Shooting out a barrel
- Thread starter John Deer
- Start date
Yup, heard of a guy who was given a Cooey by an old timer that said it was shot out. No rifling left. He took it home, turns out it had almost never been cleaned. Did an barrel cleaning and de leading and presto, there was the rifling again. The old fella had never cleaned the barrel and the lead built up made it look nearly like a smooth bore. After that it functioned like new.
Blastattack
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Winnipeg MB
You might have a problem if you shot five times that much ammo in a couple of minutes. Over a a period of hours you wouldn't do any damage.
.22 barrels don't wear out from use. They wear out from neglect (ie rusting) or improper/excessive cleaning.
OkayShooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Mine will start looking like a locomotive after about a mag and them will puff everytime I shoot.
Like cleaning every 100rds, using a drill and a cleaning rod. That's excessive.
Like cleaning every 100rds, using a drill and a cleaning rod. That's excessive.
I tend to only clean when I run into cycling problems. With my semi's.
About 1500-2000 rounds. With bolt guns usually every 1500 or so. I use the Otis coated cable system. Cleans good and almost no chance of damaging the rifling, chamber or crown in my opinion.
About 1500-2000 rounds. With bolt guns usually every 1500 or so. I use the Otis coated cable system. Cleans good and almost no chance of damaging the rifling, chamber or crown in my opinion.
I've had my 1022 hot enough you cant touch the barrel many times. Just as accurate as new. Had a buddy say the same, told him to think about how much powder is being burnt in a 22 semi vs a 308 or 223 in a combat situation. Im sure they get pretty hot and aren't smoked within the equivalent of a few range trips.
I agree with you.
Shoot as fast as you want with the 10/22 or similar semi. The soft lead bullets are not going to hurt the rifling (low velocity, low pressures and not really hot either), but as you say when the barrel heats up it will actually melt lead into the grooves of the rifling which will be a pain to clean.
Now mind you, I would not rapid fire and heat the barrel up on any of my expensive target rifles in 22lr......just saying.
I can tell you what I have witnessed from others as being the single biggest cause of ruining barrels on 22 rifles - not cleaning them and ending up with pitting during humid summers when the powder residue attracts moisture. Now that is sad.
Barrels that are actually "shot out" occur mostly with very high velocity ctgs like 220 Swift or 22-250 where erosion can actually occur at the mouth of the barrel and then spread into the rifling. I have read about this and even then it takes a lot of rounds before it starts.
No need to use a bronze brush on a 22 after shooting unless you have lead buildup or leave it sit with powder residue in the bore and it becomes hard carbon like deposits that will not come out with regular solvent - I have seen this happen. I never put a gun away with a dirty bore. When freshly shot just a patch with some solvent will clean it out and then followed by a patch with some oil on it to protect the bore from rust. Go easy with the rod when pushing the patch down the bore (don't go at it like a maniac pumping a bike tire pump as I have seen some do) and you will not hurt the crown if you have to use the muzzle end and you will not hurt the chamber by using the breach end either. I feel common sense is all you really need when cleaning the bore.
CD
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