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We are getting closer to going on our Pdog hunt, and a friend asked me a great question. How often do you clean your rifle in the field? At the range, it is usually every 20-30 shots. Since I am bringing about 1000 rds along, that will be a lot of Wipe Out! After those 20 shots, I don't get any copper fouling with either rifle. Should I shoot till accuarcy declines or just keep my regular cleaning schedule (which would let the barrels cool off some)? | ||
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NEJack, Shoot until accuracy falls off. Then clean with a bore snake if you can. This process has got me through the day with no problems. I do a more thorough job in the evening when I usually have more time. Each bore gets a thorough cleaning each day and the rest of the time I use the bore snake to keep it going. I have also cleaned while at the bench, although not at 20 to 30 rounds. It gives you a chance to rest the eyes, etc. Most of our rifles are going 60 to 100 rounds before accuracy falls off, but I have pushed my 22-250 custom to 120 rounds without seeing any serious problems. Good luck on your trip. Jim Please be an ethical PD hunter, always practice shoot and release!! Praying for all the brave souls standing in harms way. | |||
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NeJack: Back when I could only afford a couple of Varmint Rifles (1970's) I would clean them every 40 - 50 shots (222's, 223's and 22-250's). For the last several decades I have been shooting about the same number of shots but instead of stopping and cleaning I now simply switch Rifles - putting the dirty barrels away for the after sundown or after lunch cleaning sessions when I will clean 6 or 8 Rifles at once. I think the more important issue that PD Hunters should be concerned about is not letting your barrels get hot and keep shooting them! I know you will be tempted to keep shooting them even when hot but don't!. Hot barrels wear out significantly faster than cool barrels (comparing same number of shots down the tube!). I am sure of the validity of this generalization. If your barrel gets hotter than warm set it in the shade with the action open and the action opening facing the wind. Have the muzzle pointed to the sky so the chimney effect can help out with the flow of air up the barrel thus cooling the barrel quicker. Shoot slow and be conscious of the barrel temps! I don't think I have damaged any barrels by running them 50 - 60 shots without cleaning as long as the barrel temperatures were not excessive. If you notice unexplained misses piling up after 30 or 40 shots then maybe you should stop and use your foam! Try to keep the dust and grit of the prairies from adding up in the bolt lug area as well. I have a special bolt lug cleaning tool that I use for this area. You would be surprised how much dusty, gritty, fine sand can accumulate here. Have fun, keep em cool and shoot til you notice erratic bullet POI's (unexplained misses) then clean. Hold into the wind VarmintGuy | |||
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NEJack Depends a little on which rifle I'm shooting. On my .223 I clean it about every 35 to 40. On the 6MM and the 22-250 about every 20 to 30 rounds. Never hurts to stop and clean and let the guns cool down a little. | |||
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I agree with VarmintGuy about the heat issue.I recommend these http://www.omega.com/ppt/pptsc.asp?ref=RLC-50 .You'll need the 30-60C models(86-140F).I've used them and they work good.At $12/10 they're cheap as hell too. | |||
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I'm going to agree with varmintguy on all counts. Last weekend I was cleaning every 40 rounds, and once at 20 just because the barrel was hot and needed to cool anyway. What I do in the field is scrub with a bronze bore brush and shooters choice, one pass for each shot then patch it dry. This doesn't take long and experience has revealed I can shoot hundreds of shot this way without losing accuracy. I use the wipe-out at night when there is time to let it soak. | |||
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A lot depends on the gun I have a 243 that is super accurate until about round 40 then things go south. I clean that one at 35 rounds. I have 223s that I have shot hundreds of rounds down range with out any change. I clean them at the end of the day. varmint guy is right about keeping the dust and other grit out. It seems to get every where when it is hot and dusty in a dog town. | |||
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Depends on the caliber. 17s need to be cleaned often. Have shot 223s for three days without cleaning. Upon return home, shoot them for groups and find can still shoot a prairie dog worthy group at 200 yards. Generally, use Wipe Out whenever we take a break or move location. My partner S. Gray doesn't like to clean his rifle often because he says the solvents effect the meat. Hammer | |||
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Thanks everyone! We are bringing cameras, so the plan is that one guy will be taking pictures while the rest are shooting. I have two rifles, a Rock River AR style varmint rifle and a Savage 12FV. Both in .223. My plan is that I will shoot enough to heat up one barrel, set that one aside, do the same for the other, and then start taking pictures. The other three guys I am going with all have single shot H&R's (one 25-06, one .223, and one 22-250), so they won't heat up quite as fast. Heading out on Mermorial Day weekend! Hopefully the dogs will be up in Western Nebraska. One of my buddies says he has seen quite a few, but not sure what that means in real terms. | |||
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What would you suggest for a semi auto like a RRA AR? I hadn't thought about dust getting into the action, and that will probably be an issue. Should I try to find a dry style lubricant? | |||
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I shoot 5 rounds and switch rifles and then clean when I get to 50 rounds. | |||
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First, trade rifles/shooters often. This will help both your guns and your shooters. Low capacity cases like .223's usually don't exhibit significant loss of accuracy (depending on the particular barrel and load) for a hundred or more rounds. As others have noted, you may not have to clean them all day. Larger capcity cases like .220 Swift or .243 may need attention sooner. Lunch is a good time to run a couple of patches through those guns that need it. | |||
