Magnum rifles, need cleaning more often..?

[Faststeel]

Lads
I am the proud owner of my first ever magnum rifle, a sweet shooting Steyr Pro hunter.
in 7mm mag.Just wondering if a magnum should have the barrel cleaned more often than non magnum caliber, thanks
FS

[NinjaHunter]

IMHO. No.

Only clean a rifle if its accuracy is starting to drop. Even then don't go to crazy.

Here's a cleaning procedure I use as a guide for cleaning the barrel(Not mine, found from trex's long range shooting videos)

Long Range Precision Rifle Minimal Disturbance Cleaning Regime

'Clean as Needed' -- Basic Premises
a) Immediately after use in corrosive environments or exposure to water
b) After exposure to grit, dust or sand.
c) When rifle becomes excessively fouled with powder or copper (perform inspection) -- when accuracy begins to deteriorate or significant MVV is encountered

Round count between cleanings may vary dramatically based on use and environmental conditions.
- moisture
- blowing dust and grit
- general use of rifle, load dynamics and rate of fire

Cleaning STEPS:

1. Insert Bore guide into action
2. Attach a copper brush to your one piece coated cleaning rod
3. Soak brush in Powder solvent (Hoppe's No9)
4. Gently and carefully scrub bore from break using bore guide with 10 passes (NOTE: If brush exits muzzle, take care when pulling brush back through the crown that damage does not occur). Allow solvent to sit in bore while you move on to next steps. Be careful not to let solvent leak into the trigger group.
5. Clean bolt using powder solvent (be careful with rear face on lugs -- use nylon bristled toothbrush)
6. Re-soak brush in powder solvent, do 10 more passes.
7. Remove brush and attach jag to cleaning rod. Run several patches wetted in powder solvent down bore until the powder fouling is removed.
8. Run clean patches till bore is dry, if storage in humid environments is anticipated you can wet last patch lightly with gun oil
9. Clean the chamber using the appropriate chamber brush and powder solvent. (J Dewy manufacturing)
10. Dry Chamber Using Swabs
11. Remove solvent from bolt lug tracks
12. Lubricate bolt lugs with a shooting grease.
13. Lubricate bolt body and the portion of the bolt where the bolt handle is attached to the bolt body.

*After cleaning, before using the rifle in the field again, 1 to 5 fouling shots should be taken before field deployment time to reestablish powder fouling equilibrium.

[coyoteman]

The process of gun cleaning is best made simple and uncomplicated--That way you will in the habit.A Patch pull throuth soaked with hoppes # 9 --let sit for few minutes--then repeat with patches until they come clean.Then a light barrel lubricant.Rarely use a brass brush.And rarely put away a gun without this process.Look after your rifle,and it will look after you.

[Dick284]

The amount of fail in the posted cleaning processes is mind boggling.

Just take the Wipeout challenge and you’ll see.

I will however reiterate that the rifle only needs cleaning when you see accuracy begin to fall off.

[elkhunter11]

The word "magnum" in the cartridge description, doesn't dictate how often you need to clean a rifle. If the barrel fouls more, and the accuracy falls off quicker, clean it more often. I had to clean a fiends 6.5CM rifle, more often than I clean my 7mmstw, because it fouled much quicker, and it took much longer to remover the fouling. Yet my own 6.5CM fouled much less, and was cleaned less often.

[marxman]

What is the accuracy level? When my 30 30 didn’t want to hit the way I thought I could it was grossly fouled and took me a week to clean it. It looked fine looking down the barrel. I never do a certain amount of cleaning that’s how my bore got fouled in the first place following a certain regimen. That was years ago now I use a bore cam and clean with bronze brush and patches till it’s pretty clean

[oilngas]

Magnum has turned out to be a great marketing term, used by all and many!

[Pioneer2]

Starting out I used sensible calibers of whatever was on hand at the time,then buying my own guns the latest greatist magnum phase.Three quarters of the way through life it's back to the sensible cartridges. Nothing against the magnums .Older,wiser and recoil pounded.

[cody c]

To try and actually answer the OP's question, yes magnums tend to leave more residue in the barrel, and cleaning intervals will generally be shorter between than the average smaller caliber...

7mmRM is one of the smaller mags, but it will burn more than a 308win, and leave more residue in general. I would clean every few rounds during break in for, being very careful of the the crown, and then only when the barrel is seeming to be dirty in general, or whatever you would consider to be a regular interval.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by cody c

To try and actually answer the OP's question, yes magnums tend to leave more residue in the barrel, and cleaning intervals will generally be shorter between than the average smaller caliber...

