Clean A New Barrel?

[fishnbob]

Do you clean a new rifle barrel before firing to remove the protectant placed by the manufacturer?

[HangFireW8]

I do, too. I like to track how smooth the bore is throughout break-in.

My assessment is most factory guns are proof-fired and then shipped without cleaning. If your break-in procedure involves cleaning between each shot for the first several shots, you already have work to do.

HF

[Longwood]

I have owned about 60 guns.
I do not recall ever cleaning one before I shot it.

Ooops,,, wait a second,,, I got a free Thompson Hawkin that I cleaned first, but it had a bullet stuck in it.

[dragonrider]

The very first thing I do is clean it. Then slug it.

[Longwood]

The very first thing I do is clean it. Then slug it.

I think I see the problem.
The first 58 or so only shot jacketed bullets.
The only ones I ever slugged, until last year, were my varmint rifles.

[Gtek]

I push every new, new to me, new after I screw it on and chamber with JB paste. Some are constant all the way, sometimes feel spots, push out or lap. The higher end barrels I usually just push a couple times to make me feel better. Some of the factory stuff has tool chatter and so on. I am in the 100 times push crowd on factory tubes. I think it makes a difference, it sure seems smoother when I am done and cleaning seems easier. Take a good light and look into muzzle at 45 and look at machine finish of lands. Push tight patch on jag from chamber end one even push and see if you feel any tight spots. One question, million answers. Gtek

[Lonegun1894]

I always clean a new aquisition first before shooting. It's just something that was drilled into me since I was young and hanging around milsurp shooters who thought it was funny to take my very first gun before I ever had a chance to shoot it and pump it full of cosmoline. Now the vast majority of my guns haven't been half as bad to clean, but a few had enough "preservative" in the bores that I think it could have actually damaged them to fire without cleaning.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Probably the best answer to the question of to clean a new barrel or not is to simply run a patch with some solvent on it down the barrel before firing it. What color did the patch turn at the end of the barrel? Makers put a light preservative in the bore before shipping as well on all other metal parts. It was drilled into me at a very young age with my first new firearm to clean the barrel first.Robert

[phonejack]

Always.......safety issue !

[94ranger]

Probably the best answer to the question of to clean a new barrel or not is to simply run a patch with some solvent on it down the barrel before firing it. What color did the patch turn at the end of the barrel? Makers put a light preservative in the bore before shipping as well on all other metal parts. It was drilled into me at a very young age with my first new firearm to clean the barrel first.Robert

This is what I do, although with some new guns it's not needed. Still good practice!

[paul h]

Hmm, it's been several years since I've purchased a new gun, need to rectify that ;)

I do a visual inspection of the bore, but typically shoot the gun as recieved. I'm of the belief that typically more damage is done to a bore from overzelous cleaning than good. When the bearrel shows fouling or leading, then I clean it.