Rifle/Barrel cleaning for ELR 4AW style 

I learned a ton of great cleaning practices I was never taught. Really appreciate this. I look forward to looking @ my wife's 270 Winchester which has probably never been cleaned in 30 years. Embarrassed to admit but @ least I enjoy how to learn what is required to keep things like new going forward. Thanks a bunch. Be blessed.

Thank you Mark for sharing the steps you take for break in and cleaning! Much appreciated!

Extremely useful information. Thanks for taking the time to share. I also found that Ballistol is enough to clean my guns after only a few rounds. I spray it on a bore snake and run it a few times. However, I think I may try your process and see if works for me.

Straight to the point, not fancy oils, no Bore Tech, no expensive stuff, real talk! I decided a few months ago to quite using expensive CLP oils, nowdays I use WD-40 and motor oil MOBIL, synthetic one, I absolutely love your channel, thanks for sharing.

I'm new to your channel as a subscriber and I'm happy for it. I've been shooting for over 50 years and learned through trial and error the "proper" way to clean a rifle, much as you've shown in this video. I used to clean my bore after EVERY shooting session down to the base metal of the bore and learned that, depending on the rifle, i could take significant rounds fired to where it settled in and accuracy resumed, which wasted my time, wasted shots on long range vermin, and wasted otherwise precious rounds. Then I experimented with cleaning much as you describe herein, removing only the serious "crud" in the chamber/bore in the means of carbon, and found that my rifle would maintain cold bore first rounds FAR more frequently and accurately. What an eye opener it was and now I try to pass along this philosophy towards cleaning to others who want to shoot long ranges, whether at a target, to eliminate vermin that is crop destructive for a rancher, or larger game, assuming they have the talent and appropriate caliber to assure a humane harvesting of a game animal so it doesn't suffer unduly. As I am certainly not a media personality such as yourself with large RU-vid following, I feel somewhat vindicated by your offering here and will reference this video to those seeking to learn a better way of cleaning their precision rifles. Thanks for all you do to both entertain and inform us, Sir.

When I was a teen with my first centerfire rifle I knew nothing about "cleaning" a barrel , I merely ran an oily patch's down the barrel and it worked fine . Think I'll change my cleaning regime now , back to the KISS method . Thanks for taking the time to post these video's Mark/Sam ...

I know most people have their own process & this has enlightened me so much...my grandfather had a similar process of not brushing but lightly cleaning the carbon out. It never dawned on me the importance of leaving copper n the barrel. With one of my grandfathers rifles...I knew that it had sit for many yrs & I was planning on a thorough cleaning before shooting. But, after an inspection...he had left a light coat of lubricant of some sort, to which I took a dampened mop to pull the old lubricant out. After a little wondering what I should do before shooting...I basically said forget it & went out to shoot. Amazingly, it shot very well & accurate. I didn't do an aggressive cleaning when putting it up but believe it will b as good as if I had cleaned it very thoroughly. So informative, & thanks for Ur knowledge shared.

I'm glad you stressed the importance of caring for the crown surface while cleaning your firearm, Mark. I've read extensively on this issue and was surprised how critical this edge is to accuracy. I enjoy all your videos. Thanks to you and your wonderful wife, Sam, for educating our shooting community. In Liberty...

You’ve got everything exactly right. I still use sweets for copper when initially breaking in the bore 15-20 shots. But then I don’t any further. I’ll look through my records because there are modern stock makers using magnets for quick removal of the comb, but do not affect the zero when replaced. It’s a three stud system. Two on each end like yours, with a threaded center adjustment that has fairly strong magnets holding it in place. I’m sure you understand what I’m describing. It’s a fairly recent design and it’s brilliant. The 1000 yard competition shooters over here love it.

