Brux Barrels- How long between cleanings?

[Clancy]

Hello,

Just had myself a 6.5 Lapua made up by Jon Beanland, and it's a real shooter, #5 Brux and adjustable game scout, rifle weighs EXACTLY 10.0 lbs with a VX 6 3-18 mounted in Talleys.

Anyway, from squeaky clean it takes 2 or 3 shots to settle down, then it will shoot in the .1s and .2s for about 30 rounds but that's it. Afterwards, it will get up to half inch or slightly under.

I know what you're thinking.... and no I'm not complaining about a gun that will shoot 1s and 2s.....

I'm just curious if it's Brux barrels or the fact that I don't usually demand so much from a rifle that shoots 40 grains of powder.

I've only ever had small caliber customs and mostly Krieger barrels before. I've been able to shoot them their best for over 100 and sometimes several hundred rounds without cleaning.

No complaints whatsoever, just curious before I have another Brux screwed on my upcoming build.

Clancy

 

[ngb1787]

I always dry brush around 50 rounds thru barrel,

 

[shoot4fun]

Brux, I believe, are a little tighter on their bore/land size numbers. I have found them to shoot fantastic but I couldn't shoot the higher node like with some barrels due to the fact that the pressure would rise unpredictably and the accuracy would suffer. Not overheating and cleaning more frequently usually resolves the potential for issues.
There may be those who say I don't know what I am talking about though. Like I said, I could get fantastic accuracy but always felt the need to "baby" them.

 

[Willow]

I prematurely ruined a Brux barrel which had been chambered for a 284 win. I didn't follow a good cleaning regime and by the time I realised I'd been doing a half-arsed job, the barrel was half cooked. I ended up with early signs of pressure too, despite the fact my loads were mild. Since then, I clean after every afternoon of shooting with my Bartlein 280AI and Krieger 6BRAI. So if I've put 30 rounds through each of them, they get a proper clean. Both rifles like a clean bore and group well. I have a friend running a .308 with a Bartlein barrel and his barrel shoots its best groups being reasonably dirty. I think from personal experience, the barrel will tell you what it likes, so once you figure that out, stick with it.

 

[Down South]

Brux, I believe, are a little tighter on their bore/land size numbers. I have found them to shoot fantastic but I couldn't shoot the higher node like with some barrels due to the fact that the pressure would rise unpredictably and the accuracy would suffer. Not overheating and cleaning more frequently usually resolves the potential for issues.
There may be those who say I don't know what I am talking about though. Like I said, I could get fantastic accuracy but always felt the need to "baby" them.

I've had a couple Brux barrels in the past and I had the same experience you just described. Both were extremely accurate but I couldn't hit the higher nodes I can with my other barrels without pressure issues. Both barrels were 4 groove .30 cal heavy palma contour barrels. I shot several matches with these barrels and clean then borescope after each match and can't say they fouled any more than the other brands of barrels but definately had to be run on the slower node compared to the others. Accuracy stayed very good from start to finish of the match, it never fell off during the match.

With that being said, some of my buddies haven't had any issues pressure wise with the ones they have and love em.

 

[Clancy]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I haven't really had and pressure signs other than a very faint ejector mark even at the very top of the spectrum, and the accuracy was still great up there but I figured if I went with the lower node for plinking steel and the higher one for hunting I could probably make a box of brass last most of the barrel.

I don't mind cleaning a little more frequently than normal on this rifle, but I do believe I'll try something else for my coyote rifle.

Thank you all for the replies, and I will definitely monitor future Brux barrels and see if I observe early pressure signs.

Thanks a lot

Clancy

 

[Bob Sebold]

I won the Berger 2015 individual wiithout cleaning. I had 45 rds on the barrel coming down and shot it once at 600 yrds. When I came home I think I haf over 240 rds and all I did was dry patch it a couple times.

 

[Willie]

I never had a Brux that wasn't accurate. I have had them that wouldn't match the velocities of another, but that's just barrels and I loaded what would work and clean as needed. I see the same thing in several of my Bartlein 5Rs. In a perfect world, we would have all our barrels hitting the high node.

 

[Kurz]

I think from personal experience, the barrel will tell you what it likes, so once you figure that out, stick with it.

Clancy,

This is the answer which is most common amongst shooters and I agree. Barrel steel can provide some of the most untestable vagaries than any other component. The barrel steel I've worked with comes in 20-foot lengths and each section, when cut, offers a different set of rules for drilling, reaming and rifling. The ends are the worst while the middle sections often seem to be more consistent. But at the price being charged for top quality stainless barrel steel, you can't afford to throw any away. Each section makes top quality barrels but each has its own 'personality' if you will. Whether it's a question of cleaning, copper build up or barrel speed, there just isn't a simple answer other than that's what happens with some barrels. The exception, of course, is the tightness of the bore/groove dimensions. That can be controlled by the barrel maker and customer's choice as well. Brux lists 2 calibers as being tight; 6mm and .30 cal. The 6mm is 0.001" tight on the bore diameter while both dimensions can be ordered tight, if desired, on the .30 cal.

