# Rifle cleaning



## Johny Utah (Mar 17, 2012)

I currently use a bore snake to clean my .22 rifle with some bore cleaner as I pull it through. Is this good enough or can anybody help me further with a better way.:msp_smile:


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## bigw (Mar 17, 2012)

Johny Utah said:


> I currently use a bore snake to clean my .22 rifle with some bore cleaner as I pull it through. Is this good enough or can anybody help me further with a better way.:msp_smile:



Bolt action or semi auto? What kind or rifle? I use a cleaning rod with a brass brush, works a lot better you can get a set at Walmart for $8.After you get the bore clean with the brush switch to a cotton patch to get all the solvent out,once the patch comes out clean get a new one and put a tiny bit or oil on it and run that down the barrel a few times to get a thin layer of oil on the barrel. Good luck!!!


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## Swamp Yankee (Mar 17, 2012)

Easy method

Get a can of Gunslick Foaming Bore Cleaner. Spray it into the bore from either the chamber or muzzle end, I prefer the chamber just because it's easier to get the flow going without over spray, let it sit overnight, then swab with 1/2 dozen patches. If the sixth patch comes out clean, run an oily patch through, I like Kroil, and you're done.

If the sixth patch is still showing lead, powder, or copper, run the brush through a few times and repeat the foaming bore cleaner for a few hours. Things should be really clean by the time another 6 patches are sent through.

Take Care


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## Johny Utah (Mar 17, 2012)

bigw said:


> Bolt action or semi auto? What kind or rifle? I use a cleaning rod with a brass brush, works a lot better you can get a set at Walmart for $8.After you get the bore clean with the brush switch to a cotton patch to get all the solvent out,once the patch comes out clean get a new one and put a tiny bit or oil on it and run that down the barrel a few times to get a thin layer of oil on the barrel. Good luck!!!



It's a semi auto 10-22


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## D&B Mack (Mar 17, 2012)

I use a brush on a rod first, then bore snake, then clean it out with patches.

DO NOT USE FOAMING BORE CLEANER ON GAS OPERATED GUNS!!! Learned this the hard way.

But that should work for a 10/22.


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## Johny Utah (Mar 17, 2012)

After how many rounds fired should you clean the gun? I'm new to this.


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## TreePointer (Mar 17, 2012)

For cleaning .22 rifles, I've used Dewey rods, Bore Snake, Otis rimfire cleaning kit, and Patchworm.

For semi-auto .22 rifles, it's almost always the the Patchworm. 20/20 Concepts shooting accessories

Here's a discussion: Patchworm, boresnake, ect - RimfireCentral.com Forums
Do some searches at that website--they are the best rimfire forum, IMO.


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## TreePointer (Mar 17, 2012)

Johny Utah said:


> After how many rounds fired should you clean the gun? I'm new to this.



It depends on the rifle and the situation.

Some use a general rule for cleaning like after every 50 or 100 rounds. 
Some clean when they notice inconsistencies.
Some clean and then shoot a round or two down the barrel to "foul" it for more accurate first shots. (Fouling is good in this case. Often done on rifles before competition or hunting.)
Some rarely clean their Marlin Model 60 (for example) rifles and they perform very well when "dirty."


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## Huskytree (Mar 17, 2012)

*cleaning*

Number One: Always protect the muzzle crown. Not doing so will effect your rifles accuracy faster then you think. Nobody here has said it and it is very very important.

Second never spray anything down the muzzle. Doing this allows solvents/oils to seep into the action/trigger/stock. 

Cleaning really depends on what type of ammo you are shooting. Not all powder burns the same, you get everything from very clean to very dirty. Another thing to think about is bullets lead/copper. 

So here is somethings to consider, clean the bore then treating it with Ultra Bore Coating. Now you can simply run a patch or two down the bore when you are finished shooting.

As to cleaning rods buy yourself a quaility one piece rod.


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## bigw (Mar 17, 2012)

Johny Utah said:


> After how many rounds fired should you clean the gun? I'm new to this.



I clean my guns after every use!!!! Never know when you will need them and I always want mine ready for any situation:cool2:


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## Genius. (Mar 17, 2012)

Spend a few bucks and get a one piece cleaning rod. 

I usually run a brush through the bore, then a patch with solvent, I use Sweets, Barnes or Butch's. Usually whatever is closest to me on the bench. Let it sit a few minuits, then run patches through till they come out clean. Repeat as as nessisary. Then I run a patch through with oil, then one dry patch.


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## Johny Utah (Mar 17, 2012)

The cleaner the guy at the gun store gave me to clean the barrel is "Birchwood Casey" foaming gel bore cleaner. Is this stuff good?