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Usually in the spring/early summer there is enough grass or moisture and you don’t have a problem with dust and grit. Hopefully that will be the case on your trip. But it helps to keep your rifles up off the prairie. The most dust/grit gets in them when they are laying on the prairie on open gun cases. We close them up in cases or put them in the truck if the wind is kicking up dust. My AR goes with me when we are on the ATVs, 4 wheeling into towns that are otherwise inaccessible, and can see some pretty dusty conditions. I keep the dust cover closed and have not had any problems. We also keep a “community can†of WD-40 or similar liquid available in the back of the truck in easy reach. Jim Please be an ethical PD hunter, always practice shoot and release!! Praying for all the brave souls standing in harms way. | |||
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pdhntr1 I like that avatar. I think I saw that dog doing that same trick last weekend!  | |||
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NEJack: My old and good friend Irv Benzion always took along a tall can of compressed air on our Prairie Dog and Rock Chuck Safaris to aid in the function of his AR's. With the long tube attached at the cans nozzle he could "blow" out his action and lugs with the compressed air. He did this a couple times a day and at cleaning times as well. I have NEVER owned an AR! I am simply to cheap and to worried about "my brass" flying out on the ground and being lost - and such as that. I have shot next to dozens of AR types in Ground Squirrel, Prairie Dog, Rock Chuck and Coyote Hunting situations. And I know they are an effective, fun and accurate Varminting tool. I just am to cheap to buy one and know I would get carried away slamming and banging afield with one of them. So I am not the "word" on their care and upkeep afield at all. Best of luck with your AR's as well on this upcoming venture. Hold into the wind VarmintGuy | |||
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I will bring a can of CO2 for blowing out any dust. Good idea! As to the brass throwers, if you think an AR is bad my old Mini 14 would fling the dang brass at least 15 yards! I bought a small bag that attaches over the port to catch the brass. Since I have done that, no more problems finding spent cartriges. The Rock River varmint AR keeps surprising me. I can't believe how accurate that ugly black gun shoots. While I generally shoot my bolt guns more, it is a very nice addition to the gun closet. Of course my wife hates it, but that is more due to the timing of buying it (9 months before the wedding) than it being a scary assault rifle. Not that you could "assault" much with a 24" bull barrel. | |||
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You most certainly can. When you run out of ammo you can beat them with it!. I clean mine when accuracy starts to fall off, or a couple rounds before the magic number. Bore snakes do work very well and are portable, but are no substitute for a really good brush/patch/solvent cleaning. | |||
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never - i clean that night, but I usually have 12-15 rifles and just keep switching when the barrel gets to hot | |||
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I try to stop around 25 rounds, and some less aggressive calibers go to 50. I do not use moly, and value my Hart Barrels.  Member NRA, SCI- Life #358 28+ years now! DRSS, double owner-shooter since 1983, O/U .30-06 Browning Continental set. | |||
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I think everyone has pretty much covered the basis... I normally set up with 3 rifles... 2 in 223, and one for the long stuff in 22.250... I switch back and forth between the 223s about every 15 shots... I set up 15 rounds on a load block that is actually the bottom plastic holder for factory 9mm rounds, that I pick up out of the trash can by the hundreds...they are handy as hell...and ya can't beat the price... About every 50 rounds each rifle gets a bore snake ran thru it... If the shooting is that hot and heavy, I pull out the 10/22 or the CZ 452 and let the 223s cool off a little.. but setting up with 3 rifles, that is seldom a problem, especially when I am shooting Blue Dot loads, which take much longer to heat up the barrel since you are only burning half as much powder as a lot of other loads... Good luck on your trip.. cheers seafire  | |||
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I am a big fan of Bore Snakes use it in the feild ever 50-100 rounds just depends on how many animals are around but the 233 accuracy good for 200 before lossing MOA | |||
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I think one can shoot 100,000 rounds of 22 rimfire lead bullets at 1,200 fps and never clean the bore. With moly coated 60 gr bullets and 13 gr Blue Dot, at 2,500 fps, and after 200 rounds, the cleaning patch looks like only one round was fired. But start shooting 17 Rem un coated bullets at 4,000 fps, and you will need some Copper solvent. | |||
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Thanks for all the advice! Just a little less than two weeks to go till the trip. Got my ammo all boxed up, cleaning supplies all packed, and I am trying to figure out if I forgot anything. I only have to check my zero's one more time at the range, and then load up the truck for western Nebraska! Hopefully the weather will be good. | |||
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Glockmeister mentioned some temperature guages to put on the barrel. Good idea, however what would be the upper temp. level? Is there some other way to tell, like..... the barrel is too hot to hold....or..... too hot for the back of the hand. What do you guys do to judge if the barrel is getting too hot? | |||
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good question P. steve. I always quit when it gest about as hot as a coffee cup. I also would like to know what others think. | |||
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Bought a set of ten and tried them out on the range Saturday. The strips work very well! Didn't heat the barrels up to the 140F mark, but it was nice to see just how hot the barrel was. Just five more days till we take off for western Nebraska, I can hardly wait! | |||
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Hey,glad to hear it.If I remember correctly,as long as you keep it below 120 you'll be OK. | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting Varmint Hunting How often do you clean your varmint rifle in the field?
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