To clean or not to clean

[Zogman]

My 270 that is over 40 years old has sat unfired for about 6 years until recently. It is a Remington 700 in the limited Classic series. Because of the recent craziness of the last few years I did stock up on some factory ammo. Took it to the range a week ago and fired about 30 rounds thru it. Two different factory loads dead on for horizontal. One being 2 1/2 inches high. The other being 1 inch high. The gun is pristine. Because of how it is shooting I am skeptical of giving the barrel a real deep scrubbing. I am think of just a couple of patches of Hopes and a few dry patches then maybe a lightly oiled patch once and park the rifle.

I would appreciate any and all thoughts. THX!

 

[LBrandt]

If it aint broke dont fix it. LB

 

[Retired Educator]

Don't know about a deep cleaning but if you're going to park it for another 6 years a few strokes down the barrel and some light oil certainly wouldn't hurt.. That and wipe the fingerprints off the metal. Pristine guns are fairly simple to keep them in that condition.

 

[svnmag]

 

[Zogman]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ THX! Good info.

 

[SDMF]

Leave it until after season for sure.

 

[SupressYourself]

If you know it's going to sit for a while (even a few months), you should always at least run some kind of oil through it. Corrosion can kill a barrel just as easily as over-cleaning damage, depending on how you're storing your guns.

 

[jdinny]

if you have it in a gun safe with dehumidifier you wouldnt need to do anything if you shoot it every few months. if your worried a light touch of like kroil oil is all that is needed otherwise many top gunmakers will tell you not to clean your gun until it shoots poorly. in fact if you do deep clean it i would recommend "fouling" your barrel up with a couple shots before taking it hunting. if you ever watch long range guys they will shoot off 1 shot prior to testing groups call it a " clean bore fouler" as your POI will change with a fouled barrel. maybe not much to the common everyday hunter but the further you shoot the more i would take warning

 

[Zogman]

Reloads from 1991. 270 federal brass, 140 grain Hornady, 56.5 grains Hodgson 4831.
5 shots, I knew the one was going left when it went off. Moved it 2 clicks left and put it away.

NO SCRUBBING needed! Thanks guys!