.470 Nitro Express - Cleaning regimen?

[deewayne2003]

Just got my first .470 N.E. and was wondering how often you guys clean your bores?

I'm noticing some copper build up on the rifling and I have no idea when this gun was last cleaned; so I'm cleaning the bores tonight and looking to start a set cleaning interval from here on.

 

[Red Leg]

I am a contrarian. I do not worry about copper. At all. I probably currently own four dozen rifles or so, shoot them all - some a great deal (to include a .470) and they get a couple of patches of Ballistol once every few months depending upon use. The copper tends to fill out imperfections in the barrel (generally, more imperfections the cheaper the barrel), and I rarely (frankly never) notice any effect on accuracy due to copper. Others - they will be along shortly - obsess over it. I frankly think you are more likely to do lasting damage to a barrel with brushes, rods, solvents and elbow grease than any amount of copper residue.

 

[crudeoildude]

I tend to agree Redleg

 

[Wyatt Smith]

If Hoppes No. 9 doesn’t take it out, it stays in my rifles.