Necessary to break in barrel on a .22LR?
- Thread starter HexHead
- Start date
- Status
I don't think it is necessary to break in a center fire....with that said, breaking in a center fire is all about copper removal. .22LR ammo is not copper jacketed...and much of it isn't even copper washed.
So I would have to say no
So I would have to say no
Reloadron
Contributing Member
While I see no need to break in a 22 LR barrel some may argue that it's a good idea. Figure it this way, it can't hurt anything. Personally I wouldn't bother. Choot it and then choot it more. 
Just My Take....
Ron
Just My Take....
Ron
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
No, just shoot it and unless it's leaded, don't clean the bore. .22LR's will always shoot better dirty.
bannockburn
Member
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2007
- Messages
- 26,295
I haven't used a break-in period on any .22 rifle I have owned. Never felt it was really necessary with a rimfire rifle and the great accuracy I have experienced all these years seems to bear this out. As long as you have ammo, I would say shoot it as much and as often as you like.
Skylerbone
Member
Hex, I hope you and anyone else who lays hands on a rimfire will read this article. http://www.rrdvegas.com/rimfire-cleaning.html. I am in no way affiliated, it simply debunks much of what is espoused about cleaning procedure and provides information pertinent to the topic at hand.
I'm not a believer in the whole voodoo break-in routine but a rimfire should be seasoned. When testing ammo on a rifle I start from a clean bore and fire 20 rounds. That leaves 5 rounds for sighters and 25 for a target page. Clean then repeat for each brand and congratulations on the new rifle.
I'm not a believer in the whole voodoo break-in routine but a rimfire should be seasoned. When testing ammo on a rifle I start from a clean bore and fire 20 rounds. That leaves 5 rounds for sighters and 25 for a target page. Clean then repeat for each brand and congratulations on the new rifle.
Smokey Joe
Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2003
- Messages
- 2,617
Cleaning a .22
Skylerbone--THANK YOU for including the link to the rifle bore cleaning article. It was lengthy and detailed, but I actually learned a thing or 2 about bores, fouling, and cleaning. I have been of the "never clean a .22" school for years, ever since my 3-position competition in high school, eons ago. I think that I will be cleaning my target .22's now. Currently, I shoot benchrest and hunter silhouette, so accuracy is important to me.
So, once again, Thanks! Fellow shooters--This is a LOOOOONG article. It is well worth reading and digesting.
Skylerbone--THANK YOU for including the link to the rifle bore cleaning article. It was lengthy and detailed, but I actually learned a thing or 2 about bores, fouling, and cleaning. I have been of the "never clean a .22" school for years, ever since my 3-position competition in high school, eons ago. I think that I will be cleaning my target .22's now. Currently, I shoot benchrest and hunter silhouette, so accuracy is important to me.
So, once again, Thanks! Fellow shooters--This is a LOOOOONG article. It is well worth reading and digesting.
Skylerbone
Member
Smokey Joe, I've gone about cleaning every way but sideways (because I couldn't figure that one out) and was also of the opinion that cleaning was the furthest thing from necessary. That article and the forum members at RFC who have adhered to it along with a solid year of consistent accuracy has turned my head.
No credit for me but I do hope you'll bookmark it and share whenever the occasion arises.
No credit for me but I do hope you'll bookmark it and share whenever the occasion arises.
d2wing
Member
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2008
- Messages
- 6,411
In my experience most rim fires do shoot better after a break in period. On mass produced rifles the bores can be rough. Shooting smooths them out but also builds up lead deposits. This means you should shoot a few rounds then clean. Repeat for the first one hundred round or so, some guns up to 300 rounds. If the rifle was hand lapped at the factory then only a few rounds. Some guys clean about every 100 rounds then shoot a couple fouling shots. The more rounds down a barrel the less cleaning it should need. Some guys use JB bore paste or fire lap. I dunno. I guess it depends on the gun and your own opinion. I don't think it is extremely critical but I do know that old neglected Rimfire rifles can vastly improve accuracy with a very good cleaning. In theory rim fires are self cleaning but they said that about the AR too.
ColtPythonElite
Member
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2011
- Messages
- 10,472
My thoughts, also.
Ar180shooter
Member
300 rounds of soft lead .22lr bullets won't do anything to smooth out the bore of a .22 rifle. I'm highly skeptical of any claim for break in periods being necessary. Will it make any difference to how the rifle shoots 500 or even 1000 rounds from the break in period? I doubt it, and have never heard of anyone doing a proper test on it. So with this said, when you get your new rifle or barrel, make sure it's properly cleaned before firing it for the first time, and just go and shoot it, cleaning it after you're done, as per a normal cleaning regime for any firearm.
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
Just shoot it. You'll likely find that the coating on .22LR ammo actually "cures" (rather than breaks in) the barrel, and that accuracy may suffer is you clean a .22LR barrel down to the bare metal. Better to simply run a dry patch through it at the end of a session and leave it alone.