7mmRM is one of the smaller mags, but it will burn more than a 308win, and leave more residue in general. I would clean every few rounds during break in for, being very careful of the the crown, and then only when the barrel is seeming to be dirty in general, or whatever you would consider to be a regular interval.

Some powders burn cleaner than others, so a 30-06 load could easily leave more powder fouling than a 7mmremmag. As to copper fouling, , which can greatly effect accuracy, that depends more on the bullet and barrel being used, than on the cartridge driving the bullet. The cartridges that resulted in the most frequent cleaning for me, were the .17 fiber high velocity rounds, like the 17 Remington, and 17 Fireball. A friends 6.5CM was by far the worst of the big game cartridges.

[JamesB]

Bore fouling is dependent on bore finish, velocity, bullet material/composition, and powder type. Higher velocity can increase copper fouling all else being equal. As discussed above, clean when you need to. Use a good quality copper solvent.

[Faststeel]

Originally Posted by Pioneer2

Starting out I used sensible calibers of whatever was on hand at the time,then buying my own guns the latest greatist magnum phase.Three quarters of the way through life it's back to the sensible cartridges. Nothing against the magnums .Older,wiser and recoil pounded.

H,
its my first and last magnum, only reason I bought it is that it is in a steyr and the fellow was giving it away. I find it most pleasant to shoot.. thanks FS

[sns2]

Originally Posted by Pioneer2

Starting out I used sensible calibers of whatever was on hand at the time,then buying my own guns the latest greatist magnum phase.Three quarters of the way through life it's back to the sensible cartridges. Nothing against the magnums .Older,wiser and recoil pounded.

Me too. LOL.

[Big Sky]

Like many have said, there are a lot of factors that go into how often they need cleaning.

I hunt with either a 270Win or a 300WinMag. This year it's the WinMag.

Pulled it out of the safe about a month ago. Ran a couple of dry patches down the bore. Did a pre season inspection.
Took it to the range. Fired 10 rounds at 300m. Fired a couple more at 100m All was good. More than that would be rare.
Put the rifle back in its case. Took it home.

It's going hunting with me this week for a couple of days.
It will probably go out a few more times until I connect.

When I'm done for the season I'll clean it, lube it and put it away.
So I'd have to say that I clean it every 10-20 rounds.

I use less expensive rounds to do my practice with. A 308Win lets a guy get in a lot of practice for a reasonable cost. If you shoot enough, hunting with a magnum isn't a big deal. IMO. YMMV

[Cheyenne 1]

Originally Posted by Dick284

The amount of fail in the posted cleaning processes is mind boggling.

Just take the Wipeout challenge and you’ll see.

I will however reiterate that the rifle only needs cleaning when you see accuracy begin to fall off.

I would like to know the reason behind why you think that??
What do you consider accuracy falling off?
Groups opening up to 1/2 MOA?
By the time accuracy falls off its way more work to try and get it back.

Why not maintain your rifle and keep your barrel in good shape
I know some guys that tried your method, after accuracy started going and excess pressures and dumped primers, barrels were threaded off and it took the reamer to clean the carbon out.
Not everyone shoots 20 rounds a year
Just my 2 cents worth

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by Cheyenne 1

I would like to know the reason behind why you think that??
What do you consider accuracy falling off?
Groups opening up to 1/2 MOA?
By the time accuracy falls off its way more work to try and get it back.

Why not maintain your rifle and keep your barrel in good shape
I know some guys that tried your method, after accuracy started going and excess pressures and dumped primers, barrels were threaded off and it took the reamer to clean the carbon out.
Not everyone shoots 20 rounds a year
Just my 2 cents worth

It works like this.
When you get your new rifle, and through load development etc, you learn roughly how many rounds it takes when you see your accuracy fall off.
Then you keep track of how many rounds you’ve fired, and you react by cleaning in a predictive manner. Say 20 shots prior.

Where this warps most folks minds is what they call cleaning a bore. Repeated use of bronze brushes drizzled with Hoppes No 9 isn’t truly cleaning a bore.
My regime for cleaning is supported by bore inspections with a borescope(not a bore light) it involves minimal bronze brush use, and specific solvents for targeted fouling(powder, carbon, copper) and then there’s Wipeout! Using Wipeout, and a bit of JB’s or Iosso, will cut your cleaning time greatly, but there’s a back side to deep cleaning, its knowing how many rounds it takes to foul your bore before repeatable accuracy return, and yes there isn’t a pat number of rounds every rifle is different.

