“Seasoning” the bbl between different pellets ?

[Txmiller]

I’ve got 500 break in pellets thru my new R7 and HW30 so it’s time to find the magic pill for each rifle.
1) I hear both clean bbl vs don’t clean bbl but I assume after 1000 shots it might be time to - advice please
2) When I change pellets (brands/weights) for accuracy testing, do I shoot 3 or 5 to season the bore before shooting for group?
Thanks

 

[Geezerhood]

I will be watching this thread. Not much experience for me, but I have noticed that with some brands / types of pellets when changing from one to another, the first shot often is outside the group and sometimes the 2nd, but I have not noticed shots beyond that obviously hitting outside the group that follows. Cleaning to maintain accuracy seems to vary from one barrel to another though I rarely go past about 500 rounds before cleaning which is probably too soon for some of them, too late for others.

 

[Bear-of-Grayling]

I clean the barrel most during break in. Especially if using the factory interiors. The excess oils can add to dieseling and possibly ignition. Once past all that I will clean the barrel if accuracy falls off and I’ve checked the stock screws, scope and myself first to be certain that everything is as it should be. The barrel cleaning is a last ditch effort and in forty years has never proved to be the culprit.

 

[KitCarson16]

Urban Legends Never Die, They only grow bigger.
When an springer air rifle is brand new, sure clean the barrel. If for whatever reason when it was assembled excess grease was used inside, rather than spend hours and days waiting for it to stop smoking......it is best to take it apart and properly clean and grease it and maybe even drop in a tune kit. If it settles down in 30 or 40 shots do not worry about it. Other than that I have never ever seen that cleaning the barrel on a springer has an effect on anything. ( 900 plus fps pcp rifles is a different story)

Do not worry about the Seasoning the Barrel, another Urban Legend. What you will notice with some........some rifles that the first shot with a different pellet will go elsewhere than POA for whatever reason. So one shot if you will seasons the barrel. Never have figured out the why of this, all I know it that it is a fact.

Kit

 

[SteveP-52]

I clean my barrels when I get a new gun to get the factory gunk out. After that, not unless I see my accuracy drop off. Changing between brands, 3-4, then shoot whatever I'm switching to and I only do that testing pellets. Once I sort out which one a particular gun is going to shoot well, it's the only pellet I'll use.
End of the day, everyone has their own way of doing things so do what works best for you.

 

[KWK]

Never seen Springer improvement after barrel cleaning? IDK. I just cleaned my Webley Stingray barrel and the groups shrank from 3-4” at 25y to 1/2” first try. Was 3/8 but the 4th opened it up. I thought my vintage Tasco Airgun scope was suspect. Nope. When I got the gun the “Spring Tamer” was broken so I got around to making a delrin guide. Typical Webley walnut also needed more finish. Tuned the trigger. Sweet shooter and looker now. Stingray Deluxe Carbine.22.
Rebuilt a BSA Mercury Challenger and had the same trouble. I used very little lubricant. Not sure how it performed before. The spring was in 5 pieces when I got it! Rare Mercury Challenger Carbine.22.

 

[Struckat]

Both my HW30 and 95 do seem to need a few shots before the poi settles in after switching pellet types/brands.

If I go from CPHP to JSB or H&N, it will take a good 20 shots to settle down. But that is after I started washing pellets. Prior to that it was closer to 50 or so.
Now I don’t shoot the CPHP in my HWs as often, for other reasons.

Last week I switched from some JSB that I sampled to H&N, and found it took about 10 before my 95 was back to normal poi for the H&N FTT, it’s preferred pellet.

I think it depends on the barrel roughness. My 30 had to be cleaned every 1500 or so due to loss of accuracy. Since running some JB through it, I have not noticed the need to clean it again.

 

[EMrider]

Urban Legends Never Die, They only grow bigger.
When an springer air rifle is brand new, sure clean the barrel. If for whatever reason when it was assembled excess grease was used inside, rather than spend hours and days waiting for it to stop smoking......it is best to take it apart and properly clean and grease it and maybe even drop in a tune kit. If it settles down in 30 or 40 shots do not worry about it. Other than that I have never ever seen that cleaning the barrel on a springer has an effect on anything. ( 900 plus fps pcp rifles is a different story)

Do not worry about the Seasoning the Barrel, another Urban Legend. What you will notice with some........some rifles that the first shot with a different pellet will go elsewhere than POA for whatever reason. So one shot if you will seasons the barrel. Never have figured out the why of this, all I know it that it is a fact.

