Cleaning the 22lr

[cbzdel]

Got a question about the using a cleaning rod, I have noticed that the cleaning rod is almost the exact same size at the 22lr barrel opening. I had about a universal kit with works for any and all guns, do they make 22 specific rods which are smaller in diameter? It worries me to use a rod almost the same size at the opening.

I am new to this if you cant tell haha! I want my guns to last a lifetime so I want to do all I can to take care of them.

For some reason I am almost against the bore snake, dont know why, probably because cleaning rods are the classic way of doing it and I like to take to time to clean them and just just give it a quick swipe though (even though the quick swipe with the bore snake is all it really needs)

 

[rugerguy]

nothing wrong with the "universal" rods, as long as it "fits" inside, just don't be dragging or binding it, around any type of custom or target "crown"(muzzle) and if you can ,clean from the breach end of the gun...been using steel and aluminum rods for YEARS ( hell, that s all the military used ....)
and ,YES, you can buy another rod, for the .22 caliber "specifically"......
never used a 'bore snake" or such , usually stay away from "gimmicks",saves MONEY................ :roll:

 

[mljones1947]

As rugerguy noted, you can get thinner rods. Just make sure that they come with an adapter which has a small hole at one end for the thinner rod threads and a regular size hole at the other end for the standard tool threads.

 

[Rick Courtright]

I am new to this if you cant tell haha! I want my guns to last a lifetime so I want to do all I can to take care of them.

Hi,

It's estimated there are somewhere around 8o mil gunowners in the US, and there are probably 80 mil opinions on how to clean a gun. There might be a couple who agree...

Fact of the matter is this is one of those "many ways to skin the cat" deals. Most work.

You'll see all kinds of warnings about protecting the muzzle from "wear" when using a metal rod. They have "muzzle protectors" if you're one who worries about such stuff. I use aluminum rods. And don't. But the guys who sell muzzle protectors will be happy if you do!

Whatever you do, just don't get overexuberant and you should be fine. The traditional drill I was taught may be repeated in the instructions that came w/ your kit. It's worked for me for a number of years (closing in on 50?):

Run a solvent wetted patch thru the bore to get the "big" stuff out. Follow w/ a solvent wetted bronze brush. Follow w/ another solvent wetted patch if you wish. Follow that w/ a couple of dry patches. Finish w/ a lightly oiled patch to provide corrosion protection. Some people say only run the patches and brushes one way, preferably from chamber to muzzle. Others say scrub back and forth (though brushes DO have to be pushed all the way thru the barrel before reversing direction or they'll probably get stuck.) Take your pick.

Some keep scrubbing until they get perfectly clean patches. The guys who sell patches love that approach. For myself, I figure "clean enough" will hold me, cuz the first time I pull the trigger we're back to square one.

You'll probably hear stories about how "more guns are worn out thru improper cleaning than shooting." That MAY be true, but nobody's been able to show me one despite the fact I've been asking for years...

As w/ most everything involving guns, YMMV!

Rick C

 

[Snake45]

You'll probably hear stories about how "more guns are worn out thru improper cleaning than shooting." That MAY be true, but nobody's been able to show me one despite the fact I've been asking for years...

Rick C

The key word is "improper," and I know of at least one personally.

Friend of mine bought a new (used, actually) .22 autorifle. Being a man, he just had to take it apart and "properly clean" it before he shot it. First time he took it out, it wouldn't work--stovepipes all over the place. His wife solved the problem. While vacuuming, she found a little piece of metal that neither she nor he could identify. He showed it to me--it was the rifle's ejector! We put it back in and of course the gun runs fine now--as it would have if he'd left it alone. :lol:

On the other hand, just yesterday I put the 5,000th round this year through my 10/22. The only maintenance it's gotten all year was a couple drops of Rem Oil on the recoil spring rod about 2,000 rounds ago. And I put another 3,000 rounds through it last year with no maintenance. In other words, it's gone 8,000 rounds without cleaning and it's still shooting great. (This being an odd-numbered year, it's due for a cleaning this winter.)

My Ciener .22 1911 also went 5,000 rounds this year with no other care than some oil on the slide rails about twice.

And then again I have two .22 rifles that will start giving me problems (such as failure to chamber) if I don't clean them every 500 rounds.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I'll admit that I don't clean guns as thoroughly as I used to.

I note that keeping the face of the bolt and the matching face of the barrel clean helps keep 10/22's and rimfire semi-auto pistols running smoothly.

 

[1gunsnotenough]

Most people clean way to often. My MKIIs and Military Trainers I clean when they have functioning issues. I always wipe them down and lubricate a little. I have a MKI that I took apart and cleaned this year for the 1st time in about 3 years and probably 10,000 rds.. Did it just because I felt I ought to. It was not malfunctioning.

 

[tomiswho]

I love the bore snake. My guns stay much cleaner since I added bore snakes to my cleaning box. That being said, the bore snake doesn't take the place of a real cleaning for me -

But with a .22, instead of cleaning once or twice a year, I run a bore snake after most every outing. Still do the good cleaning once or twice a year.

 

[Montelores]

For my .22s, I recently purchased a 9" brass pistol cleaning rod from Brownells. It is short and one-piece with a loop on one end, so it is easier to guide the rod down the barrel (muzzle-end on revolvers). It seems as though I have much more control and precision with the short rod. I actually just ordered a second rod, because I like it so much.

