New to the Firearm Hobby, Got a Few Questions

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PAJoe1022

New member
Hello all, I just recently started getting into shooting and firearms. No doubt I'm a total newb. But allow me to start by saying before I even took possession of my first rifle, I studied firearm safety and range ettiquette over and over again, and in the short time I've owned my two guns I've become very concious and aware of firearm safety, so I've got that stuff down pat.

Where I need some direction is maintenance. I tend to over-maintain things and I want to make sure I am maintaining my rifles properly.

The two guns I own are a Savage Stevens Model 325-B Bolt Action .30-30, and I just bought a brand new Ruger 10/22 Carbine. The .30-30 was given to me by my dad who was given it to him by his dad who bought it new.

Now the .30-30 has not been fired in probably close to 20 years, it has been stored in a case the entire time. I was planning on taking it to a gunsmith and having them do a once-over on it to make sure it is safe to shoot.

As for the 10/22, I took it to the range yesterday and fired probably 50 rounds through it, just to get a feel for it. I didn't mess with the sights or anything, I really just wanted to see how it shot. Also I'm planning on putting a scope on it as soon as possible.

As I said before, I tend to over-maintain things, and my guns are no exception. I have a bottle of Hoppes Elite Cleaner and some Rem Oil and some 3 in 1 Oil. I have a couple cleaning rods but they are the 3 piece aluminum ones and I've been reading all over the internet that those can cause damage to the bore. Still, after shooting at the range yesterday I used the rod to put a patch holder and a patch soaked in Hoppes Elite down the muzzle (can't put it from the chamber side since its an auto loader) of the 10/22 very lightly and then a patch soaked in Rem Oil down the muzzle and back. I didn't feel super comfortable doing that as I don't want to damage the crown by continually doing it. I was planning on getting a bore snake for it so I can clean it chamber to muzzle and not worry about damaging the rifling or crown. Is this a decent idea? Basically I'm looking for an idiot-proof way to clean the gun out. Also Should I buy two bore snakes? One to soak with Hoppes and one to soak with 3 in 1 Oil?

Again I'm very new to this and just want to make sure I'm taking proper care of my rifles. Thanks all!
 
First off, welcome to the club! No question is a dumb question (especially for being new to firearms), so ask away on here and you'll get the help you need. People on here have differing opinions on things, but at least you'll hear the broad spectrum of thinking.

So there's nothing wrong with "over maintaining" things, or in this case, cleaning. Many will argue you don't need to clean your guns THAT often, but to each their own. I clean my guns after each use. That being said, I don't tear them down to the last bolt for cleaning. Just a bore cleaning and bolt cleaning (depending on the gun). After many outings with a particular firearm, I'll tear it down more for deeper cleaning (again, depending on which gun).

Good idea taking that 30-30 to a gunsmith for an ops check. After that, you should be able to maintain it yourself. Bolt actions are simple to clean.

Your 10/22 will need some more love. I have one of those too. Generally, 22 is a dirty ammo to shoot. I clean the bore and the bolt face and magazine well after each shooting. Definitely get that bore snake you mentioned! They make cleaning out the barrel fast, simple and effective. Go ahead and get two, but you'll only need to use one (save the second in case the string breaks on the first one or something). Lock the action open, squirt some solvent down the barrel, run the snake, then put some of the oil on the snake and run it through again. Don't "soak" it. You don't want your gun dripping with oil when you're done.
 
For most guns a bore snake or patch down the barrel and a lite coating of Breakfree CLP on the metal works well.

As stated the 22 will be dirtier but not to bad.
One thing you don't want to do unless you have to (most lever actions) is clean from the barrel end to the bolt. My dad is a fan of throwing my cousins son a bit of cash for cleaning his guns and the kid must have cleaned the one rifle every weekend for years. Ended up wearing the rifling off the last 2 inches of the barrel.
 
Welcome to the forum! While a full blown cleaning every outing isn't necessary, it won't hurt your rifle. It's better to clean it every time than to neglect it. At the very least, I wipe down my firearms with CLP after use. Moisture in the air and oils from your hands are going to be the most likely cause of rust or corrosion on modern firearms. A bore snake is a great addition to the gun cleaning arsenal. I have a few and they are most handy in the autoloaders that are hard to access from the bore. As far as safety goes, it is an ongoing commitment. Don't get complacent. Have fun, be safe, enjoy the plethora of information available here.
 
