CLR for barrel cleaning

[cw308]

I've used JB compound on my last stock barrel with no problems . Haven't used it on this match barrel , read some pro's & con's . What are your feelings on the use of JB and how often .

 

[hps1]

I've used JB compound on my last stock barrel with no problems . Haven't used it on this match barrel , read some pro's & con's . What are your feelings on the use of JB and how often .

I use abrasives sparingly. Before the scope, usually didn't use them until I saw signs of copper near muzzle. I guess I've been lucky that I have never had a rifle that I experienced a loss of accuracy due to fouling. I'm sure part of that is my anal attitude toward thorough cleaning (to white patch standard) after every shooting session, regardless of the number of rounds fired. I know it happens, I just never have detected it in one of my rifles, including my XTC rifles which would fire up to 375 rounds in a 3 day match. SS (since scope) I shoot for no copper/no carbon.

I do understand there is such a thing as "beneficial fouling" but I have not yet determined exactly where the sweet spot is, and I'm sure it varies (greatly) from one barrel to the next. That is another chore for the bore scope. Obviously all barrels are not created equally and stands to reason that a rough factory barrel probably benefits more from some degree of fouling than would a slick match grade barrel, which I am assuming would shoot best when squeaky clean. We always shot a couple of fouling shots before matches, but I never experienced a change in POI before/after.

The last rifle I acquired pushed me over the brink on buying the bore scope. It is the only Savage I have had problems w/accuracy. As most factory rifles it was a copper magnet; even worse than most, but I can live with that, no more than I shoot them hunting nowdays. I probably shot 1500 to 2000 rounds through this one searching for the sub MOA which separates the keepers from the chaff. I did finally find a .5 load w/125 NBT's and .75-1.0 w/150 & 167 gr NAB's, but not before I nearly ruined the barrel.

Since I bought the rifle used, I began to wonder if it might have a dreaded carbon ring, so attacked it aggressively w/Gold Medallion and JB. Try as I might, patches came out black until I began to wonder if maybe the black was steel rather than carbon. This turned out to be the case when I finally broke down and got the scope as the lands no longer have a sharp corner. Fortunately, the rifle still shoots the 3 loads above.
So........the old sayin' "If a little does a little good, a lot does a lot" is not the case for abrasives.

On a side note, we were issued NM Garands on the AMU which were shot daily in practice and at matches. I'm guestimating that I fired just north of 5000 rounds through mine before turning it in. Amazing piece of machinery; in all that time, it never malfunctioned and maintained sufficient accuracy to clean the old 5V targets of the day.

Our cleaning regimen was to "clean" daily, using only the issued GI bore cleaner (In 1962 would compare to today's CLP or FP 10). Rifles were not taken out of the stock unless they had malfunctioned and needed armorer's attention. The bores were scrubbed with copper bore brush soaked w/the CLP of the day (on steel rods w/o any bore guides ), alternately dry patched to achieve "white patch" standard. W/muzzle down and bolt locked open we put a few drops of CLP on op-rod at entry point to gas cyl. and let it soak downward. I shot mine dry during windstorms, complete with many dust devils, @ Ft. Bliss (204 rounds) but on more civil ranges , always lubed friction points w/Lubriplate issued in the small tubs that fit in stock...........That's it. I'm sure that barrel had copper in it, .....and it continued to shoot master scores reliably until the day we parted company!

By the way, I know odds are astronomical, but would sure love to find (H&R IIRC) # 5,812,388. (Has not passed through CMP to date but they have a "wanted poster" on it.)

Regards,
hps