Imagine you’ve been sitting in the woods patiently for hours and your time is now. You have a squirrel in your sits. Calmly you pull the trigger, and you miss. At a range, you almost never miss normally!
What happened? Should I ask when was the last time you cleaned your barrel? Do you have to clean your air rifle barrel constantly? No. But there are times you should, and if you don’t do it right you could miss that crucial shot you’ve taken the time to prepare. Let’s make sure to set ourselves up for success every time. Below we’ll discuss some air rifle barrel cleaning tips that are sure to work for you.
How Often Do You Have to Clean Your Air Rifle Barrel?
This is a loaded question with people falling rather staunchly on one side or the other. Let’s look at the different sides.
Reasons Against Cleaning Your Barrel Regularly
It is completely unnecessary. Airguns don’t leave the same residue that firearms do inside their barrels. On top of that when a pellet is fired it ends up clearing other debris most of the time. Some people even say Olympians often don’t clean their barrels. I haven’t spoken to one so I don’t know for sure.
Reasons For Cleaning Your Barrels Regularly
A poorly cared for airgun can rust out become inaccurate and become unusable. Proper protection is a must. Remember most of us aren’t Olympians. Our airguns are different, our daily routines are different and the way our air rifles are used is different. Comparing to an Olympian is a flawed argument.
Possibly the best argument for cleaning your barrel regularly is to apply oil appropriately. This kind of cleaning will ensure you have the most protection applied to your gun at any given time.
Reasons to Clean Your Barrel Periodically
Most airgunners fall in the former camp. Some for feel it’s safer to not risk damaging the barrel, some justify it in other ways, and others are just lazy. It’s OK I’m lazy too. I think there are times you should clean your air rifle barrel, but it doesn’t have to be frequent.
First, if you start losing accuracy this is an initial step I take. It’s not hard to do, and when it comes to diagnosing problems I’d rather not wonder if my barrel has excess leading to problems.
Speaking of leading. The reason you want to think about it is that harder pellets fired at speeds above 900 FPS might leave some lead behind. Counterintuitively softer pellets slide through the barrel more smoothly and the lack of friction means they don’t leave behind the material. Most leading isn’t a problem.
It will build to a certain point, but pellets will clear out excess. There are times it will cause a problem though, and those times are when you need to consider cleaning your barrel.
I also recommend you clean your barrel when you first receive it, before putting it into storage, and when taking it out. I’ll discuss each of those in a little more detail later in the article.
Airgun Barrels Aren’t Hard
Remember airgun barrels are soft steel or brass. They are soft metal and will scratch and damage easily. Always be careful when cleaning them. Particularly when you are using rods or brushes. A common mistake is people focus on what the end of the rod is doing and let the near side scrape on the side of the barrel.
Often people forget about the crown of their airgun too. Make sure not to damage it. There are test results that say it’s not as serious an issue as some people will tell you, but when it is a problem it’s an expensive one to fix.
Use a Brass, Bronze or Nylon Brush
Some people will tell you to only use a nylon brush. I think that’s a bit overly cautious. Sometimes you will need a brass or bronze brush to get a really good clean. An argument for using Nylon is that over time even a soft metal like brass can wear away at your steel barrel.
I will say this now. You should not be using a brush often enough for that to be an issue. For the most part stick with your light cleaning methods discussed below. A brush is for a more intense cleaning only if necessary.
Get a Good Cleaning Kit
If you are going to spend a bit of cash on your airgun a good cleaning kit is where you should spend it. Taking care of your air rifle and ensuring it lasts is priceless. You don’t have to break the bank though. Just make sure the components are quality components.
.080 Weed Trimmer Line Works Wonders
When you are going for just a light cleaning you don’t necessarily need rods. The best option people have found is some .080 weed trimmer line. Cut the end at an angle you can stab through a cloth. It really does work wonders.
Run Several Patches
When you are cleaning with patches make sure to use three to five of them. Each successive pass through will get a bit more debris. If you are going through the effort of cleaning we might as well do it right.
Just a Dab of WD-40 Will Surprise You
This is a tip I found on the net that I haven’t tried but should work really well. Just spritz a little WD-40 on your cleaning cloth and pull it through like normal. It will grab that lead right out.
Clean From the Breach
There are reasons for this but just think of it this way. The pellet travels down the barrel in a particular direction, and so should your cleaning supplies. It’s better for the barrel and avoids damage.
No Solvent Required
Your seals are incredibly important. Because of that, I recommend not using a solvent to clean your air rifle most of the time. Some solvents will damage your seals and you’ll have a completely different problem later on. Most of the time solvents are completely unnecessary. There are times you might need them though.
If you do use a solvent make sure to pick one that is quick drying. I can also say you can use Goo Gone and it should not cause any damage.
Cleaning Pellets Make Life Easy
Some people say cleaning pellets can cause damage. I haven’t seen any evidence supporting that claim, but there is plenty of evidence pointing to their effectiveness. Look up your particular airgun before using cleaning pellets though. It’s possible there are problems with some models I’m not aware of.
I love the little things though. I’ve got a whole article written about them. They are quick and easy and good for a fast solution. I still think you should do a good cleaning at least once a season, but cleaning pellets will do at most times.
