.22LR bore cleaning advice

[katokoch]

I clean my Suhl every 50-100 rounds (or after each card in a match) to keep the bore consistent with just one wet patch and four dry patches. I know it will take 4 shots to get back to POI after that brief clean. I have scrubbed out the chamber and leade with Iosso once recently and will do it again after another 500 rounds to keep the carbon ring in check, although I haven't found it to be a big issue with the rifle (yet). I clean and re-grease the bolt after every trip to the range.

My other rimfires (hunting guns or informal target rifles) get cleaned every 500 rounds or so. The chambers aren't nearly as tight as the Suhl and my accuracy expectations are lower so I'm not as stringent with them, but they still get taken care of.

I use a stainless one piece rod and tight fitting bore guides in each of my guns. I don't want my cleaning regiment to be harmful.

 

[langenc]

Some experts will say-dont clean unless it aint shooting' but dry patch every 1000 or so.

I wet patch and 3 drys or so. When storing for the winter it will get a brush and Gunzilla, dry patches. light oily patch and a dry one to remove excess oil. Dont want oil running into stock and making it black.

 

[Ohio Varmint Shooter]

I never knew you weren't supposed to clean a 22lr bore so infrequently. But what about a new rifle? I have a brand new Savage Mark II...and I followed the instructions on the Savage website about cleaning it every time for the first 5 rounds...then cleaning it every 5 rounds for the next 50 or so.

Now I've got about 125 rounds through it.

Is it time to stop cleaning it?

 

[TTLongRifle]

We shoot with two Olympians ('48 and '80) and both claim a person should clean their rifle at the end of each day, and in competition after every target. The guy destined for the '80 team, which Carter pulled out because the Russian has the audacity to go into Afghanistan (who's there now?), is basically unbeatable so perhaps it's a combination of his skill and cleaning habits.

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

After seeing some of the things some folks claim they don't do, but only during "Leap Year", I've come to the conclusion that a clean bore is a "happy bore".
I haven't put a bronze bristle bore brush to a .22 rimfire firearm in at least 25 years. With the synthetic solvents that are currently and have been available for quite a while now, I haven't found the need, but maybe once in a while a nylon bristle brush after a long day of testing .22 Long Rifle rounds. Otherwise, and most often, it's a pull through of two wet felt plugs, let the bore soak for around 15 minutes and then a couple of dry felt plugs to wipe out any remaining gunk there may be still in the bore.
With a *NEW* .22 firearm that has just arrived, one soaked plug pulled through to remove any packing grease, and then a lightly coated plug with some EEZOX, and the next need for cleaning is a dream:

 

[rimfireshooter]

I've noticed that if I run a brush through the bore, it takes at least a box of ammo before the accuracy of the rifle gets 'back to normal' I don't use brushes anymore and ammo is $$$

The felt plugs SGW posted are a good idea.

 

[1Merlin]

Can't speak to the truth of it but have heard that a solvent and brush cleaned barrel needs one shot for each inch of barrel to get the wax coating back into place. I don't believe this is true on a lapped barrel but might be "generally" true on a rougher barrel.

What do the benchrest guys do between cards?

 

[linebaugh]

I clean between matches, every 100ish rounds. 3 kroil patches and 2 dry then back in the vault. Every 1-2000 I will clean with a nylon brush.

Every bbl is different; for sure. The last barrel I put together takes 1-2 shots after cleaning and its hammering. Other barrels are not near that reaponsive and take many rounds to get back on track.

 

[ROBARRC50]

Cz 457 mtr i clean mine every trip bronze brush and clp usually takes the carbon and lead out of the leade. Push a few patches through like 6 patches and its clean or clean enough for me. Last 2 outings it has put the cold clean bore shot in the group. Before that it would take a max of 5 shots to be steady and group again. Maybe the barrel is finally broke in and its not so sensative.

 

[1911nut]

Rimfire Accuracy Forum

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

Can't speak to the truth of it but have heard that a solvent and brush cleaned barrel needs one shot for each inch of barrel to get the wax coating back into place. I don't believe this is true on a lapped barrel but might be "generally" true on a rougher barrel.

What do the benchrest guys do between cards?

That's what I've heard/read also. Those folks are "fanatical" in their quest to get that elusive one-hole group and go through all sorts of things to get there.
I have tried that process when testing .22 rimfire ammunition and going from one brand to another, which may use a different type of bullet lube. Some of those BR shooters claim a different lube will affect the accuracy involved with their rifles. I guess that's what some of those guys/gals have found, but I sorta wonder HOW a lead bullet knows that it is now going through a bore with a different type of bullet lube underneath the lube it is currently wearing?

