrels and fouling appears to be specific to the barrel and how worn it is, not my pre shooting procedure so I will be sticking to it.

[Tim L]

I used to run a patch with ballistol and then two dry patches and shoot. However I seemed to have wandering elevation for at least 4 shots.

For the last two years I have been patching clean with Shellite then patching it completely dry, I get a predictably low first sighter and the second sighter is right into the group. At 1000yards first sighter is low, second still a little low and then into the group.

I have been told shooting over a completely dry barrel is bad for fouling, but I have been doing this in 5 different barrels and fouling appears to be specific to the barrel and how worn it is, not my pre shooting procedure so I will be sticking to it.

I do the shellite thing to. I used to use metho or carby cleaner but found shellite always seems to pull out a bit more. I figure it must just release gunk that other solvents don't.

[jasmay]

I clean it, borescope to make sure there is no junk, when I’m happy I final patch with something petrochem based so I’m not leaving residue, dry patch and shoot. 1 & clean and so on.

Has worked well for the last many years over many many barrels.

[bruce moulds]

each barrel is an individual, some requiring an oil prep and others the opposite of oil.
acetone is excellent at getting oil out if you want to.
lighter fluid less so. try the lot.
bruce.

[jasmay]

Sorry, I mis-read, is thought you meant a new barrel, ignore my statement.

[wsftr]

my 6mm that worked fine
.308 and heavies nah - I had bad vert. My .308 I always patch out before shooting.

[Steve N]

Same as you but I use Ballistol.

[GeneV]

in my practice (for 308win), after cleaning 1 patch of ultra fine dry graphite lubricant is fine for vertical of 1st shot at 1000yds.

[lonerider43]

i seldom clean the barrel,but its over 2000 rounds.
maybe after 4 or 500 rnds it'll get a clean.
the dirtier it gets the more accurate it shoots.
over cleaning costs money,wastes time and buggers barrels.

[Redhawk]

LoL, I lobe this thread