Coked and carboned up barrels that require chasing with a reamer means somebody truly didn’t know what the accuracy drop off looks like.

One piece coated cleaning rods.
Push jags
Bore guides
And pre cut cotton patches
Nylon brushes
Sweets 762
Butche’s Bore Shine
Barnes CR10
Ed’s Red
JB’s Bore Brite
Iosso bore paste

We’re my standbys, and still sit on my bench.

Wipeout, and JB’s and some Ezox are an easy trio nowadays.


As for your 20 rounds a year remark...... we’ll my good man, you don’t know me, but perhaps you’d like to use the search function a bit.

[Pioneer2]

These days is about 300 H+H,.308 NM level for extended shooting . My .338 win mag is more lively than my buddies CZ .416 Rigby.The 7 mag with heavier bullets isn't much different than a 30-06 and is about as high as I'd go in light guns like a T3.The .338 win mag in a T3 is stock splitting miserable.I know a guy who's laminate actually split from recoil.No leadsled far as I recall.

[Badone20]

I have heard that snipers prefer them fouled if that means anything. Seems like fouled = tighter groups to a certain point. When you start to lose that, rinse and repeat?

[1100winger]

Sometime in summer I take out the rifle that I will hunt with, shoot maybe 2 or 3, three shot groups. Hunt, maybe shoot another 3 or 4? End of season clean again, wipe it down with Break Free and put it away. The other rifles get a wipe and a oiled patch until next year. That is now. While developing a load - the cleaning frequency changes. Don't really have a set schedule or number of rounds. All that said, my neighbour was a serious gopher hunter with his .222 XB. Prob shot 10,000 rounds a year. He would clean when accuracy changed. Can you over clean? Maybe - especially if you use copper fouling cleaners regularly and leave the bore wet.
I have resurrected fouled surplus barrels with serious brushing with Ed's Red and Break Free, use the foaming cleaners rarely. Brush with solvent, repeat.

[pikergolf]

My .243 is a bear to clean, 20 rounds and the copper is unbelievable. My .223 is the exact opposite, I can easily go 50 rounds and there is hardly any copper. Two different barrels, two different results.

[Pioneer2]

Target shooters have been known to take a fouling shot before engaging targets.With oil in the barrel I found it throws the first shot an inch or so same as my .54 ball shooter.Short of a barrel obstruction I clean my BG rifles after season.Masking tape over the muzzle while hunting.Wire brush followed by a dry patch if needed.

[Cheyenne 1]

Originally Posted by Dick284

It works like this.
When you get your new rifle, and through load development etc, you learn roughly how many rounds it takes when you see your accuracy fall off.
Then you keep track of how many rounds you’ve fired, and you react by cleaning in a predictive manner. Say 20 shots prior.

Where this warps most folks minds is what they call cleaning a bore. Repeated use of bronze brushes drizzled with Hoppes No 9 isn’t truly cleaning a bore.
My regime for cleaning is supported by bore inspections with a borescope(not a bore light) it involves minimal bronze brush use, and specific solvents for targeted fouling(powder, carbon, copper) and then there’s Wipeout! Using Wipeout, and a bit of JB’s or Iosso, will cut your cleaning time greatly, but there’s a back side to deep cleaning, its knowing how many rounds it takes to foul your bore before repeatable accuracy return, and yes there isn’t a pat number of rounds every rifle is different.

Coked and carboned up barrels that require chasing with a reamer means somebody truly didn’t know what the accuracy drop off looks like.

One piece coated cleaning rods.
Push jags
Bore guides
And pre cut cotton patches
Nylon brushes
Sweets 762
Butche’s Bore Shine
Barnes CR10
Ed’s Red
JB’s Bore Brite
Iosso bore paste

We’re my standbys, and still sit on my bench.

Wipeout, and JB’s and some Ezox are an easy trio nowadays.


As for your 20 rounds a year remark...... we’ll my good man, you don’t know me, but perhaps you’d like to use the search function a bit.

