First time gun owner - gun cleaning

[Dave DeLaurant]

A general observation: blowback and delayed-blowback firearms (including the 10/22) are dirtier than any other type because their function relies on residual propellant pressure to open the breech. Happily, modern .22 rimfire ammo is usually very clean-burning, so the residue is minimal and builds up very slowly.

Another consideration is that many brands of .22 LR bullets are outside-lubed with a waxy coating that can accumulate on the breechface over time.

Personally, I never store a dirty gun and clean after every firing. It's dirty and a bit smelly (my dog used to like the aroma of Hoppes #9), but then so are a lot of things in life. My method: a quick wipedown of the moving parts with a folded paper towel/rag soaked in powder solvent, followed by wiping clean with a dry paper towel/rags and finally a wipe with an old oil-soaked rag (this lives in my cleaning box and gets reused forever; I like Mobile One synthetic motor oil for my guns) is enough for the action; the bore gets a couple passes with a brush alternating with a solvent-soaked patch, followed by a couple of dry patches, and a final _very_ lightly-oiled patch.

I like to store the cleaned firearm in a BoreStore/SackUp-type silicone impregnated cover, rather than relying on oil alone as a rust inhibitor.
https://www.amazon.com/Arcturus-Soc...S2NWF4B3WQ5&psc=1&refRID=PNMP1XV0VS2NWF4B3WQ5

A Q-Tip soaked in solvent can remove any fouling around the breechface. An old toothbrush is the next step if wiping won't loosen residue. It is very possible to destroy a gun by aggressive overcleaning, so do not get carried away, especially with the bore.

 

[Skylerbone]

This was a picture I took a few years ago while cleaning my stepdaughter’s 10/22 (while dating my now wife, her mother).


Long lead shavings were pushed out.


The patch progression.

 

[romulus]

The manual fro Ruger will tell you how to maintain your rifle. They made it, they know. Stick with a modern cleaner and lube, and avoid cult-following lubes which oddly range from space-age technologies to 100-year outdated formulations based on ancient science...

 

[herrwalther]

One of the best cleaning tools I ever got for my 10/22 was a boresnake. Makes cleaning such a small bore much easier and faster. I also keep one on hand for my AR-15s and 12ga shotguns.

https://www.amazon.com/Hoppes-BoreSnake-Cleaner-Choose-Caliber/dp/B000VUKZ72?th=1&psc=1

 

[readyeddy]

22 LR is different from centerfire guns. The bore doesn't really need cleaning. Just wipe the exterior with an oily rag and put a drop of oil on the action. If there's a lot of crud in the action, take a Q tip and shovel the stuff out.

The last time I cleaned the bore of my 10/22 I did it for fun after shooting around 5,000 rounds. The patch came out light gray, almost nothing.

But then again there's nothing wrong in properly field stripping the rifle and cleaning it thoroughly. It does feel good knowing it's clean. Just be careful with the crown.

 

[748]

After 300 rounds I would take it all apart and clean it up real nice.
They start malfunctioning around 500 rounds.
Always at least swab the barrel with an oily patch and put a few drops of oil where the bolt rubs on the top of the reciever.

 

[Bama59]

gunblue490 on You Tube has handgun and rifle maintenance videos , when I had my 10/22's if shooting a lot just wiped them down and run a bore snake through .Only field stripped it and cleaned the bore if put up for awhile never did a round count . Don't forget to clean out the magazines now and then

 

[cdb1]

This stuff here seems to have a lot of good reviews...

View attachment 925357

It’s what I use. I have aerosol and squeeze bottle.

 

[Picher]

You're very fortunate to have a .22LR rifle, not only because they're fun to shoot, but relatively easy to maintain. The ammo cleans the bore on every shot! However, there will be some wax/lead build-up in the action, which needs to be cleaned somewhat after a few hundred rounds. It will not cause rust, but build-up can cause extraction/ejection problems when it gets too heavy.

Excessive bore cleaning, can actually damage rifle bores, especially if cleaned with a hard rod from the muzzle! The wax on each bullet will protect bores amazingly. I've seen barn rifles all rusted on the exteriors and bolt actions hard to work from rust, yet the bores are PERFECT! Even semi-autos that get a lot of powder residue/lead dust/wax in the action keep running well beyond what most of us would subject them to.

Just be careful to not extend the lack of cleaning necessity to the centerfires that shoot jacketed bullets, or shotguns. Clean them the same day you use them and protect them from rust with Break Free, or another good protectant. I like to use paste wax on all exterior surfaces of my rifles/shotguns. If it can protect my painted vehicles from rust, it will also protect steel gunmetal and wood stocks.

 

[edwardware]

Reading a lot online about cleaning a gun. How often? What should be cleaned? What products to use? Full disassembly or quick cleaning, etc.

Yep, that's sort of like asking a bunch of motorheads how often you should change your brake fluid. . .

Your purpose is to ensure reliable functioning, and prevent damage from negligence (rust).

Wipe it out, Q-tip and toothbrush for recesses, lightly oil, and carefully clean the barrel when accuracy drops off.

Excessive bore cleaning, can actually damage rifle bores, especially if cleaned with a hard rod from the muzzle!

Exactly. I think it's safe to say that many more barrels are worn out by enthusiastic and careless cleaning than by shooting.

 

[Skylerbone]

I think the subject of cleaning, especially with rimfires, brings with it more wives tales than fact.

Fact: rimfire priming compounds contain silica. That silica (sand) is expelled into your barrel with every shot. It’s abrasive. Each successive bullet passes by that sand. Developing a lead ring near the chamber due to lack of cleaning will absolutely cause accuracy issues. Loose chamber dimensions will exacerbate the problem. The standard 10/22 has just such a chamber, meant to increase reliability.

