[Finch]

1.) I have a Ruger 10/22 and fired it for the first time yesterday. I put around 550 rouns through it, I was having a blast. Anyway, I want to know how many round can/should go through this rifle at anyone one time before I need to do any maintanace? And what maintance should be done?

2.) I also have an old Mosin Nagant (I think, it fires 7.62x54r rounds). I have yet to fire it and am a little hesitant about firing it. What should I check out in it before I fire it?

[Norton]

Finch....welcome aboard.

Congrats on the 10/22....if that thing was just a little bit larger I would have bought one. I guess that's what I get for being "super-sized":p

You'll get a lot of differing advice on when to clean, ranging from "never" to "every time I shoot".

I'll clean right after shoooting if I have some time to kill, but I use the 500 round mark as a guide for cleaning. IOW...I never let the firearm go for more than 500 rounds between cleanings, although I often do clean them every time I shoot.

550 rounds in one day?! Go for you!:cool:

[greyhound]

Welcome!

the Mosin Nagant does indeed fire 7.62x54R ammo.

And from all I have heard, you should have the headspace checked for tolerance (the gap between the bolt face and the round). Too much/too little could mean a perforated primer or a light strike.

They sell gauges all over the internet (Cabelas, etc) or you could take it to a gunsmith (gauge ain't cheap and probably neither is the gunsmith, but we're talking safety here!)

So how did you acquire your Mosin (these tales are often quite entertaining!:D )......

[Finch]

No interesting story here, I just bought it at Big 5 for $60. ;)

I guess I could just tie a string to the trigger, pack it in some sand bags, and yank!

[Hoploholic]

Here is my philosophy on the 10/22 and 22lr firearms in general...don't clean the buggers until they stop running. Once you clean one, it will take it about 1000 rounds of fouling to start shooting right again. When you do clean the bore, don't use a rod or brush. Melt the end of a peice of weed eatter line until it is about the size of your bore. Cut a point into the other end. Use the point to thread a patch on the line. Snake the line through your barrel with a patch wet with your favorite solvent. Let the barrel set a few mins and repeat the process with a couple of clean patches. This should be all you ever need to do to your barrel unless it gets fouled with lead. I also like to scrape the wax and carbon fouling off the bolt and barrel face about every 1K rounds. Take a tooth brush to the bolt face and make sure the extractor functions as intended. The biggest thing to remember about 22's is to relax and enjoy!

[BusMaster007]

Hoploholic,

That's one of the best answers I've EVER read on any Forum.
Excellent! :D

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=589754

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=589754

[Hoploholic]

Well thank you BusMaster. I appreciate the kind words.

I forgot to comment on the Nagant. If all the parts seem to be serviceable, I would take it a trusted smith and have him/her check the headspace and throat erosion. If those look good, you are ready to have fun with a great piece of military history.

[Norton]

Hoplophobic,

I've been using a widget called a PatchWorm on my handguns that sounds exactly what you are walking about as far as the weed eater line. Only cost a couple of bucks......maybe I'll get me one for the CZ452 as well.......