Well first off I ain’t your good man.
No one said you shoot 20 rounds a year.
And yeah I use a bore scope to check my barrels after each shoot.
And I don’t use hoppes #9 to clean my guns.
And not every barrel will fall off at the same number of rounds each time
I do shoot several thousand rounds a year for score.
And I do know how many rounds it takes for my barrel to come back after cleaning and it’s way less than most say it is.
I clean and inspect after each shoot. Most that compete will clean after day one of a 2 day shoot.
And I know what it looks like when accuracy falls off. And when a rifle throws vertical.
The guys I referred to about waiting to clean, both of those guns shot as good as they had ever until it went bad. This was more of an experiment for them just to see. And they were f open guns. Accuracy never fell off that bad. But the rest did.
And yeah I have seen your posts.
And I read more than I comment.
So yes you are right and the rest of us know nothing!!

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by Cheyenne 1

Well first off I ain’t your good man.
No one said you shoot 20 rounds a year.
And yeah I use a bore scope to check my barrels after each shoot.
And I don’t use hoppes #9 to clean my guns.
And not every barrel will fall off at the same number of rounds each time
I do shoot several thousand rounds a year for score.
And I do know how many rounds it takes for my barrel to come back after cleaning and it’s way less than most say it is.
I clean and inspect after each shoot. Most that compete will clean after day one of a 2 day shoot.
And I know what it looks like when accuracy falls off. And when a rifle throws vertical.
The guys I referred to about waiting to clean, both of those guns shot as good as they had ever until it went bad. This was more of an experiment for them just to see. And they were f open guns. Accuracy never fell off that bad. But the rest did.
And yeah I have seen your posts.
And I read more than I comment.
So yes you are right and the rest of us know nothing!!

Hope you don’t get too bad of a nose bleed.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Faststeel

Lads
I am the proud owner of my first ever magnum rifle, a sweet shooting Steyr Pro hunter.
in 7mm mag.Just wondering if a magnum should have the barrel cleaned more often than non magnum caliber, thanks
FS

Just treat it like you would any other rifle ,Partner!
You will be able to tell after the first cleaning whether or not it needs more cleaning , more about the individual rifle rather than a particular cartridge ,
Cat

[shorty]

I only clean my two long range rifle barrels maybe twice a year and I shoot often. The reason being is they both shoot way better with a dirty barrel and take a few rounds to be back where they are needed after cleaning. They are within 1 MOA up to 1100 yards and after that go way off. Before hunting season I verify the load up to a mile and leave it until after hunting season.

[EZM]

I am not a competition shooter, nor am I a world class sniper. I am a recreational guy who shoots a fair amount and has a fair amount of toys to shoot - so take my unqualified opinion for what it worth, but this works for me....

I try and use the brass wire brush sparingly. If i notice a fair amount of copper foulding I give it 3-4 passes and look again.

Here's my procedure ...

I usually inspect the barrel at some interval (around 20 shots) - some of my rifles clearly begin to open up around 20 shots, like my 257 bee, while other rifles, like my 308 can probably shoot 50-60 rounds before they need a good cleaning and I don't notice it opening up too much (if at all actually). I think I clean that gun just because I put 50 rounds down the pipe and feel guilty.

I inspect, run a solvent patch down and let it soak for a few minutes.

Run a nylon brush, sometime another soaked patch and another nylon brush.

ONLY IF, upon inspection, there is still copper fouling, do I use the brass wire brush for interval cleaning.

So when I think it's clean of fouling, a couple more patches to dry it.

Reinspect, and light oil, then a dry patch.

That's it.

In my very limited, unqualified experience, my 257 bee, 300 bee and 300 win mag get dirtier quicker and the groups open up sooner compared to my "non magnum" cartridges - but again, that's just my observation. my 30-06 is moderate, and does open up a fair amount, and but my 308 stays clean for a long time by comparison and it's hard to tell, in my hands at least, that the groups are getting markedly worse.

[Prairiekid]

My favourite tool no matter the process is called the Patchworm It makes cleaning a rifle super quick, easy and it's impossible to do any damage. Oh and super affordable.

[Lefty-Canuck]

You guys clean the inside of your Guns? I just wipe down the outside to keep them looking good.

LC

[Battle Rat]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Hope you don’t get too bad of a nose bleed.

Wow.
I'll bet you use more discretion than that when speaking face to face to prevent your own nose from bleeding.

[Battle Rat]

Originally Posted by Faststeel

Lads
I am the proud owner of my first ever magnum rifle, a sweet shooting Steyr Pro hunter.
in 7mm mag.Just wondering if a magnum should have the barrel cleaned more often than non magnum caliber, thanks
FS

Just shoot the gun and clean it when the groups open up considerably.
The new barrel may shoot better after some amount of fouling builds up.
Every barrel is different so see what it does and let your groups determine the frequency of cleaning.