Do you guys clean your .22 firearms?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Do you guys clean your .22 firearms?

Posted: 7/22/2002 12:19:31 AM EDT

Heard from NUMEROUS credible shooters that they don't clean out the barrels of their 10/22's, Buckmarks, Mark II's, etc. nearly as often as their other firearms because the .22 barrel accuracy increases after 100-200 rounds.

I tested this- and unless it was completely a coincidence, I found this to be true. I have a $1000 10/22 and the groups immediately spread after I cleaned the barrel after about 150-200 rounds. If this is true, is it bad for the barrel to be left dirty for lond periods of time?

Any feedback is appreciated.

Posted: 7/22/2002 12:42:03 AM EDT

[#1]

A $1000.00 10/22?

Dang!

I've always cleaned my 10/22 and the MkII after every use. So I've never noticed a change/improvement. They're both stainless, so maybe I should hold off on the cleaning and see what happens.

The Marlin Model 60 just got it's first good cleaning the other day. After 20+ years of use the safety wouldn't work, so I took it apart to make repairs and figured I might as well clean it. You should have seen the stuff (powder residue) that fell out of the receiver when I took it apart. Always shot straight and functioned well.

Posted: 7/22/2002 1:06:51 AM EDT

[#2]

I just bought my son a Marlin .22 youth size in stainless, and the manual states that, " With normal use it is not necessary to clean the bore...". Btw, is a great shooting gun.

Posted: 7/22/2002 4:16:47 AM EDT

[#3]

Part-Time, put me down in the 1k for a 10/22 group! I tell people what I have in it and they just shake their heads. Then they shoot it and ask me where do they buy one! I clean mine after about 250 rounds. My groups do seem to improve as I go along. I clean all my guns right after I shoot them so it is hard for me to let my 10/22 sit dirty. Here is a pic of my baby with a Volquartsen carbon fiber barrel...

C4

Posted: 7/22/2002 4:20:24 AM EDT

[#4]

I have a 22/45, and yes, every time I shoot it, I clean it.

Of course, when I shoot .22, I usually shoot alot of it ('cause .22LR is *CHEAP*), and just looking at the gun afterwards prompted me to think 'Yeuuuck... this needs cleaning'...

Posted: 7/22/2002 5:36:51 AM EDT

[#5]

I clean my Ruger 22 pistol after every use.

Posted: 7/22/2002 6:03:59 AM EDT

[#6]

I bought 2 marlin .22's (models 795 and 995ss), got them real cheap because they were "broke". They both did the same thing...FTE, occassional Fail to fire, and occassional click no bang! So I took them apart and both had extractors worn, and firing pin worn. Both were full of powder residue!!! I replaced worn components and test fired without cleaning to see what would happen. They both failed to extract and occassional fail to chamber. I cleaned both and they never missed a beat!!! The 10/22..well I just got it a week ago and haven't even fired one round in it!!! (Yeah I know you are thinkin this guy has never owned a 10/22). Nope I haven't, Ive always bought marlins cause they are easy to buy used(real cheap) and I know how to fix them!! 10/22 is nice came with factory ruger sling, synthetic stock and limited edition.

Posted: 7/22/2002 6:11:23 AM EDT

[#7]

For years I was a complete nimrod, and only cleaned my centerfire rifles... why? I didn't have the manuals for my 10-22 or my shotgun, and was afraid to take them apart.

What an idiot.

Needless to say, the 10-22 was filthy, and it made perfect sense that it was having trouble feeding and was inaccurate. So I cleaned them both, and clean all my guns after every shoot, whether 1 rd or 100 rds. The 10-22 works MUCH better now.

BTW, .22 is a filthy little beast.

Posted: 7/22/2002 7:45:56 AM EDT

[#8]

Just want to add....

Aftermarket barrels, for the 10/22, are usually made to much tighter tolerances, especially the "match-grade" brands with Bentz chambers.

Green Mountain, Volquartsen... etc.

Most say that cleaning is necessary, but, a few "fouling shots" are needed afterwards, due to the "lubed" .22LR round.

The .22WMR (Magnum) is un-lubed and a true jacketed bullet, so, the bore is subject to copper fouling, just like a centerfire.

Yes! It's very easy to turn a $140.00 10/22 into a $1,000 "tack-driver".

Been There, Done That! (still there and doing it!)

Posted: 7/22/2002 8:42:44 AM EDT

[#9]

Good point about the .22 MAG SKI. There is nothing better than showing up the .22 bolt shooting crowd with an autoloader. The look of disgust on their faces is the best. My 10/22 shoots well under half-inch groups @ 50yds with Winchester Dynapoints all day long. I can't imagine what accuracy I would get if I used some good ammo!

