Your barrel clean or dirty??? Your best pattern???

[shaman]

So just a question.

Do you get your best pattern out of a super clean barrel or dirty?

I do a deep clean of my barrel. I have a shell and choke combo that I'm sticking with. Just curious as to if you clean your barrel or let her eat? I've seen some 870 that patterned better dirty.... If I'm not mistaken APEX did a YouTube video on this.

Thanks for your time and good luck this spring.

I've not noticed any difference. I generally do not clean my barrel from March to May

[albrubacker]

I have a Benelli SN that likes to be clean. From first shot to second i will loose 10-15% of pellet count at 40yrds. Third shot is 20-25% less. The 870 20ga likes it dirty.
Just like women they are all different!

[Meleagris gallopavo]

In checking POA before and during the season, I noticed a couple of years ago that my 835 patterned worse with a fouled barrel.  Now I just run the bore snake through the barrel a couple of times between shots and call it good.

[THattaway]

Depends on the gun IMO. If it's a rough barrel like on a production mossberg or remington from the last 10 years then after a couple fouling shots we have had better numbers when patterning. I'm talking about barrels that I've polished a bunch. My thoughts are that those tiny imperfections are like potholes on a rough road. A few shots fills them with wadding and smooths things, for a few more shots, and patterns might tighten. Then after some build up it's rough again, patterns open some. I usually clean the barrel after it's been fired though. I won't ever buy another shotgun without first checking the inside of the barrel.

[mtns2hunt]

I always wondered how everyone else treated their barrels. I do the same with rifles, muzzeloaders and shotguns. I clean once a week during season or daily if bad weather. I have not noticed much if any difference between dirty or clean barrels but prefer clean barrels as that is what I pattern with on shotguns. Rifles there is normally an inch high with a clean barrel. Generally not enough to make a difference. I think I will try the deep cleaning and cleaning after every shot routine out of curuiosity with my shotgun. As I know my muzzel loader will print clover leafs at 100 when cleaning after every shot.

[rakkin6]

I always wondered how everyone else treated their barrels. I do the same with rifles, muzzeloaders and shotguns. I clean once a week during season or daily if bad weather. I have not noticed much if any difference between dirty or clean barrels but prefer clean barrels as that is what I pattern with on shotguns. Rifles there is normally an inch high with a clean barrel. Generally not enough to make a difference. I think I will try the deep cleaning and cleaning after every shot routine out of curuiosity with my shotgun. As I know my muzzel loader will print clover leafs at 100 when cleaning after every shot.

I clean after every shot when sighting in/patterning and allow the barrel to cool because 99.9% of the time the way you will be shooting at a deer or turkey is with a cold bore shot. Once I am dialed in I will take a fouled shot with whatever weapons system I am shooting within a minute or less of my cold bore shot just to note the difference for my situational awareness in case a follow up shot is needed. This is just the way I have always done it and it works for me. I am sure there are other methods people use. I say if it works for you stick with it.

DE OPPRESSO LIBER

[vt35mag]

I always wondered how everyone else treated their barrels. I do the same with rifles, muzzeloaders and shotguns. I clean once a week during season or daily if bad weather. I have not noticed much if any difference between dirty or clean barrels but prefer clean barrels as that is what I pattern with on shotguns. Rifles there is normally an inch high with a clean barrel. Generally not enough to make a difference. I think I will try the deep cleaning and cleaning after every shot routine out of curuiosity with my shotgun. As I know my muzzel loader will print clover leafs at 100 when cleaning after every shot.

I clean after every shot when sighting in/patterning and allow the barrel to cool because 99.9% of the time the way you will be shooting at a deer or turkey is with a cold bore shot. Once I am dialed in I will take a fouled shot with whatever weapons system I am shooting within a minute or less of my cold bore shot just to note the difference for my situational awareness in case a follow up shot is needed. This is just the way I have always done it and it works for me. I am sure there are other methods people use. I say if it works for you stick with it.

DE OPPRESSO LIBER

This is what I do.