Additionally, I made a "bore cleaning device" from .065 weed-whacker line. I cut about 15" of line, folded one end back on itself and creased it with a pair of pliers and tightly looped fishing line around the folded-back portion to leave a 1/2" flat loop which will hold a .22 cleaning patch. I pull this through the barrel with Hoppe's #9, then a clean patch, then a lightly-oiled patch. This is very quick, and I don't worry about damaging the rifling. I can also pull it through from the breech-end on any revolver or pistol I own.

I read about some folks melting weed-whacker line against a hot knife blade, in order to form a flat head on one end. This flat head will retain a patch, when the patch is fed down the line from the other end. I have not tried this yet.

I hope this helps.

Monty

 

[Snake45]

I have a MKI that I took apart and cleaned this year for the 1st time in about 3 years and probably 10,000 rds.. Did it just because I felt I ought to. It was not malfunctioning.

I stripped and cleaned my MKII two years ago. Last year all it was shot was some friends of mine put 550 rounds through it. This year I took it out and about 300 rounds in--@850 total--it started giving me failures to fire. It wasn't chambering fully. I cleaned out the chamber with two passes with a GI M16 bore brush and it went to 500 rounds.

Apparently this one has a tight chamber--good for accuracy but you have to keep it clean or it'll give you problems. I have three or four rifles that are the same way. (My 10/22 is NOT one of them.)

 

[blume357]

bore snake is the way to go... from my experience you really don't need to clean the bore much on a 22lr...

all I do is spray some clr down the barrel and run a bore snake through it one time... the bolt and receiver is usually what you need to clean.

 

[mohavesam]

Rods are 20th century technology.

Get a boresnake and forget about any discussion of muzzle damage. Forever.

 

[Snake45]

I'm waiting for someone to explain how you use a boresnake to remove a stuck case that the extractor won't pick up, or to knock a stuck squibbed bullet from the bore. :wink:

 

[CajunBass]

Whatever you do, just don't get overexuberant and you should be fine. The traditional drill I was taught may be repeated in the instructions that came w/ your kit. It's worked for me for a number of years (closing in on 50?):

Just remember. It's a cleaning rod, not a plunger.

I don't clean a 22 often, but when I do I just use the same universal cleaning rod I use for everything. Never had a bit of trouble doing it.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Rods are 20th century technology.

Hi,

Hmmm... I'd have to double check the receipts, but I think all my guns are, too!

There's nothing wrong w/ using "yesterday's" technology when solving "yesterday's" problem! So I guess Bore-Snakes qualify right along w/ rods: ever see the "cleaning rope" in certain OLD milsurp kits?

But I'm willing to learn--maybe even change!--if SOMEONE will show me one of these "well known" cases of muzzle wear caused by a cleaning rod. Please? I've been asking for well over 30 yrs... couldn't even find one in the hundreds of guns in the boss' shop when I worked for a gunsmith...

Rick C

 

[CajunBass]

Rods are 20th century technology.

Get a boresnake and forget about any discussion of muzzle damage. Forever.

A boresnake is nothing but a commercial version of the cloth plug and a string my grandfather showed me how to use to clean a shotgun back before I was in high-school. And it was old "technology" to him.

 

[mohavesam]

It's a 22.
A boresnake will keep it fresh, whether its a Ruger 1/22 or a vintage Anschutz. If you feel your bore needs more cleaning, back off on the Prozac...

--if you need a rod to remove a stuck case, take a picture for me. I've NEVER seen a stuck case in a 22LR rifle!

 

[Snake45]

--if you need a rod to remove a stuck case, take a picture for me. I've NEVER seen a stuck case in a 22LR rifle!

Seriously? I prolly get one a month in some gun or other. They're not "jammed" stuck, the extractor's just not picking 'em up for some reason. You either have to get in there with something small and pry the rim out (if the rim's not countersunk) or rod it out. Just last Monday, the guy shooting next to me had it happen in a S&W 41. He didn't have a rod and was gonna pack up and quit for the day. I pulled out my GI M16 cleaning rod, which lives in my range bag, and saved his day.

I even made a special .22 case extraction tool, which works, but it's just as easy to use the rod. Easier, in fact, in handguns.

 

[tiger955]

My grand dad didn't like cleaning his old Mod 94 from the bore with a rod cause he said it just pushed the gunk into the action, he used the rag on a string method too, and used a small split shot on the other end of the string to drop it through the barrel from the breech. I use a bore snake on my 94 and my remmy 760, one of the best ideas to come along in ages I think. I still use a rod for my bolt guns and pistols that I can clean from the breech though.

 

[bada61265]

ive used mostly all manner of cleaning rod assemblies in the past from multi piece aluminum kits to single piece stainless rods. got a large box just full of these things. i do still use the bore brushes on hard case cleaning jobs, like my 45 which is prone to picking up lead in the rifling. mostly dont see that issue with 22`s . i use the bore snake almost exclusively with everything of late. do it after every shoot with a 22, 2 swipes and you wont ever get enough build up in the barrel to ever need to run a rod down it. though id still reccomend having a cleaning rod kit also. another item i always use for actions and getting some good scrubbing in the internal parts is old tooth brushes. dont throw the old tooth brush away, put it in your cleaning kit.