What's everyone's thoughts on coyote rifle cleaning intervals? Typically I MIGHT get one Yote say every 2 trips or so. In the past I always start with a clean bore and if I connected with a coyote I would clean the bore when i got home so basically cleaning after one shot. I am planning on scrapping this routine and just running one dry patch through the bore when I get home to get the duff out and if I fire a shot I don't plan on a complete clean until spring so I plan on leaving the bore fouled. I would say in a typical winter i don't fire more than 30 rounds. What does everyone else do? Shiny bore of fouled bore?
Winter Coyote rifle cleaning frequency
- Thread starter jaybray
- Start date
I'm shooting a 22BR with a Krieger barrel. It doesn't foul enough to affect practical accuracy for at least 30-50 shots, which works out to cleaning once or twice a year.
With that low amount of rounds being fired, I would get a calendar out and mark a date in the future to clean it. 2023 sounds about right to me if there’s no rust issues.
Of course you know that I was being a little bit tongue in cheek with my comment above! But it your rifle shoots great fouled it should be okay for a long while.
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The best way i have found to eliminate this is to not take the rifle out of the case even for a second and just unzip the case slightly and leave the rifle in the case for 4 to 6 hours at room temperature. Un thawing this way allows the rifle to defrost slowly and I have never had a condensation problem on the outside of the gun doing it like this. The bore is what i am not sure about hence the one shot then clean routine i have been doing. It's a pain also due to the fact that my first shot on a clean barrel is always low to the left.
RegionRat
Gold $$ Contributor
@jaybray , when I start a hunting bbl up and I don't know the answer to your question, I start by making a test out of the real world. Once the load development is run, I will intentionally stop cleaning at some point and just use the gun. Every so often, I will throw it on the bench and test a group and keep good records. I will take a good long look with a borescope and then decide if I will clean to avoid carbon build-up, or when I see a group change or POI shift that ammo doesn't explain.
When I get to an elk hunt, we usually start with a clean bbl and it gets fowled checking boresight before we set out. I use a piece of electrical tape over the muzzle when I walk around, and replace it soon after a shot if I can. That keeps dust, twigs, seeds, mud, snow, bugs, etc, from getting involved. Too many folks get junk and mother nature in the muzzle while hunting and don't even realize it.
Prairie dog trips taught me a lot. You get an opportunity to shoot a bunch of rounds, and then test in a low key setting to see how far you can push it before you have to stop and clean. The main difference with PD trips is the round count goes up all at once while the bbl might be warm, as compared to a predator rig where the bbl cools down between short sessions. Then there is elk hunting where things can go from below zero or dripping wet, to warm trucks or hotel rooms, then back out again for a week or more.
I used to shoot silhouette when I was younger, and that also gave me a testing ground where I learned that stock REM bbls could be night and day, with some going over 100 rounds with no issue, and others that could hardly make 40. I know I can run 250 rounds or more through a White Oak AR upper with no issues, and then I give it a light cleaning and keep going. Elk sporter bbls I clean after the season or sooner if they get really wet.
I tend to run a dry patch if I have a hunch that the humidity or dust has become an issue. If that dry patch comes out very dirty, then I punt and clean the rig as long as I know I can fowl it before taking a critical shot. Because I run with tape over the muzzle, that doesn't happen much unless it gets dirty through the breach while loading and unloading. Any rain or snow on the ammo is minimized if I can, but if that is how the day runs I will dry patch the chamber at the end of the day.
Hope that has given you a few things to ponder. Good Luck and Good Hunting.
When I get to an elk hunt, we usually start with a clean bbl and it gets fowled checking boresight before we set out. I use a piece of electrical tape over the muzzle when I walk around, and replace it soon after a shot if I can. That keeps dust, twigs, seeds, mud, snow, bugs, etc, from getting involved. Too many folks get junk and mother nature in the muzzle while hunting and don't even realize it.
Prairie dog trips taught me a lot. You get an opportunity to shoot a bunch of rounds, and then test in a low key setting to see how far you can push it before you have to stop and clean. The main difference with PD trips is the round count goes up all at once while the bbl might be warm, as compared to a predator rig where the bbl cools down between short sessions. Then there is elk hunting where things can go from below zero or dripping wet, to warm trucks or hotel rooms, then back out again for a week or more.
I used to shoot silhouette when I was younger, and that also gave me a testing ground where I learned that stock REM bbls could be night and day, with some going over 100 rounds with no issue, and others that could hardly make 40. I know I can run 250 rounds or more through a White Oak AR upper with no issues, and then I give it a light cleaning and keep going. Elk sporter bbls I clean after the season or sooner if they get really wet.
I tend to run a dry patch if I have a hunch that the humidity or dust has become an issue. If that dry patch comes out very dirty, then I punt and clean the rig as long as I know I can fowl it before taking a critical shot. Because I run with tape over the muzzle, that doesn't happen much unless it gets dirty through the breach while loading and unloading. Any rain or snow on the ammo is minimized if I can, but if that is how the day runs I will dry patch the chamber at the end of the day.
Hope that has given you a few things to ponder. Good Luck and Good Hunting.
RegionRat
Gold $$ Contributor
Yup, getting junk like mud or snow in the muzzle has ruined shots and guns that I have witnessed. Overcleaning or incorrect cleaning is another way I have seen guns get hurt.
The other huge failure I have seen is dirty and poorly maintained bolts and triggers, so watch your six on that too.
I'm going to say test a cold bore shot about after every 15 or 20 field shots and see if she stays in the x-ring. You may find you go a whole season without needing to really clean.
The other huge failure I have seen is dirty and poorly maintained bolts and triggers, so watch your six on that too.
