prepping a clean bbl.

[porthos]

does anyone "prep" a clean bbl. before shooting lead. something other than shooting a fouler or2??

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Assuming you are talking about shooting lubed cast boolits?
A good lube formula will leave the barrel in the same condition after each shot, to promote the best accuracy. In the Lube Quest thread, Eutectic coined the term CORE condition (Consistency Of Residuals Encountered). The Best way to get the barrel into the CORE condition is to get the barrel as clean and oil free as possible, then shoot a fouler shot.

[Gewehr-Guy]

I usually clean my cast bullet rifles with a few strokes of a brass brush and Kroil, then dry patches till they come reasonably clean. Then I wet a patch with Ben's Liquid Lube, and give the bore a protective coating of lube. I have been using a thin coat of BLL on my previously lubed and sized bullets for several years, and have good results using this routine.

[farmbif]

I look at it this way. have you ever done anything to a new 22 before shooting lead bullets through it? although if the barrel is of poor quality with tool chatter marks it may be best to do something to it like maybe fire lapping.

[Winger Ed.]

Nah.
I store my guns with a light coat of oil.
The next time I go shooting, I run a patch with Hoppe's #9 to clean out the oil, then a couple of dry patches, and that's it.

[stubshaft]

Back in the 80's when I was heavily involved in Silhouette shooting IHMSA had a special designation for "lead bullets". I shot many 40X40's and more than a few 60X60's and managed a few State Championships along the way. At the time I was shooting a custom XP-100 chambered for a self-designed wildcat in 7mm and using the RCBS 145 gr. SIL bullet. My regimen would be to clean the barrel until it was spotless, then run a patch of Rooster Labs Waterproof Jacket lube down the bore to pre-treat and condition the bore. I believe it helped me, but never did a comprehensive test to prove or disprove it. One thing is certain and that is that it did stop and corrosion in the barrel.

[20:1]

I clean everything regularly and leave a light coat of Eds Red in the bore for storage. Before going out I run two dry patches through the bore and call it good. If I'm hunting I'll find a secluded spot away from my hunting area and fire a single fouling shot. This system always seems to work well for me. If I'm hunting with a revolver I'll fire my foulers at the range the day before. One shot for each chamber.

[gwpercle]

I like to clean a barrel in preparation for shooting lead with Ed's Red Bore / Gun Solvent , a brass brush wrapped with 0000 steel wool , dipped in Ed's Red Solvent and smeared with J-B Bore Cleaning Compound (Paste) ... being slightly Anal-OCD ... I scrub it 3 times , 3 sessions - over 3 days ... letting arms rest between sessions .

If it isn't clean by now ... it never will be .
Gary

[firefly1957]

I have one rifle a Remington model 700 30-06 I bought in 1973 the first shot from a clean barrel always goes high. So before I hunt I fire a fouling shot and if the next shot is in a day or a month it is where it is supposed to be rather then high above the aiming point.

The gun always did this I have free floated the barrel and glass bedded the action and it does the same after every cleaning . For years My father hunted with the rifle one year I did some shooting with it and it grouped terrible 3 inches at 100 yards the action screws came loose somehow? This year my hunting load grouped at 1 1/4" at 100 yards . Older loads with Sierra bullets did 1" If I load the same bullets out just short of the rifling half inch groups are possible however the bullets can be pulled out of the case by hand and the load will not work in my other 30-06 .

[Rapier]

I use a clean to bright steel bore, that is then wet bore treated with Techron.
As I switched to powder coating, a couple decades ago, I use very little bullet lube and almost no gas checks. Also switched to plain base cast.

[popper]

I might have cleaned the gun after last session. Or not. Ed's red to clean out any junk, then a dry patch.

[Randy Bohannon]

Engine oil or Johnson Paste wax for B/P rifles both non dripping or running. Engine oil is designed to cling to parts, gun oil is to thin for lasting protection and migrates to undesirable areas.

[gypsyman]

Couple of shooters back in the 80's thru early 2000 would run a patch of denatured alcohol down the barrel and then a dry patch. (IHMSA match's, XP's in 7br or T/C's in usually 7tcu.) Claimed the gun would not have a flyer on the first shot. Me, kept track of how many rds. I put down range, when it got to 250 or so, clean them. Then a few days before a match, throw my guns in the saddle bags on my bike, went to the club and fired a few rounds for fouling, and be good for a couple more match's.

[10x]

I will clean the barrel of a used rifle with Ammonia to get rid of any hint of copper fouling. Whether or not copper fouling affects cast bullet group size i do not know. but I like to eliminate one variable before I start.
Powder Coating has replaced alox/wax lubes in my cast shooting and it does not seem to foul with bullet residue at all.
Brake clean patch and an oil soaked patch seems to be enough cleaning.