Pistols: How Much (if any) "Bore Seasoning" from Clean Bores?

[Grump]

Okay, please report according to the accuracy standards of what the NRA now calls "Precision Pistol", aka "Bullseye". Our 10-ring at 50-yard slow fire is 3.36 inches (the reduced 25-yard SF target is 1.51 inches), so we REALLY want 2-inch groups at 50.

With various lubes, which (if any) throw all shots from the beginning into the main group with pistols?

With various lubes that require a few shots to season a clean bore, how many shots for the group to settle down?

AND has anyone found that a certain lube will just throw one shot "so far" outside the main group and then everything else hits the main group?

My own SF hold is too wobbly to trust my own observations with my loads right now. I could try some bench experiments, but with the bench zero something like 5 inches away from my one-hand zero, I'd rather "spend" my ammo shooting groups...or design my testing around others' observed lube performances.

And no, I really have no desire to ever go back to the tried and true "newer" NRA 50/50 ALOX/Beeswax mix my Dad used (or the newer ones using different/available ALOX products). Too messy and stinky to handle, leaves more gunk on the outside of the gun than I like, and still stinks when you shoot it. What I see posted here on CB convinces me that we can get equal anti-leading and equal accuracy with other less problematic stuff now.

Thanks!

[fecmech]

My take is that at "Bullseye" level loadings anything works as a lube. I've used Magma, Rooster, Thompson and CR hard lubes in .38's and .45 acp. They will all stay well inside the 10 ring@50 yds if it's a good load to start with. I too have had my fill of sticky, gunky handguns after using alox NRA lubes. As far as Bullseye pistol loads with cast bullets it's easy to find accuracy if your gun is capable. The H&G #50 WC and 3.0 BE +-.2 in the .38 spl and H&G 68 or Lyman 452460 and 4-4.5 BE will get you pretty close to Master class. As far as "seasoning" a clean barrel I can't speak to that as I don't clean the inside of my barrels. I do occasionally clean cylinders and actions but all that's ever in my barrels is a light coating of lube from previous shots. Good luck in your quest.

[Grump]

Thanks! There's got to be some time when you clean a bore...??? IF it happens in the next few months, is there a chance you could accuracy-test your loads/lubes for such effects from a clean bore and report what you find?

A guy can always hope...

[dubber123]

I typically don't "clean" the bores on my handguns. I do use the same oil that is in my lube to patch the barrels. I don't have to scrub or brush, I just push a lightly oiled patch through if the gun is to be stored for any length of time. Doing it this way seems to eliminate most of the clean barrel flyers people report. I don't ever get enough bore fouling to ever require more than this treatment. There just isn't anything to clean out.

[tazman]

I typically don't "clean" the bores on my handguns. I do use the same oil that is in my lube to patch the barrels. I don't have to scrub or brush, I just push a lightly oiled patch through if the gun is to be stored for any length of time. Doing it this way seems to eliminate most of the clean barrel flyers people report. I don't ever get enough bore fouling to ever require more than this treatment. There just isn't anything to clean out.

I do what he^^^^ does for the most part.
I am hardly a master class pistol shot. That said, I have noticed the phenomenon of a cleaned pistol throwing the first round or two.
I am lazy and cheap so I lube with White Label X-lox. On the very occasional time when I clean the bore with other than a dry patch, the first round through the gun never goes in the group. Sometimes the second one doesn't either. From there on, everything goes in the group as long as I do my part. This happens every time I clean and oil the barrel.

[Grump]

Well, maybe I'll just swab the bore with boolit lube before firing the first shot.

Old skool...I still get some satisfaction out of putting every gun away at least once a year totally clean. Even the .22s.

[tazman]

Swabbing the bore with the same lube you will be using on the boolits is a recommended trick to avoid the first shot or two being out of the group.
Not so usable for the 22lr. Claims I have seen say it takes 5-10 shots to "season" the bore when you change ammo in the 22 or after cleaning.

[David2011]

Glad to know I'm not alone in that I don't clean my pistol barrels very often. The action needs it regularly due to lube but the barrels are always shiny and clean already. I no longer shoot Bullseye but still shoot USPSA and steel plates when I can.

David

[cajun shooter]

Although I've been involved with shooting nothing but BP for many years in SASS, I do like to use any lube with Lanolin in it for the so called bore condition. I used the White Label lubes like the Carnauba Red for all pistol loads and always added my own lanolin mix. Later David

[Grump]

Swabbing the bore with the same lube you will be using on the boolits is a recommended trick to avoid the first shot or two being out of the group.
Not so usable for the 22lr. Claims I have seen say it takes 5-10 shots to "season" the bore when you change ammo in the 22 or after cleaning.

On the college rifle team shooting 50-foot gallery practice and matches with several types of ammo including the rare box of 10-X or R-50, my experience was 2-5 shots when switching ammo. Usually only 2.

With a clean bore, it was...??zero?? to 3 shots to settle it in, again usually only 2 needed.

But it was a new "zone" of body awareness and a consistent trigger hand grip on the stock that got me my first clean prone score on the international target. That was a happy day. Think it might have been the Winchester White Box stuff--that's what we shot the most.

[cajun shooter]

I went to the FBI Sniper School back in the late 80's and it was not a "if you attend you will receive a passing grade and receive the Diploma. They sent people home from the first day of qualifications and on.
Myself and my team partner had the rifles made by McMillian and they sent us a required set of break in rules with each rifle. We followed them to the letter as every shot we sent downrange had to be answered for. If you miss a deer, that just means you will not be eating that day. If you miss the kill spot on your targets head, an innocent person (hostage)would die.
Our way to keep our rifles was to give them our cleaning procedure and then fire one fouling shot before putting it in the case. My rifle was capable of putting all 5 rounds touching if I did my part. If you did not fire the fouling shot, the rifle would not fire to POA. Later David

[dverna]

Like others have stated, I also rarely clean the barrel as it is not needed. When I started shooting BE 40+ years ago my mentor told me, "Never clean your gun before a match". It made sense. No first shot fliers.