F-T/R Comps and Rifle Cleaning

[blairf]

Newer F Class shooter wanting input on rifle cleaning intervals.

Some have indicated that each day - post competition - that they stop to clean and possibly shoot a couple of foulers, getting ready for the next day.

Many hold different views about how often to clean their bolt rifles. This question is geared towards those who compete in F-Class, although other thoughts are welcome.

My experience with bolt rifles has been to clean when accuracy drops off. Sometimes this is 300+ rounds and even more.

How often do you clean your F-Class competition rifle?

Thank you in advance for your responses.

Blair

 

[Damfino]

Blair,
Good question. I use to clean after a match, or a day of shooting. But, more recently, I noticed that the Krieger barrel I'm shooting seemed to shoot better the more it was shot after cleaning (no brush, just patches with Butch's). So, I went an entire match (AL/TN State Championship F-TR) about 125 shots without cleaning. My last relay was the best. Sooo, now I'm embracing the less is more approach. Not sure what the point of dimishing returns would be, but as you suggest - certainly when accuracy drops off. Not sure I'm brave enough to approach 300+. And, I'm sure cleaning intervals depends on a number of variables, such as barrels, etc.

Bill

 

[B Mize]

With my first barrel I cleaned every 2-300 or so. Accuracy always held up fine. Then one fine day (second day of a 2 day match) last relay was bad. Went to my range with chrono and speeds were erratic and groups were large :-[
Went home and scrubbed it good, went back to range and everything went back to normal.

Now I give it a lite cleaning every night. If it will be a multi day/week like the nationals I'll scrub it good every third day

 

[Immike]

The accuracy dropping off isn't a point I want to approach. I prefer a daily cleaning if the match allows a fouling period with unlimited sighters. If that's not possible then I will only clean with patches and solvent so it will foul faster.

 

[memilanuk]

Usually one of my favorite jokes when I see the 'herd' of F-O shooters heading off to the communal cleaning session at the end of each day is "I'll race the first one done... ready... set... go!"

On occasion I've let mine go as far as (almost) 500rds due to circumstances that made cleaning more trouble than it was worth (overseas, with supplies of unknown providence). Generally, I clean after 200-300rds - basically after a long weekend like a LR Regional w/ a team stage or maybe a little earlier if a good 'break' in the shooting is coming up. Case in point: I'll probably clean before heading down to Ben Avery for the AZ LR Regional and FCNC, and probably clean again between the two events. The LR Regional doesn't really have enough rounds that I would feel that I *need* to clean, but I don't want to stretch it all the way thru FCNC.

YMMV,

Monte

 

[Scott Harris]

I've seen accuracy degrade around the 500 round mark, so I try to clean every 250-350 rounds. I use hbn coated bullets.....might allow me to clean less often