Apply Oil Every 1000 Shots
1000 shots is a number you’ll see thrown around a lot if you look into airgun maintenance. Do I think it’s a holy number that you must heed at all times? Definitely not. It’s an easy number to remember, and it’s significant enough to avoid over-cleaning.
When I say apply oil I mean to your barrel, your seals, and if you have a springer to the spring. Basically, 1000 shots are your air rifle checkup window.
Muzzle Breaks and Suppressors Can Be a Pain Without This Tip
Have you tried pulling a cloth through your barrel with a muzzle brake or suppressor on it? It’s not easy. Sometimes you can’t take them off though. That’s where a basic straw comes in. Insert it into the brake or suppressor and you’ve created a sleeve for your cloth to pull through.
It’s super simple and will make your day. Trust me.
Should You Clean Your Brand New Barrel
Yes. 100% Yes. There is a discussion about brass vs. steel barrels indicating the need for cleaning a brand new brass barrel is less necessary. Brass barrels are of higher quality and less likely to rust than steel. This means preservatives that are on steel don’t exist on Brass.
Also, a significant number of brand new barrels will come with rust on the inside. There are just too many factors for manufacturers to manage to prevent this. So, steel requires cleaning more right? That’s the point people make.
I see the point, and I don’t care. I don’t know how long that barrel has been in storage, or what preservatives the manufacturer has used. What I do know is that I can clean a barrel without causing any damage in very short order. Why would I leave my new barrel in someone else’s hands? If I can take charge I will.
Don’t Forget About Storage
It’s easy to think about cleaning your air rifle during the times you are using it, but if you are going to be putting it away for awhile a little extra oil is great for protection. A LITTLE! The point is just to add an extra coat of protection.
Also, when taking your air rifle out of storage a cleaning is a good idea. This makes sure there is nothing in the barrel that could cause you issues later.
Use Only Airgun Oils
Airguns are not firearms. They look so similar people want to use supplies they already have for both. Unfortunately, this is a terrible idea. The principles governing firearms and airguns are different enough you’ll end up causing damage to your air rifle. It sounds silly, but it’s true. The same goes for scopes, which is a totally different topic we’ve discussed here on Airgun Planet.
If You Have an Obstruction Use a Cleaning Rod
DO NOT try to shoot out an obstruction in your barrel. Seriously, just don’t. It sounds silly to state, but people will try, and I don’t want you to be one of those people. It will cause lasting problems and is dangerous. Instead get out your trusty cleaning rod and push the obstruction out. As always push breech to bore.
Once you are done clearing an obstruction always clean your barrel. Who knows what debris may be left to cause continued problems. Not cleaning after clearing leads to an increased chance of a second obstruction.
Read Your Owner’s Manual
I don’t know what gun you are using. I can’t know the specifics of every airgun. What I am recommending here are general tips. If your owner’s manual says something specific or different the owner’s manual wins. It was created by the manufacturer and they have a vested interest in your gun lasting. They want you to tell your friends how durable your air rifle is.
Problems Specific to CO2 and PCP Barrels
PCP and CO2 air rifles are particularly prone to rust. CO2 is the biggest culprit. This is due to moisture caused by the compressed bursts of air or CO2 and the temperature differences that occur. It’s not necessarily a major issue, but you’ll find these two airgun types susceptible.
A dry patch is all you need after a round of shooting to keep yourself safe.
Oil the Outside As Well as the Inside
We’ve paid all this attention to the inside of our barrel, what now? It’s funny how enthusiastic shooters can be for caring for their guns, but how often people will forget to properly oil the outside of the barrel. It doesn’t take much but you should apply some oil/rust preventative to the outside of your air rifle every now and then. Pay particular attention prior to storage.
Springers With Heavy Dieseling Will Need More Cleaning
If you’ve read my article about dieseling you’ll know you shouldn’t do it intentionally, but that many springers will still diesel. Particularly if you were over-zealous in your oiling. This heavy dieseling will result in burned up oil being tossed down the barrel. Over time a problem will develop.
If you are experiencing this you need to clean a bit more frequently than other airgun users. Be careful with the amount of lubricant you are using, and make sure you are using airgun specific lubricant. This should reduce the dieseling. Remember, a little bit is OK, but if the effect is heavy that’s when you should be concerned.
Don’t Re-Zero Immediately, and Don’t Be Alarmed at Temporarily Reduced Accuracy
We’re nearing the end of the list of cleaning tips, and this is one for immediately after you’ve finished your task. Some people become alarmed after they have finished cleaning their air rifle barrel when they notice they have reduced accuracy. If this happens to you, did you damage the barrel?
Probably not. At least not if you followed my tips. This is actually a really common phenomenon. When you fire your gun and it builds up the Lead we talked about earlier there is an equilibrium that is reached where you hit an optimum level of accuracy.
The solution to your reduced accuracy is to shoot your gun more. It can take as many as 200 shots, though that’s on the extreme edge. Just know this is common, and you don’t have to worry.
Final Words
Cleaning your air rifle is important. Proper maintenance is always a key for any hunting or target shooting gear. If you want to shoot the best make sure you treat your gear the best.
Hey, if this was useful for you can you do me a favor and share it with anybody else that might benefit? Let’s make sure everyone keeps their air rifles in amazing shape. Just think, someday our grandkids might be shooting our air rifle on their first hunt.