284 Win/Wheeler Barrel Cleaning Question

[Khaymkhaym]

Hey Guys,

I practice cleaning my barrels back down to steel after every range trip, or at least as close as I can get. Now that I have a fully built F Class rifle I'm trying to be as meticulous as possible. I have been cleaning the barrel for 3 hours now and put 80 rounds through the tube a few hours ago this afternoon. I put solvent down the barrel to keep it from drying and hardening and began cleaning an hour after stopping shooting. I have about 28 out of 32 inches of the barrel clean to the steel but the first 3-4 inches seem to not want to come clean and my other rifles with custom barrels all do the same thing. Is this normal or do I need to just keep cleaning to get it out? Is it worth getting out? Pics below of dirty and clean parts of barrel. (Barrel is a Brux 284. 1-9 twist chambered by Alex Wheeler in 284 Wheeler) Today was the first time shooting it.

 

[lawrence97]

Your 3hrs of cleaning is more time than I have spent cleaning my fclass 284 over the last 400 rounds.
If the barrel is new I don’t clean until I hit 100-150rds and that’s when load development starts and getting to know what my barrel does when cleaned, fouled, etc. At a match excessive time cleaning means missing dinner and socializing with other shooters.
Many times leaving the barrel dirty/fouled after a day at a match and running 60-80 rds through helps it shoot tighter the next day!

 

[std7mag]

The bench rest guys i shoot with run a wet patch, followed by a brush, several wet patches, then dry while at the range.
When they get home it's a wet patch of Sweets, or something like it & let sit overnight.
Dry patch or 3, then wet again.

Wet meaning mix of Hoppes #9 & Kroil.

 

[Khaymkhaym]

The bench rest guys i shoot with run a wet patch, followed by a brush, several wet patches, then dry while at the range.
When they get home it's a wet patch of Sweets, or something like it & let sit overnight.
Dry patch or 3, then wet again.

Wet meaning mix of Hoppes #9 & Kroil.

I have tried Hoppes #9 and Kroil, works great for copper but not so much for carbon. Right now Boretech and CLR is what I use for Carbon because it absolutely rips carbon apart and copper too. But what I don't understand is why that there is always a 2-3 inch spot right at the start of the barrel that is a major pain in the ass to clean. Is it just because that's the point of ignition for a lot of the powder? I am also curious if the should just be left or if I need to get the entire barrel back to steel?

I realize the impact on accuracy this can have is not severe and probably even minimal but I am wanting to do all that I can to help my odds.

 

[JEFFPPC]

It's called soak time.

 

[Dolomite]

KG12 Worked great on copper so does Boretech Eliminator…. I tried JB BORE compound and kroil on the throat area and does a good job removing stubborn carbon fouling to bare metal.

Does it make a difference, I have no clue like yourself. I’ve been leaving the little carbon in the barrel exactly as shown in your picture.

Maybe someone with more experience will let us know.

 

[6MMsteve]

shoot it 150 shots now then clean later, shoot a match with out cleaning or just run a couple patches wet and push the fowling out some, but see what the barrel likes, if you have a good load choot it clean later, I tink

 

[Khaymkhaym]

I know Erik Cortina likes to clean his every 100-150 rounds or so and believes in getting it to bare metal himself. I also just let it soak for 2-3 hours in CLR and ran a nylon brush through it and was able to put a good dent in the carbon at the throat. Think another soak and brushing will do the trick I just don't want this to build up and become an 8 hour job to remove later especially with this rifle shooting .1's today at 100 and .2-.3s at 1000 yards today with a brand new clean barrel.

 

[B_Thomas]

JB Bore Paste with Kroil with Properly sized Felt Pellets on mandrel is the ticket for Hard Carbon.

https://www.brownells.com/gun-clean...g-paste/j-b-bore-compound-kroil-prod1159.aspx

https://www.brownells.com/gun-clean...-pellets-50-bag-sku929000007-13839-33121.aspx

https://www.brownells.com/gun-clean...22-caliber-dewey-sku084000017-25904-4149.aspx

 

[Khaymkhaym]

JB Bore Paste with Kroil with Properly sized Felt Pellets on mandrel is the ticket for Hard Carbon.

https://www.brownells.com/gun-clean...g-paste/j-b-bore-compound-kroil-prod1159.aspx

https://www.brownells.com/gun-clean...-pellets-50-bag-sku929000007-13839-33121.aspx

https://www.brownells.com/gun-clean...22-caliber-dewey-sku084000017-25904-4149.aspx

Okay, this looks like the winning ticket right here

 

[Khaymkhaym]

This is the last dirty spot, its about 1 inch long and is a pain in the a** to get out. Brushing and CLR'ing constantly and its not wanting to come out.

 

[Dolomite]

JB bore paste takes it with very little effort.

 

[savageshooter86]

That’s more time than I spent cleaning my two comp Fclass rifles all of 2021. If it shot in 0.2-0.3 at 1000 like that then why worry about that little spot

 

[Sandstorm]

You need more trigger time my friend...and barrels are a wear item anyway.
Get out and work on your wind calls...that barrels just fine as long as it keeps shooting well, and when
it doesnt... then spend the day cleaning.

 

[WEL]

Bore scopes are the devil. You need to chill out on the cleaning and sweat the other details.

 

[JMayo]

Have fun do what you do ... But wanting a new looking barrel is not worth the pay off, imo.

i like losso as an aggressive scrubber when mine gets too black.

But most of the time i just keep it shooting until the barrel wears out..... from 95% shooting 5% cleaning.