Guys/Gals,

How often do you clean the barrel of your rifles? I mean the centerfire not the .22LR's.

recently I have been having a mare with trying to get my 308 to group well. and I'm down to 3 possibilities.

1) I only cleaned it once when it came out of the box. Nothing since the last 50-70 shots, solution: Clean the rifle

2) The ammo I am shooting is at Fault. Solution: I need to try new ammo.

3) I'm a Cr@p shot.... Solution: Take up golf, at least I get a 28 point head start!!

I cleaned the rifle last night and will do so again tonight with Forrest Foam.

Pete E is cominng down for the weekend to do some stalking, and we'll use his portable zeroing bench to see what's what. Hopefully we can get to the bottom of this.

Is it possible I developed a flinch in the close season?

I've never shot this rifle as well as I would like on paper but am yet to have any problems on game.

FB

FB

What ammo and bullet type are you using and what is your calibre.

I have been trying Barnes TSX in .270 and for the first time ever with Barnes bullet have seen real accuracy potential but onlt if I clean every 20 rounds or so. These all copper bullets tend to tear off on the passage to the muzzle and to leave a visible orange coating aside of the lands, solution is some judicious use of CR10 (high ammonia base) and even some Motty paste or JB, but a rifle so cleaned usually sees accuracy restored.

I have not found such a necessity to clean as often with other brands of bullets using the gilding metal clad bullets or even the older gilding metal coated steel jacketed Norma softs previously used in the .270.

Certain calibres are notorious for fouling and seem to require cleaning on a reasonably =frequent basis yet you may well speak to some interpid nimrods who will proudly boast that they have never put a rod down the barrel during their ? years of ownership.

Simply if regular cleaning restores the accuracy to your own rifle then stick with such a regime, often this amounts to no more than 10 minutes work every 200 -30 shots

JT

Jonathan,

It is a Sauer 202 in 308 win, and I have been shootinng 150gr Super hammerhead, and 165gr Barnes-X.

have been trying to get hold of TSX's but it has proved impossible, or at leas it is before I go away, (Hence me panicking).

I have access to some Hornaday (Interbond's???) And also some Failsafe. Not sure if I can get some nosler partitions.

FB

FB,

I think the first thing you need to do is give the bore a good clean including using a copper solvent such as butches bore shine..maybe even better, get in contact with Griff and order some Wipeout from him...

Generally, I like to do my load development and grouping ect from a resonably clean bore...I give the rifle a good clean before starting the range session and then shoot 2 fouling shots and say 2 or 3 groups of 3...I will then clean again and repeat with different loads...This means each load/group is shot with similarly fouled barrel.

Although all rifles are different, it is usual in most normal sporting rifles to see the accuracy fall off as the fouling builds up and this is supposedly more noticeable when shooting Barnes..My Sako shoots best inbetween shots 2 and say 12 and after that I notice the accuracy going a bit...yours will might well be different, but the trick is learning where that "window" is..

I also clean after I have been stalking ect but that is often just a few dry patches to get the worst of the fouling off and ensure the bore is dry...If i don't use solvent or oil, I know that I have no need of a fouling shot before the next stalking session...

I am not saying this approach is "textbook correct" but just what works for me and my rifle...God knows the bore is pitted enough to suggest I should have looked after it better in its early days, but it will still group under 1" if I do my stuff and If the truth be known, I think I am the biggest limiting factor as far as accuracy goes!

Regards,

Pete

FB,

With regards your mention of Hornady Interbonds, I know JJ hack speaks very highly of those in his 30-06. He and his clients have used them extensively in both North America and RSA and that seems to be his bullet of choice in that particular rifle...

Just don 't make the same mistake as me and buy Hornady Interlock bullets instead as these are not a premium bonded design...

Regards,

Pete

quote:

Originally posted by Fallow Buck:
Jonathan,

It is a Sauer 202 in 308 win, and I have been shootinng 150gr Super hammerhead, and 165gr Barnes-X.

have been trying to get hold of TSX's but it has proved impossible, or at leas it is before I go away, (Hence me panicking).

I have access to some Hornaday (Interbond's???) And also some Failsafe. Not sure if I can get some nosler partitions.

FB

This rifle is a real tack-driver, but shooting Barnes X bullets require more cleaning than most other bullets. Get a can of Wipeout or Forrest Bore Foam and use this stuff afer each time you have been at the range, barnes X or not.

FB

The Barnes TSX do seem a great improvement over the normal X bullets, both in terms of fouling and equally importantly with accuracy.

My tests to date with that bullet do show a distinct preference to clean say every 20 rounds to keep groups tight.

The hammerheads usually shoot well, I use the normal hammerhead in my .270 and have got accuracy equal to my best hand -loads, even down to 3/8" groups at 100 yards.

I have had less luck with the interbonds due to the long ogive, my own rifles display a preference for a more bluff shape like the hammerheads, this in practice places the bullet nearer to the lands. (No luck either with Swift Scirrocos for same reasons)

I have managed to get the TSX to shoot only by seating it close to the lands, backed off by .030", this does make for a very long overall length, which may ultimately be restricted by the length of the box on your Sauer.

Have you checked out a change in the bedding due to movement of the forend woodwork, wood constantly moves and with extreme changes in the climate such as we have seen this summer, it could be possible that the bedding pressures or clearance around the barrel channel have altered which in turn could account for the fall off in accuracy.

JT

G'day All. FB, I think most of the posts have covered what you might try, in order to solve your problem. My own sauer 202 ( 270 win )fouls badly with Barnes X, requiring a thorough clean every 10 - 12 rounds to maintain peak accuracy.
It might be that your problem will resolve with a change in projectile, or perhaps try the coated projectiles Barnes sells?
I switched to moly-coated noslers and problem solved.
It might be worth a try, anyhow I hope that one of these posts will help you!

Cheers, Dave.

When you use the Forest foam how long do you leave it in and how do you position your rifle with the foam in?

Important thing about the foam is the position of youre rifle!
Must have it muzzle to the ground up to a wall(just remember to put a piece of cloth under the muzzle as to not damage the crown)othewise the foam will settle in the lowest part of the bore and not work on the rest of the bore!!

This can do horror to accuracy!

Regards

FB
To truely test the accuracy of your 308 rifle try some Federal factory 168 grain Match.
This is the most consistantly accurate 308 ammo I have ever used. If it does not shoot good with load you might need to have it checked out.


I do not recommend this bullet for hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by sako:
When you use the Forest foam how long do you leave it in and how do you position your rifle with the foam in?

Important thing about the foam is the position of youre rifle!
Must have it muzzle to the ground up to a wall(just remember to put a piece of cloth under the muzzle as to not damage the crown)othewise the foam will settle in the lowest part of the bore and not work on the rest of the bore!!

This can do horror to accuracy!

Regards

I have never tried this, but if you are happy it probably does work!
I have the rifle in my cleaning-vice with just the slightest drop of the muzzle so that the melted foam will pour out of the muzzle after abt.3 hours. This have always worked very well, at least 4 times a week the last 4 years.

I'm back on the bench tonight to try the X's again and I'll give the barrel another clean with the barrels down rather than flat on the worktop!!!

Talk about cutting it fine.....

11 days to go!!

FB