barrel cleaning vs. gauge reading

[OldFlyRod]

I know this question has been asked a million times. How often should I clean the barrel on my .25 cal Marauder? What do you call a cleaning. Do I wire brush each time or pass a few cloth patches with cleaner though it? Some powder burners I spoke to said, don't get crazy with the wire just pass a few cloth patches with WD40 until clean so I don't scar the barrel.
My gun had been shooting right on the money. Last night I filled my gun to 2900 psi but, got side tracked before I could shoot it. It got dark on me so, I left it charged over night. After work today when I went to shoot a few rounds, I noticed the gauge on the gun was reading approximately 250-300 psi less. I filled it back to 2900 psi. I had been shooting cypress balls out of the cypress trees behind my house at distances of 40 to 60 yards with no problem. Today pellets seemed to be flying high, low and left to right. After the first clip things seemed to settle down and become more consistent for about 4 to 6 shots before running low on air.
My question is could it be a dirty barrel or a faulty gauge?
Thanks for taking the time to read this. I posting this to learn but, if someone wants to take a poke at me, I have thick skin and a sense of humor.

[c2k5]

I usually don't clean my barrels  till after 1000 rounds, but really it depends on when the accuracy isn't normal. It varies gun to gun but most are around 1000. It might just be an odd poi shift, it happens to some guns. PSI can change based on temperature, but I don't think it would lose 300 unless you filled it in a 130 degree room. It might have a slow leak, see if it does it again tonight.

[K.O.]

I would not use wd40 to clean, it dries to a sticky  mess.

[Gatorproof]

Just a guess buddy but I guess you have a slow leak. So probably not a defective guage.

I don't own a Marauder,  so I am not qualified on your changes going on. I would check my scope and make sure it has not creaped or somehow moved.

Trying to diagnose a part time problem are the most difficult on most anything. 

May I suggest you just start from square one.  Go over your gun, look for anything that might be lose. Resight your scope.
Try a little soapy water and drip it on your fill port and see if it bubbles, that would mean you have an air leak at the port,
Like I say I don't know Marauders,  but maybe your fill port needs to be snugged up ?

All gun barrels need an occational cleaning,. My Hatsans manual suggests ever 500 rounds clean the barrel.

Could it be a pellet fragment is lodged in your barrel.?

Now keep in mind, air guns shoot differently with different fill pressures.  So what I am suggesting is, your gun likes a certain air pressure range to shoot its best. So it might shoot great at 2000 to say (this is a guess)2700 psi. Or other pressures,  I know with one of my guns, it shoots great at 1650 down to 1200 psi, But fill it to 2900 and it shoots way off or high or what ever.

Just think I would "guess" your accuracy is a pressure issue.

Be advised I am pretty new at AG myself, so hope I have not lead you of course too far.

Be Well,
Gator

How to clean your barrel
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=how+to+clean+a+marauder+barrel&qpvt=how+to+clean+a+Marauder+barrel&FORM=VDRE

[c2k5]

Also NEVER use a brass brush or any other metal to clean an air rifle barrel.

[45Bravo]

So, you said you left it charged.

Do you degas every time you finish shooting?

You don't need to do that, it is actually better for the gun to be stored with air in it.

And when you go to shoot next time, you just top it off and go..

How are you filling, hand pump or high pressure air tank?

My gen 2 marauder has a slow leak, maybe 75-100 psi in a week.
I just haven't taken it down to check it out.

I know the leak won't get any better, but it really hasn't bothered me yet.

I prefer to use simple green when I clean my barrels, it works, doesn't leave a residue, and doesn't bother orings or ignite under pressure..

Have you done any adjusting on the settings on the rifle?


Ian

[michaelthomas]

WD-40 is an excellent airgun barrel cleaner.  Many say that it will swell orings......but I have not personally seen it do so, and have even read articles directly addressing this alleged swelling issue that have come to the same conclusion.

There are a bunch of "green" barrel cleaners that people use.  They will not clean as well as WD-40 or Kroil.  If you doubt that, clean your barrel using any of the others until the patches come through clean.....then pull a patch of WD-40 after you are done.  It won't be a clean patch. 

