Cleaning a .22 rifle
- Thread starter darticus
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g.willikers
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If it's going to be stored for awhile, a nice layer of gun oil will keep the barrel from rusting, both inside and out.
And for everything else on the gun that's made of steel, too.
If it's going to be used, the layer of oil only needs to be thin and barely covering the metal.
Leaving the gun unprotected will invite rust in all but the driest of places.
The North Pole and Antarctica excluded.
And for everything else on the gun that's made of steel, too.
If it's going to be used, the layer of oil only needs to be thin and barely covering the metal.
Leaving the gun unprotected will invite rust in all but the driest of places.
The North Pole and Antarctica excluded.
I don't like oil in the bore
I put a light coat on and then run a patch or two down to mop it up. It's probably completely dry when I put it away.
A huge caveat to beginners. You are more likely to damage a good rifle bore by how you clean it. If possible run the rod from the breech end of the barrel. Running a metal rod from the muzzle can abrade the bore and affect accuracy. If you have to clean from the muzzle use some kind of device that doesn't allow the rod to touch the inside of the bore.
I put a light coat on and then run a patch or two down to mop it up. It's probably completely dry when I put it away.
A huge caveat to beginners. You are more likely to damage a good rifle bore by how you clean it. If possible run the rod from the breech end of the barrel. Running a metal rod from the muzzle can abrade the bore and affect accuracy. If you have to clean from the muzzle use some kind of device that doesn't allow the rod to touch the inside of the bore.
Just something to think about…
In my far off younger days I shot competition smallbore (we called it smallbore because that was sooooooo much cooler than .22) and we’d shoot the club’s bolt action target rifles, usually about 150 rounds a week from September through May and then every June we’d clean the rifles, whether they needed it or not.
In my far off younger days I shot competition smallbore (we called it smallbore because that was sooooooo much cooler than .22) and we’d shoot the club’s bolt action target rifles, usually about 150 rounds a week from September through May and then every June we’d clean the rifles, whether they needed it or not.
When cleaning any rifle; ALWAYS USE A BORE GUIDE. You can purchase bore guides that fit either end (muzzle or breech) it centers the rod, and protects from nasty scratches that can damage a muzzle or chamber.
The generally accepted procedure (after thoroughly cleaning) is to run an oil soaked patch down the bore, then a dry one. This leaves enough oil to protect, but not so much that it's messy, and running into the action.
I cleaned the bore on my first rifle a few weeks ago (yes, I know that's shamefull) It's a remington 581 I've had since I was a kid. I shoot it once in a while, usually it's a loaner gun for learners. I couldn't hardly get the bore snake down it (dangly lead would not get down the bore!). When the snake came out, had black chunks on it!! I scrubbed the bore (back and forth, repeatedly, with the brush, soaked in Montana Extreme Solvent) finally got the chunks out, ran 1wet 1dry (alternating) with Butch's bore shine, after a pile of patches they started coming out clean.
Then it took 2 clips (14rnds) before the accuracy came back to where it was before!
Bottom line: clean the gun regularly, but expect it to take a few shots before it shoots like it did.
The generally accepted procedure (after thoroughly cleaning) is to run an oil soaked patch down the bore, then a dry one. This leaves enough oil to protect, but not so much that it's messy, and running into the action.
I cleaned the bore on my first rifle a few weeks ago (yes, I know that's shamefull) It's a remington 581 I've had since I was a kid. I shoot it once in a while, usually it's a loaner gun for learners. I couldn't hardly get the bore snake down it (dangly lead would not get down the bore!). When the snake came out, had black chunks on it!! I scrubbed the bore (back and forth, repeatedly, with the brush, soaked in Montana Extreme Solvent) finally got the chunks out, ran 1wet 1dry (alternating) with Butch's bore shine, after a pile of patches they started coming out clean.
Then it took 2 clips (14rnds) before the accuracy came back to where it was before!
Bottom line: clean the gun regularly, but expect it to take a few shots before it shoots like it did.
I clean after every shooting session. As per your question, after cleaning coat the barrel with oil, but before shooting the rifle again, you want to run a dry patch doun the barrel to get most of the oil out. Why, the left in oil will cause pressure as the bullet is traveling out of the barrel.
