How Many Patches Used When Cleaning Your Rifle?

[Will Henry]

I can't believe nobody else uses toilet paper or paper towel. I'm feeling a little out of touch. WH

 

[Bc'z]

I can't believe nobody else uses toilet paper or paper towel. I'm feeling a little out of touch. WH

Post #73
Your not alone

 

[Ken]

I use patches until they come out close to the color of the bore cleaner.

 

[dr foxtail]

After a match, about 60 rounds typically, with the barrel still warm, I use 4-5 wet patches. This is followed by two (2) applications of Wipe-Out Foam 20 minutes apart. The barrel is then plugged at chamber and muzzle. Then a few hours later, I will patch out the Wipe-Out with 5-6 patches. The amount of brushing needed is VERY minimal -- you folks would not believe how little brushing is needed. YMMV, but one of our club members switched to this system and he probably brushes 70% less and his barrel life has improved 30+%. This is with a 6BR and 6BRA type cartridge. If you're shooting a large F-Open cartridge that's a different game.

What is your technique to plug the barrel?

Forum Boss: With a 6mm barrel I stick a tapered earplug in the muzzle with a strip of blue (temp) masking tape. In the action I have my Bore Guide which has gaskets on chamber end. One key is that my AirGlide case has the Chamber ABOVE the muzzle, so any leaks go out the muzzle end (usually none).

Here is the AirGlide:

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

It depends. If I’m through shooting it’s about 12-20 depending on whether I’m using an abrasive also. About the Same number that @Clancy said.

If I’m doing a load and seating depth test, I will run a wet patch and a few dry ones, followed by one or two foulers before every 3-4 three shot groups. I don’t want the barrel condition to change too much over the course of the test.

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

Definitely a fellow patch flipper here.

I’m a patch flipper wannabe. I wanna but I usually forget and grab a fresh one.

 

[Thud]

As many as needed. There’s no set answer.

 

[Janeau]

I patch until it’s clean. If it take 5 good..if it take 30+ so be it. I buy patches by the thousand and got a really large supply of it. In my view, it’s like toilet paper..you use what is needed to do the job.

 

[JBT47]

It varies depending on bore size/volume and powder capacities. My .223 shooting 90gr VLD’s takes a lot of patches and brushing (and occasionally an abrasive for hard carbon) to get respectably clean. Whereas something like a premium match grade 3 groove such as a Lilja 3G in .308 will normally clean up in just a few patches as they seem to not accumulate much fouling. The little they do foul is easily removed due to fewer corners for carbon to hide in.

It also depends on barrel hygiene/frequency of cleaning and how throrough you may or may not be when you clean a bore. If you subscribe to the mantra of “I clean when the rifle tells me I should”…aka when rifle begins grouping like buckshot, then expect a chore of a cleaning job just to make a dent in the copious amount and tenacious nature of carbon that is allowed to build and harden over time.

Inversely, if you clean reasonably well each and every time after you finish shooting for that day (and while barrel is still warm) then naturally fewer patches will be necessary. Just my experience. YMMV.

 

[M-61]

2

 

[rayporter]

sooooooo

it is that time of year to order .............patches


how many are you going to order?? a couple hundred or ....

 

[JMayo]

Kind like cleaning the toilet, just cause it's dirty water n brush ya just keep on until the rinse!

 

[jxb]

7436.5

 

[Thud]

I use 7500

 

[STORM2]

So for the patch counters:
Since the patch count is related to the object of cleaning, do you log the temperature of the cleaning agent? Do you use expired cleaning agents? Do you also log cleaning rod strokes and is each direction considered a stroke? Do patches last longer if you store them in the freezer? How do you know which patches are for magnum barrels? I may need therapy, I think I used my 308 rod on the 300 !

It might be easier to just buy new guns.

 

[hogpatrol]

If you don't mind cutting your own, go to a fabric store and buy tee-shirt material or cut up your old ones.

 

[ArtinNC]

sooooooo

it is that time of year to order .............patches


how many are you going to order?? a couple hundred or ....

Better make it how many thousands .

 

[JMayo]

When i was getting to the free shipping amount i would always get a bag of patches so i kinda was hording then !
Cleaned a 30br that i had accidentally forgot to clean from last match... Chit, i got tired it t took so much. I used the same dirty one for the crud push after the brush then the slightly used ones. Doing this i made a handful of black and a handful of "slightly" dirty, that will get used for the crud push next time !
Lol ! I have a system going !

 

[ArtinNC]

((( a handful of "slightly" dirty, that will get used for the crud push next time ))) You guys crazzy ?? a dirty patch never goes down my barrel .

 

[coldboreshot]

Pretty sure my wife would use my next batch as suppositories (on me) if I did that.

Ouch! Hope she uses a bore guide.