Anyone oil bore before firing round of newly cleaned gun?

[sithlord6512]

In his book "The Field and Stream Rifle Maintenance Book: Tips....", the author states that he lightly oils his bore to lubricate it before firing the first round out of a newly cleaned gun. He admits that there are two camps, the other being those that don't do this. Based on what I have read thus far, the other camp seems to be alot larger (i.e., those that do not do this).

Does anyone on this forum do this? If so, how much gun oil do you use? How do you apply it? (I figure it must be a very small amount, as too much would presumably lead to increased and dangerous barrel pressures).

The reason why I found this interesting is that one of the Posts on this forum (topic was"barrel cleaning" or "breaking-in") includes an article by an engineer who suggests that shooting out of a "bare-to-metal" clean bore is bad, and that some lubrication is desirable (i.e., lubrication provided by slightly fouled barrel - does not indicate oiling the barrel). I think the the rationale provided was that the metal-to-metal contact that would occur when a round is fired in a "bare-to-the-metal" clean bore would decrease the life-span of the barrel. The engineer seemed like he did his "homework".

I am interested in this practice because I only have one gun (.300 WSM) and want to shoot it alot. Therefore, I am interested in anything that will increase the longevity of my gun (without negatively affecting the accuracy). Thanks.

 

[FOTIS]

I always run a dry patch through her before. Always have done this. :wink:

 

[SakoSteve270wsm]

I only oil the bore on a blued barrel thats going to sit for a long time.

 

[Guest]

I don't oil the bore specifically before shooting. I do put an oil patch through every bore I clean, as a last step. Works well and keeps corrosion out. I live in a humid environment, so it's a big issue here. Needless to say, after the first shot, the only oil left is minimal. I don't clean unnecessarily, and won't carry a 'clean' bore into the woods after game. Everything starts out fouled with at least one shot. I haven't had any issues so far.

 

[kraky]

I can tell you that oil in a bore can make alot of extra pressure. A bullet that is trying to push oil ahead of it is not what you want.
A couple years ago some friends and I were checking zero's just before deer season. I had my chrono set up and one of the guys sat down with factory 165's and a 22" bar 30-06.. He asked what I thought the speed would be. I said probably about 2725. His first shot cleared the chrono at a whopping 2860. The next a bit less and the next a bit less. By the fifth shot he was down to right at 2725.
I asked him how he stores his gun...he said...."I swab it out and leave lots of oil in the barrel....then put it in the safe. In fall I take it out and go hunting"
I realize this is a bit of an extreme example and an ultra thin coat will probably be ok. This is proabable a good example of why most manafacturers load to about 55k pressure and no more??

 

[GB300wm]

I do oil my bore after cleaning, but I run dry patches through it before firing. I oil my barrel good to get any bore cleaner out that may be lying in the lands. :grin:

 

[JD338]

I do not oil my bores prior to shooting but I do oil them after they have been cleaned.
This 338 RUM w/ 250 gr AB group was shot out of a freshly cleaned and oiled bore. Notice the fiest shot has a black ring from the oiled bore.

JD338

 

[sithlord6512]

Hi JD338,

Just so I am clear - you oil your gun after you have cleaned your gun. Also, when you shoot your gun again, you are not cleaning the oil out of the bore beforehand (i.e., your bore still has the oil you put in it after cleaning)?

How much oil do you apply to your bore after cleaning (e.g., one drop, two drops, etc.). Also, how are you applying it (Spray, with a tight fitting Patch+jag, a loose fitting jag with a patch, etc.)? Finally, are you doing this deliberately/intentionally - i.e., or have you come accross the same/similar recommendation that I have (i.e., leave a little oil in a newly cleaned barrel without taking it out before the first firing).

The reason I am asking is that if I follow this practice, I want to make sure that I am not leaving so much oil in the barrel that it causes dangerously high pressures.
Thanks for all the posts.