I can tell you that most airgun benchrest guys clean with WD-40 or Kroil.  I clean every 40-50 shots or so to maintain the accuracy in my guns......but that is not likely necessary for hunting or general shooting.  If you can go 500 shots and still be happy with the accuracy.....then I would say to do so.  If accuracy deteriorates.......clean it......if it comes back after cleaning, you will know what to expect later.  Many pellets will require 25-50 shots before they will come back in after cleaning.  Establishing the cleaning interval that works for you is something that nobody can really pin down for you.  Do what works for you. 

I pull wet patches of WD-40 until I don't see much on the patch (usually one or two)......then 2 drys after that.  My combination comes back after 3-4 shots following cleaning.

It's a subjective matter.  It depends on what you want.

I have never used a wire brush or anything like that.  If you clean in regular intervals (even lengthy 500 shot ones), I don't think you will ever need to get that aggressive.

Mike

[Kailua]

Someone did post effects of different solvents or lubricants on orings and WD40 showed no ill affects.  Using WD40 is said to help remove excess leading.  Leading is good but too much is no good.  So after cleaning may need a few shots to get accuracy back on track.

[OldFlyRod]

Thanks for all of your help. Don't know what I would do without all of your help. I probably would have put this gun down and stuck w my crack barrel. (I do have a NP2 Camo coming in Monday) Is there an after market, high end, grade A  pressure gauge available?

[f4milytime]

Someone did post effects of different solvents or lubricants on orings and WD40 showed no ill affects.  Using WD40 is said to help remove excess leading.  Leading is good but too much is no good.  So after cleaning may need a few shots to get accuracy back on track.

I saw that post a couple weeks ago, I can't find it again though can you ??

[Frank in Fairfield]

Thanks for all of your help. Don't know what I would do without all of your help. I probably would have put this gun down and stuck w my crack barrel. (I do have a NP2 Camo coming in Monday) Is there an after market, high end, grade A  pressure gauge available?

Yep....

http://www.mcmaster.com/#atmospheric-pressure-gauges/=tzr4mn

[Geoff]

Someone did post effects of different solvents or lubricants on orings and WD40 showed no ill affects.  Using WD40 is said to help remove excess leading.  Leading is good but too much is no good.  So after cleaning may need a few shots to get accuracy back on track.

I saw that post a couple weeks ago, I can't find it again though can you ??

is this the one ?
http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=75599.msg719583#msg719583

[f4milytime]

Someone did post effects of different solvents or lubricants on orings and WD40 showed no ill affects.  Using WD40 is said to help remove excess leading.  Leading is good but too much is no good.  So after cleaning may need a few shots to get accuracy back on track.

I saw that post a couple weeks ago, I can't find it again though can you ??

is this the one ?
http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=75599.msg719583#msg719583

Exactly, shoots Geoffrey it was you who posted it. LOL

[Gatorproof]

Thanks for all of your help. Don't know what I would do without all of your help. I probably would have put this gun down and stuck w my crack barrel. (I do have a NP2 Camo coming in Monday) Is there an after market, high end, grade A  pressure gauge available?

Buddy,
I think you are reading too much into your air leak. Perhaps, only because I am doing it, try keeping a little log book for your gun.
So set up some targets,  track your air pressure and the accuracy at different pressures.

Example: Fill to say 2000 psi. shoot down to 1500psi. record or save your target.

Fill to 2500 psi and shoot down to 2000psi. Record or save your  target.

Fill to 2900 and shoot down to psi 2500 record or save your target.

Now compare your records or targets and study what pressure group gives you the best accuracy.

I hear Marauder's often fail to hold constant air pressure when stored. So I am suggesting that your guage is fine and you simply have a slow leak.

I am also suggesting that certain pressures provide you with better accuracy.

I left you links in my last post with several methods of cleaning your barrel.
I am suggesting that of course,  pick one of those methods and use it to clean your barrel before starting your accuracy tests.

I am suggesting that your air pressure guage is probably ok.

Hatsans, which I own, are very easy to pressure check because the air is contained in a removable cylinder.
I have 2 that are spares and when I acquired them, they both had 200 bar in them which was filled in Turkey at the factory months before
The guages might not be "exact" but they ☆☆☆like your Marauder☆☆☆ show a change of pressure.

You know the guage tells you that you have a leak.(or less likely is defective) but if your guage says you are lossing air then your probably are.

I suggest that is why your accuracy is not the same with each use of the gun.

Be Well,
Gator