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## Huskytree (Mar 17, 2012)

*well*



bigw said:


> I clean my guns after every use!!!! Never know when you will need them and I always want mine ready for any situation:cool2:



That is great theory but truth is you can over clean a firearm. Also not all firearms need the same type cleaning and cleaning times. 

There is a difference between a cleaned firearm, a dirty firearm, and a non-functional firearm due to lack of cleaning.

I can give you a filthy firearm that will function 100% reliable if properly lubed and maintained. I can also give you a perfectly cleaned but improperly lubed firearm that will not function reliably. "CLEAN" doesn't mean reliablity. If that were to be true and the case Military weapons would not function as needed in the heat of battle. 

Remember protect the chamber and the crown. Never change directions with a cleaning rod inside the barrel. The last point of contact a bullet has is at the crown.


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## Huskytree (Mar 17, 2012)

Johny Utah said:


> The cleaner the guy at the gun store gave me to clean the barrel is "Birchwood Casey" foaming gel bore cleaner. Is this stuff good?



It will work. I wouldn't use it unless it was all I had and really needed to clean my bore. Such as a P-Dog shoot and I forget to bring my own solvent. I like a couple different solvents my #1 is Montana X-Treme. The Montana X-Treme USA Shooting Rimfire is all I use on my .22LR's. Centerfire I use the Montana X-Treme Bore Cleaning Solvent. #2 Hoppe's #9 is what I use on all my shotguns. #3 Butch's Bore Shine.


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## J1m (Mar 18, 2012)

Johny Utah said:


> After how many rounds fired should you clean the gun? I'm new to this.



I've had my 10/22 for about 15 years. Literally 10's of thousands of rounds down range. I'm not terribly proud to admit it, but I can only remember cleaning it once during the entire time I've owned it. It works as good today (maybe even better) than the day I bought it.

That said, I don't treat any of my other firearms this way and I certainly don't recommend that you do either. Just giving you an extreme point of reference regarding a 10/22's potential reliability in my experience. 

In other words, if you put a dirty 10/22 in the safe after a day of plinking, you don't need to panic if you forget to clean it before the next time you go shooting.

**Caveat** I'm not talking about a Glock style torcher test with salt water, rain, acid, dirt, mud, rocks, debris and everything else known to man. I'm talking about shooting it, storing it, shooting it, storing it only. If you get any foreign substances in the gun or on it, I'd recommend cleaning that stuff off immediately.


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## fir (Mar 18, 2012)

Its a 22 just keep shooting


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## Johny Utah (Mar 18, 2012)

fir said:


> Its a 22 just keep shooting




It's all I got and I take care of my stuff.:biggrin:


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## Walt41 (Mar 18, 2012)

You mean to tell me all the shooters here and you never gum cleaned a .22? Keep the bore pointed down and shove a pinch of abc gum in the barrel end, fill with #9 and wait till it leaks out, run patches with a one piece till clean, run an oil patch, a dry patch...done
Never put anything hard in the barrel and always use one piece rods.


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## ShoerFast (Mar 27, 2012)

Something I am sold on is using a quality bore conditioner after cleaning. Maybe not as necessary in a .22 LR . Super critical in a repeatable first shot point of aim in most centerfires.

Fouling slots are fantastic for match shooting, but having some need to clean the bore afield and you loose your effects of fouling shots. You would not want to risk having to shoot fouling shots in most elk camps, for an example.

Bore Conditioning might not give me be the most accurate first shot after cleaning. But is extremely repeatable .
What is very noticeable is how much less fouling you get after using a conditioner, I use it in everything from my air-rifles to my heavy mags.

Montana Extreme seems a good brand. Products « Montana X-Treme


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## dingeryote (Mar 27, 2012)

Johny Utah said:


> It's a semi auto 10-22



Find a local 'Smith and have him modify the receiver for cleaning from the breech.
It just takes a hole drilled on the rear, below the stock line, and acts like a rod guide.

Bore snakes are great, but have limitations. Sooner or later you'll have to use a brush.

On .22's you can get away with hardly ever cleaning the bore and never having issues with corrosion, because of the lubricant wax buildup in the bore. Accuracy will suffer though, and any grit that gets in there ends up acting like a high pressure lap over time.

On 10/22's a good scrubbing of the bolt, and breech face, followed by a general wipe down will get a guy a long way.
The most fussy and PITA point to keep a focus on is the extractor, and extractor mortice in the breech face.
Sooner or later, the combustion byproducts and bullet lubricating wax(AKA .22 Gorp) builds up in these little nooks and interferes with the extractor getting a good purchase on the casing rim, causing all manner of inconsistent extraction frustration.
An old dental pick and a couple pipe cleaners are good for dredging out the gorp every couple of bricks.

