Cleaning Your Barrel When Shooting Pellets?

[rsterne]

I admit I only clean my barrel when doing other maintenance on it, which is probably one of the reasons I have not yet qualified as a NUAH Master.... 

If you wish to post your cleaning regimen, products and techniques used, that would be great!.... This poll is for pellets, the other one is for slugs, as you may treat them differently....

Bob

[ER00z]

I'm one who only cleans the bore if/when the accuracy falls off. I simply use weed-whacker line to pull patches through. For the majority of my airguns I use a length of line more than double the barrel length, folded at centre and insert open ends into the breech which makes a loop to use a patch, once pulled through (or insert closed end down bore to breech in some instances). I've also used bore swabs (Swab-It's? brand) for .22cal. The last couple years I've been cutting my own cleaning patches from old cotton T-shirts the Misses deems unworthy, but will use store bought if the need arises.

98% of the time I use Ballistol on the first patch or two, then dry patches until they come out clean and dry. Some times I'll use Remoil if a particular barrel seems to lead up quickly, as it seems to help 'slick it up' some to extend time between cleaning sessions. This is usually for Uber Magnum springers whose barrels aren't polished and shoot too fast.

I'll use Hoppes #9 for my Hatsan mod 135 .177 whose barrel needs aggressive cleaning often. There's a tight spot or "forcing cone" in the barrel where it's pressed in the barrel block. It only likes Crosman Piranhas ("harder" lead) and usually after 50-75 shots there's a solid lead ring that forms at that point along with heavy leading down the bore. Doesn't help that velocities are quite over 1000fps, even with 10.5gr pellets. But it's the only airgun that gets Hoppes #9, the exception to the rule one could say.   

[Smok3y]

Another one for just waiting until the accuracy seems off. Otherwise… I’m not messing it up for no reason.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Historically I clean a barrel when I first get the gun.
 If new, to remove the factory coating / oils / debris
 If used, to "start with a clean slate" not knowing the dust, FOD, or previous owners pellet choice.

Maybe I need to rethink it and see if my less than accurate guns could be improved.
 I do have a few tins of "Clover" polishing compound from lapping valves on past engine builds.
BUT that is more than typical "cleaning".