My 22 target gets cleaned at the end of a league season (500-800rds). My new 10/22LVT appeared to have a rough bore from the factory so before shooting it I hand lapped it till it appeared smooth. Don't know if it improves accuracy but will keep it clean longer. As of now it shoots dime sized 20rd groups at 50yds.
Thanks guys. That was a great article, and I learned a lot from it. I also think AR180's comments were spot on. It'll get a good cleaning initially. Hopefully my Talley rings will be in today. I've got a Zeiss Conquest I'm putting on it. I can't wait to shoot it.
fotheringill
Member
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2014
- Messages
- 397
I have 2 CZ's, one Anschutz 1913 all in .22 and several other .22's.
Cleaning is essential for consistent accuracy.
There are those who espouse shooting for decades with Remington bulk in an untouched .22 barrel and action. They are entitled to their collective opinion. It might be fine for hitting somewhere on a squirrel or gopher @ 25 yards but that is about it.
Go to ANY smallbore benchrest competition and note how often barrels are cleaned by the competitors DURING the match, then choose which route you are going to follow.
AND defintely clean out the bore and receiver and boltbefore shooting the first time. There is likely to be packing grease from the manufacturer all over the place. Shoot 100 rounds of the same ammo, number and save your targets and see how much tighter your groups are on the last target.
Cleaning is essential for consistent accuracy.
There are those who espouse shooting for decades with Remington bulk in an untouched .22 barrel and action. They are entitled to their collective opinion. It might be fine for hitting somewhere on a squirrel or gopher @ 25 yards but that is about it.
Go to ANY smallbore benchrest competition and note how often barrels are cleaned by the competitors DURING the match, then choose which route you are going to follow.
AND defintely clean out the bore and receiver and boltbefore shooting the first time. There is likely to be packing grease from the manufacturer all over the place. Shoot 100 rounds of the same ammo, number and save your targets and see how much tighter your groups are on the last target.
Last edited:
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
There is plenty of information to find on both sides. The general comment I will make is that procedures and practices used by benchrest shooters are probably best left to benchrest competition. Very, very few rimfire shooters will be looking for that extra couple hundredths of an inch in their groups. Those that are, don't ask about such things on internet forums.
How can that be if they lead lap some custom barrels? I would think the steel on a 22 barrel is softer then a center fire barrel. I figure your older barrel was made from same steel as the high power rifles. Not the case today
Skylerbone
Member
Craig, I most certainly respect your thoughts on the matter, I've read a good many of you posts throughout the years. The practical side of the article for me, and I'll qualify myself as a hunter first, plinker second, was the attention paid to the chamber and first several inches of barrel ahead of it. All else equal, I feel keeping this portion clean and free of build-up that can accelerate pitting makes great sense.
What I might point out is that my cleaning routine at the range amounts to a .17 cal long pistol rod with coupler and .22 cal nylon brush (stiff black brush) inserted from the breech and run in/out a dozen times or so. From there, a .17 cal rifle rod, coupler and .22 cal brush run 2 or 3 times the length of the barrel followed by a pair of dry patches to push out the gunk.
I save true cleaning for the end of a session which adds JB Bore Shine (not paste) followed by a dry patch and then, depending on the rifle, 10-20 rounds of my intended ammo to re-lube the barrel. It does take a bit longer and won't gain much if any accuracy, my purpose is seeking to preserve the current accuracy and consistency. I agree the BR shooters are a whole other breed of obsessed (sorry guys) that I don't fully understand.
I agree completely. Too soft and too slow. The smoother the barrel from the manufacturer, the less likelihood that lead and other material will stick. Does that mean we should all lap cheap .22 factory barrels? Not necessarily. A barrel can be accurate while still being rough but when it will be accurate; from the standpoint of round count, can vary widely. Lapping not done by an expert may actually reduce accuracy as true lapped barrels are first lapped then cut to length, then chambered and crowned. Unless a barrel is truly hideous and accuracy is poor from the start I wouldn't suggest attempting to lap more than a few strokes if at all.
What I might point out is that my cleaning routine at the range amounts to a .17 cal long pistol rod with coupler and .22 cal nylon brush (stiff black brush) inserted from the breech and run in/out a dozen times or so. From there, a .17 cal rifle rod, coupler and .22 cal brush run 2 or 3 times the length of the barrel followed by a pair of dry patches to push out the gunk.
I save true cleaning for the end of a session which adds JB Bore Shine (not paste) followed by a dry patch and then, depending on the rifle, 10-20 rounds of my intended ammo to re-lube the barrel. It does take a bit longer and won't gain much if any accuracy, my purpose is seeking to preserve the current accuracy and consistency. I agree the BR shooters are a whole other breed of obsessed (sorry guys) that I don't fully understand.