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

Cz 457 mtr i clean mine every trip bronze brush and clp usually takes the carbon and lead out of the leade. Push a few patches through like 6 patches and its clean or clean enough for me. Last 2 outings it has put the cold clean bore shot in the group. Before that it would take a max of 5 shots to be steady and group again. Maybe the barrel is finally broke in and its not so sensative.

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

These days .22 rimfire bores are mostly "button rifled" after being drilled and then reamed. The only actual "cutting" of metal involved after that is when the chamber and leade are reamed.
The reamer cuts in a clockwise manner, so on the trailing edge of the lands there will be a slight rollover burr from the cutting action, and the burr gets worse as the reamer begins to dull. So, as a lead bullet passes over that burr, or is jammed into the leade like in the CZ 457 MTR chamber, that burr cuts into the soft lead bullet slightly. Until the flame from the expanding gasses behind the bullet leaving the cartridge case burns off the burr in the leade, the burr will cut a little bit off the bullets bearing surface as the bullet goes into the bore. I guess that's where some feel the need to "break-in" a .22 rimfire barrel by shooting several hundred rounds, and then find that accuracy gets better after that period of time.
I don't think it's anything to worry about, and just shoot until the bore is ready to group as well as it can.

 

[ROBARRC50]

These days .22 rimfire bores are mostly "button rifled" after being drilled and then reamed. The only actual "cutting" of metal involved after that is when the chamber and leade are reamed.
The reamer cuts in a clockwise manner, so on the trailing edge of the lands there will be a slight rollover burr from the cutting action, and the burr gets worse as the reamer begins to dull. So, as a lead bullet passes over that burr, or is jammed into the leade like in the CZ 457 MTR chamber, that burr cuts into the soft lead bullet slightly. Until the flame from the expanding gasses behind the bullet leaving the cartridge case burns off the burr in the leade, the burr will cut a little bit off the bullets bearing surface as the bullet goes into the bore. I guess that's where some feel the need to "break-in" a .22 rimfire barrel by shooting several hundred rounds, and then find that accuracy gets better after that period of time.
I don't think it's anything to worry about, and just shoot until the bore is ready to group as well as it can.

not the greatest pic but this is my MTR 457 leade brand new out of the box pushed a dry patch down it before a scope and pic. Picture does not really show but this was the worst land and groove leade cut in the barrel. I think i got lucky on the factory barrel gamble. Bore has a mirror finish inside with minimal tooling marks.

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

That's great and it looks to me like it was lapped. I'll need to check my CZ 457 MTR with my Lyman scope. Hope it looks as good as yours does.
Being that they do call the chambers as "match" in this version CZ and due to the round being pushed into the rifling, I guess it would make sense that they go to the next level:

Probably should check my CZ 457 LUX also to see how they compare.

 

[AccelR8]

not the greatest pic but this is my MTR 457 leade brand new out of the box pushed a dry patch down it before a scope and pic. Picture does not really show but this was the worst land and groove leade cut in the barrel. I think i got lucky on the factory barrel gamble. Bore has a mirror finish inside with minimal tooling marks.

I recently cleaned the barrel on my 455 LUX and looked in there with with the mighty Teslong. I was really pleasantly surprised at how nice the barrel looked. Just like your picture. Not that have I seen the inside of many factory barrels but it's the best by far that I have seen.

After cleaning my first shot was about six inches to the left at 50 yards. Then over the next four or five they walked back to my original point of aim, the second and third shots moving the most, the fourth and fifth not so much. Then settled in to an inch or an inch and a quarter, this with just (Armscor 36 grain hollow point see correction below) ammo I got for 21.99 for 500 before the panic. Bought two bricks for general plinking. T

Correction! I incorrectly stated the ammo was 40 grain lead. I was wrong, t was Armscor 36 grain plated hollow point, The do have a thin waxy lube.

 

[ROBARRC50]

I recently cleaned the barrel on my 455 LUX and looked in there with with the mighty Teslong. I was really pleasantly surprised at how nice the barrel looked. Just like your picture. Not that have I seen the inside of many factory barrels but it's the best by far that I have seen.

After cleaning my first shot was about six inches to the left at 50 yards. Then over the next four or five they walked back to my original point of aim, the second and third shots moving the most, the fourth and fifth not so much. Then settled in to an inch or an inch and a quarter, this with just Armscore 40 grain hollow point ammo I got for 21.99 for 500 before the panic. Bought two bricks for general plinking. These are the wax lubed lead ones.

Most that mine was moving was between 1 and 1.5 inches . But on a vertical plane. Mine were still pretty much lined up horizontal. Thats with cci sv, eley, sk,rws,lapua ammo. But last 2 trips its been poa poi cold clean bore.