What's the verdict? I say shoot with a dry bore, otherwise the oil that is left in the bore with just help collect fowling. Yes, I do oil my bores after cleaning but I always run a patch of isopropyl alcohol (inert, and cheaper than nitro solvent) through the bore before heading to the range to remove oil. I know many believe that shooting with oil in the bore is the right way to do things. What's your routine?

dry bore

Wiped dry, no solvents.

Think of it this way. Do you run your auto engine without oil, metal against metal???

Oil the bore lightly.

Jest my personal opinion.

Pecos

Although I've tried numerous combinations, I usually leave a LIGHT coating of Hoppe's #9 in the bore after cleaning(BTW I don't think too much of #9 for cleaning), or, as often happens, if I'm using another bore cleaner, a light coating of a good oil. I dunno if it helps or hurts, but I know it helps if I go on to another rifle and leave that one sitting for a while as often happens.

Oil and wipe with dry patches.

Very light oil!! --Can't imagine 2 metals rubbing against each other and 55,000 psi without a trace of lube.

Driz-A-Bone.

I've seen odd fliers come off for the first two ro three shots from a very lightly oiled bore. I used to finish my rifle cleaning with a wet patch of Break Free, then dry patches until nothing came off. Still had odd fliers.

Now, I simply dry off the Hoppes or Shooters choice completely and store. I only lightly oil the bore if I know I won't be using the rifle for months. Then, I do clean it out with Hoppes and dry it out.

You guys that say oil. Do you carry an oil can with you in the field so that you can oil up before every shot. or do you have an oil pump mounted on your gun. You guys oil up and then waste 2 or 3 shots drying it out!

Becareful with those oily bores. Ever hear of hydraulics? I doesn't take much in the way of a liquid and the force of a projectile to push a perfectly good barrel out of whack. Oil the bore if you must between shooting sessions, but run a dry patch or pull a bore snake through it before you light it up.

Alcohol??? Alcohol is for drinkin'...

Malm

NOW I'm beginning to understand where all this copper fouling comes from that ya'll talk about.

The proper amount of light oil, if applied to a shot glass, won't spoil good whiskey......

BUT there should be *some*.

It's REALLY easy to see. Dry the outside of a barrel and hit it hard a glancing blow with a brass or copper bar. Now do it with a trace of oil on the metal. It's plain to see that a dry bore is a BAD idea.

BTW-- The Boresnake with a half dozen drops of ATF on the tail is near enough to the perfect way to properly oil a bore.

I realize it's impossible to measure, but how much oil is left in the bore after a shot or two? Is the benefit gone?

My two cents:

After wiping the barrel clean for shooting there is still some oil left.I need two or three fouling shots until the groups are what they are supposed to be.Then it stays consistent for quite a long time and I quarantee there is no oil.

If I go hunting I foul the barrel that way before going. The first and possibly only shot has it�s own will unless the rifle has been shot a couple of times before it.

Funny that we have so many different views.

Oil for storage.
Before shooting patch until the patches look clean and dry. At that point you have JBelk's "shot glass coating" left in the barrel. You won't remove all the oil with patches, it takes (non-petroleum) de-greasing solvents (isopropial is one) to get all the oil out of the metal.

Final stroke: One oily patch thru the bore followed by two dry patches.Yes, it may take a couple of shots to settle down but the first shot is still a "killing" shot as far as hunting is concerned.

Maybe I misunderstood the question, but let me add, if I am going to be doing any kind of serious hunting with a rifle, I shoot at game out of a fouled bore, usually 3 shots, which checks my zero. But for storage or general use, I lightly oil the bore after cleaning.

Always a dry bore.

You should oil your bore when not in use & run at least 2 dry patches through it before using it,that should remove all but a very fine coating of oil down the bore.

Leaving more than that can cause significant damage to the bore,the fact is that any liquid in the bore as the bullet moves down it will build up before the bullet & if the bullet passes over it the liquid could be forced into the metal(as a liquid cannot be compressed)causing damage,i've seen this form blister like bubbles on the outside of the barrel,rendering it useless.

As to worrying about friction caused by the bullet & a dry bore well the bullet is made of copper & lead with some other additions,both of these metals are much softer than the steel in your bore & both are used to lubricate other harder metals(why do you think lead used to be put in fuel?)!!

Most of the damage or wear & tear to the bore is caused by the hot gasses from the burning powder not the bullet passing down it so in actual fact a wet bore could cause damage & be of no value in saving the life of your bore.

So oil your bore while not in use but clean it out before shooting it.

Lightly Kroiled, then wiped "dry" Little lube isn't a bad thing in this case. Accuracy has always been uneffected in quality bores.

I shoot mine dry.

If you want to shoot slightly oiled bore, why oil the bore? after 1 shot oil's all blown out, maybe lubing the bullets is more practical. Just saying that, I don't do it or endorse it.