I might just add, if the rifle is new, and particularly a mass production type, I use patches and solvent to get manufacturing residue out before shooting it for the first time. I have had some that gave me a clean patch after say 5 patches, but I had one that took more than a dozen patches, I am not sure why it was so dirty, but I was glad to have it super clean before the first shot, and it shoots well enough now. I also don't clean my barrels as often as some, because I try to shoot each rifle quite regularly, just so they don't get lonely. I have a few sentimental rifles, that is to say I don't shoot too often, they are cleaned and oiled before storage. Great tips in this video, thanks for sharing!

Hi Guys, got my t-shirt, wife stole it... at 50 she is now starting to enjoy pistol and rifle shooting. Next step the .22 lr with the CZ455 and the long barrel. I bought a Sako .270 win "Classic" and that will be the next step for her! Keep up the good work. I will email you later this week!

with my K31 i used to pull thru a bore snake, right after shooting when the barrel is still warm. Then when i get home, i would put a few patches greased with the swiss "automatenfett", and leave the barrel greased untill the next outing to the range, then just before shooting, a few clean patches thru untill they're reasonable clean. Work like a charm, the swiss swear by it, and it does work.

Perfect timing! I just bought a .338 Lapua yesterday and I am going out to season the barrel today. I was wondering what your process is. Now I know. Thanks for sharinig your expertise!

shows what 3 years can do, markandsam,, now all logo shirts, a good marketing and branding move,,, love your site, videos and helpdfullness

My buddy hadn't ran any solvents or anything through his remington model 700 in 7mm rem in a while. He sat down and scrubbed it for the first time in years and he took his load that was shooting tight little 10 shot clovers and put a 3in group on paper after scrubbing it 😅😅

Excellent explanation and a very relevant one to me. Learning to clean firearms, i sought out the most knowledgable shooters at the time and all were of the opinion you had to thoroughly clean every speck of copper and carbon from the barrel to be any good. Qver the years i have slowly but surely come around to your aspect of looking at this process, as every time i gave my hunting rifles a good clean before a trip, i had to go sight in my rifles again as they would group like crap until you put a few shots through them again. Amazing what us old dogs can learn every now and then. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and re enforcing what i thought to be true.

excellent advice, i think copper equilibrium is the ideal focus if you want to keep your rifle shooting consistently over time. this is especially important for those who want their dope for long range to be consistent long term, and if you want to be able to make cold bore shots. i have had good results with the otis memory flex cables.. which i think is a good option for cleaning in the field and when your setup does not allow pushing a rod from the chamber forward.. you can still feed the cable through the action and avoid cleaning from the muzzle end of the bore. i also never use any solvents, i use a non-toxic CLP made in my home state, called "weapon shield" and it works great in my experience. keeps a thin film on everything, which makes removing fouling / carbon very quick and easy. first thing i do when getting a new firearm is removing whatever oil is on it, and coating it with my CLP, it makes a huge difference in ease of cleaning.

Great video mate! Touched up on a lot of the things I leant during my 5 years target shooting, as well as bringing up a few things I never thought about😁

Thanks Mark. Good stuff and enjoying this series. Some new things here to try.

you clean your guns like I always have!! good video.

Great info. Sir. Ballistol is the number one go to on my gun bench. Great for the inside and the out side the gun. Works great for water proofing leather boots also.

I have done similar with different product since a kid with 22 and 243 through to 300 wsm. I do spend a little more time cleaning 338. In fact 22 as preferred not to be clean.

Thanks again, I decided finally on a Savage Stealth 6.5 creedmoore lots to learn. As you my remember I shoot a Big 50/90 Long Range Sharps with black powder, it will be interesting to shoot. a modern smokless rifle.

Great video mate, I remember back when I was in the Army and the weapons would go into a kero bath after a range shoot, I hated it as it always took longer to get them clean after the kero.

