(Maybe) stupid newbie question about cleaning

[jpar15]

I just bought a ruger 10/22. I have never owned a 22cal rifle before, and never had this problem with any of the larger rifles or shotguns I have helped clean. I bought the right size jag, patches and cleaning rod. In fact I have tried two different kinds of patches. But no matter what I try, i can barely get the patch through the barrel when I clean it. In fact, I bent the cleaning rod trying. to get it all the way through the barrel i have to tap it with a hammer. The guy at wal mart told me to just use one of those little patch loops, but that doesnt fit tight enough or even enough to do much good. What am I doing wrong?

 

[SMLE]

You may have to tinker with patch size and tool size. Or just get a .22 cal Bore Snake. The advantage of the Bore Snake is that you can clean a 10/22 from breech to muzzle. You can't do that with a rod unless you are prepared tp remove the barrel from the receiver.

 

[Jackal]

In order to clean the bores of my .22's, I usually just cut the patches, which are almost always too large, into four smaller ones. Works for me.

 

[target1911]

I keep a well used brass brush for each caliber. I wrap the patch around the end of the brush. For me it allows the right FIT. not to tight and not to loose. Works great for me.

I will agree with the bore snake for the 22 however. I will be getting me one soon for my 22.

 

[strambo]

I 2nd the bore snake recommendation...I'm never going back to the "old" way again.

 

[Gord]

Try cutting the patches down.

Are you using a jag that feeds the patch through a slot? Forget about that and just center the tip of the cleaning rod/jag on the patch like so:

 

[yesit'sloaded]

I honestly wouldn't clean it. I say this only about .22 barrels. Unless you are shooting some weird kind of corrosive ammo the barrel will never wear. Cleaning is what wears out .22 barrels.

 

[Dr. Peter Venkman]

Scissors. Use as required.

 

[Eightball]

My .22 patches are about .75" square, and work fine.
1. Cut the patches
2. Boresnake
3. Clean?

Seriously, I haven't cleaned my 10/22 for about 1,000 rounds, and it still shoots as great as the day I bought it. Just, if you're going to use lead, lead, lead, copper washed/jacketed, you may want to clean it to avoid a possible issue of lead buildup.

 

[astocks2622]

I will ditto the bore snake remarks. buy the .22 rifle one, and you can use it for all your 22s, rifle or pistol. I use them almost exclusively, and it saves bunches of time.

 

[birdbustr]

All very good advice here. I also use the small patches for my .22. I guess they are the .75", but I was going to say 1" square. I also like to wrap the patch around the nylon brush and send it through that way. All in all, I must admit that I don't clean the barrel of my .22lr 10/22 that often. 22s just don't seem to be affected much by copper in the barrel like larger rifles with higher speeds. It just doesn't seem to matter much in terms of accuracy, fowled/dirty barrel or not.

 

[jrfoxx]

In order to clean the bores of my .22's, I usually just cut the patches

Yup, thats what I do too.works fine.Cant imagine anything that works better, with the possible exception of a boresnake.(but, I dont have one as I rarely clean my 22's, as accuracy just doesnt seen to be affected either way, and I really just shoot the cheapest ammo anyway for fun plinking).

 

[stubbicatt]

I only clean out the receiver, bolt, and fire control group and the breechface of the barrel. The barrel itself doesn't need to be cleaned.

 

[daniel (australia)]

I also am a believer in cleaning the action and exterior but leaving the bore alone on .22 rimfires. Low-pressure, low velocity lubricated lead bullets keep the bore clean and protect it. Cleaning the bore does no good and doing it badly can do harm.

I'd also add that having tried bore snakes they'd be the last thing I'd use on any firearm I owned.

 

[Hokkmike]

Just cut the patch down until it slides through rather easily.

 

[M1key]

I know match shooters who NEVER clean the bores of their 22 rifles...

Scrubbing action with a cleaning rod can damage the chamber, throat, and rifling, reducing the barrel's fine edge of accuracy.

We have a Stevens 22 single shot that my father had as a boy in 1936. It sat unused for decades in the closet of grandpa's southern Mississippi farmhouse. The outside was coated with a layer of brown rust...but the bore was perfectly clean with sharp rifling....a fine shooter to this day. A testimony to the effectiveness of the coating left behind in the barrel by the bullets.

 

[LeibstandarteAdH]

Scissors. Use as required.

+100

 

[silverlance]

I shoot mini-mags in my 22LRs (not because I'm rich, but rather because my sig mosquitos wont feed anything else, the little POS). since they are not moly coated (copper fmj), I do clean my bore.

I use an otis airgun cleaning kit. it's basically a cable. put a patch through one, pull through, three times. that's all.

however, DEFINITELY clean the action. 10/22 actions will get horribly dirty if you dont. and then bad things begin to happen.

 

[xsquidgator]

Boresnake question - how often do you wash/clean your boresnake? I have 3 and like them, but I wonder about when I should clean the floss part of them. I've handwashed them in soapy water in a utility sink to clean them but it's a pain in the neck and takes at least a day to dry out, so I don't do it often.

 

[Sistema1927]

Most people clean .22's WAY too much.

 

[daniel (australia)]

Boresnake question - how often do you wash/clean your boresnake? I have 3 and like them, but I wonder about when I should clean the floss part of them. I've handwashed them in soapy water in a utility sink to clean them but it's a pain in the neck and takes at least a day to dry out, so I don't do it often.

Therein lies one of the major problems with boresnakes: they pick up all that more or less abrasive powder residue and dust and dirt from use and also from lying around in an oily state, and you just drag it all back through the bore every time. That and the likelihood of muzzle wear if you aren't really careful are the reasons I would never use one.

 

[J_L_A]

I have 2 (two) .22 Boresnakes. I took the brass brush out of 1 of them. I use the first one (with brass) to clean with. I use the second one (without brass) to apply a VERY thin coat of oil to the bore. I wash both of them about every 3rd cleaning.

 

[Slugless]

Cleaning a boresnake - get one of those mesh bags that women use to wash their bras & other delicates in. Put the boresnake in a mesh bag and wash it in your washing machine.

David, that's a good point about pulling the snake straight out. Based on your comment re: abrasion I'll look into the Otis patch.

W.r.t. regular cleaning kit get a .20 cleaning rod. I have a Dewey. Proshot makes a special .22 rimfire cleaning brush although you'll need an adapter to the Dewey. Some patches are just the right size. The little round ones (Proshot?) are too small, for instance but if you've got a tight bore they may be just right. Trimming patches is a pain.

One of the great things about THR is what you learn. Since I've been reading it regularly I've learned to clean a .22 when I buy it and leave the barrel alone.

Okay - a question. There are several comments above about the protective power of .22 bullet lube. For some rifles I shoot exclusively copper flashed ammo like Federal Megapack. At the end of the season I had been boresnaking them with RemOil.

Do the copper flashed bullets protect the bore?