How To Clean A Long Range Rifle

How to clean a hunting rifle bore
All photo credits: Brady Miller

I'yard a firm believer in cleaning your rifle throughout the season. Below are some steps that I've been using for a long time that my father taught me along with some modifications that I've learned from others. I've said it before, simply everything I've learned in long-range shooting has been from my dad. He's a wealth of knowledge when information technology comes to rifles. Over the years, some of the cleaning solvents that I employ have changed, just the general process is still the same for cleaning my hunting rifles. Now, before I get started, there are a plethora of ways to clean your hunting rifle barrel and lots of different brushes, mops, jags, etc that all piece of work smashing. This is a method that has worked very well for me.

A semi-deep clean is probably the best way to describe this process and it is my preferred way to get a rifle shooting where information technology's supposed to subsequently all the target practise to dial in my loads and dope chart. The process beneath was done on a Browning 10-Bolt Hell's Canyon Speed burglarize in .300 Win Mag.

Tools needed:

Tools and solvents needed for cleaning gun rifle bore

Cleaning bench
Cleaning rod (carbon cobweb or nylon)
- I prefer one piece cleaning rods
Nylon brush (correct size)
- Nylon isn't as harsh as other materials
Jag (right size)
- I really like stainless steel so you don't become a false copper reading. For the article, I couldn't discover my stainless jag in my cleaning kit for some reason, and so I used a contumely version.
Patches
- Ensure they are the right size for the rifle caliber.
Bore guide

Cleaning solvents needed:

Rifle bore cleaning solvents

Carbon remover
Copper fouling remover
Gun oil

Notes on cleaning solvents: At that place are plenty of different options out there. My family and I have used Hoppes, Gunslick, KG, Montana Extreme, Wipe Out, Shooter's Choice, and Sweets throughout the years.

Step 1 - bore guide

Placing gun rifle bore guide

Identify your gun in a cleaning bench or extend your bipod if you don't accept a bench tool. Notation: Always make clean your gun with a comprehend over your scope. You don't want the solvents or brush to accidentally get on your lens.

Gun rifle bore guide for cleaning

Remove the commodities and identify the bore guide into the burglarize. I like to utilise bore guides that have an O-ring to prevent the cleaning material from entering back into the action.

Footstep 2 - Removing some carbon

Placing rifle bore cleaning patch on jag

Take a cleaning rod and adhere the jag.

Carbon fiber and nylon rifle bore cleaning rods

I prefer J Dewey nylon-coated and/or Tipton carbon cobweb one piece cleaning rods.

Applying carbon remover to rifle bore cleaning patch

Side by side, have a cleaning patch, attach it to the jag and identify a few drops of carbon remover on the patch. Run the cleaning rod with the patch through the bore, discard the patch and echo the process a few times until make clean. This process too shows some of the carbon fouling.

Dirty rifle cleaning patch

This process is dandy for removing a large corporeality of gunk from the barrel. Y'all'll instantly observe that the kickoff few patches are pretty muddy.

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Annotation: When running the cleaning rod or castor down the bore, just let the tip poke out from the end of the muzzle. This is just an actress precaution to protect the crown of the butt (nevertheless of import if you have a cage brake removed).

Step 3 - Removing copper

Nylon rifle bore cleaning brush

This stride is where you'll piece of work on the carbon fouling. Attach the nylon brush to the rod and run it through the rifle bore (but don't pull it dorsum through).

Removing copper fouling in hunting rifle bore

One time through the diameter, you will utilize some drops of copper remover solvent to the brush. Yous could add the drops of solvent in the hole in your bore guide if you prefer. I definitely do it both ways depending on the atmospheric condition. Sometimes applying information technology to the bore end prevents the solvent from leaking onto your burglarize stock and possibly discoloring it or impacting the laminate.

Now is when y'all will brush the bore like you're giving your teeth a hard brushing. So, roughly you'll want to run the brush through the bore 25 to 50 plus times.

Getting ready to run dry patch through rifle bore

Adjacent, attach your jag and run a dry patch through the bore several times and check the finish of the barrel to run into if y'all've removed all of the copper fouling.

Dry patch showing signs of copper in rifle bore
For demonstration purposes, I pushed the cleaning rod a trivial further through the butt past the crown than I unremarkably would.

If yous yet come across copper fouling, so repeat the above steps a few times until information technology's all removed.

Hunting rifle showing copper streaks

Usually the copper streaks will await like brownish tinted streaks.

Step four - Removing carbon

This process is very like to the previous footstep except, this fourth dimension, you're going to exist removing carbon in the barrel.

Placing carbon remover solvent on rifle bore brush

Take the nylon castor and push information technology through the bore. Once the brush is exposed, apply a few drops of your carbon remover solvent of selection. Then it's time to brush your teeth (burglarize bore) another 25 to 50 plus times.

Rifle dry patch look after applying carbon remover solvent

After that, again, run a few dry patches through the barrel and check the barrel for a clean await.

If y'all don't have a clean finish, repeat the process a few more times.

Step 5 - Gun oil

Applying gun oil to rifle bore cleaning patch

Have your cleaning rod and adhere the jag and so identify a patch on it. Next, use a few drops of gun oil and run it back and along through the bore a few times. After this, have a dry out patch and run it through the diameter to remove any backlog gun oil.

End results after cleaning hunting rifle bore
End results afterward cleaning hunting rifle bore.

Step 6 - Foul shot in the field

Taking a foul shot after cleaning rifle bore

I've had a few different rifles that seemed to respond differently after a cleaned barrel. Some rifles shoot great from a super cleaned bore, merely others may not—all rifles are different. To be prophylactic, I have a freshly cleaned gun dorsum out in the field and accept a foul shot to "settle a butt downward" so to speak. There's definitely a lot of reading that can be washed on foul shots and bore mapping.

In determination

Later you've completed all of these steps, your burglarize is at present ready for your next hunt!

Spilled cleaning solvent in bag

Ending thought: Proceed in heed to always properly store your rifle cleaning solvents. This is what happens when you forget to screw the cap all the manner downward after some range do.

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