Barrel cleaning..... I may have been wrong!!

[andyfr1968 772]

The last few times I've been out with the 90 I've been noticing that it's normally brilliant accuracy has been a little lacking. I've checked everything that can be checked and even changed scopes but things were still not quite as good as I expect from it. I'd put it down to the fact that old age and poverty had finally got the better of me

 

Anyway, while sitting at home on Friday night I got a bit bored with the telly and after a few tins of Strongbow to fuel my imagination I decided to give the barrel a good clean, after all, it couldn't possibly hurt could it?

 

I took the old girl out for a few hours yesterday and very much to my surprise the accuracy had returned to what I expect from it I've not cleaned an air gun's barrel in the last thirty or so years as I always though it was a total waste of time on a non powder burning gun......

 

Guess I may have been wrong

[weekend.rifle 44]

i was also under the impression that cleaning the barrel was not only pointless as like you said its non powder burning, but if it was a rather heavy cleaning session would mean you had to re lead it..............so im at a loss as to why it worked, unless there was a build up of lead in one place in the barrel.

 

i will definatly bear it in mind should i experience the same in the future,

 

 

tony

[Sweeney-Todd 208]

Hi Andy.

 

Welcome to the club mate

 

I could never see the point of letting a rifle go to the point of loosing accuracy before cleaning its barrel.

 

In my gun bags I have two tins of pellets of what ever make for the rifle in question.

Once those pellets have gone, I lightly clean the barrel, no scrubbing or brushes involved, just a pull through with a dampened patch using white spirit, then a further couple to finnish.

I put it down to progressive maintenance, works for me

Then stick 50 through to re lead, jobs a good un.

 

 

Bill.

Edited July 29, 2012 by Sweeney-Todd

[Wildling 520]

My cleaning regime for my rifles has always been quite thorough, although barrel's tend to only have a pull though after using up a batch of rounds or pellets.

That said I've never had a massive point of aim shift mate.

 

My worst fear would be looking down a rifle barrel full of rust and muck !

 

If your rifles clean and your shootings great then its happy days all round lads.

[andyfr1968 772]

Thanks for the replys, lads

 

The accuracy hadn't gone to bits, it just wasn't quite as good as I know the gun's capable of. At my 30 yard zero (the gun's a .20) I was getting groups of about half an inch or so and every 15 or 20 shots I was getting the odd one that would fly off an inch or so from the main group. I know that none of us are perfect and we all pull the odd shot but we usually know when we've done it and these were quite random.

 

I was honestly starting to think it was down to me but I'm out and about 3 or 4 times at least most weeks so I'm lucky enough to be getting plenty of practice in. I use H and N FTTs through the gun, washed and lubed so I never even considered that the barrel may be the issue but yesterday the fliers had all gone and it was back to putting pretty much pellet on pellet.

 

You live and learn!!

Edited July 29, 2012 by andyfr1968

[milegajo 595]

Same with my tx200. She was twangy for starters plus accuracy was off. Thought that if i was going to the bother of a strip down I'd clean the barrel too. Now she's back to her deadly self.

[Wildling 520]

Aye always worth giving the barrel a swab before stressing and switching pellet brands, makes, sizes !

Been there done that !

[Sweeney-Todd 208]

Glad your back on form Andy

[pianoman 3,587]

So am I mate! Too good a shot for personal faults is our Andy. You've been having accuracy issues for a fair time with your rifle. Glad it's resolved.

 

Bill, I'm going to try your methods of barrel cleaning with my springers. Simple, to the point and works everytime is what I like. And I hope you are in better health. Great to see your responses to posts again.

 

Regards to you both lads.

 

Simon

[andyfr1968 772]

Thanks, lads.

 

Simon, all of the problems I've had with the 90 were down to easily solved issues. A couple of less than perfect scopes which is just one of those things and a bad batch of pellets last year.

 

This really had me scratching my head though Thank god for alcohol inspired solutions!!

[Marksman 934]

Good stuff.....

 

See what a good "pull" can achieve!!!

 

Darryl

[Sweeney-Todd 208]

So am I mate! Too good a shot for personal faults is our Andy. You've been having accuracy issues for a fair time with your rifle. Glad it's resolved.

 

Bill, I'm going to try your methods of barrel cleaning with my springers. Simple, to the point and works everytime is what I like. And I hope you are in better health. Great to see your responses to posts again.

 

Regards to you both lads.

 

Simon

 

 

Hi Simon.

 

Much better now mate, thank you!

 

Its a nice habbit to get into, just got to remember the two tins, a lot of airgun shooters use the method to good effect.

 

ATB.

 

 

 

Bill

[Sweeney-Todd 208]

Good stuff.....

 

See what a good "pull" can achieve!!!

 

Darryl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...............................Especially after a nice "Ruby Murry"