Kit

My experience exactly. Zero benefit from cleaning the barrel beyond the removal of obvious gunk when brand new. I have several guns that have not had the barrel cleaned in 30k shots and accuracy is as good as ever.
R

 

[JEFFPPC]

I have spent 3 days shooting flatface pellets required in a winter indoor springer bench rest league. The pics show the results. Teating was 20 yards indoors. No cleaning. You will see the AirArms and RWS Dome both not legal but shot for comparison far tighter. All groups are 5 shots. I love my TX200. No cleaning, no fouling shots.

 

[Zut]

I like to clean my barrels after 200 shots or so. It takes about10 minutes with 5 or 6 patches. Then I know a dirty barrel is not the issue when my groups stink. ;-)

 

[JEFFPPC]

I have spent 3 days shooting flatface pellets required in a winter indoor springer bench rest league. The pics show the results. Teating was 20 yards indoors. No cleaning. You will see the AirArms and RWS Dome both not legal but shot for comparison far tighter. All groups are 5 shots. I love my TX200. No cleaning, no fouling shots. View attachment 295411

I failed to mention the first day I eliminated quite a few pellets. Gun is tuned to 700 fps. In the flat face pellets this tune showed a dislike for lighter pellets in the 7 grain range. Last year tuned to 800fps it liked the lighter pellets.

 

[1BadDart]

I failed to mention the first day I eliminated quite a few pellets. Gun is tuned to 700 fps. In the flat face pellets this tune showed a dislike for lighter pellets in the 7 grain range. Last year tuned to 800fps it liked the lighter pellets.

Jeff, get yourself a FWB 300S for the indoor stuff, it'll put a smile on your face.

 

[1BadDart]

While pellet testing, I like to run 10-15 pellets through the gun before I get serious. If I'm trying different lubes that's a different rabbit hole. I seldom clean the bores on my air guns. I pulled a dry patch through my TX200 after about 1500 shots, there was a light touch of grey on the white patch, it shot the same.

 

[JEFFPPC]

Jeff, get yourself a FWB 300S for the indoor stuff, it'll put a smile on your face.

I hear they shoot very good. I can only shoot one at a time,lol. If there were more than one winter league in my area I would consider that. I like to compete but very slim here. Just 1 10 week league match shot at 10 meters. Front rest ok but butt must be shot off the shoulder no rear bag. In the summer I shoot centerfire bench matches every weekend, some weekends, 2 of them.

 

[1BadDart]

I hear they shoot very good. I can only shoot one at a time,lol. If there were more than one winter league in my area I would consider that. I like to compete but very slim here. Just 1 10 week league match shot at 10 meters. Front rest ok but butt must be shot off the shoulder no rear bag. In the summer I shoot centerfire bench matches every weekend, some weekends, 2 of them.

We start shooting 10M indoors when it starts getting cold, during the warm months we shoot (outdoors) rimfire at 50 yards. I just sold one of my 300S's so I'm down to two.

 

[JEFFPPC]

I have been thru Ky. It looks a lot like Pa. I always said I could live there. I just started in this in January of this year. I found a 10m bench shoot in April about 20 mi away. It was in the last 2 weeks. Front bag rear must be shot of shoulder at a 25 shot target. X is a tiny dot. Then on alternating weeks we shot 8- 3 shot groups they would measure and average. Wad cutter pellets required. I won both the score matches with 15xs and 16 xs with 250x250. Shot one group target but Chad 2 bad ones. I'll get them this winter. Last centerfield match this weekend, 20 shots at 400 yrs. I love the air gun, no cleaning, no reloading, no making cases or turning necks and more affordable. .04 per shot vs 1.50 or more given current component prices.
Let me know about getting 1 of your remaining two.

 

[JEFFPPC]

Somehow I lost your answer on the 300 but thanks for the great information, I appreciate it.

 

[Hateful McNasty]

I shoot crosman cphp 98.657% of the time so i found clean works best . S most times its like 250 to 1000 shots . Ive never found a dirty barrel does me good. Why keep the rifling fouled ? Lol.. ( opinion)