How often do you clean your 22lr
- Thread starter rebs
- Start date
Generally just use a patch with Boretech carbon cleaner or Ballistol on an Otis pull through kit. Plinking guns get a pull through at the end of the day, month or summer, depending on how many rounds were shot. Target rifles don't really get touched until the accuracy starts to go south.
I will use cotton swabs and rags to clean the actions, wipe down the outside, etc, after every outing. Usually with Ballistol.
I will use cotton swabs and rags to clean the actions, wipe down the outside, etc, after every outing. Usually with Ballistol.
JohnW...ski
Gold $$ Contributor
My Remington 40X will regularly go through a case or more and I never notice any drop off in accuracy. However, I have 2 Turbo's with Shilen ratchet barrels, one will go about 450 rounds before the carbon ring begins to kill accuracy, the other needs the carbon ring cleaned by 150 rounds. I also shoot a S&W model 41 with a Clark barrel, I clean that at the end of the season or when it starts to malfunction, whichever comes first. Seems like the tight target chambers are much more finicky about cleaning. The barrels actually never really are that dirty.
John
John
Nick Caprinolo
Gold $$ Contributor
I always use unclad bullets, that are coated with wax or paraffin. A simple patch run through the barrel after each session seems to do the job. I do use a brush to clean the chamber of accumulated carbon after about 100 rounds or so. Keeping the chamber clean helps in seating the bullets properly.
At the end of the year, when it is too cold to go to the range, I give them a complete cleaning. then in the spring I fire a number of rounds to get the barrel back in shooting condition.
At the end of the year, when it is too cold to go to the range, I give them a complete cleaning. then in the spring I fire a number of rounds to get the barrel back in shooting condition.
IMHO, it depends on the rifle. Like if it's a cheap factory rifle, I'd clean it after a couple hundred rounds or if it's a high end gun/barrel, depending on the type of shooting one does, then this:
Kerry Spurgin
Silver $$ Contributor
Its important to at least use a wet patch to push the fouling out after each session. The fouling that is created attacts (sucks up) water from the air. this leads to corrosion, though on a small scale, corrosion non the less. a couple patches of just about any bore solvent, then a dry patch or 2 is all it takes. be sure to clean it on its side and wipe out any excess that accumulates at the chamber from pushing the patch through; or else you will find it in your bedding and trigger later..
Old time shooters talk of the 'ring' and how it was in front of the chamber but also predominately at the bottom. in those days few cleaned their rifles regularly. Also they were stored upright in cases. Guess what, the region affected most by the corrsive primers of the day was also affected more so (at the bottom) where the fouling settled after the session..
after every 5-10 sessions, pull it out of the stock, wipe the bedding and underside and then reassemble and torque if you are so inclined. most guns have a hole somewhere that lets that pesky solvent leak under the action. also a more thorough cleaning, yes that bronze brush and the same solvent will be just fine. Every couple years, if you shoot a lot, a session with iosso, jbs, or 2.5um paste is good to scrub the residual lead out.
Mine still shoots 40x outdoor after 40years.
Old time shooters talk of the 'ring' and how it was in front of the chamber but also predominately at the bottom. in those days few cleaned their rifles regularly. Also they were stored upright in cases. Guess what, the region affected most by the corrsive primers of the day was also affected more so (at the bottom) where the fouling settled after the session..
after every 5-10 sessions, pull it out of the stock, wipe the bedding and underside and then reassemble and torque if you are so inclined. most guns have a hole somewhere that lets that pesky solvent leak under the action. also a more thorough cleaning, yes that bronze brush and the same solvent will be just fine. Every couple years, if you shoot a lot, a session with iosso, jbs, or 2.5um paste is good to scrub the residual lead out.
Mine still shoots 40x outdoor after 40years.
I shoot a Diorio BR rifle and a BSA Martini International rifle. After every shoot I put a dry patch down the barrel then 10 strokes with a nylon brush with Hoppes on, a few more short strokes in the chamber area then pack up for home. I finish the cleaning with a thin dry patch and then a thicker dry patch. After cleaning the barrel I clean every thing else then a last thin patch with Hoppes on and put it away. Never a problem with my rifles and the barrels look like new, On my next range trip one thin patch then a thick one 2-3 rounds to foul and I am good. to go
The advice in the video to not clean the bore is a headscratcher. It seems strange to boast that he hasn't cleaned the barrels -- "not at all."
Rifle makers such as Anschutz and Walther and Bleiker, makers of top small bore rifles, recommend regular bore cleaning. International Olympic-style competive shooters clean regularly, as do top level BR shooters.
Of course, if shooters aren't trying to achieve the best accuracy possible, then cleaning the bore wouldn't matter much.