Thanks for the welcome and the replies! I don't plan on doing full blown cleanings after every outing, but I cant stand putting stuff away when it's dirty. I'm planning on going to the range hopefully 2-4 times a month, but I won't be spending hours at a time there, probably only 45 minutes to an hour and a half max. I've gotten familiar with field stripping both rifles and can take both of them apart relatively quickly. I'm getting used to oiling things sparingly so as not to cause any mechanisms to gum up.

So for now I'm going to get a couple bore snakes for the .22 and I'm going to try to find a one piece cleaning rod for the .30-30. I have cleaning brushes and patch holders and bore mops for the .30-30, but I don't think I want to continue using the 3 piece aluminum cleaning rod that I have after hearing all the "OHMAGAWDYOULLRUINIT!!!" stories. Anything else I should know/do before cleaning them? Thanks all!
 
Scopes are great, especially for an old farts like me with trifocals. But do yourself a favor and become proficient with iron sights as well. Know how to adjust them and use them comfortably. Scopes, rings, and bases can all have issues that can ruin a shooting session, hunt or whatever you may be doing. If you have iron sights and can use them you can keep on shooting.
 
sgms said:
Scopes are great, especially for an old farts like me with trifocals. But do yourself a favor and become proficient with iron sights as well. Know how to adjust them and use them comfortably. Scopes, rings, and bases can all have issues that can ruin a shooting session, hunt or whatever you may be doing. If you have iron sights and can use them you can keep on shooting.
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I think that is good advice. Yesterday at the range I was able to hit a squirrel sized target at 25 yards without any adjustment of the sights. I also took some shots at 50 yards and hit my 8.5"x11" target though the spread was kinda big, but I wasn't putting much effort into my aim. Those were the first shots I took and I was mostly trying to get a feel for the gun. Still, I want to become proficient with the iron sights. A scope makes things easier but I don't want to use one as a "crutch" for accuracy. My eyes aren't great, but they aren't so bad that I can use them as an excuse.

I have had a couple airguns that had low-dollar, off brand scopes and they were more trouble than using the iron sights. They wouldn't hold zero for more than 50 shots or a months time, whichever came first. Plus they were a pain to zero in.

But I am gonna pick up a scope for the 10/22, something in the $100 range or so. Bushnell and Nikon seem to make nice products, but that's a discussion for another thread.

The .30-30 is going to remain with its iron sights, I don't plan on putting a scope on it. I also don't plan to shoot it as often as the 10/22, solely due to the price of ammo.

Again thanks for the replies and welcomes.
 
Absent wet weather, many people rarely clean the bore of a .22. The wax coating on the bullets prevents rust, generally.

I've always used a stainless steel cleaning rod, with a brass cone to protect the muzzle. Never a problem, these recent 68 years. :) The coated steel rods seem like a good thing, although I've never bought one.

A beginning shooter, after initial sight-in, should focus on cheek weld, eye-finger coordination with the sight picture, and consistency in procedure.

I've always tested new rifles with sandbags on my benchrest. Once I'm familiar with a rifle, I go to field positions as in hunting.

Don't be in a hurry, shot to shot...
 
If you've mastered the art of taking the 10-22 apart, it would be a good thing to get someone to drill a hole in the back of the receiver to allow cleaning with a rod from the breech end.

I don't shoot my 10-22 all that much anymore, but used to shoot it about weekly and strive for accuracy. I got a Shilen, heavy barrel for it and really got into group shooting and used it for turkey shoot competitions. I bedded the action and put a pressure-pad in the forend to improve accuracy and that worked well.

Bottom line is that .22LR bullets are coated with wax and you could go months without cleaning a bore that has been broken-in nicely. Semi-auto actions get dirty quickly, so you may want to take them apart after each shooting session, clean the action and LIGHTLY lube the moving parts with a moly dry-lube spray like Dri-Slide. Liquid lubes like Break-Free aren't as good for semi-auto actions, since they hold grit.

Glad to see that you're getting into shooting. Keep on keepin' on!
 