I agree with not touching the copper fowling, if there isn't any issue. I use a very similar cleaning routine. However, whenever I change bullet type -and by that I mean especially changes to mantle material or bullet construction-, I will do a thorough chemical cleaning removing the copper fowling. Especially when changing to solid machined bullets, I have found that previous fowling can fool me while judging the precision of the new bullet. Fowling from previous bullets might behave differently with a new bullet type, get eroded, rebuilt, rearranged ...whatever -I don't really know. But I have had horrible groups tightening up quickly, as well as initial groups that weren't too bad at all, to after a handful of shots suddenly open up (maybe only for a few shots). When doing a proper chemical cleaning of the barrel beforehand, I know that I have to expect a few fowling shots not showing the best precision, but after that, the groups should be what bullet and barrel can achieve in combination.

Something I haven’t heard mentioned is that a barrel that has lost accuracy can sometimes be saved by recutting the crown. A gunsmith can usually tell by inspection if this will help. I look at them with a microscope.

I used to do the full copper cleaning, and the works way too much. Now I just clean the carbon out, with oil. Either ballistol, or Kroil. Then the same with a coat of oil. But I like my milsurps, and I had a mauser that was just full of crud. And wouldn't shoot worth a carp. Someone on my hunting board suggested JB's. And wow, that stuff cleaned it right up. With a pre soak of Kroil and it went from shooting 3-4 moa, 1.5ish moa. That's great stuff if you got an extremely dirty barrel.

Awesome Video Mark, thanks heaps picked up a few tips CHEERS

I am now going to be cleaning my rifle and pistols differently. Thanks mate 👍

Great video Mark, love the birds noises in the back ground.

Great video Mark thank you Steve

We use wet/dry patches only as well and attack the carbon first. Then we attack the copper if needed.

Luv your videos. I wear a pair of cotton gloves which are oiled for putting away similarly 🤣.

Dude i have watched hrs of your videos today you are unreal. If i live long enough i may be half as good a shot as you lol

Hello Mark and Sam, This video is a great help for me to understand how to clean the rifle. Is there a possibilty of you guys making a video on performing a rifle cleaning from a to z ?

Thanks. I will try your process. J.

Always look forward to your insightful and informative videos and this one was a ripper as usual. Congratulations you two

Something new to me 😊

Thanks Mark that was very informative and helpful video, for someone like myself that is purchasing a new rifle I really appreciate the lack of BS. Can I ask what spotting scope are you guys using? Cheers, Bruce

Thanks for the info, very informative and learnt a few things I didn't even know about, thanks again

its very important that you active subtitles when upload the videos... some things i dont understand, but if i read i will know. Thanks!

I,m a bit late watching this one , my mate has rigged up in his gun safe a bracket where he can store the rifles barrel down without having the crown sitting on the base of the safe, he reasons that he doesn't want any excess oil reentering the chamber. I was a big sceptical especially considering you only want to leave a thin film remaining in the barrel i was wondering what your thoughts were in regards to this ? Great work Sam and Mark really informative and clearly explained, i don't watch any other Gun related clips these days except yours. Keep up the great work and all the best for the Crissy break.

Why is it that right when I think I have it figured out. I watch a video like this and find out I still don't know anything. Time to revisit my cleaning and break in processes.

My plan is to use hoppes #9, run a wet the several dry patches and repeat until only feint grey streaks are on the patch, then put a thin film of Marvel Mystery oil. I agree with avoiding copper solvents and brushes. My question is do you think Hoppes#9 will cause me any issues? It doesn't seem very aggressive, especially the modern formula.

Hoppes rollin down the barrel, nylon brush, KG1 Kg2 KG3 KG4 then wipeout carb out, then hoppes again, then 3 day soak then Kroil oil, patch out, shoot 200 shoots get copper back in then I shoot a 5 shot group, then if it won't shoot start over after claening and 1000 shots I shoot a group lol

Gday Mark, another top video mate. Im a bit the same in regards to cleaning as you. Hey just wondering, what barrels do you run? Im a Maddco guy through and through, be keen to hear what you use. Youve got the life mate, driving all those hot cars, shooting and playing with high end rifles, well done

Awesome as usual mate...With the XLR Chassis...Do you prise the cheek rest open to remove it for cleaning?..Thinking about either making mine a half(one sided) rest,Or opening the slots at the bottom(not the bolt slot) to make removale easy and not damaging..Ideas?