 

[JD338]

sithlord6512

When I clean my bore, I use Butches Bore Shine, Sweets 7.62 copper solvent, and Rem Oil.
I put a light coat of oil in the bore, typically, a couple drops of Rem Oil on a patch and run it through a few times.

JD338

 

[1Shot]

I like others will run a patch with some oil, CLP "Breakfree" down the bore after I clean. Before I shoot the rifle I run a couple of patches down the bore to remove the oil. I have never had a rifle that would shoot the first round from a clean barrel to the same POI as the following shots from a fouled barrel. I always hunt with a fouled bore. Most every rifle I have ever had, and that is a bunch, will put the first round from a clean bore high and left from where the next rounds POI will be.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

I too oil my barrels as the last step of cleaning.
I will run a patch with a degrease on in before shooting, and it seems to help with my fist shot accuracy.

 

[BK]

When I run a patch through the bore after cleaning, or after hunting, I use a patch pretty well soaked with oil, then a dry patch. When I pull the rifle out of the safe to use, I'll run a couple of dry patches throught the bore.

 

[YoteSmoker]

I clean between range sessions but for hunting, I leave them fouled if shot less than 30 rounds. Right now my 204, 223, and 243 are fouled and ready to hunt. My bigger guns are clean, oiled, and awaiting range time.

 

[rick smith]

After cleaning, I put a few drops of oil on a patch and push down the barrel. That will stay until I fire my first shot. All my chronograph results have been opposite that of Kraky. My first shot is always slower. Once I foul the barrel before hunting season I will not clean the barrel again unless it gets very dirty or wet. I oil all my barrels chrome moly and SS. SS barrels can/will rust/corrode.Rick.

 

[old #7]

My cleaning process usually includes removing copper with 7.62 and oiling after using 7.62 is important.
After cleaning I soak a patch with break free and let it sit. After an hour or two I run a dry patch through to get out the excess oil.
I use the same procedure on all types of barrels. Stainless will rust or corrode but it does stain-less than other metals.

 

[Greg Nolan]

Most resources suggest running a patch with a couple of drops of light oil like rem-oil thru the bore to both protect the barrel and swab out any solvents that may be left in the microscopic pores of the barrel when cleaning because solvents attract and hold moisture. I clean and lightly oil my hunting gun's bores once at the end of the hunting season and run a dry patch through before my sight in shots which foul the barrel for me. My 300 Wby has shot 8 " off center with a freshley oiled barrel and then printed tight groups after. Of course as said if you shoot a lot or the bore gets wet or dirty I would clean it, oil it and dry swab it and then fire a fouling shot. It works for me.
Good Hunting
Elkhunt :grin:

 

[Charlie-NY]

I clean my bores after every range session unless the rifle is going to be used afield. I much prefer a fouled barrel for shot-shot consistency.

After cleaning the bore I will put several drops of Break-Free on a patch and short stroke it up and down the bore. Once the bore has an adequate layer of protectant on it I run a dry patch or two up & down the bore to remove any excess Break-Free that may be there.

I store my rifles vertically in a gun cabinet. If excess oil was left in the bore it would (eventually) tend to run down and could end up in the action or on the stock or bedding. It may only be a slight amount but I do not want Break-Free on anything except the barrel or exterior metal surfaces.

At the range, I normally shoot a fouler or two but it isn't always necessary to avoid a first shot flier.

 

[BK]

Once I foul the barrel before hunting season I will not clean the barrel again unless it gets very dirty or wet.

Yeah, shoulda mentioned that.

 

[YoteSmoker]

I think it makes most sense to store freshly cleaned/oiled rifles vertically in the safe, muzzle down.

 

[kraky]

One thing I hadn't thought of in my friends case is that some oils tend to pretty much become "glue" after a years storage. Even Kroil oil which is a great penetrating oil transforms into something awful after a long time sitting there as does wd40.
Another very good reason to at least get another patch or two down a barrel that has been stored BEFORE GOING TO THE RANGE.