How often do you clean your rifle?

[Bob D]

I have a friend who cleans his barrel, bore cleaner and brush after every shooting episode. He keeps his barrel slick. I used to never clean my guns but I've replaced two barrels this year and plan on keeping mine clean. His says you don't have to clean them right after you use them but before you shoot it again. Any thoughts about this?

[Bob D]

One other thing, if you wrote down your cleaning process what would it be? What i mean is  example:
1. run bore cleaner  on patch through barrell  three times
2. Let it sit for 5 minutes
3. run wire brush through 10 times
4. run cleaning patches through until you get it clean

[fuzz624]

Bob this is a topic that noone seems to agree on.I dont like to hunt with a clean rifle.The first shot through a clean barrel always seems to be a little of a flyer.I always clean after i have hunted in rain or snow or when it is really hot and i get sweat on the gun.I clean the barrel once a year to remove all copper.I recently tried the foaming bore cleaner and it works pretty well.It depends on how much you shoot but i dont clean the barrel out good until the end of the season.I just keep a lite coat of oil in there to keep it from rusting.Of corse this works well for me but i dont shoot as much as some do.Im lucky to put 50 rounds through it during a hunting season.If you are prarie dog hunting and fireing 100 rounds per day then of corse you will have to clean more often.I guess you have to find out what works for you and stick with it.Good luck Bob

[CCP]

My AR I use for coyote hunting always settles down after claening around the 25 round mark. So I clean it every 200 rounds and after cleaning I go to the range and shoot 25 or more rounds before putting it back in the safe.

My Bolt guns always settled around 5 or 10 rounds and would do the same. I wouldnt dream of going out to hunt with a fresh cleaned rifle.

When I do clean them I take them COMPLETLY apart bolt and all and scrub evrything incuding the Bore. I used to clean my guns every time I took them out and have found in my case its not nessasary. If they get wet or damp I will run a little CLP over them.