I'm going to say test a cold bore shot about after every 15 or 20 field shots and see if she stays in the x-ring. You may find you go a whole season without needing to really clean.
searcher
Gold $$ Contributor
While I will happily fire hundreds of moly-coated rounds through a bore before cleaning when ground squirrel hunting, I clean it and apply rust preventative to the bore before storage. I have noticed that it is considerably harder to get carbon out of a chamber and barrel after sitting just overnight without cleaning. If after firing only a round or two at coyotes or big game, I still clean the rifle as it shouldn't take but three or four minutes, max. After you fire that first shot, you have eliminated your bore protection. Running a dry patch through by itself won't do anything but make one feel good.
First, I hate to clean rifles.
Second, I hunt all year around, varmints in the summer, deer and predators in the fall / winter. I also shoot at the range all year around in temp ranging from 40 to 90 degrees. When it gets below 40 it's too cold for my old bones.
and my hands don't work too well.
Shot counts determines when I clean. I clean after every 30 to 40 rounds fired. After a range session or hunt, I wipe the exterior down with silicon cloth then return the gun to the safe unless I'm at the 30 to 40 round count then I clean.
Sometimes I only shoot one round hunting - the thought of cleaning after only shooting one round gives me the hives. Often a range session only consumes 10 to 12 rounds - again, I wipe the rifle exterior then return to the safe unless I'm at the 30 to 40 round fired count.
I've been doing it this way for about 50 years now - not saying it's the best practice or even recommended - it's just what I do and it works for me.. I wonder if more rifles aren't ruined by over cleaning than shooting?
Second, I hunt all year around, varmints in the summer, deer and predators in the fall / winter. I also shoot at the range all year around in temp ranging from 40 to 90 degrees. When it gets below 40 it's too cold for my old bones.
and my hands don't work too well.Shot counts determines when I clean. I clean after every 30 to 40 rounds fired. After a range session or hunt, I wipe the exterior down with silicon cloth then return the gun to the safe unless I'm at the 30 to 40 round count then I clean.
Sometimes I only shoot one round hunting - the thought of cleaning after only shooting one round gives me the hives.
Often a range session only consumes 10 to 12 rounds - again, I wipe the rifle exterior then return to the safe unless I'm at the 30 to 40 round fired count.I've been doing it this way for about 50 years now - not saying it's the best practice or even recommended - it's just what I do and it works for me.. I wonder if more rifles aren't ruined by over cleaning than shooting?
1raggedhole
Silver $$ Contributor
Clean? Maybe next spring. You don’t need sub moa for a yote.
redrockranger
Silver $$ Contributor
Put a condom on the head of the barrel.
outasite`08
Gold $$ Contributor
Do a clean/cold bore shot and record. Followed by a three shot group and record. If you are within .5 moa I wouldn`t worry about what I did. Coyote hunting is mostly done in colder weather and taking your gun in and out from one temp. to another should be your concern. Wipe your gun down once inside and run a boresnake Or ? thru the barrel and just monitor. I hunted all season in PA for years and never cleaned my guns until the end of the seasons. Then a total breakdown and cleanup. Another good idea is use a condom or coot on the barrel. Jeff
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
Lets see, your rifle is bouncing around the inside of a truck and is out in the brush, better keep the grit out of the action, and push a patch through the barrel from time to time. As far as cleaning frequency, rough factory barrels can need the copper cleaned out of them every 7-9 rounds on a bad but accurate barrel. Each barrel will dictate the cleaning regiment.
Finger condoms on the end of a barrel, perhaps use blue or white masking tape to keep them on, has worked for a long time.
I will not own a Vinyl gun case of any kind as they rust more guns than you can imagine. Bring a cold gun into a warm house is a rust in progress disaster if left in the vinyl gun case.
Two oils for the outside stand way above the others:
Hornady One Shot
www.midwayusa.com
Frog lube
www.midwayusa.com
The coyote hunting I have done over the years can be rough on guns with grit and grime. Deer hunting in bad weather, pulling guns up and down on ropes up into trees. Better pay some attention to your equipment if you do not want it to fail you...especially trigger groups.
Finger condoms on the end of a barrel, perhaps use blue or white masking tape to keep them on, has worked for a long time.
I will not own a Vinyl gun case of any kind as they rust more guns than you can imagine. Bring a cold gun into a warm house is a rust in progress disaster if left in the vinyl gun case.
Two oils for the outside stand way above the others:
Hornady One Shot
Hornady One Shot Gun Cleaner Dyna Glide Plus 5-1/2oz Aerosol
Hornady One Shot Gun Cleaner-Dergreaser and Dry Lubricant reduces friction, cleans grit, grime and old oil from firearms and reloading equipment. It...
www.midwayusa.com
Frog lube
FrogLube Extreme CLP Gun Cleaner 4oz Pump Spray
FrogLube is a cutting edge biodegradable lubricant made from "USDA Certified Food-Grade". All ingredients are produced in the USA using a proprietary...
www.midwayusa.com
The coyote hunting I have done over the years can be rough on guns with grit and grime. Deer hunting in bad weather, pulling guns up and down on ropes up into trees. Better pay some attention to your equipment if you do not want it to fail you...especially trigger groups.
You are correct regarding bringing a cold gun inside a warm house with the potential to cause rust issues. To prevent this and it has worked so far is to leave the gun in the case at room temperature for a few hours to slowly de frost. I have not had a problem so far as far as rust is concerned. My guns are -15 to -20 aka frozen solid when i get home. I removed one rifle from the case once and it took no longer than a minute for beads of water to form all over the steel. For sure this would be a problem. This being said all my rifles are stainless barrels and actions.
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