Define "cleaning"...

[Ohio Varmint Shooter]

Growing up, I was taught by my dad to clean the 22lr every time I shot it. This included 1) wire brush and 2) oil patch.

Now I'm back into shooting after a several decade pause...I see there are people who say you should only clean a 22lr after accuracy drops off...or after 3000 rounds...etc.

But what is meant by 'cleaning'?

Are they talking about the wire brush? I can see not using an abrasive item like a wire brush every time, but I can't see NOT using a dry patch to clean the barrel and then a lightly oiled patch at the end. (especially if I know I'm not going to shoot the rifle for a while.)

So help me with terminology. "Not cleaning until after 3000 rounds"....they're talking about the wire brush, right? I can't see skipping at least a dry patch to clear out the burnt powder and such.

 

[dansig]

light cleaning will not hurt but real cleaning is using lead solvents and brushing.. that will affect accuracy, that's why it's only done after a few thousand rounds..
the 22lr takes a long time to foul to reach consistency, when it stops being consistent then it's time for the brush and solvent...

 

[Cort]

You are probably starting a "fight" here ;-)

The local .22 LR bench rest shooters clean their barrel after each target; 25 shots for score plus a few fowling shots and a few sighting shots. Cleaning here means 3 wet patches using Pro-Shot 1-Step Gun Cleaner and Lubricant (or something similar) followed by 3-4 dry patches. All patches are pushed through from the chamber out the muzzle and removed from the rod while using a bore guide, a .17 - .20 diameter cleaning rod and a non-metallic jag. Many use an extended jag that allows the patch to exit the muzzle and be removed without the rod extending into the crown area. At 500 rounds or so, they use a product like Remington 40-X Bore Cleaner to remove the carbon ring in the chamber and scrub the barrel. A nylon brush is the most aggressive cleaning tool they ever use in the barrel.

For a casual target shooter, the "bench rest" cleaning regimen is probably more than is needed. I, too, grew up with the instruction of cleaning the barrel after each range trip. Now, I tend to wipe down the outside of my firearms after every trip and clean at regular intervals. The interval for my .22 LR rifles (other than my .22 LR bench rest rifle), my shotguns and all of my pistols is 500 rounds plus or minus a few; the interval for my .22 LR bench rest rifle and for my center fire rifles is 100 rounds. I periodically check the barrels with my bore scope to see if additional attention is needed. I only use a bronze brush in my shotgun and my pistol barrels. I use nylon brushes in everything else. I am not a competitive shooter so this cleaning regimen seems to work for me.

Cort

 

[Will]

I'm close to Cort in cleaning. Use a bore snake after every range event and spray Ballistol on outside and down bore. Wipe when I get home. Once a year I do a heavy clean regimen ... especially shooting 10/22. BTW my 10/22 has Kidd parts everywhere so it's not quite a stock piece. Still shoots where I want & as accurate as any large caliber for ranges I use it.

 

[Lapua40X]

I clean my .22 (Remington M540XR Target) on competition with a patch lightly wetted with Kroil followed by two dry patches after every target. It gets a light cleaning when it comes home using solvent and a brass/bronze stem nylon bore brush. The thorough cleaning happens annually using a brass wire brush on a brass/bronze wire stem (not one of those steel wire stem varieties) and proper bore guide. By thorough cleaning I simply mean a typical routine that produces a clean patch with the final pass through the bore.
In my experience I've come to believe that all the stories about over cleaning causing unnecessary wear on a barrel are products of those who either didn't know how to clean a barrel or used the wrong tools. I've been shooting this M540XR for nearly thirty years and it still connects all rounds on the target to the point that you may be able to identify three connected entry holes in a five round group but evidence of the other two passing through the paper is undetectable.

 

[Rooster50]

I also use a bore snake after every session and try to clean my .17's deep at least once a year.

 

[Johnboy]

never for me

Do a test and you will see to how bad a good cleaning will drop the accuracy in your rifle.Mine came back after 40 or more rounds.If cleaning is a must ( your mental mind ) then a light one will do as said above.

 

[Ohio Varmint Shooter]

never for me

Do a test and you will see to how bad a good cleaning will drop the accuracy in your rifle.Mine came back after 40 or more rounds.If cleaning is a must ( your mental mind ) then a light one will do as said above.

I see comments like this often.

So it sounds like I'd be on the right path if I used dry patches until they come out clean, then one lightly oiled patch. Sound alright?

This is a squirrel & plinking gun. Not some match target rifle.

 

[langenc]

I too shoot BR and dont clean for three to four hundred rounds-nothing down the bore except bullets.

Have not used brass brush on barrels in couple years. Do use Gunzilla, couple wets, let set 15 min then 3 drys. If the patches look good let her go.

This past week I winterized a couple guns-above, followed by oily patch followed by 2 or 3 drys.

I dont want that oil running down into action/stock. Ever see black stocks near trigger guard/action. That is oil that hads drained from the barrel for 40 years and now stock is soaked-more or less depending.

 

[Ed333]

snip

I dont want that oil running down into action/stock. Ever see black stocks near trigger guard/action. That is oil that hads drained from the barrel for 40 years and now stock is soaked-more or less depending.

I have often seen recommendation to store rifles muzzle down, to prevent oil from moving into the stock.

 

[patriot]

Bore snakes are a very bad idea. They pick up glass from the primer compound then drag it sideways across the crown.

If you use oil it needs to be removed before you shoot. Some have noted rings in the bore caused by the pressure wave as the bullet pushes it out.

If you never clean you are going to build up a carbon ring near the throat. It will size the bullet down; not what you want. Every barrel is different on what it needs to stay accurate. Just to be certain I'm not loosing accuracy, after each session I run a dry patch, make six passes with a brass brush loaded with Hoppes, wipe out the crud with another patch, wash it with a wet patch, then dry it with a tight patch. I make several passes where a carbon ring would form then check for brown streaks. I never pull the patch or brush back through the barrel; take it off at the muzzle.

Mark

 

[Shynloco]

Ohio,
In my humble opinion and as some others have pointed out, there is a difference between "cleaning" a Rimfire barrel on a rifle used for casual fun and that of a Benchrest/competition rifle having a Match Grade barrel. I too am "old school" and frankly have an old Remington rifle (made in 1952) that gets the barrel "cleaned" about every 4000 rounds. And that baby still shoots lights out if I can see the darn target with these old azz eyes. But on my Benchrest Anschutz (that has a high power scope so I can see the target) I use strictly for competition fun, she gets a wet patch (I use Prolix - a bio-degradable solution made specifically for firearms) and a few dry patches every 60 rds or so. She only gets a nylon brush about every 200 rds followed by the one wet patch and a couple of dry patches OR whenever I change to another ammunition because of the different powders used in different ammos. It usually then takes me about 10 - 15 rds as foulers to get the barrel used to the new ammo I'm shooting that gets me reliable accuracy. Hope that helps you some.