doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How badly do dirty barrels affect patterns?

I'm certainly not one of the experts here, but I always heard that dirty barrels made patterns tighter. It really does not matter to me because I'll clean my barrels at the first opportunity no matter what. The only time I've ever worried about shooting dirty barrels has been on hot barrel SA dove shoots where the plastic melts in my chambers and barrels...Geo

This may be an interesting topic to consider; do pitted barrels pattern better than smooth un-pitted barrels? I personally disdain pitted barrel tubes, but being that I collect and shoot vintage double guns and that such guns often have varying degrees of barrel pitting, is there a difference between the shooting qualities of those guns with pitted barrels and those with excellent bores. I haven't noticed any with the guns I've used but that could be attributed to the fact that my reloads use shot cups which serve to lessen pellet deformation. But, as regards pitted bores, I read a piece years ago (and I can't remember the source) whereby the author claimed that at one time some shooters subscribed to the theory that pitted barrels produced better patterns than un-pitted barrels; and further, that many such shooters often pissed thru their barrel tubes to hasten the pitting process. I've never been inclined to try this method myself; but has anyone experimented with and/or compared patterns produced by pitted vs. un-pitted barrels?

Hmm..????
Switching of guns and then unaccountable misses....could be a case of switching eye dominance?

Nash Buckingham's "Shootinist Gent'man_ Capt. Harold Money, shot a Win M97 12 bore, and reportedly never cleaned the barrel-humm? RWTF

As much as I sometimes would like to, blaming the equipment is usually the wrong course of action. Misses happen. Good days, bad days. That sort of thing.

As for dirty barrels, top level competition shooters can burn through several hundred rounds in a day. I am unaware of any of them, as in any, worrying about filth in their barrels. Some will even say they only clean their guns once or twice a year. And they keep breaking targets.

Tom: Greener seemed to think that "burnished" barrels improved patterns; 30,000 rounds with improved full choke pattern
https://books.google.com/books?id=inQCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA227

I've not come across any study, vintage or modern, directly comparing pitted (and how to determine the level of pitting?) with smooth bores.
Of course a number of trap barrel specialist smiths, and their disciples, claim improved patterns with bore honing and choke magic

"Pattern Testing Results - Four Guns, One with a Wilkinson Barrel"
Neil Winston's comments start on p.6 and continue but unfortunately the images have been lost
https://www.trapshooters.com/thread...guns-one-with-a-wilkinson-barrel.302858/

I wonder if the buildup of plastic in the chokes might tighten the patterns if not properly cleaned. I've noticed that the buildup is particularly severe in my Guerini 28 gauge for some reason, but the choke tubes are easy to remove and soak and then run a brass brush on a handheld electric drill through.

I always foul the barrels of my competition gun before I start a tournament. I’m not sure if it’s really necessary, but it is for me. Otherwise, I may be thinking about that instead of the job at hand. Too much conscious mind and then a miss….

I have put over 1500 rounds through my 687 SP II Sporting in three hours and never noticed that the patterns tightened discernibly, shooting doves. The plastic would build up in the extended, and ported, chokes I was shooting, and a stainless steel tornado brush on a short handle would quickly remove it before the next shoot. I also cannot prove it doesn't tighten the pattern some, but when you're shooting that fast it's hard to notice. I was using IM and IC chokes most of the time.

Good question, R40X

Some people just worry too much....