I agree completely. Too soft and too slow. The smoother the barrel from the manufacturer, the less likelihood that lead and other material will stick. Does that mean we should all lap cheap .22 factory barrels? Not necessarily. A barrel can be accurate while still being rough but when it will be accurate; from the standpoint of round count, can vary widely. Lapping not done by an expert may actually reduce accuracy as true lapped barrels are first lapped then cut to length, then chambered and crowned. Unless a barrel is truly hideous and accuracy is poor from the start I wouldn't suggest attempting to lap more than a few strokes if at all.
d2wing
Member
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2008
- Messages
- 6,411
Sounds like I am wrong about the smoothing part. Can anyone explain to me why .22 rifles tend to be more accurate after a couple hundred rounds. And why is it that my rifles tend to be more accurate after cleaning then a a few fouling shots? I might be too picky but I sure like my guns to shoot where I point them.
Break in periods are generally a myth IMO. The only time a barrel needs a break in is when there might be nubs on the crown from where it might not have been cut perfectly. And that's on centerfires only because a .22 isn't likely to wear down those nubs because the bullets are too soft. But I have seen centerfires get much more accurate over the course of a few hundred rounds being fired though them. Cleaning had very little to do with that.
It certainly is true that those seeking accuracy perfection will clean to the point of obsession. But they need consistency above all else. We're talking a slight amount of difference in accuracy to clean that often and that really only applies to high quality barrels IMO. My rimfires generally shoot worse right after I clean them. It takes about 50 fouling rounds to get back in the groove. One of the main reasons for cleaning rimfires though is the mixing of bullet lubes from different brands of bullets. I also see a huge difference when I switch from one type of ammo to another. I have to shoot enough rounds to get the barrel set up well for the new ammo. I generally need to shoot about 35 rounds to make that happen.
I've really only gone through this with rifles I shoot in competitions. For my plinking rifles and hunting rifles I check for function and for decent accuracy and I go with it. I had a Marlin 60 that I bought new and didn't clean it for 11 years. It shot great the entire time. But I have a Savage MkII that is picky about ammo and will start shooting flyers that miss by inches when I switch from one type of ammo to another. But I worked all that out and I won quite a few competitions (stock rifle competitions) with that rifle. It's the best shooting rimfire I own but only if I pamper it with the correct torque settings on the actions screws, use the ammo it likes best, don't switch ammo in the middle of a competition and only clean it when it starts to have serious accuracy problems (which means a few flyers here and there which is enough to kill you in a competition). Consistency is everything in competitions so whatever you do you have to stick with it. If you have a top notch barrel with tight tolerances you are likely going to have to clean it often but you will get top results. Most rifles don't require that kind of care to shoot their best. Not in my experience anyway.
It certainly is true that those seeking accuracy perfection will clean to the point of obsession. But they need consistency above all else. We're talking a slight amount of difference in accuracy to clean that often and that really only applies to high quality barrels IMO. My rimfires generally shoot worse right after I clean them. It takes about 50 fouling rounds to get back in the groove. One of the main reasons for cleaning rimfires though is the mixing of bullet lubes from different brands of bullets. I also see a huge difference when I switch from one type of ammo to another. I have to shoot enough rounds to get the barrel set up well for the new ammo. I generally need to shoot about 35 rounds to make that happen.
I've really only gone through this with rifles I shoot in competitions. For my plinking rifles and hunting rifles I check for function and for decent accuracy and I go with it. I had a Marlin 60 that I bought new and didn't clean it for 11 years. It shot great the entire time. But I have a Savage MkII that is picky about ammo and will start shooting flyers that miss by inches when I switch from one type of ammo to another. But I worked all that out and I won quite a few competitions (stock rifle competitions) with that rifle. It's the best shooting rimfire I own but only if I pamper it with the correct torque settings on the actions screws, use the ammo it likes best, don't switch ammo in the middle of a competition and only clean it when it starts to have serious accuracy problems (which means a few flyers here and there which is enough to kill you in a competition). Consistency is everything in competitions so whatever you do you have to stick with it. If you have a top notch barrel with tight tolerances you are likely going to have to clean it often but you will get top results. Most rifles don't require that kind of care to shoot their best. Not in my experience anyway.
yzguy87
Member
Fwiw, I took my Remmy 597 out of the box put a tad of oil in the action and went blasting away! If I can find 40 gr solids and I put it on a bag and take my time I can shoot jagged one hole groups at 50 yds.
Minute of squirrel at 50 yds
Minute of squirrel at 50 yds
Last edited:
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Yes but I said don't clean the bore. The chamber does need to be cleaned periodically for proper function.
Generally speaking almost all rifles shoot somewhat better after 100-200 rounds have been down the tube. No special procedures are needed for any of them, even centerfires. Shoot 'em and clean when necessary. For 22 rimfires, that isn't very often for the barrel. The action and chamber should be clean for reliable functioning, but barrels should not be cleaned often.
- Status
