.22-250 Newbie Advice

[paulus 26]

how many barrels are thought to be shot out when in fact may have never been clean properly. there was a guy over in the states made a living buying cheap shot out rifles, doing a proper cleaning and tuning job on them then selling them on to the match shooters its in the 2004 shooters bible

[let'sshoot 11]

How do you guys clean your rifles? Maybe it's my cleaning regime.

I have a one piece rod, patches and hoppes. Never use a brass brush - read somewhere it eventually wears away the rifling.

[celticrusader 78]

Depends...in the army we used to pull through the barrel with snakebores and think how much ammo would go through them!...that being said I dont know if that can come in to account being that there different design....wouldn't bother on a hmr as there so tight but as long as your not over cleaning it it'll be alright I would've thought.

I use a kleenbore on my hmr and give it a once or twice then I'm onto grease patch or two then dry patches for another three or four and job done.

[charlie caller 3,654]

I never use a rod, I use a pull through, with a patch soaked in Phillips barrel cleaner, leave it to soak for five minutes, then patch it out until they come out clean, I do it somewhere between 50-100 rounds, it leaves the barrel sparkling, and removes all traces of lead and CARBON (the worst one) fouling, been doing this on the same rifle for nine years now, with handloads it groups five shots into a 5p sized ragged hole if I do my bit, a guy I shoot with has a .222 he has had it for around 15 years + and has never cleaned it, and it is (as are all .222s) a tackdriver, I think people clean rifles far too much, I have an aquaintance in the states who builds some superb rifles, and is very clever in regard to firearms in general, if you ask him about his cleaning regime, he will reply, "cleaning" Ive heard of that

[celticrusader 78]

Ha ha yeh I think its come over from target work and tbh I havnt bothered doing the barrel on my .22lr as its not affected, back to the army again... I bet when most of the guys in an operational theatre have put hundreds through there rifle by the time cleaning was to be done...I know I did on training exercises and it was the norm.

Edited July 21, 2014 by celticrusader

[let'sshoot 11]

I'd say my cleaning regime sounds fine in that case. I clean it with a couple of hoppes dipped patches, then run dry patches through until they come out dry n clean, I'd do this on average every 50-100 rounds, depending on how frustrated I am by not getting tidy groups. I wish it'd be a tackdriver.

Thanks

Edited July 21, 2014 by let'sshoot

[maktayla 50]

Let'sshoot. It must be so annoying a and frustrating for you. The scopes are fine??? As I said earlier, my scopes looked absolutely perfect and I was getting to the point I thought it was the rifle, until I borrowed a mates.

Thanks for all the cleaning tips guys. That would have probably been another question. I know its different to centrefire but my HMR hates being cleaned. Gotta put a few rounds back through it because the zero is all over the place.

[charlie caller 3,654]

It doesn't really group, out of 5 there are usually 2 fliers, the other 3 may be within 2" at 100yds

2" at 100 yards is very poor, what make of rifle is it? you need to go through a process mate and eliminate things one by one, first check the crown carefully, as even a small amount of damage will make the rifle group like a shotgun, take the moderator off, fire a group, and see if there is any improvement, let your barrel cool between shots, five minutes at least, take the scope off and swap it for another, re-zero and check groups, if your barrel is meant to be free floating, slide a bank note in between the barrel and wood(assuming it has a wood stock) do it when cold, and warm, to see if the wood is touching the stock at any point, if you are using a bipod, make sure the stock is not flexing when its on the bipod, and touching the barrel(back to the 20 quid note) try some different ammo, your rifle may just not like your current brand, make sure you change mounts when you swap the scope, it may be them, not the scope, get a pal to shoot a group to confirm its the rifle and not you somewhere in all that lot is your answer, my money is either on the crown or the wood touching the barrel, but check them all pal, I hope this helps, keep us posted

[let'sshoot 11]

Ok, will check all that when I got out with it next. Too darn hot for it today. There is space for a doubled up bank note to slide all the way up between the stock and barrel when cold - have yet to try when it's warm. It's a cz527 American, wood stock, no bipod. I have tried it with homeloads and factory ammo (remington). The factory ammo shot slightly worse. As mentioned, the mod is as new. Is there a cheap, mediocre scope out there that I could buy to try with? Don't want to mess up my mates setup as he uses his out most nights. He also has a 223, and has shot mine (before the moderator) but the said the anticipation of the shot, as it was unmoderated, was causing him to snatch the trigger.

 

Thanks

[charlie caller 3,654]

So did this problem start after you had it screwcut, presumably for the mod to be fitted? CZ527s are brilliant rifles, I would be very surprised if the rifle was a bad one, shoot it without the moderator on first, just buy a cheap and cheerful scope, if your stuck I have a 3-9x40 AGS you can have for £20.00 plus post, proven to hold zero, if your scope is knackered it would put you on until you get a better one pal, the answer will be something simple, I wish you were closer mate I would have a look for you, let me know if you want the scope?This might seem like a daft question, but what are you using as a rest when you zero it in, if you dont have a bipod?

Edited July 21, 2014 by charlie caller

[let'sshoot 11]

It was screwcut when I purchased it, are cz 527 American screwcut from new? I thought they were. Anyhow, yes the scope sounds good, I'll have it, I'm assuming the scope will withstand the recoil ? what about mounts? I expect I should try and change those as well? I'm using a mtm predator rest.

Thanks

[danw 1,748]

I never use a rod, I use a pull through, with a patch soaked in Phillips barrel cleaner, leave it to soak for five minutes, then patch it out until they come out clean, I do it somewhere between 50-100 rounds, it leaves the barrel sparkling, and removes all traces of lead and CARBON (the worst one) fouling, been doing this on the same rifle for nine years now, with handloads it groups five shots into a 5p sized ragged hole if I do my bit, a guy I shoot with has a .222 he has had it for around 15 years + and has never cleaned it, and it is (as are all .222s) a tackdriver, I think people clean rifles far too much, I have an aquaintance in the states who builds some superb rifles, and is very clever in regard to firearms in general, if you ask him about his cleaning regime, he will reply, "cleaning" Ive heard of that

CC I don't understand what lead would be in your barrel just as I don't get why Sdan wants to relead his barrel surely you mean copper?

[danw 1,748]

Ha ha yeh I think its come over from target work and tbh I havnt bothered doing the barrel on my .22lr as its not affected, back to the army again... I bet when most of the guys in an operational theatre have put hundreds through there rifle by the time cleaning was to be done...I know I did on training exercises and it was the norm.

 

How many of those operational rifles will put 3 shots into a quarter inch or less at 100 yds I would bet non comparing the army's tat and a sporting rifle is like comparing chalk and cheese

[shropshire dan 467]

After cleaning the barrel how many rounds will it usually take to get back on zero and original accuracy?

[danw 1,748]

After cleaning the barrel how many rounds will it usually take to get back on zero and original accuracy?

If you cleaned it properly none