Accuracy with 22lr varies greatly from one brand to the next. You will need to try as many as you can find to see what shoots best. Oddly enough, two of the same rifle may not like the same ammo.

As an example, my Marlin 981t(22lr bolt action) will print a tight 50yd group (with scope) with Blazer bulk 22 ammo, but with Remington thunderbolt, the group opens up to about the size of my hand. I've been lucky in the fact that the bulk Blazer shoots better in all 4 of my 22 guns. It may or may not work as well for you.
 
As far as "cleaning" the 10-22, after a couple of range sessions drag a bore snake or cable patch puller through the bore (which should have been done prior to the initial firing BTW) and dribble a few drops of Remlube or 3 in 1 oil on the bolt.
I'm not a fan of "over cleaning" a 22 rim fire.
 
Mobuck said:
As far as "cleaning" the 10-22, after a couple of range sessions drag a bore snake or cable patch puller through the bore (which should have been done prior to the initial firing BTW) and dribble a few drops of Remlube or 3 in 1 oil on the bolt.
I'm not a fan of "over cleaning" a 22 rim fire.
Click to expand...
I actually did run a couple patches through the bore prior to firing the gun, just to remove any metal shavings or coatings left on from manufacturing.

So it sounds like I don't actually have to clean the bore all too often, just every once in a while, but I should focus my cleaning and lubricating efforts on the action.
 
PAJoe1022,
Sounds like you have received great advice on cleaning.
Your idea to add a scope to the 10-22 is great, but I would recommend changing out the rear sight of the 30-30 with a peep site.
 
I had to look up that Savage. Interesting rifle. By all means, have it checked out, but these only date to 1947. Should not have any issues unless it has been abused. What sights does it have? They actually drilled and tapped the receiver for aperture sights. And a detachable box mag means we reloaders would be putting together some spitzer loads. Enjoy it!
 
Indeed

I have a Savage 325-C a very interesting old rifle. Mine is torn down with the parts in plastic bags right now.
The 325-C was a budget rifle, Savage had a large pile of 30 cal. barrels left over from WW2 production. The barrel on your 325-C was intended for a machine gun.

Yes they are drilled and tapped for a receiver sight. Mine was drilled and tapped for one of the old side saddle style scope mounts. I'll go with a low magnification compact scope or a red dot on it, probably the former.

The old Savage will be my deep woods coastal deer rifle, I've got a .270 for the other side of the state. We Washingtonians do have a great variety of terrain.
 
Stay away from coated rods. The plastic coat gets carbon and fine particles of sand and dust turning them into a "rat tail file".

I would recommend a one piece stainless steel rod, but wipe it down before using.

More guns are ruined by improper cleaning then shooting.

Unless it somehow gets rust and pits I would never run anything down a 22 barrel.
 
I'm with kraigwy on the one piece stainless rod. Never liked the coated rods either.
Sounds like you're getting the hang of things. Carry on.
 
I run a bore snake through the barrel of my 10/22. I lock back the action dab a bunch of hopes #9 and let it soak for a bit..just a few minutes. I hit it hard with compressed air gets it pretty clean. Then a light blast with Ballistol. This seems to work for me. After a bunch of time I will take the gun all the way down and deep clean it. By a bunch of time I did it for the first time last year. I may do it again before I pass on.

BTW Welcome to the forum and to the world of firearms. You are in for lots of fun and enjoyment. Stock up on ammo and keep plenty on hand.
 
Thanks for all the replies and continued welcomes.

The .30-30 is a pretty neat rifle, not a whole lot of bolt action .30-30s out there. My grandfather bought it when he got out of the Navy after WWII and passed it down to my dad who has passed it on to me. So definitely some sentimental value to it. I was told by someone else that the barrel may have been military surplus. My dad took several whitetail deer with it when he was younger but he hasn't been hunting since before he was married. I think it is in pretty good shape and has been cared for pretty well, but I'd like someone who really knows what they are doing to give it a once-over just to err on the side of caution.

LigonierBill, the .30-30 has a pretty basic dovetail ramp sight in the rear and a fixed front sight. I'll have to see how (in)adequate the sights are after shooting it at the range a few times. Eventually I'd like to get into reloading and it would be very cool to put together some spitzer loads! Sometime I'd like to try out the Hornady Lever Evolution rounds.
 
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