Bigger sample sets would help resolve quite a few questions but trying to find 1,000 similar answers from 1,000 owners with the very same problems is almost non-existent. That's why on most occasions when this comes up it is a unique situation rather than something which can be accurately accounted for. That's why we get answers such as try this or try that...

Best of luck with your solution.

 

[ebb]

You never mentioned a load or the powder used, is it possible another powder might have less fouling and go longer between cleanings? Ive heard people say that some powers burn dirty till the pressure gets close to max. Ive never experienced that but can't say its false.

 

[CharlieNC]

I've had one Brux, a 223 on my practice rifle. Its had thousands of rounds, different bullets and powders, cleaned infrequently, and shoots great. As a tactical rifle, a bore snake is pulled through periodically and a solvent clean annually. How many shots do you have through it? Maybe not quite broken in?

 

[Milo 2.0]

Clancy,

This is the answer which is most common amongst shooters and I agree. Barrel steel can provide some of the most untestable vagaries than any other component. The barrel steel I've worked with comes in 20-foot lengths and each section, when cut, offers a different set of rules for drilling, reaming and rifling. The ends are the worst while the middle sections often seem to be more consistent. But at the price being charged for top quality stainless barrel steel, you can't afford to throw any away. Each section makes top quality barrels but each has its own 'personality' if you will. Whether it's a question of cleaning, copper build up or barrel speed, there just isn't a simple answer other than that's what happens with some barrels. The exception, of course, is the tightness of the bore/groove dimensions. That can be controlled by the barrel maker and customer's choice as well. Brux lists 2 calibers as being tight; 6mm and .30 cal. The 6mm is 0.001" tight on the bore diameter while both dimensions can be ordered tight, if desired, on the .30 cal.

Bigger sample sets would help resolve quite a few questions but trying to find 1,000 similar answers from 1,000 owners with the very same problems is almost non-existent. That's why on most occasions when this comes up it is a unique situation rather than something which can be accurately accounted for. That's why we get answers such as try this or try that...

Best of luck with your solution.

This a very good answer^^^
Each barrel an entity in itself, you could order 5 barrels, same everything, and each will yield it's own characteristics. One may start out exhibiting the same properties as a prior one and you are happy, then at 300rds or so you clean it good and crap comes out like you're not used too.
I've pulled barrels just as they start to behave, mistake but principle.
And I've ruined a good Brux following advice that we don't clean barrels anymore.
All a learning curve.

 

[AckleymanII]

Clancy, my neighbor has 4 Brux right now, various 6.5's and one 308. None of these barrels exhibit the issues you speak of.

 

[mikegaiz]

Most good 1000 yd shooters clean between 25 to 50 rounds, no matter what make of barrel.

 

[TikkaSporter]

...And I've ruined a good Brux following advice that we don't clean barrels anymore.
All a learning curve.

Please explain how a barrel is ruined from lack of cleaning? I'm legitimately curious. Carbon ring gone wild? Are Brux (or tight bore barrels) specifically susceptible to this?

 

[Milo 2.0]

Please explain how a barrel is ruined from lack of cleaning? I'm legitimately curious. Carbon ring gone wild? Are Brux (or tight bore barrels) specifically susceptible to this?

I was shooting moly coated bullets, kept firing the gun after it pressured up from buildup. When I finally scrubbed it, it would not shoot, I messed with for 100 rds or, said to heck with it.
We're talking 900 rds w/o a cleaning, just stupidity on my end.

 

[BP1]

Most good 1000 yd shooters clean between 25 to 50 rounds, no matter what make of barrel.

I’ve never seen a f/class shooter clean his rifle between relays maybe benchresters.

 

[Flouncer]

I will simply say that leaving a barrel dirty allows the carbon and residue to absorb atmospheric moisture and initiate corrosion. Does anyone agree with this ?

 

[dkhunt14]

I’ve never seen a f/class shooter clean his rifle between relays maybe benchresters.

Some barrels don't shoot as good when dirty. In BR you can lose by .005 of an inch. In fact most barrels shoot at their best when cleaned and then fouled some. Do F-Class guys need this much accuracy? Matt

 

[JBT47]

I will simply say that leaving a barrel dirty allows the carbon and residue to absorb atmospheric moisture and initiate corrosion. Does anyone agree with this ?

I live in Mississippi where it is always humid...so if one lives in a humid environment yes it is setting a barrel up for corrosion by leaving fouling in it for any extended period.