Questions about cleaning rimfire pistols...

[Teppo87]

First; I have often heard people say rimfire pistols need not be cleaned as often as centrefire pistols, which I have also heard should be cleaned a.s.a.p (within a few days of it being fired). The reasoning I have gotten from this is that cleaning a rimfire bore too often will wear out the rifling quicker over time. Is this true?

Second, I have heard that after cleaning a barrel, it is good to give it a light coating of oil to protect it from possible moisture build up while in storage. I have also read on some posts that a light coating of oil in the barrel is safe enough to shoot out of. But it makes me wonder how safe this practice is. Is there not a danger of obstruction build up accumulating in the oiled barrel while in storage (eg: dust)? Also, isn't there a chance that a bullet could 'belly flop' within the oiled barrel if shot? Should I run a dry patch in the bore before taking it to the range?

 

[jcarter]

I clean my firearms every time I shoot them regardless of how many rounds I fired. I like to store them with clean bores and actions. I run a patch through the bore soaked with solvent such as Hoppes. I continue to run clean patches with solvent through the bore until they come out clean.I repeat this ritual every day until there is no more fouling. I then run an oil soaked patch through the barrel and it is good for long term storage. The next time I am going to use the firearm I run another solvent soaked patch through the bore followed by a few dry patches. I don't want to take a chance on excessive oil causing any pressure problems. Unless you are extremely aggressive with a bore brush or very careless with your cleaning rod I don't think there is any worry about accelerating barrel wear.

 

[mmattockx]

First; I have often heard people say rimfire pistols need not be cleaned as often as centrefire pistols, which I have also heard should be cleaned a.s.a.p (within a few days of it being fired). The reasoning I have gotten from this is that cleaning a rimfire bore too often will wear out the rifling quicker over time. Is this true?

Second, I have heard that after cleaning a barrel, it is good to give it a light coating of oil to protect it from possible moisture build up while in storage. I have also read on some posts that a light coating of oil in the barrel is safe enough to shoot out of. But it makes me wonder how safe this practice is. Is there not a danger of obstruction build up accumulating in the oiled barrel while in storage (eg: dust)? Also, isn't there a chance that a bullet could 'belly flop' within the oiled barrel if shot? Should I run a dry patch in the bore before taking it to the range?

1) Neither centerfire nor rimfire need frequent cleaning. I run my Ruger 22/45 for close to 1000 rounds between cleaning. Basically, I shoot it until function starts to get iffy or accuracy begins to slide. Usually the function goes first in winter and accuracy in summer. The people that are OCD about cleaning are doing it to make themselves feel better, not because it is necessary. My 1911's often go 750+ rounds before cleaning as well. I have never had either function or accuracy start to go in that time, I just decided it was time to clean.

2) Improper cleaning will prematurely wear out both centerfire or rimfire, but rimfire is probably more susceptible due to having shallow rifling grooves and possibly softer steel in the barrel.

3) Whether you oil it or not depends on your climate. I almost never oil a bore, but I live in southern Alberta and we have near desert levels of humidity here. If you live in a more humid climate, oil is a good idea.

4) It is a standard safety step to push a dry patch through an oiled bore before shooting it, but I can't say if this is an old wives tale or a real concern. For the time it takes, I would dry patch it just in case.


Mark

 

[Got Juice?]

Rimfires need barrel fouling to group properly.
Find a brand of ammo that works. Then clean barrel and foul/shoot using only that ammunition
Clean breech face, extractor and crown only. Dry patch bore between sessions.
The grooves in the bore will fill with powder residue and provide better sealing to the projectile. Basically more even and concentric pressure behind the bullet and less 'leakage' of gasses along one groove or another.
I clean my barrels thoroughly ONLY when accuracy falls off and dry patching does not bring it back. Then refoul with 50-150 rounds will bring accuracy back to awesome. I even have pics to prove it works.
When the rimfires are not going to be shot for a while, i do clean and oil them and run an oiled patch through the bore.
Waxed lead American Eagle 40gr seems to shoot very well this way in my S&W 46. CZ452. And Browning Buckmark Silhouette pistol (all of which are capable of bug hole groups at 25-50 yards

 

[horseman2]

My Ruger MK II 10" bull barrel was so tight to take apart and put back together, even when aided with a rubber mallet, it only occurred three times over a period of 10 years.
It would eventually not eject all the way all the time but it would always close up and fire. All that I had to do was pull back the slide, roll the empty out and release the slide. It might go an entire match without another failure. Cleaning returned it to original functioning and was an aid to consistency.