Good question Paul
I ran across a forum where it was stated than no discipline (including benchrest) would see any amount of accuracy decline up to 500 rounds without cleaning.
I've had 3-4 br rigs and it never even crossed my mind to disregard taking care of cleaning duties. I'm guessing 50-60 may the absolute max I ever went and that was with moly.
Would any of you care to chime in on your thoughts or tests and share how many rounds you have gone before the groups truly opened up due to a fouled br tube??
Just curious.
pf
Paul, you zeroed in on one of my pet subjects; cleaning!
When I first began shooting benchrest in 1988, I was led to believe that if I didn't clean my barrel after seven to ten rounds, it would self destruct and I would be guilty of an unpardonable sin.
Now I know that's nonsense.
Another myth that I bought, hook, line, and sinker was barrel break-in.
In my opinion (gotta' remember to say that
) both practices are a waste of time. I make sure the barrel is clean before fireforming fifteen or twenty new cases; clean thoroughly and start tuning.
How often do I clean? I start a five match agg with a clean barrel and do not clean until that agg is finished.
How do I know this works? I have a fiberoptic borescope that has taught me a lot about barrel life, and cleaning.
Among the cleaning products I use are;
T.K. Nolan rod guide.
Hard, polished, bare stainless steel rods made by Neil Jones and Bill Meyers. I also use Dewey coated rods at times, but prefer the uncoated, polished rods.
Sweets 7.62
Shooter's Choice and Butch's. I use these two interchangeably.
Bronze bore brushes.
J-B bore compound and IOSSO.
Shooter's Choice Black Powder Gell. I use this to thicken an 8 ounce bottle of Shooter's Choice or Butch's so it will cling to the bore while brushing, making twenty round trips with the brush using plenty of bore cleaner. I push the brush all the way out the muzzle and drag it back across the crown twenty times and I have never seen any damage to my sharp crowns. Keep the rod straight, exercise common sense and a reasonable amount of care and you will not damage your barrel.
I don't use any kind of oil, graphite or other slickem before the first shot. I also do not use moly or other bullet coatings.
Last and in my opinion, most important of all, I use a plastic two liter soft drink bottle over the muzzle to catch the brush spray, patches and other goop. Keeps the area clean and besides; you shouldn't be breathing that brush spray.
FWIW
Gene Beggs