Cleaning a .22?
- Thread starter tsan0018
- Start date
easyrider604
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Greater Vancouver, BC
Good point. Since I shoot a mix of lead and copper plated bullets, it is not possible to give an accurate opinion.
IMO, since .22 lr velocities are quite low compared to centerfire rifle cartridges, it doesn't make much difference lead or copper plated. The cartridge is inherently not prone to leaving metallic bore deposits aside from minimal powder residue.
Maybe someone with more experience can fill in.
As you can see, there are a lot of opinions on this subject and no absolute answers. For what it's worth, I lightly clean the action and wipe the exterior each time and run a patch through the bore only rarely.
However, even a quick cleaning gives you a reason to inspect the gun. You can make sure that the rings and mounts are secure, no rust has started up, all other screws, pins, bolts are tight, etc. Every once in a while I discover something that needs attention, so it is definitely worth doing.
However, even a quick cleaning gives you a reason to inspect the gun. You can make sure that the rings and mounts are secure, no rust has started up, all other screws, pins, bolts are tight, etc. Every once in a while I discover something that needs attention, so it is definitely worth doing.
See now I shoot Thunderbolts exclusively through my Mosquito (it won't cycle properly with anything else) and I've found it to be cleaner than other brands of ammo I've tried in it including CCI...
weird.
Matthew
I clean the barrel every time I can start to see stuff bulid up but I just run a patch through it and call it done so a simple cleaning is all I do the action I sometimes take apart depends on how smooth it moves and how dirty it gets.. also my nicer .22 I clean more often but I store them and dont shoot them as offten so they sit well oiled and need to be wiped down befor I take them out my just fun shooting gun gets the action cleaned every 1000 rounds or more depends on how dirty the ammo is and around 3000 for the barrel also depends on the ammo if
My cleaning is simply pore some slovent to break up the gun powder paper towel to wipe it up then light oil were the parts move and call it done.. I take some of the parts out because its easyer to wipe them out that way...
My cleaning is simply pore some slovent to break up the gun powder paper towel to wipe it up then light oil were the parts move and call it done.. I take some of the parts out because its easyer to wipe them out that way...
The action of my 10/22 gets very dirty after a box of ammo, i usually clean it after every use (250-500 rounds).
I clean pretty quickly though, don't bother making a career out of it. And no, most of my guns aren't clean enough to eat off of, just clean enough to operate reliably. Except my 22-250, that one is an exception.
I clean pretty quickly though, don't bother making a career out of it. And no, most of my guns aren't clean enough to eat off of, just clean enough to operate reliably. Except my 22-250, that one is an exception.
There are two types of copper deposition in a barrel. Below around 2000 fps the copper is left with a physical/mechanical bond to the metal, it can be removed with mechanical action (brush)
Above around 2200 fps the copper will begin to form a "molecular" bond with the metal. (think of electrochemical plating, which is a molecular bond) This requires a chemical type of reaction to remove the copper from the steel.
The low velocity buildup is more like taking a copper "pencil" and writing your name on a piece of steel.
In a 22 if there are deposits then there is also a tendency for bullets to remove deposits as they build up to a certain thickness. Many factors will affect whether the deposits actually increase or tend to be "self regulating" as to thickness.
The BSA Martini mentioned above is a good example.
We have an old Savage bolt action that I don't think has never had the barrel cleaned, at least not in my lifetime. It does get oiled occasionally and crud removed from the chamber, but thats it.
