.17 HMR - How often and what is the best way to clean the barrel

[ronaldmoiles]

Just got the gun, have shot maybe 300 rounds benchrest shooting. I am used to not cleaning my .22 until the end of the season but I have heard that with the .17 HMR I should be cleaning it more often. So far not cleaning it has not affected the accuracy. What is the recommended cleaning protocol for best accuracy and maintaining barrel life?

 

[abintx]

rm ...

Just got the gun, have shot maybe 300 rounds benchrest shooting. I am used to not cleaning my .22 until the end of the season but I have heard that with the .17 HMR I should be cleaning it more often. So far not cleaning it has not affected the accuracy. What is the recommended cleaning protocol for best accuracy and maintaining barrel life?

My Anschutz 17HMR fouled so much that I got tired of it and sold it. Butch of Butch's Bore Shine told me it's like trying to put 10 pounds of rice into a 5 pound sack. That barrel is SMALL! Clean and clean often. After every time you shoot. Here's a great method for break-in and routine cleaning by Speedy Gonzalez: http://benchrest.netfirms.com/Barrel Break-In.htm. Butch's Bore Shine makes it easier. Use IOSSO or JB Bore Cleaning Compound religiously. Good luck.

 

[Stonewall]

Try here:


http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/


Glenn

 

[dickw22]

I bought a 17 HMR recently. Like you I was used to cleaning .22 LR's which is extremely easy. However, I decided that a .17 HMR has a copper jacketed bullet and that I better clean it exactly like I do my centerfire rifles. I did so and, so far, it has worked fine.

Dick Wright

 

[mojo2138]

Cleaning 17 cal. barrels

The 17 Hmr. is sure fun to shoot. Plastic pop bottles get filled up with water and get blown up with that tiny grenade launcher around her with great regularity.... they will still explode with a good hit at 150 yds, Almost as much fun as a 17 Javelena or a 17 Fireball.

The thing that they all have in common is that there is not a lot of room in that small tube for deep lands and grooves. Slug one and you will find that the lands are only a few thou. tall. This means that fouling will bulid up to a level which degrades accuracy quicker than a larger bore. I do not see that as a problem, but rather just one part of keeping it shooting at it's best. Get in a groundhog field and shoot several rounds and at some point you will see the accuracy disappear. Keep after the bore with a good solvent and brush before, say 50 rounds and you should be ok. Each rifle is a story to it's own self and it will tell you how long it will tolerate your load or ammunition.

 

[SShooterZ]

After 300 rounds I would definitely look to clean it soon.

I've always used a trimmer line with a slotted flat end and pull it through with some solvent patches, then a clean patch or two, then an oiled patch and then one more clean patch.

Has worked well on my CZ 453 and both Ruger 77/17s.

Fun round to shoot with for sure. Took my 453 with my to SD a few weeks ago and it was murder on PDs under 125yds.