Cleanliness vs. accuracy

[spazman]

Hi folks,

My Savage 64 shoots well. Like, really well. I haven't sat down with a rifle rest and tried to get a sub-MOA group, but it can shoot with precision out to 175 yards.

Today at the range, it started to have a few issues loading and failing to eject. I was very surprised. It's dirty as heck, but shoots straight as an arrow. I tried a different mag, and it did fine the rest of the time. Since I got a new used scope for it (a very nice gift from a stranger... long story), I decided to take it totally apart and give it a cleaning. It's been about two bricks since I cleaned it.

It was more filthy than I thought. I found a hard buildup on the "ramp" leading to the breech end of the barrel (part of the magazine receiver) - probably the reason there were failures to feed and eject. The clearances everywhere else were wide enough to allow the parts to move around the crud.

Anyway... slick as butter now, and SHINY! But the real test will be to see if this cleaning has affected accuracy. I have heard that a .22 shoots best when somewhat dirty.

Spaz

EDIT - I read the subject line and realized it should have been "cleanliness." OOPS! And me, I'm a professional writer in my real life....

Art sez, 'Title fixed.'

 

[velocette]

.22 rimfire rifles when used in accuracy competition are cleaned after anywhere from 40 rounds to 160 rounds (the number of shots in a stage or complete 1600 match).
Best accuracy is usually after cleaning and + / - 5 fouling shots, then the 40 or 160 rds.
another problem of a RF .22 is buildup of carbon / hardened bullet lube just in front of the chamber. That build up is claimed to be the cause of cold barrel 1st or 2nd round fliers. The build up is cleaned with a brass brush & solvent after aproximately 300 ~ 500 rds, (Insert solvent soaked brush in chamber, turn brush 45 degrees, remove brush, repeat until patches come clean)
Your rifle will probably throw fliers for the first 5 rounds after cleaning & then settle in & shoot accurately for the next 500 or more depending upon your accuracy demands.

Roger

 

[spazman]

Thank you, Roger, and thank you, Art!

Roger, there are some esoteric things I hear about rimfires that seem to not make sense - like the edict to not clean your rifle for 5000 rounds, or that a fouled barrel is better than a clean one. My own intuition tells me that a clean rifle would do better, since the clearance between the bullet and the barrel should be just about zilch. As for that carbon buildup, that's exactly what I had. That stuff was nasty! Right around the chamber, just falling off in chunks.

My Savage seems much happier with a thorough cleaning. While I'm not a marksman by any means, I prefer to keep what I have in good working condition... mostly for my friends who might use the rifle to make shots that are impossible for little ol' me.

 

[30Cal]

I clean the bolt, action, moving parts, etc on my 22's but seldom (ie 20years) do the bore.