Rifle makers such as Anschutz and Walther and Bleiker, makers of top small bore rifles, recommend regular bore cleaning. International Olympic-style competive shooters clean regularly, as do top level BR shooters.
Of course, if shooters aren't trying to achieve the best accuracy possible, then cleaning the bore wouldn't matter much.
3Ackleys
Gold $$ Contributor
I use Lilja's method
riflebarrels.com
22 Rimfire Maintenance - Lilja Precision Rifle Barrels
The difference between rimfire and centerfire barrels is that rimfires requires essentially no break-in procedure. Here is a recommendation for cleaning
Question from a bore scope junky: "Have you bore scoped those "never been cleaned" rifles"? You may have good results on target without cleaning, for a time. But eventually you'll have to pay the piper. There is ground glass in 22lr primer compound and eventually that, the lube from the bullets, corrosion, and the carbon, will gang up to get you. Just my opinion of course.
At least if you keep the barrel clean you are always starting from a know condition. When changing ammo brands it can make a big difference as some of the lubes don't play well together in my experience.
At least if you keep the barrel clean you are always starting from a know condition. When changing ammo brands it can make a big difference as some of the lubes don't play well together in my experience.
In the fall of 2010 I had rotator cuff surgery on my right shoulder. I am very right eye and RH dominant. For about 3 months I either laid off shooting or shot LH. Accuracy was less than good. Around March I noticed my called shots were not where they should be. Not that they were 10's or 9's, but even a called 6 was not there.
Now this is a Ruger MKII 5 1/2" Bull Barrel that I bought used in 98 when I first started shooting Bullseye. Had nothing but a smithed trigger and an UltraDot. I used any ammo that would cycle dependably in it and never ever cleaned the bore. The chamber, yes. The action, yes. But never the bore. I would estimate a conservative 125,000 rounds through it in that time. I shot Win Dynapoints, PMC Scoremaster, Lapua Midas, Tenex, Eley Brown box, Federal Champion, CCI SV, CCI High Velocity. Anything that was cheap and some that weren't.
Back to March 2011. I sat down at a bench at the 50 ft line & carefully shot a 10 round group of CCI SV from a 2 handed resting position. That's the target on the left side. Thoroughly disgusted with the group I took the pistol into the workroom at our range & proceeded to scrub the ever loving bejabbers out of it. Then I took it back to the same bench, with the same box of ammo, the same pistol, same 2 handed rest and shot the target on the right. I keep both these targets in my office to remind me of all that I don't know. (BTW: It's a lot)
I now scrub my bores once a year or after about a case of ammo.
Al
Now this is a Ruger MKII 5 1/2" Bull Barrel that I bought used in 98 when I first started shooting Bullseye. Had nothing but a smithed trigger and an UltraDot. I used any ammo that would cycle dependably in it and never ever cleaned the bore. The chamber, yes. The action, yes. But never the bore. I would estimate a conservative 125,000 rounds through it in that time. I shot Win Dynapoints, PMC Scoremaster, Lapua Midas, Tenex, Eley Brown box, Federal Champion, CCI SV, CCI High Velocity. Anything that was cheap and some that weren't.
Back to March 2011. I sat down at a bench at the 50 ft line & carefully shot a 10 round group of CCI SV from a 2 handed resting position. That's the target on the left side. Thoroughly disgusted with the group I took the pistol into the workroom at our range & proceeded to scrub the ever loving bejabbers out of it. Then I took it back to the same bench, with the same box of ammo, the same pistol, same 2 handed rest and shot the target on the right. I keep both these targets in my office to remind me of all that I don't know. (BTW: It's a lot)
I now scrub my bores once a year or after about a case of ammo.
Al
JSH
Gold $$ Contributor
A fellow name of Bill Calfee has an interesting book, and a very informative read. I will say his track record of building and shooting 22RF’s is hard to argue with. I tend to go with his findings.
I was told the same garbage about not cleaning until groups went to crap. Well it always seemed that happened in the middle of a match. A dirty bore is unpredictable. At least with a clean bore I have an idea when and what will happen at a certain point.
I have shot bullseye with folks that say to not clean. Seems they have some feeding and extraction problems before the league is over. I have seen the internals caked with gunk from not cleaning and honestly don’t know how some of these guns functioned as well as they did.
Not cleaning when your done shooting, is akin to not wiping after ya poop.
I was told the same garbage about not cleaning until groups went to crap. Well it always seemed that happened in the middle of a match. A dirty bore is unpredictable. At least with a clean bore I have an idea when and what will happen at a certain point.
I have shot bullseye with folks that say to not clean. Seems they have some feeding and extraction problems before the league is over. I have seen the internals caked with gunk from not cleaning and honestly don’t know how some of these guns functioned as well as they did.
Not cleaning when your done shooting, is akin to not wiping after ya poop.
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