Posted: 7/22/2002 8:45:28 AM EDT

[#10]

I might not scrub the living heck out of the barrel but certainly the bolts and chambers. Scraping the crud off the bolt face after every shooting makes for a happy rifle. The dirty .22LR powder leaves crap everywhere and add to that the tiny brass shavings the actions of my .22's get a bit of care after each shooting.

Posted: 7/22/2002 10:59:15 AM EDT

[#11]

Always clean .22's after shooting. The cheap ammo especially (Remington Thunderbolt $7.99 a brick) will leave a waxy build up in the barrel. The cheaper ammo also burns dirtier. I don't always take apart the bolt, but at least clean the barrel each time. a .22 will last forever if taken care of.PS. I just recently bought a used 10/22 from a pal. I'm sure he never had the bolt assembly apart. It was a mess. After I got the manual and disassembled it or the first time, I can see why. What a pain!!!Now I know why my 50th anniversary MK II remains unfired in my safe...

Posted: 7/22/2002 12:44:39 PM EDT

[#12]

My .22 semi-autos get the action scrupulously cleaned after a couple hundred rounds, but I generally don't touch the barrel, or do anything more than run a boresnake down it occasionally.

Every .22 semi-auto I have will eventually start to have trouble cycling after a few hundred rounds.

Posted: 7/22/2002 1:05:02 PM EDT

[#13]

22 rimfire leaves a lot of unburned powder, residue, etc in the action, esp in a Semi. That should be cleaned out for reliable function, but the bore of a 22 LR doesn't need much attention, unlike a centerfire. the zero does change with a bore cleaning and needs a couple rounds to "refoul" to return to zero and settle down...BTW we didn't run a rod down the bore but once a month or so on match 22's in small bore comp. guns.

Posted: 7/22/2002 5:05:14 PM EDT

[#14]

Sometimes for my normal 10/22's. My supressed 10/22, even though I haven't fired it much, hasn't been cleaned except for the first time. I've heard it gets quieter if you don't clean it very often. heh.

All of my other guns get cleaned after each time I shoot them.

Posted: 7/22/2002 5:24:17 PM EDT

[#15]

FWIW, I "thoroughly" cleaned my remington nylon 66 for the first time this last weekend. needless to say, I've owned this rifle for a very long time. I'm not into abusing my firearms, but .22s seem to shoot better dirty. FWIW, I don't ever plan to clean my MK-II. I lost my damn paperclip again!

Posted: 7/22/2002 5:33:11 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
FWIW, I "thoroughly" cleaned my remington nylon 66 for the first time this last weekend. needless to say, I've owned this rifle for a very long time. I'm not into abusing my firearms, but .22s seem to shoot better dirty. FWIW, I don't ever plan to clean my MK-II. I lost my damn paperclip again!

Ditto with my Apache Black Nylon 66.... Since new...

Posted: 7/22/2002 5:33:18 PM EDT

[#17]

All guns of all calibers are cleaned eqaully, and immediately after firing.

Bill3508

Posted: 7/22/2002 5:46:59 PM EDT

[#18]

I got my Remington Mohawk 10C in 1978, it has not been cleaned since and shoots just fine. For my bockmark I spray with CLP after shooting and wipe down the action and one patch down the barrel. I generally only clean the action on my bolt guns with the same single pass of a swab down the bore. I then generally put a few rounds downrange before starting to count anything.

Posted: 7/22/2002 5:50:13 PM EDT

[#19]

I clean my 10/22 stainless everytime I shoot it too. not sure if its required, but I feel better knowing its 100%. It'll shoot the eye out of a fly at 75...

Posted: 7/22/2002 6:45:36 PM EDT

[#20]

I just picked up my 10/22, but like all my guns, I will always clean it right after shooting it. Of course, this is even a better idea since I have a bunch of ammo my grandpa gave me before he passed on ranging from 10 to about 35 years old....that would be good stuff to clean up. Although, after seeing what a pain in the arse it is to get the bolt back in with that damn handle / spring, I think I'll just spray it real good with CLP and call it a day.

Mike

Posted: 7/22/2002 6:47:33 PM EDT

[#21]

Originally Posted By Part-time Pork:
Heard from NUMEROUS credible shooters that they don't clean out the barrels of their 10/22's, Buckmarks, Mark II's, etc. nearly as often as their other firearms because the .22 barrel accuracy increases after 100-200 rounds.

