How often or how many rounds before you clean your rifles when shooting at PDs ?
How often cleaning rifles in Prairie dog fields
- Thread starter Ironworker
- Start date
Whenever a accuracy starts falling off or end of every day in the hotel. I've had some rifles with 300+ rounds though them in one day that were still shooting great at the end of the day, so no reason to clean them while shooting. Even if I have a rifle that starts shooting bad from fouling, I'll just swap out to a different rifle so I don't lose any shooting time. I will take at least 3 or 4 rifles on every hunt so I have plenty of backup because you also want to swap out when a barrel starts getting hot.
Any time I switch rifles, I will put a shot of wipeout foam down the barrel, it takes no time at all and does the work while you are still shooting another rifle. When you want to change back, pull a boresnake through and have at it. This will keep it shooting straight til the end of the day when you can give it more attention.
I run an AR and only keep the action well oiled, maybe a liberal shot of oil every 150 rounds or so. I ran a test 3 years ago following a pd hunt where 700 rounds flew through the barrel since the last cleaning and it grouped as good as ever! That lesson taught me barrel cleaning is overrated in my experience. My brother and I bring clean barrels then clean again at the very end once ammo runs dry. Then repeat the following year.
1raggedhole
Silver $$ Contributor
I usually have two or three rifles that I will alternate all day. On the best days I will shoot up to 500 rounds total, with max through one rifle around 300 shots in a day. I never clean in the field, only at end of each day. Can't see accuracy dropping off during the day.
1raggedhole
Silver $$ Contributor
And more more point for those non-believers...
For years I have watched my dad shoot near 1000 rounds through an AR on one trip, without cleaning till he gets home. We like to give him grief, but we can't deny that he still is hitting at the end of the trip. I wouldn't recommend it, but believe it.
For years I have watched my dad shoot near 1000 rounds through an AR on one trip, without cleaning till he gets home. We like to give him grief, but we can't deny that he still is hitting at the end of the trip. I wouldn't recommend it, but believe it.
rmr
Gold $$ Contributor
in years past on PD trips, I would use 3 rifles in rotation. typically a 223, 22-250, and a 6mm something (AI40, SLR..etc) the 223 would get the lions share of the abuse, with upwards of 3-400rds fired on any given day. 150 on the -250, and 100 or so on the LR 6mm rifle. I never cleaned in the field, the guns never fouled that badly. I usually cleaned everything once a day at the motel.
these days I shoot more ground squirrels, so the volumes are higher. I have 4 rifles in rotation. 2 17HMR, a 223, and a 6TCU. same deal: I clean once a day at the motel. the last trip I took, I fired 1800rds in one day. (god I was tired.. 12hours on the guns. it was epic) I never had an issue with fouling related accuracy.
these days I shoot more ground squirrels, so the volumes are higher. I have 4 rifles in rotation. 2 17HMR, a 223, and a 6TCU. same deal: I clean once a day at the motel. the last trip I took, I fired 1800rds in one day. (god I was tired.. 12hours on the guns. it was epic) I never had an issue with fouling related accuracy.
rmr
Gold $$ Contributor
I had blisters on my fingers from loading those damned 4 round Annie magazines. your right about the scope eye. I had a splitting headache & my vision was jacked up for hours... I also had a grin ear to ear. by far, it was my best day shooting RGS. Early april, 70 Degrees, sun shining. no wind. the pups were out in invasion force...amazing stuff.. 
BTW, any pups out yet? anyone know?
BTW, any pups out yet? anyone know?
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
Back in the day before Varmint Hunter magazine put an X on the spot where I shot dogs in SD, we shot between 600-1200 rounds of center fire a day.
223- were cleaned every 300 rounds-Win 748 powder, NOT AA2015
6x47 Remington-Every 300 or so rounds-H335
6 PPC and 6 BR-every 300 rounds-H335 NOT 322
243AI- I cleaned every 150, my partner cleaned every 300, Hart 12 twists, WIN 760
Bring enough guns, so that you clean em that night. I might run a wet patch through one if it has a high round count (100) while it is cooling off, then a brush before it gets used again. I usually take 3-5 though and I wet patch them before leaving the fields, makes it a little easier to clean when I get home.
And yes, I hear they were out and about last week, but it has been raining since then and it is supposed to keep it up here all next week. we got a skiff of snow this morning at the house.
And yes, I hear they were out and about last week, but it has been raining since then and it is supposed to keep it up here all next week. we got a skiff of snow this morning at the house.
Don't forget to let the barrel cool. Personally I wouldn't clean it unless you notice a drop off in accuracy which like several others mentioned will vary greatly from rifle to rifle.
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
We found that using new brushes quickly reduced the cleaning time, so 80 strokes on a brush, throw it away.
JB on plastic brushes every 500 rounds got out stubborn carbon fouling.
JB on plastic brushes every 500 rounds got out stubborn carbon fouling.
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