Some people (like me) overdo it. Sometimes less is more. Do you use the same process for 22LR considering the ammo usually isn't copper jacketed and dirty as hell?

Have you ever used Hex Boron Nitride bullet coting? I hear it prolongs barrel life and give better croup consistency.

Great video man !!!! Answered a lot of question and makes sense ! Thanks for the awesome knowledge!

Hi Mark, not quite sure whether you mentioned it: After cleaning, storing your gun and making than the very 1st shot out of it after some days, weeks, etc. Do you see the so called "oil shot"? That the 1st shot is not within your normal group? Best regards, Claus

I'm so glad I've found you fine folks. Just happens I just picked up a new tikka ctr in 6.5 creedmoor and went for a break in session for the first day of the new year! (It was a balmy 13 °f in Alaska lol) And you where spot on... carbon started to settle at about 3 rounds.... Shot to 5 with wet patches of clp in between shots ,Couldn't find balistol haha. Then shot 2 and patched then 3 and patched, then 5 and 5. My question is how do I know when break in and copper seasoning is done enough to switch to match ammo?... Or am I done when the carbon settled Down at the 4th or so round?

Great video Mark . In regards to storage and oil on a rifle and as a fellow Aussie I would like to mention that you live in the middle of nowhere in the driest continent on earth . Where you live a black steel fence post lasts a lifetime or two . On the coast they rust out in 8 to 9 years. Not trying to be a smart ass , just pointing out where you live has a lot to do with how much protection a rifle in storage needs from corrosion . Cheers

I shoot a lot of rimfire, a little 6mm or smaller centerfire. I usually run a bore-snake from the receiver end with a bit of solvent and oil, perhaps every third time I shoot, and the rifles seem bright and straight shooting for it. What's your thoughts on bore-snakes?

Is the Ballistol similar to WD40 or more of an oil type product ?

Great video mate 👍 would you do the same with rimfire rifles? Regards from Ireland.

What type of stock is that you have

Ok no 270 but could you do a 280 Remington vid? Much love from Hayward CA.

I'm one of the guys that has destroyed by using. I tend to always destroy the first few things of whatever I am dealing with until I learn how to care for it properly. I have ruined pretty much every gun I ever had.

Mark, do you ever come into a situation…. That you can’t clean your rifle for …6 or 7 days? And if so…do you use the same procedure as before??? Thanks again

Hi Mark and Sam, I have a Ruger Precision Rimfire and I’m going to put a 22” x 1” stainless steel match grade barrel on it. How do you break in 22lr barrels?

Do you store the guns barrel down in the safe or barrel up?

That’s a nice stock. What is it?

ELR - extreme long range?

Which rifle is that? Doesn't look like a regular.

Norwegian stock! :)

Hi Mark, have you ever tried Froglube?

"Metal runs on oil" is the quote for the day

any videos that show more of what kind of mechanic work you do? if you'd rather keep that private totally understand. just interested as we seem to be quite like minded and I'm looking to get back in the mechanic world again career wise. thanks for the vids. cheers from Colorado

sorry for the pype O , i meant yellow paste wax , like for your car

Is this advice still relevant Mark?

👍💡⭕☀️🎵⤴️

Mark , once you clean it ,,,, you yellow paste was to stoe it ! NEVER , NEVER oil a gun barrel . It will cause a carbon deposit . I store mine WAXED , In a pinch the wax will blow rite out not hurting anything

U guys have Instagram? If Yes whats your name? If No: You dont plan to fix an account? =) cheers!

What’s your opinion on bore snakes ? I’d follow you to “rifle hell” and back 😂 You’re the ulr messiah so monkey see monkey do!