How many shots to "season" a clean pistol bore?

Grump

Member
I posted this not long ago on the Boolits site but most of the answers were along the lines of "I don't know, I don't clean my barrels any more."

I do. Occasionally at least. So here goes...

I'm after reports to the accuracy standards of what the NRA now calls "Precision Pistol", aka "Bullseye". Our 10-ring at 50-yard slow fire is 3.36 inches (the reduced 25-yard SF target is 1.51 inches), so we REALLY want 2-inch groups at 50.*

With various lubes, which (if any) throw all shots from the beginning into the main group with pistols?

With various lubes that require a few shots to season a clean bore, how many shots for the group to settle down?

AND has anyone found that a certain lube will just throw one shot "so far" outside the main group and then everything else hits the main group?

My own SF hold is too wobbly to trust my own observations with my loads right now. I could try some bench experiments, but with the bench zero something like 5 inches away from my one-hand zero, I'd rather "spend" my ammo shooting groups...or design my testing around others' observed lube performances.

And no, I really have no desire to ever go back to the tried and true "newer" NRA 50/50 ALOX/Beeswax mix my Dad used (or the newer ones using different/available ALOX products). Too messy and stinky to handle, leaves more gunk on the outside of the gun than I like, and still stinks when you shoot it. What I see posted here on CB convinces me that we can get equal anti-leading and equal accuracy with other less problematic stuff now.

Thanks!

* This is because on other more populated sites, the claims of "accuracy is great!!!" and "All in the same group!!!" is so often to the standards of a 6-inch wide A Zone at 15 yards. Meh. A nice cluster of the last three within an inch of each other and the first two shots two inches away from the rest but still called a single "group" even at 25 yards isn't good enough for the game I'm casting bullets for...
 

williamwaco

Active Member
I find that with rifles, at times, changing lube will cause the first two or three shots to go wide.
Say 2 inches at 50 yards.
But not always.
Changing powder will almost always cause the same.
Changing powder is more likely to cause one or two fliers than changing lube.

I have never seen it take more than three shots to "season".

I have never noticed either change with handguns.

That said, after a severe cleaning, I moisten a patch with bullet lube, currently LLA, but soon to be BLL, and push it through the bore.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
I think it depends on what your shooting, how far, how fast etc. I can tell you that in long range revolver if I were to clean the bore before a match I would loose. Shooting long range is 50 - 100 - 150 - 200 meters and you use exact sight settings for each distance and target size at that distance. A cleaned bore will take a bare minimum of 25 rounds fired to return to the known sight settings and I much prefer 50 rounds. I clean & re-lube the cylinder after each time out shooting but not the bore, hundreds of rounds fired with no leading fouling or build up. I leave the bore just as it was the last time, shooting to the sight settings.
 

KHornet

Well-Known Member
Not much of a hand gunner, but I do keep track of seasoning rifles, clean, fouled, cold etc. Tend to agree with Williams observations, as they come pretty close to mine with rifles running from Hornet thru 45-70. The exception comes with 45-70 and a clean, cold bbl, which for some odd reason takes 4-5 rounds to settle down. Don't clean it often, just a patch w/ed's red. and 1-2 dry patches.