To clean or not to clean .22 rimfire

14 May 2006, 02:42

Hot Core

Hey Ted, I always clean mine whenever they go outdoors, whether they get shot or not. And occasionally they get cleaned even when they don't go outside.

I've also heard a lot of folks do not clean their Rimfires at all. And it seems they have every excuse in the world lined up and ready to expound on each of them.

I just wasn't raised to allow firearms to go uncleaned. And, it doesn't matter to me how other folks treat their firearms, because I quit buying "used" firearms a long time ago.

14 May 2006, 12:18

steyrl

quote:
Originally posted by ted thorn:
I have heard many people say they never clean the bore of their 22 rim fire rifles. Is this good or bad?

I also cleaned my 22 after every shooting session and even if it had been left a while and not shot.

To my mind "the proof is in the pudding". That is try it both ways and if one gives better results then stick to it.

14 May 2006, 13:09

malm

quote:
Originally posted by ted thorn:
I have heard many people say they never clean the bore of their 22 rim fire rifles. Is this good or bad?

The sign over the door to the Armory read "A clean and properly maintained weapon, loaded with fresh ammunition, WILL FIRE when needed".

I've made a fair amount of money over the years from people who don't clean, or, otherwise neglect the barrels of their .22 rimfires. As with any firearm, you should always clean the bore before putting it away. For the .22 rimfire, it can be something as simple as running a lightly oiled bore snake through the bore a couple of times and wiping down the finish before putting it away. It only takes a minute.

It is very important to push a rod and a patch through the bore prior to heading out to shoot, if for nothing else than to make sure some little 8 legged arachnid hasn't set up home in the bore creating a costly barrel obstruction, which is THE number one reason for bulged and damaged .22 rimfire barrels in this part of the world. And while not quite as cosy as the little .22 bore, they will build their homes in the big bores as well. So as a rule, ALL weapons bores should be cleaned and inspected before heading out. JMPO.

15 May 2006, 03:19

LBGuy

I have a ruger 10-22 that i carry in my truck and use on the farm to shoot snakes, possums, coons, dogs, cats, skunks, beavers, muskrats, and anything else I need to shoot. I completely disassemble it and clean the bore once per year. I've been using the same gun for almost 30 years, without a hitch or loss in accuracy. I use the cheap rem or fed ammo from wally world again without a problem. However, for squirrels, I use a Kimber 22LR, which does get a wipe down after each hunt. I clean the bore once, after the season has ended. Everybody has their own "best" method and I seriously doubt one is better than the other. Keep the rust off, the action functioning, and the barrel clean enough so it maintains acceptable accuracy. In my mind, little else matters.

03 June 2006, 22:34

Lowrider 49

I clean my .22s every leap year whether they need it or not....just like my truck. No problems with either.

Revolvers do require some attention when shooting shorts or CBs then changing to LRs and of course the powder residue needs to be blasted away with some brake cleaner and sometimes compressed air....otherwise if it ain't broke, don't clean it!!

BTW, I'm doing a complete teardown and cleaning on my Dillon 550 'cause it is getting a little slugish after 18 years and about 90,000 rounds. Brake cleaner and a very thin coat of Amsoil motorcycle 20W50 does wonders.

03 June 2006, 23:19

Afrikaander

quote:
Originally posted by Hot Core:
(...) I just wasn't raised to allow firearms to go uncleaned (...)

very well said !

and I should add "nor unproperly treated" thou it will be out of subject in this specific thread

05 June 2006, 13:35

steyrl

Amen to Hot Core and Amen to Afrikander.

06 June 2006, 22:33

STINGER

quote:
Originally posted by malm:
quote:
Originally posted by ted thorn:
I have heard many people say they never clean the bore of their 22 rim fire rifles. Is this good or bad?

The sign over the door to the Armory read "A clean and properly maintained weapon, loaded with fresh ammunition, WILL FIRE when needed".

I've made a fair amount of money over the years from people who don't clean, or, otherwise neglect the barrels of their .22 rimfires. As with any firearm, you should always clean the bore before putting it away. For the .22 rimfire, it can be something as simple as running a lightly oiled bore snake through the bore a couple of times and wiping down the finish before putting it away. It only takes a minute.

It is very important to push a rod and a patch through the bore prior to heading out to shoot, if for nothing else than to make sure some little 8 legged arachnid hasn't set up home in the bore creating a costly barrel obstruction, which is THE number one reason for bulged and damaged .22 rimfire barrels in this part of the world. And while not quite as cosy as the little .22 bore, they will build their homes in the big bores as well. So as a rule, ALL weapons bores should be cleaned and inspected before heading out. JMPO.

malm

good advice. i seen a lot of barrels come into the shop where i worked with barrel bulges from ittsy bittsy teensy spiders that decided to build a condo in the bore. pushing a clean patch through a barrel before you hunt is always a good idea. especially to get a dry bore to shoot with.

also another boon to smiths is the folks who don't carry a cleaning rod and supplies into the field.

i normally will not use a multiple piece cleaning rod, but for field purposes they are great and fit nicely in a pocket. sure beats the heck out of clearing a barrel of mud, snow, or dirt after you take a tumble and using a stick.

it doesn't take much of an obstruction to bulge a barrel.

a few bucks spent on portable cleaning supplies sure beats the heck of big bucks for a new barrel.

but then again we muzzle f785ers and gun plumbers need something to do.

06 June 2006, 23:13

CDH

It seems like I hear time and again that .22's require a lot of shooting to get the bullet lube uniformly coating the barrel...just look at Saeed's .22 ammo test.

Maybe it only matters in match grade barrels, but I've never seen anything resembling the fouling of a centerfire in a .22rf barrel.

Wipe down for surface rust prevention is another story, but bore cleaning just doesn's seem worth it after the average 1-200 round plinking session...