Correct cleaning does not damage barrels. Moisture trapped in the fouling will cause pitting in the barrel (rust isn’t the real issue with waxed bullets). Again, if anyone has a personal anecdote of a barrel they have damaged with proper cleaning rather than an unqualified claim that more barrels are ruined by cleaning than not, I’d love to hear the specifics.

Some good reading: http://www.ssvtexel.nl/index.cfm?act=files.download&ui=C5C9D865-2200-0A21-B5F5CF897974784F

 

[Boattale]

WD40 can be a problem if it's misused. It works great to clean gunk out of trigger assemblies and actions. But. Don't leave a lot of it anywhere. Wipe to a thin film and blow any excess out of bits and pieces you've used it to clean. I've done exactly that with a lot of guns over the years and never had a problem. The horror stories are from leaving things wet, and then the excess drying to a sticky mess.

That said, there really are better options available. Normally use CLP now. I still recommend always wiping to a thin film and removing any excess lubricant or cleaning product from trigger assemblies and other moving parts.

For routine barrel maintenance, I use bore snakes. For a more thorough bore cleaning, Bore Tech Eliminator works as good as anything I've ever seen. Wet patch, soak a few minutes, brush (not brass) clean patches, repeat as needed. Finally patch with lube/preservative of your choice.

Picher's suggestion of paste wax on the outside of your gun is a good one. That's also a practice here.

Never tried Ballistol but a lot of folks seem to like it. Hard for me to imagine one product doing everything that's claimed for it, but since I've never used it who am I to say.

Good luck with your new 10/22. They're nice.

 

[Jack Ryan]

View attachment 925283 Picked up my first gun just a couple weeks ago, a Ruger 10/22. Put about 300 rounds through it at my buddy’s house at his range.

Reading a lot online about cleaning a gun. How often? What should be cleaned? What products to use? Full disassembly or quick cleaning, etc.

Ive seen responses all across the spectrum. Clean it after every use. What it needs to be cleaned? After every 500 rounds. Once the action gets gummed up.

Then there is products. Bore snake, cotton patches, oil, etc. I have a Ruger gun cleaning kit but not sure what I should be using and when.

Interested to hear some more experienced people’s ideas and suggestions. Thanks!

Read that book laying there beside the gun.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

Timely video on Brownell's:

 

[.38 Special]

Two notes:

First is regarding bore cleaning. Assuming decent ammunition, .22 LR bores generally don't need to be cleaned at prescribed intervals. As has been noted earlier, the waxy lubricant on .22 ammunition coats the bore after a few rounds, and thereafter keeps the bore in essentially identical condition regardless of the number of shots. In my days of competition shooting with .22, most competitors never touched their bores, or did so only if accuracy began to drop off. It was generally accepted that cleaning the bore would then require the shooter to "foul" the bore with more shooting before accuracy would return.

There are exceptions: some bores, especially in factory guns, will need to be cleaned regularly. The gun will let you know. And some ammunition - copper coated stuff in particular - will also leave accuracy-spoiling deposits that need regular removal. Again, the gun will let you know. The short version is that you needn't feel as though you are neglecting - let alone ruining - your .22 by not cleaning the bore at whatever interval some guy on the internet (not singling anyone out here) says to.

Note number two regards WD-40. As you have seen, some folks regard WD-40 as the devil's own saliva, at least when used on guns. I am not in this camp. I do believe there are better lubricants, but I also believe the stories of WD-40 gumming up are somewhat overstated. In fact, for cleaning - as opposed to lubricating or preserving - I think WD-40 is fairly adequate. I personally would be confident using it to flush out factory grease/preservative on a new gun, then using something like brake cleaner to flush out the WD-40, and then lubricating with light gun oil. In fact, that is exactly how I clean the lockwork of my semi-autos. The method has not yet, over the past 20 years or so, let me down in any way.

 

[CapnMac]

BreakFree used to be a different product, back when it still has PTFE in it. It works, just not the same.
Ballistol is reliable and nearly non-toxic.
I seem to always fall back o my Hoppe's #9, though. That may just be a mental link between happiness and the aroma, so Your Mileage May Vary.
I've seen .22lr that were only clean where they were touched, and they still worked to purpose.
If you have been through Boot Camp, you can feel compelled to surgically clean every part of every firearm within reach--that's not entirely necessary, unless that's what's required to leash your inner beast.

 

[Picher]

I think the subject of cleaning, especially with rimfires, brings with it more wives tales than fact.

Fact: rimfire priming compounds contain silica. That silica (sand) is expelled into your barrel with every shot. It’s abrasive. Each successive bullet passes by that sand. Developing a lead ring near the chamber due to lack of cleaning will absolutely cause accuracy issues. Loose chamber dimensions will exacerbate the problem. The standard 10/22 has just such a chamber, meant to increase reliability.

Correct cleaning does not damage barrels. Moisture trapped in the fouling will cause pitting in the barrel (rust isn’t the real issue with waxed bullets). Again, if anyone has a personal anecdote of a barrel they have damaged with proper cleaning rather than an unqualified claim that more barrels are ruined by cleaning than not, I’d love to hear the specifics.

Some good reading: http://www.ssvtexel.nl/index.cfm?act=files.download&ui=C5C9D865-2200-0A21-B5F5CF897974784F

Cleaning a semi-auto from the muzzle (more common in semi-autos than bolt-actions) can cause wear at the muzzle, especially if a bore guide isn't used. Ruger is now making their semi-auto handguns that are easier to clean from the chamber end, but the semi-auto rifles take a bit more work to be cleaned from the breech. I probably clean mine more often than most, but have drilled a hole at the back end of the receiver, so I can clean from the breech end.