How often do you clean your .22lr bore?
- Thread starter Guvnor
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With standard velocity round and wax coating I've never experienced leading. I've not shot enough HV to notice any leading.
I clean when extraction (dirty chamber) becomes difficult. With a .22LR there's not going to be any barrel wear from the bullets - not in tens of thousands of rounds. So the only barrel and muzzle crown wear will come from cleaning.
Although you might get some throat erosion.
IMO.
I clean when extraction (dirty chamber) becomes difficult. With a .22LR there's not going to be any barrel wear from the bullets - not in tens of thousands of rounds. So the only barrel and muzzle crown wear will come from cleaning.
Although you might get some throat erosion.
IMO.
General Geoff
Member
maybe every couple thousand rounds, I'll run a bore snake through.
GMFWoodchuck
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- Feb 18, 2010
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Not very often. I'll ran an oiled patch only to prevent rust. That's about it.
MattTheHat
Member
You're supposed to clean them???????
When I was a kid, I'd hate to think how many thousands of rounds went down the go-go pipe of my 10/22. I don't think it ever got cleaned.
-Matt
When I was a kid, I'd hate to think how many thousands of rounds went down the go-go pipe of my 10/22. I don't think it ever got cleaned.
-Matt
I use a bore guide and clean up after matches and plinking.
I am new at the small bore game and really wonder if I should be cleaning .22LR match barrels at all.
But as an active Highpower shooter, I have these complusive cleaning urges.
I am new at the small bore game and really wonder if I should be cleaning .22LR match barrels at all.
But as an active Highpower shooter, I have these complusive cleaning urges.
ThomasT
Member
I clean mine after every outing. I shoot from 50 to around 300 rounds through a gun depending on how many guns I took with me.
I have a new to me ruger 77/22. I shot around 450rds and noticed the accuracy was getting bad. When I pushed a brush past the chamber there was quite a bit of build up. A coulple of solvent patches and a few brush strokes and it was clean back to shooting good groups.
Most peolple overclean their guns after they neglect them. I think thats where the idea that cleaning them damages them. Don't let them get too dirty or sit too long and they clean up fast. Thats the biggest advantage to a bore snake. Its so fast and simple it gets used.
I have a new to me ruger 77/22. I shot around 450rds and noticed the accuracy was getting bad. When I pushed a brush past the chamber there was quite a bit of build up. A coulple of solvent patches and a few brush strokes and it was clean back to shooting good groups.
Most peolple overclean their guns after they neglect them. I think thats where the idea that cleaning them damages them. Don't let them get too dirty or sit too long and they clean up fast. Thats the biggest advantage to a bore snake. Its so fast and simple it gets used.
UpTheIrons
Member
Whenever I take down my Marlin 60 for it's ~200 round cleaning, I run a boresnake through the barrel once. That's about all.
I boresnake my .22's after every outing. Three passes. I shoot fixed-breech guns, so little more is usually necessary, though I'll wipe down everything I can reach and occasionally pull the bolt. If I shot every day I would clean less, but it could be a month or more between outings.
When I was competing in smallbore we'd clean at the end of the season only, before putting the gear away for the year. Otherwise we didn't even wipe down the guns (climate-controlled safe).
-Daizee
When I was competing in smallbore we'd clean at the end of the season only, before putting the gear away for the year. Otherwise we didn't even wipe down the guns (climate-controlled safe).
-Daizee
farscott
Member
I have never had lead build up in a properly rifled .22 LR rifle barrel. I have seen lead build up in a Ruger Mark II pistol. I cleaned it out and then used some JB paste to polish the bore to eliminate its recurrence.
As far as cleaning goes, I like to clean my .22 rifle bores when I switch ammo types as there is some weird interaction between differing brands bullet lube or if the rifle has been out in the rain. I prefer to use standard velocity loads that are not copper washed. Cleaning a .22 bore is limited to the three passes of a bore snake wet with a bit of Breakfree CLP. Other than that, I just wipe down the exterior.
With modern .22 ammo, bore cleaning is really not necessary.
