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Posted: 4/15/2017 11:19:49 PM EDT
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How often do I need to be cleaning my barrel during load testing? Or should I even be cleaning it during load testing?
I usually have 5 rounds of a certain load/powder and anywhere from 50-100 rounds total with my different combinations. I usually start with a clean gun and then after every 5 rounds I just run a dry boresnake down the barrel a couple times then move on the next set after the barrel cools for a few minutes. Suggestions on how everyone else goes about it as I am new to load developing? |
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Quoted:
How often do I need to be cleaning my barrel during load testing? Or should I even be cleaning it during load testing? I usually have 5 rounds of a certain load/powder and anywhere from 50-100 rounds total with my different combinations. I usually start with a clean gun and then after every 5 rounds I just run a dry boresnake down the barrel a couple times then move on the next set after the barrel cools for a few minutes. Suggestions on how everyone else goes about it as I am new to load developing? I try to do the same (boresnake) if I change powders............ I do this after reading in "Black Magic" by Feamster and the AR books by Zediker. They both mention the question of powder residue @#$% with the next load. Have I seen it? I'm not sure........ is it a easy fix to the question? Yes. |
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I don't.
I belive the variable between hot/cold barrel would make more of a difference than a uncleaned barrel after 50 rounds. I have seen a shooter shoot, clean then wait for barrel to cool between each shot, which is probably the fairest way for each round. I just can't do it. |
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One bit of "lore" I've heard of is switching between extruded and ball powders may cause accuracy issues for the first few shots after the switch.
Another bit of unconfirmed shooting "lore" is that rifles take a few "fouling shots" to "settle down" after cleaning. I cannot remember ever doing such a powder switch in the past, so I can say I never clean during load development testing. I've also never seen "fouling shots" to help or hurt. I never clean during a match, so I don't feel a need to clean during testing. Do you see an accuracy fall off if you do not clean? Do you see accuracy fall off if you do clean? One thing I have seen is the first "cold bore" shot being to a slightly different point of impact than subsequent shots. This happens if I have oiled the bore for storage but forgotten to swab it dry before firing. If the bore is clean and dry, I do not see any difference with that first cold bore shot. |
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Quoted:
. . . One thing I have seen is the first "cold bore" shot being to a slightly different point of impact than subsequent shots. This happens if I have oiled the bore for storage but forgotten to swab it dry before firing. If the bore is clean and dry, I do not see any difference with that first cold bore shot. Don't know for sure what causes it . . . just reasoned that only the first shot is fired from a "clean", cold barrel. So I fire 3 for a couple of reasons before beginning tests. I also don't believe in round-robin shooting test groups, and I've had discussions about this with Dan Newberry (OCW) who defends it as the most statistically reliable approach. But round-robin means no test-group bullets are fired immediately after a group-mate . . . opposite of the way they will be fired in actual use. IMO round-robin only guarantees that what you are trying to guard against will likely happen. To deal with potential issues from accumulated dirt, when volume dictates I clean the barrel after a string of test rounds . . . less for a factory barrel, more for a quality barrel . . . and fire 2-3 shots again before continuing the test. I'd also do that if I switched powders at the range, just in case the "lore" is correct :) Just my approach, YMMV. |
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