New SR-22 - Advice needed for first day out

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rndmrider

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So Saturday will be my first day out with my new SR-22 and want to make sure I go about this the right way. I've read a lot about barrel break-in and cleaning and there seems to be many different views. That said, I would like get the most of this rifle as far as accuracy is concerned but I recognize this is no Anschutz so maybe a serious barrel break-in regime is not necessary or maybe it is - just not sure.

Here's what I have to work with:

Ammo: CCI mini-mags, velocitors, and stingers (expecting the mini-mags to be the best fit)

Cleaning supplies: Hoppe's Bore Snake, rod, patches, Frog Lube (paste and fluid), various nylon brushes

I have not cleaned the rifle yet at all. So need some advice as to how thorough the first clean should be (based on what I have above) and what a reasonable barrel break-in routine might be.

Appreciate any advice - thanks
 
Barrel break in is a myth. Its a semi auto rimfire and its stock. Shoot it and shoot it some more. The bore snake Is not the best option. A rod is better and the barrel doesn't need to be brushed after every shooting.

Tdc
 
I get the best accuracy out of standard velocity rounds with my SR. If the bullet speed exceeds 1120 fps then it will transition back to sub sonic on its way to the target in short order. This transition upsets the bullets flight a bit and this is why all rimfire match ammunition is sub sonic.

Your not going to get a cleaning rod in the breach end unless you dissasemble the clam shell on the receiver and have the rear of the receiver drilled out for it. For this reason you should have a cap guide that centers the cleaning rod in the bore if your stuffing a rod in from the muzzle. More barrels/crowns get pooched from cleaning (muzzle end) this way with a rod than any other thing.

A bore snake works fine but I always carry two with me. One gets pulled through from the muzzle to the breach for the first pass and does not get used again until its cleaned. The purpose of going this direction is that it pulls all the initial crud up and away from the muzzle/ crown...the area you want to protect the most. It wont gunk up the action like a rod and patch does because the snake has a huge surface area that absorbs the gunk. Succesive passes are done with the other snake so that your not pulling that initial gunk through twice. I clean the snakes by putting in a mason jar with hot water and dish soap and then shaking.

Some guys will make a patch pull through that works well also. They use the nylon cord from weed wackers and melt a knob on the end. The other end gets cut on a sharp angle so it can get poked through a patch and the patch is slid down to the knob. These work similar to a patch worm or Otis system.

If you take apart the receiver pay attention to the tiny screws holding on the scope rail. These screws will strip real easily if you go too tight on them. They only hold in a thin section of aluminum. Most guys will put a tiny drop of loctite blue on these screws to keep them in place....they have a tendancy to shoot themselves loose.

After you shot some groups with the rifle and get a benchmark on accuracy, remove the front support block on the barrel and shoot some more groups. Most people see improvement without it. Check all the screws on the rifle for being tight before shooting. 10/22's are notorious for loose screws right from the factory and can also shoot loose after a while.

Good luck with your rifle, you should be getting about 3/4 to 1" groups on average @ 50 yards. Not a laser but better than some other rifles out there.
 
Nupes said:
I get the best accuracy out of standard velocity rounds with my SR. If the bullet speed exceeds 1120 fps then it will transition back to sub sonic on its way to the target in short order. This transition upsets the bullets flight a bit and this is why all rimfire match ammunition is sub sonic.

Your not going to get a cleaning rod in the breach end unless you dissasemble the clam shell on the receiver and have the rear of the receiver drilled out for it. For this reason you should have a cap guide that centers the cleaning rod in the bore if your stuffing a rod in from the muzzle. More barrels/crowns get pooched from cleaning (muzzle end) this way with a rod than any other thing.

A bore snake works fine but I always carry two with me. One gets pulled through from the muzzle to the breach for the first pass and does not get used again until its cleaned. The purpose of going this direction is that it pulls all the initial crud up and away from the muzzle/ crown...the area you want to protect the most. It wont gunk up the action like a rod and patch does because the snake has a huge surface area that absorbs the gunk. Succesive passes are done with the other snake so that your not pulling that initial gunk through twice. I clean the snakes by putting in a mason jar with hot water and dish soap and then shaking.

Some guys will make a patch pull through that works well also. They use the nylon cord from weed wackers and melt a knob on the end. The other end gets cut on a sharp angle so it can get poked through a patch and the patch is slid down to the knob. These work similar to a patch worm or Otis system.

If you take apart the receiver pay attention to the tiny screws holding on the scope rail. These screws will strip real easily if you go too tight on them. They only hold in a thin section of aluminum. Most guys will put a tiny drop of loctite blue on these screws to keep them in place....they have a tendancy to shoot themselves loose.

After you shot some groups with the rifle and get a benchmark on accuracy, remove the front support block on the barrel and shoot some more groups. Most people see improvement without it. Check all the screws on the rifle for being tight before shooting. 10/22's are notorious for loose screws right from the factory and can also shoot loose after a while.

Good luck with your rifle, you should be getting about 3/4 to 1" groups on average @ 50 yards. Not a laser but better than some other rifles out there.
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Thanks for this response Nupes, extremely helpful...this is precisely why this forum is so great! Can I lean on you one more time for your views on barrel break-in? Should I do the clean after first shot, then after five, then after ten routine? Or should I just give the rifle a clean and then shoot a bunch?

Thx
 
SR-22 are real accurate with Stinger, both mine are incredible with them... JP.
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What ever you do, bring lots of ammo!!!!

And remember, there is a break in period with the gun, so if you get some jams in the first thousand, don't worry! It'll smooth out once its all worn in, unless you have crappy mags or ammo. Then it'll jam like hell too.
 
I'm a big fan of the "Patchworm" http://20-20.8m.com/ I would clean the bore before shooting, open the action and peek into the receiver with a good light...make sure you don't see anything that doesn't belong there. Other than that, I would probably run some slower ammo through there myself, but I don't see any real issue with what you're planning on shooting. Congrats on the gun, they're cool looking!
 
Congrats on the new SR22. When did you buy it and where from? I'm looking for one but nobody sems to have any stock anywhere - all BO.
 
kb007 said:
Congrats on the new SR22. When did you buy it and where from? I'm looking for one but nobody sems to have any stock anywhere - all BO.
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Bought it at Wolverine Supplies back in May (yes, it took me six months to shoot...there is an explanation). Rifle performed perfectly, put through about 80 mini mags, 20 Stingers and 20 Velocitors. Honestly, no idea what was best as my groups were hard to gauge on apples, melons and squash :) I can, however, tell you which was the loudest! No failures and everything cycled great, can't express how much fun it was...grinning ear to ear for the rest of the day (and as I write this). Plan to shoot with some purpose next time at a range - I have a Leupold 2-7x that I would like to try (used a red dot for the first time out). Pics will come soon...still trying to find the time to take some good photos.
 
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