I guess I'm a little confused here---why is there no mention at all about using the bore snakes? a fair amount of the cloth material in front of the brush for a little solvent, then the brush, then a much larger area to carry out what the brush loosens up--I do that maybe three passes then have another bore snake in a smaller caliber that has had the brush cut off and has been very lightly oiled to pass through a time or two before the gun is put away to leave a very light film of oil in the bore---no rod to rub on the bore and the bore snakes are easy to use--
After every three or four uses, I clean the material in front of and behind the brush and it's ready for the next cleaning---
I've checked how well the bore snakes work by using the rod and tight patches to check for missed fouling and the bore snakes seem to do a good job and I really like not dragging a rod tip or brush back through the bore from the muzzle---
After every three or four uses, I clean the material in front of and behind the brush and it's ready for the next cleaning---
I've checked how well the bore snakes work by using the rod and tight patches to check for missed fouling and the bore snakes seem to do a good job and I really like not dragging a rod tip or brush back through the bore from the muzzle---
Some people may have emotional trauma watching top-ranked rifle shooters push a pull bronze brushes on stainless steel rods through barrels then out and in each end. No harm done to either end of the barrels that shoot most accurate of all. And get good barrel life, too. They do this every 50 shots or so.
jrhilde asks why there's no mention at all about using the bore snakes. While they make bores look clean, they're not going to clean bores as good as a good bronze brush and solvents to soften/dissolve copper and powder'primer fouling. Especially after washing them the way Hoppe's suggests; in a regular clothes type washing machine. They are popular though.
jrhilde asks why there's no mention at all about using the bore snakes. While they make bores look clean, they're not going to clean bores as good as a good bronze brush and solvents to soften/dissolve copper and powder'primer fouling. Especially after washing them the way Hoppe's suggests; in a regular clothes type washing machine. They are popular though.
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I have heard from several peoe that when it comes to a .22 to much cleaning can actually cause it more damage than constant shooting.the theory here was that because of the round it is shooting it would take thousands upon thousands of rounds to ever wear out the barrel and by running bore snakes and cleaning rods down the barrel on a regular basis can cause it more damage than the bullets themselves do.with this said I do like to keep all my guns clean but my 22 is the one exception while my other guns are cleaned after every shooting session the 22 is usually after every 2nd to 3rd range trip
A lot of 22 rimfire barrels have been ruined by cleaning with flexible aluminum and brass cleaning rods; jointed ones were the worst culprit. That soft metal holds grit that acts like a lapping compound removing metal at the origin of the rifling; faster if a cleaning rod guide's not used.
Coated solid steel rods came about several decades ago. When used with a rod guide, they do not wear out barrels.
Few people shoot 22 rimfires accurate enough to see how much frequent proper cleaning does for best accuracy. The best match barrels used to last 50,000 rounds cleaned every 50 shots or so before test group accuracy at 100 yards went from 1/2 inch or better to 3/4 inch. That barrel life number dropped to about 30,000 in the 1980's when all ammo makers changed their priming material. While much safer to make the putty like slurry and squeeze it into case rims, ammo's never equalled what was available until then. Which is why all of the 100 yard and virtually all the 50 yard/meter perfect-score prone records set up through the early 1980's still stand. It's rare these days to find a .norma rifle primer 22 rimfire match rifle and ammo that'll shoot under 3/4 inch all the time at 100 yards.
Coated solid steel rods came about several decades ago. When used with a rod guide, they do not wear out barrels.
Few people shoot 22 rimfires accurate enough to see how much frequent proper cleaning does for best accuracy. The best match barrels used to last 50,000 rounds cleaned every 50 shots or so before test group accuracy at 100 yards went from 1/2 inch or better to 3/4 inch. That barrel life number dropped to about 30,000 in the 1980's when all ammo makers changed their priming material. While much safer to make the putty like slurry and squeeze it into case rims, ammo's never equalled what was available until then. Which is why all of the 100 yard and virtually all the 50 yard/meter perfect-score prone records set up through the early 1980's still stand. It's rare these days to find a .norma rifle primer 22 rimfire match rifle and ammo that'll shoot under 3/4 inch all the time at 100 yards.
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I'll degrease and dry patch a 22 rimfire bore just before a squirrel hunt. I mainly use a .17 caliber rod and a brass jag, for cleaning duties to a 22 rimfire bore. Other than a bore snake...I've never used a bore brush equipped rod on a 22 rimfire bore. Most times...I just spray some degreaser down the bore, followed by some spray lubricant; and let it drain out through the muzzle end.
Most champion 22 rimfire shooters --- at the end of each shooting session --- will at least swab the rimfire chamber with an oil soaked Q-Tip; since sweaty hands have possibly handled the 22 ammo. Likewise --- I do the same --- in order to keep the chamber from rusting.
Most champion 22 rimfire shooters --- at the end of each shooting session --- will at least swab the rimfire chamber with an oil soaked Q-Tip; since sweaty hands have possibly handled the 22 ammo. Likewise --- I do the same --- in order to keep the chamber from rusting.
Having shot with and sometimes outscored those National champions as well as those on the Olympic Team, I've never seen any of them do that. Never heard of such a practise.
Nor have I seen them swab an oil soaked cotton swab of any name on the bolt knob, the rear sights's steel knobs nor steel trigger finger levers to keep them from rusting, either.