I have found myself in the fortunate position of being able to use my 7x57 on a daily basis.
I usually fire at least 2 shots everyday at either a pest, or something and am not sure if I must clean it every day? Would a oil soaked patch through the barrel at night suffice and then maybe a thorough clean once a week? Any advice? Thanks

I read in an article written by a gun writer who never cleans his gun right after shooting that the fouling in the barrel "dries out" and cracks like dried mud. I don't know how long this takes. Sure-- I'd run a oiled patch through it. Couldn't hurt. Better yet, run an oiled boresnake through it several times...

Thanks Homebrewer. So I guess copper fouling wouldn't be the enemy at this stage and the nitro fouling would?

Well, fouling is fouling, be it copper or powder. Sooner or later, you will have to face the music and give your bore a thorough whuppin' with the cleaning rod and the Hoppe's No. 9. For the two pops you do a day, I'd let it go maybe 50-60 shots between cleanings. Maybe mark your calendar on the first of each month and clean on that day. I'd still give it a quick rip with the boresnkae every day to keep the fouling from getting too thick...

Exactly what I needed to know. Thanks

I wouldn't do anything to it on a daily basis except maybe run a dry brush followed by a dry patch thru the bore to knock ou any excess crud.
With my hunting rifles, I clean them good, oil the bore, fire a sample group to check zero, and then don't touch the bore until hunting season is over. (unless I maybe fall in the creek or something).
Sometimes this can amount to as much as more than three months with several shots thru the bore.

On a working gun like this, I actually don't clean my barrel until I start missing with it. That goes for 22's and centerfires. I do oil and wipe them down frequently but I try not to tamper with the bore when the gun is shooting properly.

Every Saturday--run 2 soaked patched of Butches Bore Shine through. followed by a dry patch better to let it soak for a few minutes. Then once a month clean it properly. That is what I do during hunting season except that I use a wet brush for a few strokes after the 2 wet patches.

Easy for me to put it in the cradle put the Lucas Bore Guide in and 4 minutes later I am done.

quote:

Originally posted by lal:
I usually fire at least 2 shots everyday at either a pest, or something and am not sure if I must clean it every day? ...

Hey lal, I clean mine when they get shot - that night. Then they are ready to go the next day, pristine clean with a Bore Cleaner and a Brush then a light lube-job(a Lubed patch followed by two dry ones).

I have no "Pits" and don't intend to get any.

Best of luck to you.

I'm with Hot Core. A good bore preservative I have found is 'Rapid-Tap' cutting fluid - used as Hot Core describes. I also use Hoppes No.9 which happens to smell better! But that I apply with a fibre brisle brush and leave. I then repeat but followed with dry patches when I take the gun out of storage. Can't say which is best but the 'Rapid-Tap' is quickest and requires no prepping before use. 'Rapid-Tap' seems to be as effective as penetrating oils but does seem to leave a protective film after drying - which it does after some time.