For solvent, I have found that most all of the general purpose commercial solvents, are about equal for removing carbon fouling and bullet wax, and plain old Kroil and Ballistol work as well.

On the lube side, there IS a difference with a .22 semi-auto that spews gorp back into the action. Wet lubes like oils hold gorp and make a slurry. If you use an oil, use it sparingly inside the action, and to the point it's just a light film.
Better yet, try a good dry lube like the Remington dry(Teflon based aerosol carrier) lube or an imperceptible light film of Mil-Comm TW25B. With the dry lubes and TW25B, a light film of gorp will form and from there no more will build up.

I have probably serviced 500 10/22's and have yet to encounter a single one with a clean trigger group.LOL!!
Then again, never had any issues with one that hadn't been "Modified" either. The dang things will run with gobs of gorp slurping around in there. LOL!! Can of spray cleaner now and then, followed by a light lube and they are good for another 50,000 rounds. Amazing little boogers and one of the things Bill Ruger did 100% better than anyone.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote


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## CentaurG2 (Mar 28, 2012)

Good old ballistol. It is just about the best all “do all” known and it is about all I use on my little 22(s). Centerfires don’t get much more. Too bad it smells like a tomcat that lost a fight with a billy goat. 

You only really need to clean 22rims if your accuracy is off or your are experiencing mechanical malfunctions. Running a brush and rod down a bore needlessly will accelerate wear. More firearms are ruined from cleaning than from not cleaning.


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## MacLaren (Mar 28, 2012)

I just bought a Sig M400 Enhanced, and will be workin with Dinger on gettin a customized 308, so what would be the best set up to clean these type rifles with? The Sig M400 is a .223


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## Sawyer Rob (Mar 28, 2012)

Rimfires are NOT like centerfires!

I rarely clean the bore of my 22 rimfires, and in fact only clean the bore on my target 22's.

The best way to clean the bore on your hunting/plinking 22 is to shoot it! No i am not being a smarta**...

DM


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## CentaurG2 (Mar 28, 2012)

MacLaren said:


> I just bought a Sig M400 Enhanced, and will be workin with Dinger on gettin a customized 308, so what would be the best set up to clean these type rifles with? The Sig M400 is a .223



Ask ten folks about the “right” way to clean a rifle and you will probably get 10 different answers. Further, they will probably tell you that the other 9 are wrong. That’s why there are an infinite number of different rods, cleaners and lubes available. I know folks that swear by hot soapy water, windex, Hoppes #9, sweets, foamy stuff, spray and pray, wd,synthetic 30w, petroleum jelly, etc. You got to do what works for you and your firearms.


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## fffrosty72 (Mar 28, 2012)

I've read on rimfirecentral.com that guys only clean their 10/22s every couple thousand rounds, and as stated earlier then fire some rounds through it to get it back to shooting straight.


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## dingeryote (Mar 28, 2012)

MacLaren said:


> I just bought a Sig M400 Enhanced, and will be workin with Dinger on gettin a customized 308, so what would be the best set up to clean these type rifles with? The Sig M400 is a .223



Mac,

Get a good bore guide for both, and a good 1pc rod for both.

Dewey is my favorite. Some folks like the Bore hog, or Kleen bore etc..

Coated rods Vs uncoated is a debate that is as hot as 9mm Vs .45acp. 
Pick a side! LOL!! For chrome lined bores, it wont matter which. Just as long as it is a hardened spring steel rod that resists getting embedded with grit or coated with stuff that wont embed. 

Bore Guides are darn handy for scrubbin' and keep the rod from lapping the leade and at the crown.
Not really needed for a chrome bore, but they make things easier for bench cleaning.

Put a good barrel that shoots bug holes on a rifle, and you never want it to wear out. 
More barrels are ruined from cleaning improperly than shooting, and the absolute worst offenders are those segmented aluminum cheapie rods just about everybody uses. Then again, the difference between a match grade barrel, and run of the mill production barrel, are measured in increments most folks could care less about on a sporting rifle, but justifys the couple hundred dollars difference in cost.

I like Fred. He's been good people for the industry for decades and carries stuff he or the gang actually use.
Top Rated Supplier of Firearm Reloading Equipment, Supplies, and Tools - Sinclair Intl

Stay safe!
Dingeryote


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## TreePointer (Mar 29, 2012)

I've been using Possum Hollow bore guides for the past few years. They do the job very well.


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