Rimfire barrel life

[watercam]

I have a 1956 Win. 52C that will no longer hold the ten ring at 100 yds. and at 200 makes more of a pattern. It used to be OK, not great but good enough for practice. Has anyone shot out a rimfire barrel? Sort of assumed it would outlast me...
Mike T.

 

[ChipEckardt]

I have not wore out a 22. Could there be too much lead in barrel? Rust in barrel? Try another brand of ammunition?

Chip

 

[Bob3700]

Stick a bore scope into the bbl and see what the area right in front of the chamber looks like.

Also, slugging the bbl would be a good idea as well. If you have a tight spot right in front of the chamber, you may have a carbon or lead buildup that is swagging your bullet down below bore diameter. This will have a negative impact on your accuracy. A through cleaning of the throat may be the answer to your accuracy problem.

Check the crown also and make sure that it is still sharp. That is probably the easiest thing to clean up and positively impact your accuracy.

Bob

 

[watercam]

Scoped it after cleaning - no issues. One pass with a wet patch and it was spotless. Looks the same as it always has. Crown was re-cut when I first purchased it a couple of years and maybe 1000 rounds ago. Just seemed to stop wanting to shoot.

 

[DCRYDER]

One pass with a wet patch??? I really doubt that is going to get it clean as you think.

Despite round count, I would check the crown out. It only takes one ding with a cleaning rod to make things go south.

 

[Travelor]

watercam, did the poor performance start with the cold winter weather?

If so, are you attempting to keep you ammo warm or letting it cool to ambient temperature?

What ammo?

George

 

[Bob3700]

Have someone familiar with the process slug the bbl. That will tell you where the tight/loose spots are.

I agree that one wet patch down the bore would be hard pressed to clean a 22 RF bbl. squeaky clean.

My bet (baring a damaged crown) would be a lead build up at the chamber. The bullet is being swaged down immediately and rattling down the bbl.

Bob

 

[distinguished]

I used a "Lead Away" cloth cut into patches to clean the barrel on my grandfathers .22 when it stopped shooting well. You would be amazed at how much lead came out. When I inheirited the rifle it had god knows how many tens of thousands of rounds through it. After using "Lead Away" followed by normal cleaning it shoots as well as ever.

 

[RandyD]

I shoot a lot of smallbore and I know of a Winchester 52 that has over 150K rounds through it and it still shoots good groups. A 22LR barrel should not wear out, but improper cleaning procedures can damage the barrel causing a loss of accuracy. As far your barrel having some lead buildup, try to get someone to borescope your barrel, you will be very surprised at the amount of lead that remains in a barrel even after a good cleaning.

 

[RichinKansas]

one pass with a patch will not clean any barrel. Could be a number of things. Crown damage, rifling damaged from cleaning, throat worn from to much shooting. Only a borescope would show for sure. But I would guess most probable from your comment about one pass cleaning is it it has lead or carbon fouling. I would suggest running a couple of patches of good solvent to get the loose stuff out. Then work a patch back and forth on the first 3 inches about 6 times with Isosso bore paste or JB paste then push it out the muzzle. A couple of patches of solvent again and then repeat the Issoso. Again a couple of patches of solvent, then two dry patches. Now shoot about 20 shots to season the barrel and then see how it does. Use a bore guide and one piece rod such as a Dewey. If it still shoots poorly make me and offer for it (G). As an alternative to the paste on a patch, Shooters Choice lead remover on a bronze brush will work real good also. Make sure it is an all bronze bruch with no steel components.

 

[watercam]

Have used both JB products. When I say one patch I mean the first one came out black, subsequent wet patches were clean. Definitely started with a clean barrel (like a mirror with slight tool marks through the bore scope). I have noticed some pitting about 1" back from the muzzle - will cut and re-crown the muzzle and double check the throat.
Thanks for the replies folks, will keep this barrel a while longer.
Mike T.

 

[treeman]

you might also check the striker spring could have weakened over time,just a thought

 

[watercam]

Good one! I will do that.

 

[jonbearman]

My cousin bought a model 37 remington and it looked like a mirror but would not shoot.I soaked the barrel with different solvents and then took a brush and wraped 4-0 steel wool around the brush.After all the soaking we pushed the brush in and it got stuck.He finally got it to pull out and a tubule of lead came out about 6 inches long.It looked like a perfect little barrel.After that it shot tight little groups.

 

[zcrackshot]

I bought a Ruger Single Six revolver a long time ago because the guy said it wouldn't hit the side of his barn.... literally! Gave him $25 for it and had a similar experience with the tubule of lead in the barrel. Just in front of the forcing cone was where the rod got stuck. In a desperation move with all hope lost i cut the rod off a half inch longer than the barrel and pounded on it with a rubber mallet. The tube of lead looked just like a perfect cast of the rifling and bore! I couldn't keep it in one piece as it had to be cut up to get it out of the cylinder end of the pistol but the thing has been shooting great ever since!

Zac M.

 

[Haness]

When I bought my first rimfire rifle (used), their owner told me, that for basic test of barrel status he always take a cartridge a part and using a bullet he checks it.
It is simple, you have to put that bullet into the chamber, and if it drives throught the bore without need of force, you know that the barrel is out.

 

[Greatwhitenorth]

I have a Winchester Model 75 with over 200K shot through it and it still groups as well as it ever did. I really don't think you can shoot out the barrel. Like other people mentioned, do a good cleaning in front of the chamber to get rid of any carbon rings ect. I occaisionally spin a nylon brush in the chamber with some flitz and brush it in the first part of the bore if I see some carbon there.

 

[DaveWhite]

Lots of variables, and you may need to test each one to find the answer. In addition to those above, consider shooting it from a bench, trying different ammo, and perhaps having someone else do a test drive.

Hold center.

 

[watercam]

I am surprised this thread came around again. After all that the problem turned out to be a spongy, oil-soaked factory stock. I tried pillar and glass bedding and found the wood felt rotted when drilling it. Replaced it with a Master Class Prone with pillars and glass and it now shoots pretty much all match ammo well. Tends to love RWS R100 the best for 200 yd. Mini-Palmas which is my match of choice for this rifle.
Thanks to all who responded,
Mike

 

[mshelton]

KC Young, who has held rimfire benchrest world records, told me once that a .22 rimfire barrel was good for around 100,000 rounds and he had worn out quite a few.

but as always, you mileage may vary