Load development question

[madmixerman]

When developing a load for a new gun trying different powders, should the barrel be cleaned before switching powders?

 

[LarryDScott]

Some say absolutely. I've tried it both ways, and if there
is any difference its to minute for me to call. It's going to take someone above my skill level to make the call. LDS

 

[onelastshot]

If you rifle is broken in shoot it as you normally would. You want the barrel properly fouled for accuracy if your doing ladder tests.

 

[boltfluter]

Clean between powders in my experience.

Paul

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I would say no. I dont think cleaning the barrel really matters. I would be more concerned with not mixing your brass with different powders unless the brass has been cleaned.

When I am initially trying to figure out which powder a rifle likes best, I may have loads made up with 5 different powders when I go to the range. If 2 or 3 show promise, then I will go to the range with those until I get it narrowed down to one powder. I don't clean my barrels in between shooting different powders and I have never had any issues finding or maintaining accuracy after the fact. Now when I'm testing those different powders, I do always keep my brass separated to make sure I'm re-testing the same brass with the same powder. Once I've narrowed it down to one powder, I'll clean my brass in the tumbler and begin fine tuning with the powder that performed the best.

 

[Fotheringill]

For .22lr absolutely.
I have done the same for .223's reserving a few foulers for each.

 

[.22gongzilla]

FWIW I think a lot depends on how the rifle is ultimately going to be used. I'm strictly a target shooter and I can afford to sacrifice a fouling shot (or two) to get a high scoring group overall, but for hunting you need accuracy right from the start, especially with dangerous game.

 

[chop house]

For .22lr absolutely.
I have done the same for .223's reserving a few foulers for each.

with rimfire i always thought it was the differences in bullet lube. takes a couple dozen shots to settle down if you don't clean, but then again maybe a dozen shots if you do. ???

when i mix up powders on a cf range session, i don't clean between but i also don't trust chrono or poi on the first 2, or even the first few if things look batty.

then again, i am a varmint kinda guy with production rifles (mostly), not a comp benchrester.

 

[PMA3]

When developing a load for a new gun trying different powders, should the barrel be cleaned before switching powders?

Cleaning eliminates one more variable from the overall testing procedure.

 

[Intheshop]

I try to hit it at a natural cleaning frequency.Say this barrel starts to go off after 40 rounds,clean it.....do a powder change.Not only can you test the new powder,but might get insights into it's cleaning cycle as well?

I shoot mostly cast bullets these days."Cleaning" is a loaded question.Forget any "leading"....these ain't your daddy's cast bullets.Meaning,there is NO leading.But dry mopping can in some cases really keep a load on point.Every 10 or so rounds.So there's different degrees of "cleaning".Just sayin,try to develop and determine the minimum process that keeps the barrel/load happy.Best of luck,BW

 

[ImBIllT]

I never heard of cleaning between powder changes until I read an article where German Salazar suggested it. It wasn't about doing it, he just mentioned it in passing. I have since noticed that if I do not clean between powders, I will have a few garbage shots at the beginning of the change. I then wonder just how much it continues to impact accuracy after those early shots. After five shots is the effect completely gone, or simply reduced dramatically, leaving the first powder looking slightly better than the second. Rather than try to figure that out, I just clean when I switch powders.

 

[Rsadams]

Like .22 if you shoot good match bullets in it then switch to crap they will shoot good for about three rounds but that's because of the wax in the barrel... It's not really that hard to patch out a barrel while it's cooling for the next string but it is time... Do it if you feel better..try it both ways and see what happens.. If your talking about de-coppering it then yes it will shoot funny for a few rounds so carry fowlers with that powder... I think your time would be better spent trying different charge levels and seating depths..

Unless it just won't shoot I try and keep powders to a min. It's just more things to buy or search for... Unless it's a new caliber there is normally a clear winner in powder posted right here..

 

[mgunderson]

Depends on the powders. I clean between manufactures. Viht and Hodgdon don't play well with each other. You are generally ok within the same brand. H4350 and varget would be ok.

Not sure why viht is picky. Tried about 10 shots before it settled down.

 

[Shynloco]

When developing a load for a new gun trying different powders, should the barrel be cleaned before switching powders?

Fouling is going to occur regardless of the powder you shoot. But I dry patch when changing to a different powder in order to eliminate the possibility of any unburnt powder being on the walls of the barrel, And as some have said, some powders just don't play/shoot well together.

Alex

 

[Big Mc]

When developing a load for a new gun trying different powders, should the barrel be cleaned before switching powders?

The jury is still out.. Some do. Some don't. Tommy Mc. For me I can see no difference. With this info and a $ 1.50 you can get a cup of coffee..

 

[LHSmith]

Powder make-up varies from powder to powder.....therefore the residuals remaining in the bore after combustion will also vary in amount (dirty vs, clean) and lubricity. As already mentioned - I also am a fan of reducing all variables whenever practical.

 

[ToddKS]

I had never thought much of this until recently. I was doing some load development on a 6.5 Creedmoor. I was testing a Varget load then switched to an established load using IMR4451. The next 5 rounds were the worst group that barrel has shot.

I noticed on the target that the rings on the holes got progressively darker between shots 1 and 5. By rounds 4 and 5 my POI had settled back down and the barrel returned to shooting like normal after that.

I have not tested this to see if it repeats but I have shot both powders since (with clean barrel) and not had any further issues not induced by my own limited abilities.