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Deer Rifle Cleaning?

Edog537

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The Hen that laid the Golden Legos
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After deer season I usually detail strip/clean my rifles and put them in the safe. With ammo and components being short I hate to "unfoul" my barrels or shift my zero. Who knows what next year may be like. None of them have been rain soaked. Do you think running a clean patch down the bores and a general wipe down will be ok? I know this may seem trivial to some but my military background makes me anal about weapon cleaning. I have a mix of semi autos, bolt actions, and single shots. Both blued and stainless. No wood stocks.
 
My two cents, depends on how many rounds you put through it during the season. I’ll usually put 2-5 rounds through to check scope at the beginning of the season, then do general cleaning. Throughout the season I’ll do the same after shooting. I’ll break it down and do a thorough cleaning after 20 rounds or so.
 
My two cents, depends on how many rounds you put through it during the season. I’ll usually put 2-5 rounds through to check scope at the beginning of the season, then do general cleaning. Throughout the season I’ll do the same after shooting. I’ll break it down and do a thorough cleaning after 20 rounds or so.

It's a mixed bag. I have a 7mm08 that was new to me I ran about 20 rounds down including 4 kill shots. A .35 Remington I ran 10 rounds through including 2 kills. A .243 had about 12 rounds ran through it and my .223 about 10 rounds.
 
I fully clean my guns after season and it’s never effected my zero but I’m not splitting hairs on my shooting. If I’m in a 4” circle I’m good. Im not all about be putting bullets on top of each other. These are hunting rifles that very very rarely shoot out past 100yrds so I don’t get crazy with sub-moa with them. If I can put 3-4 rounds in a 4” circle at 100yds I’m good with that so doing a deep clean and oiling my barrel is what I do.
 
All my guns that I hunt with shoot one in moa@,100 yds. Guns I get in trade I clean the bore and that is the last cleaning they get. Now if you shoot 20-30 rds clean the bore. anything over 3 in groups need attention.
 
Running a lightly oiled patch down a high power rifle will not significantly change POI in hunting terms. Of course running a oiled patch down a bench rest gun will change POI enough to notice if you are shooting 1 inch groups at 200 but that is a different story.
 
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