Super dirty rifle cleaning
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So my rifle (both are mine actually) from the competition is dirty. Not fouled, but just full of sand and grit and dust. There’s so much in there I can’t see getting it all out with solvents and patches.
Does anyone have any issue with me removing it from the stock and spraying it with the hose to float most the stuff out of it? Then I’ll probably dry it out with the air compressor and give it a regular cleaning and oiling.
The bolts can get stripped and placed in a sonic cleaner.
The optics I’m not concerned as much with but I was thinking running water in the sink. Then optic cleaning solution on the lenses.
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I'm actually surprised at how cavalier people are with their rifles at a match. Most of the dirt comes from just being outside as people walk around and as ATV's cruise around... so why not just keep the rifle inside a tac-ops drag bag or stock pack, completely covered, in between stages?
Anyway, I'd just wipe, q-tip out the obvious stuff in the action/lug recess/chamber type areas... hit the rest with an air hose. Keep the scope caps on, obviously.
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In the future I will be wrapping this thing up, but I don’t think it would have helped me this time.
Thanks for the input.
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The shoots I've been to, some folks stash their rifles in the shade between stages, if they coul find it. I've seen others just cover the rifle with a white towel. Down in Fla, rifles left in the sun heat up pretty quick in the summertime. As Orkan says some just leave there rifles out in the open and do nothing. I've seen guys with the point n shoot thermometers to chech their rifle and ammo temp. You do see some interesting things at shoots for sure.
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This past month, on a snow day (yes, in April-Sad!) I decided to make my own cover to protect the optic and action port(s). I keep most of the materials on-hand and thought it would be cheap insurance at a match in extremely dusty or rainy/muddy conditions if I didn't want to use a covered pack scabbard.
I obviously wouldn't use the carry handle between stages to transport it horizontally, sweeping everyone and their dog. However, it did get me thinking if a lot of people would get bent out of shape if the bolt was not exposed in the open position (or a chamber flag)?
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Bend, Oregon is a desert. The whole place is one big sand/dust box. The majority of the dust got in there as I dropped prone or low crawled position to position.
There were a couple stages where we were shooting from inside a little house thing. The wind (12-20ish) blowing the sand on the front of the building concentrated its force to the point of forcing the ROs and Spotters out of the room. All the shooter could do was put their head down and hold on.
I’m surprised it didn’t take the ceracoat off the rifles.
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Just to add alittle to the conversations , I'ma clean freak when it comes to cleaning my barrels . I thought my barrel was clean , patches came out white . Then I read an article on CLR cleaner on another forum . I'll give it a try , bought a jug ran a patch down my clean barrel , was I surprised the patch came out saturated with carbon , second patch came out pretty clean . Both times I ran it up & down about 10 times . If your into trying new cleaners give CLR a try .
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@cw308 said in Super dirty rifle cleaning:
Just to add alittle to the conversations , I'ma clean freak when it comes to cleaning my barrels . I thought my barrel was clean , patches came out white . Then I read an article on CLR cleaner on another forum . I'll give it a try , bought a jug ran a patch down my clean barrel , was I surprised the patch came out saturated with carbon , second patch came out pretty clean . Both times I ran it up & down about 10 times . If your into trying new cleaners give CLR a try .
don't know I use CLR with that composite skin barrel. Some might drip at the muzzle. Just my thought.
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@martino1 said in Super dirty rifle cleaning:
@cw308 said in Super dirty rifle cleaning:
Just to add alittle to the conversations , I'ma clean freak when it comes to cleaning my barrels . I thought my barrel was clean , patches came out white . Then I read an article on CLR cleaner on another forum . I'll give it a try , bought a jug ran a patch down my clean barrel , was I surprised the patch came out saturated with carbon , second patch came out pretty clean . Both times I ran it up & down about 10 times . If your into trying new cleaners give CLR a try .
don't know I use CLR with that composite skin barrel. Some might drip at the muzzle. Just my thought.
You do know that carbon/composite wrapped barrels are steel at the muzzle, right?
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@orkan
I'm not familiar with the weapon in the and I couldn't see the muzzle, I was just suggesting caution just in case some of the CLR dripped out of the muzzle and made it back to where the composite meets. Figures there's a seam where the two materials meet that might not like CLR.
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@martino1 Proper cleaning methodology would dictate the muzzle being at a downward angle during cleaning, allowing solvent to drip out and away from the barrel rather than drool down the side of it.