As far as cleaning goes, I like to clean my .22 rifle bores when I switch ammo types as there is some weird interaction between differing brands bullet lube or if the rifle has been out in the rain. I prefer to use standard velocity loads that are not copper washed. Cleaning a .22 bore is limited to the three passes of a bore snake wet with a bit of Breakfree CLP. Other than that, I just wipe down the exterior.
With modern .22 ammo, bore cleaning is really not necessary.
DoubleTapDrew
Member
When accuracy drops off or it starts jamming.
I clean every gun I shoot, regardless of caliber, the day of or within a couple days of shooting. Just the way I was brought up coupled with OCD. With one exception, shotgun during hunting season, I clean it when needed especially after rain or snow, then one real good cleaning at the end of the season.
CoRoMo
Member
This... and so far, I've never had to clean it. I might run the boresnake down it one of these days though. Just for the heck of it.
Carl N. Brown
Member
Once a year whether they need it or not.
Actually, a .22 bore gets "seasoned" by the lube just as a muzzleloader barrel or a wok or iron skillet. Cleaning down to bare metal can (marginally) affect accuracy usually badly, it will take a few rounds to re-season the bore. Changing brands or styles of bullets will require a break-in period too for best accuracy. I clean mine only if there appears to be extraction problems of the chamber or leading of the barrel.
A lot of folks never clean their .22 barrels, a trend that started when smokeless powder totally replaced the Les-smoke partial black powder loads in the 1930s.
Actually, a .22 bore gets "seasoned" by the lube just as a muzzleloader barrel or a wok or iron skillet. Cleaning down to bare metal can (marginally) affect accuracy usually badly, it will take a few rounds to re-season the bore. Changing brands or styles of bullets will require a break-in period too for best accuracy. I clean mine only if there appears to be extraction problems of the chamber or leading of the barrel.
A lot of folks never clean their .22 barrels, a trend that started when smokeless powder totally replaced the Les-smoke partial black powder loads in the 1930s.
shaggy430
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- Nov 19, 2008
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- 950
I don't think I've ever cleaned the barrel of my 22's.
I wipe down the outside of my rifles every time they come in and out of the safe. I don't clean the barrels of hunting rifles during hunting season unless they have gotten wet. I want repeatable accuracy and I've found the first shot out of a newly cleaned barrel rarely shoots to the exact same POI as a slightly fouled barrel. This can make a difference on longer shots.
I wipe down the outside of my rifles every time they come in and out of the safe. I don't clean the barrels of hunting rifles during hunting season unless they have gotten wet. I want repeatable accuracy and I've found the first shot out of a newly cleaned barrel rarely shoots to the exact same POI as a slightly fouled barrel. This can make a difference on longer shots.
Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow
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- Nov 14, 2007
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Clean a .22 bore, ha ha. You should take your comedy show on the road.
ol' scratch
Member
Taken from the Marlin Owners Manual, "Since modern ammunition burns very cleanly, with normal use it is not necessary to clean the bore of your rifle."
They go on to recommend if it gets wet, clean the bore. I follow the manufacturer's recommendation.
They go on to recommend if it gets wet, clean the bore. I follow the manufacturer's recommendation.
I pull a bore snake through every 500-1000 rounds. I give the barrel a full cleaning when I am too bored, its nasty out, and I want to get a rifle or two out. The semi autos are cleaned sooner, though for reliability.
The last I checked, the top benchrest shooters are cleaning every 50-100 rounds as they see the guilt edge accuracy fall off in that period. They are spending $15-$20 for a box of ammo as well. I'm sure the peak accuracy of my rifles has fallen off far before I clean, but the ammo I use is cheap enough that I can't tell the difference either way(at least after a few foulers).
The last I checked, the top benchrest shooters are cleaning every 50-100 rounds as they see the guilt edge accuracy fall off in that period. They are spending $15-$20 for a box of ammo as well. I'm sure the peak accuracy of my rifles has fallen off far before I clean, but the ammo I use is cheap enough that I can't tell the difference either way(at least after a few foulers).
dagger dog
Member
Ya shoot it ya clean it!
atlanticfire
Member
Once a year...
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