How many rounds between cleaning

Two Gun Dutch · Post by **Two Gun Dutch** » Sun Feb 01, 2004 12:52 pm

I'm knew to black powder and was wondering. How many rounds can be fired between cleaning, or is there a limit? By using a blow tube does it prevent fouling sufficiently to enable extended shooting.

Michael Johnson · Post by **Michael Johnson** » Sun Feb 01, 2004 1:34 pm

With a balanced load, good lube and regular consistent use of the blow tube between shots one can get 50 shots without cleaning the barrel. I do not clean my barrel until the end of a match which if I count foulers, sighters and shots for record usually is around 50 shots. Where in Indiana are you? I used to live in Kokomo. -Mike

Omaha Poke · Post by **Omaha Poke** » Sun Feb 01, 2004 2:39 pm

Mike, missed you yesterday at Machias! Had a good shoot! Eric did very well. We all averaged around 50 to 55 rounds for this 45 round for record match, and I did no cleaning between strings. My last 3 shots were X.X.10. So not cleaning for 50+ rounds was not hindering accurracy at all. Randy

Clarence · Post by **Clarence** » Sun Feb 01, 2004 7:28 pm

For the last ten years, I've never cleaned except at the end of matches. I've shot 60 shot silhouette matches at Raton (total of ~80 shots) and run 15 pigs with my last relay. As long as you blow enough with your blow tube, you should be able to shoot all day, unless you get the barrel so hot that the moisture from your breath evaporates and lets the fouling get hard before you can get the next shot off. The closest I seen people get to that is on hot, humid, still days in southern Mississippi when shooting mid-range, where we shoot 20 rounds for record plus 4 sighters in around 25-30 minutes.

Clarence

Michael Rix · Post by **Michael Rix** » Mon Feb 02, 2004 1:01 am

Two Gun Dutch,

I normally clean after the shooting is over at the end of each day. I never go home with a dirty rifle and put it away. However……

Would you believe that I once shot for six days in a row without cleaning? After the last shot of the match was fired on the last day of a six-day match at Raton, I cleaned the rifle. And with no apparent loss of accuracy.
In fact after a few days into the match I had a debate with my self, clean of not clean. I got scared (superstitious) and decided that if I did clean, I might start shooting badly.

Michael Rix