How often do you have to clean your barrel with NSA slugs?

[ShawnG]

Hello all. This is my first post on airgunnation ever. I have an FX Impact X 0.22 cal, 600mm slug liner barrel, with power plenum installed. I’m shooting NSA 23gr slugs (the more modern ones that come lubed from NSA). My question is this, considering I’m trying to shoot 1 inch or better 3 shot groups at 100 yards, how many shots have most of you had before that level of accuracy fell off at 100 yards? Also, how do you all clean your barrels? And how many shots does it take most of you before you notice the barrel returns to lead equilibrium (groups tighten back up)? Do you even have to clean the barrel? Thank you.



Best regards,

Shawn

 

[8thman]

I have shot over 10,000 36.2 slugs and had no reason to clean the barrel. But that’s just my gun, I also have other guns that do but I’m shooting pellets out of and I only clean them when the accuracy starts to fail. I view it as don’t fix it until there’s a problem.

 

[qball]

I have impact with superior .22 liner in 600mm also and I haven’t cleaned it in a year? I have the .25 700mm superior heavy and haven’t cleaned that since I received it 6 months ago. With smooth polygon like barrels of FX and washed and lubed NSA slugs I found no need to clean my barrel at all. Even after shooting a lot of dirty crosman pellets I still haven’t had the need to clean FX barrels. 

 

[Impact701]

My .25 Slug liner A tolerates 600 + rnds. Before groups open up.

I clean with either a patchworm or JL Crown saver with Balistol.

It starts shooting good again until I get 600 plus rounds through it. 

I just started shooting .30 STX Superior. That so for tolerates about 400+ rounds before groups open up.

 

[ToddGeddes63]

I will second the crown saver as a good way to clean your barrel, I cleaned my Cayden when I first got it , 3 months ago and have shot several tins of pellets, and a pack of the NSA slugs ,the accuracy is still spot on, I plan on cleaning it when my groups open up more ,when they were tight before. . So to answer your question, I would check with the gun company and see if they have recommendations on cleaning, and lubing., if not clean it when you notice performance issues.

 

[Motorhead]

All the barrels I shoot slugs threw ( Non-Choked LW & HW ) have been lapped and very smooth. Hard wax was applied after the lapp and cleaning. have not needed to clean them yet in over 1000 shots.

 

[srtmat]

@Motorhead

What is your wax of choice?

 

[Motorhead]

@Motorhead

What is your wax of choice?

Triwax for hardwood floors

 

[Keyman62421]

If. I use the 29g lubes they will foul the barrel. If I use the unlined, I don't need to clean. 

 

[triggertreat]

+ 2 for Trewax, Clear after polishing.

 

[ShawnG]

What kind of accuracy are you still seeing?

 

[AIR-Nashville]

I use NSA .25 and .22 slugs and I rinse and dry them as soon as I open them up and once dry return to a tin and they get a shot of silicone spray and allowed to flash off. After that, I don’t need to clean at all... yet

 

[Vetmx]

This is a very good question concerning any projectile. A common reply is when your accuracy drops off. For a person who hunts with their airgun, that answer isn’t going to cut it. We don’t want to say wow, I just wounded 3 squirrel today, maybe it’s time to clean my gun. The only way around that and to be proactive is to learn your gun. I’m just throwing out a number here but let’s say you can go 500 slugs without noticing accuracy issues. Maybe set your cleaning regimen at 500 shots just to stay ahead of your gun. If you’re not hunting and like killing paper, hopefully you have a gun that is consistent enough that it will show when your gun is starting to fall off. I see a lot of slug groups posted that guys say are promising but look like dirty gun groups to me. How are you supposed to tell when your gun is getting fouled when your groups were never tight and consistent to begin with. It’s a process. Good luck.

 

[ShawnG]

This is a very good question concerning any projectile. A common reply is when your accuracy drops off. For a person who hunts with their airgun, that answer isn’t going to cut it. We don’t want to say wow, I just wounded 3 squirrel today, maybe it’s time to clean my gun. The only way around that and to be proactive is to learn your gun. I’m just throwing out a number here but let’s say you can go 500 slugs without noticing accuracy issues. Maybe set your cleaning regimen at 500 shots just to stay ahead of your gun. If you’re not hunting and like killing paper, hopefully you have a gun that is consistent enough that it will show when your gun is starting to fall off. I see a lot of slug groups posted that guys say are promising but look like dirty gun groups to me. How are you supposed to tell when your gun is getting fouled when your groups were never tight and consistent to begin with. It’s a process. Good luck.

very true