I tested this- and unless it was completely a coincidence, I found this to be true. I have a $1000 10/22 and the groups immediately spread after I cleaned the barrel after about 150-200 rounds. If this is true, is it bad for the barrel to be left dirty for long periods of time?

Any feedback is appreciated.

This is not a myth, but fact. The clean 22 barrel must wax up a bit until the barrel will shoot it's best. On High power rifles, this is often referred to as a fouling shot.
On a 22lr, the bullet will wax the barrel(thin film) and the shots will be more consistent than the a fresh barrel which has more drag. If you clean the barrel down to a bright shiny bore, then you have just undone the coating and would need to re-shoot until the bore is once again filmed. As for the rest of the rifle, A oiling before you put it away is all that is needed.

Posted: 7/22/2002 9:44:24 PM EDT

[#22]

A firearm is a tool. You have to take care of it so it will be able to take care of you if the situation should arrive. Do you like to go to bed dirty?

Posted: 7/22/2002 9:47:48 PM EDT

[#23]

My Mark II has not been cleaned in two years.

Posted: 7/23/2002 2:26:40 AM EDT

[#24]

Okay, i understand the lubed bullet thing, one or two fouling rounds makes sense. but really, we're talking about a semi-automatic firearm here. you all should know (if you ever get away from the bench with your toys) how well a dirty semi fires- esp. m16/ar15's! if you don't wanna clean the barrel after hundreds of dirt-cheap rounds (25 rnd mags, heh heh) then at LEAST clean the action. and it's too easy to take down a 10-22. respect your rifle, and it will respect you.

Posted: 7/24/2002 5:02:21 PM EDT

[#25]

For you folks who don't clean your Ruger pistols because they're difficult to reassemble, I HIGHLY recommend the Speed-Strip kit:

www.ontargetguns.com/apssk.html

It replaces the bolt pin with a two-piece pin, allowing you to unscrew the top half and remove the bolt without removing anything else. And, if you ever need to field-strip using the normal method, you can! It's a great product. Ruger should ship their guns this way.

-Troy

Posted: 7/25/2002 1:28:23 PM EDT

[#26]

There is no dirtier ammo around (other than real black powder) than .22 Rimfire ammo.

Yes, SOME .22 target shooters get more accuracy not cleaning the BORE... of their .22 bolt action target rifles.

So, somehow the myth has spread that "you don't have to clean .22's."

I am here to tell you, your 10-22, Remington Nylon 66, and Marlin 60's will all quit functioning after just a few boxes of ammo, particulary that bulk carton junk ammo.

And these weapons need LUBRICATION! What a concept, oiling a machine with moving parts!

Clean your %*$& weapons! Geeez!

Sorry, I get riled up over such things.

Posted: 7/25/2002 1:35:41 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
The Marlin Model 60 just got it's first good cleaning the other day. After 20+ years of use the safety wouldn't work, so I took it apart to make repairs and figured I might as well clean it. You should have seen the stuff (powder residue) that fell out of the receiver when I took it apart. Always shot straight and functioned well.

I have a Marlin 60 also. I swabbed the barrel but had never cleaned it for almost hte 15 years I'd owned it. My usual cleaning regimine was to clean it only after a couple uses (sometimes 6 months between cleaning) and then put a litle oil on the bolt.

Finally the bolt was so gummed up it wouldn't cycle. I detail stripped the action and it was amazing the "lead mud" that was inside of that firearm. Once I was done cleaning and lubing it, it ran like a brand new one. I figure I will make detail stripping it an every 6 month affair and I will probably clean my Marlin after each use from now on.

Posted: 7/26/2002 5:03:59 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
There is no dirtier ammo around (other than real black powder) than .22 Rimfire ammo.

Yes, SOME .22 target shooters get more accuracy not cleaning the BORE... of their .22 bolt action target rifles.

So, somehow the myth has spread that "you don't have to clean .22's."

I am here to tell you, your 10-22, Remington Nylon 66, and Marlin 60's will all quit functioning after just a few boxes of ammo, particulary that bulk carton junk ammo.

And these weapons need LUBRICATION! What a concept, oiling a machine with moving parts!

Clean your %*$& weapons! Geeez!

Since were talking about .22s, lets not call them "weapons". I've always considered .22LRs plinkers. Anyway, my nylon 66 went almost 25 years w/o a "thorough" cleaning. I'm not saying that I never cleaned the bore or lubricated the thing, I'm saying that I diasemebled the thing. If you've got put $1000 into a 10/22, you may feel differnct but, but 25 yrs ago I put $40 in a n66 w/ weaver 4x32 scope that has required minimal maintenance.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Do you guys clean your .22 firearms?

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