Author Topic: How Often Do You Clean (Read 1548 times)

DDO · « **on:** November 19, 2003, 01:15:54 PM »

How often do you clean you 22 rifles and pistols? Esspecially the bores. What solvents, technique do you use. Over the years I've heard a full range of answer to this question. I use to be one of those "if it was still shooting it didn't need cleaning". The last year or so I've been cleaning every 500 rounds or so. Those that have to be cleaned from the muzzle don't get cleaned that often.

Dewight

TravisM. · « **Reply #1 on:** November 19, 2003, 01:29:03 PM »

I very rarely clean the bores on my rimfires. With the powders they use in rimfires, it really isn't too necessary unless they are really bad.
However, I clean the actions very frequently. On my bolt guns, I wipe out and oil the receiver, and thoroughly clean the bolt. Then a very light application of oil slicks the action up for a few hundred rounds. Of course, because of the operating system, Semi rifles get dirtier. I dont know about levers or pumps, I was raised with bolt actions and just kinda moved into semis on my own.
I clean the receiver of my MKII 22/45 pretty much after every time I shoot it. There are teh rare occasions, like the one or two shots at a groundhog or squirrel, or just shooting a few out of it, when Ill let it slide. But for the most part, It stays super clean. Semis are known to act up when theyre dirty.

ghostZ · « **Reply #2 on:** November 20, 2003, 02:19:20 AM »

On my 22 rifles I clean them every few years. I don't know if it was because they are cheap($) guns and I don't worry about them as much or if it is the fact that they don't have problems. My Marlin semi 22 has only been taken down and cleaned REAL well a few times since I have owned it. I usually do that after I have a jam. Almost always even with a dirty gun it fires flawlessly. I still oil them on the outside when needed and run the rod thru them from time to time.
The 22 pistols get threated just like my other pistols...cleaned after every outing.

Sixgun · « **Reply #3 on:** November 20, 2003, 03:49:12 AM »

Since I shoot smallbore silhouette matches, I put alot of rounds through my 22s. At first I cleaned them real good when the accuracy fell off and I usually found that out in a match when all of a sudden I started missing and nothing I did made it any better.

Now I give them a good cleaning after every brick of ammo I put through a gun. They all seem to like different ammo so it is easy to know when it is time. When I shoot the last box, from a brick, I clean the gun.

I just use some solvent on a bore snake and put it through 2 times. I test for accuracy and if it isn't there, I use the bore snake again. I have been doing this for several years now and have had no problems with the brush on the bore snake wearing out the barrel.

The guns I use are:

Ruger MKII Slabside
2, TC 10" match barrels
Marlin 39a

Sixgun

jhm · « **Reply #4 on:** November 20, 2003, 04:39:27 AM »

If I take it upon myself to take a gun out for some casual shooting I feel I need to put the gun back as I found it clean for the next time.

JIM

SBF · « **Reply #5 on:** November 20, 2003, 05:02:50 AM »

I too can't bring myself to put a gun back in the safe if it isn't clean, both inside and out. I give them thorough cleanings (break everything down) about twice a year. After shooting I'll use my Patchworm pull through to clean it up. I typically use Hoppes No. 9 or Hoppes Benchrest Solvent.

Lawdog · « **Reply #6 on:** November 20, 2003, 11:55:17 AM »

Old habit. If I use it I clean it. Even camping out at the end of the day I clean my rifle and handguns even if it they weren't fired I still wipe the dirt off and swipe out the bore with a clean patch. My father and grandfather wouldn't have had it any other way. Lawdog

TravisM. · « **Reply #7 on:** November 20, 2003, 01:38:40 PM »

I don't know how true it is, I've never had any problems myself, but I've been told/read/heard that frequent disassembly can wear the mechanism more than actually firing the gun.

Loozinit · « **Reply #8 on:** November 21, 2003, 07:07:15 PM »

Frequent cleaning probably does contribute a little wear but I'll take that as the cost of good care. If I shoot it, I clean it. Hoppes on a snake with a waxing on the outside.

Loozinit

Graybeard · « **Reply #9 on:** November 22, 2003, 10:31:54 AM »

Well as best as I can remember I cleaned mine some time back in the mid 80s so I don't figure it is due again any time soon. I only do it IF and WHEN I see a deterioration in accuracy. Of course for this you must actually know what your rifle will do.

GB

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #10 on:** December 15, 2003, 10:06:36 AM »

When you do clean, throw away that old three piece aluminum rod that collects grit and will scratch up the rifling.
A one piece stainless is the answer here and most come with a cone to protect the crown when you have to clean from the muzzle.

Also use a gun vise and hold the rod by the handle. It is designed to spin freely so that your brush/patches will follow the rifling.

GotstaHunt · « **Reply #11 on:** January 01, 2004, 07:47:05 PM »

I clean mine every time out unless I just pop off a few shells. Cleaning may not be as critical for accuracy but that thin coat of oil you placed in the barrel last time you cleaned it to prevent rust is all but gone after the first shot or two so at least swab it out and protect it from pitting.

longgun · « **Reply #12 on:** January 02, 2004, 03:43:18 AM »

I don't shoot pistols so I can't make an answer for them.

But I shoot rifles and cleaning the rimfires is determined by what kind of shooting you are doing and what kind of accuracy you demand from your rifle. If you are shooting tin cans or squirrel hunting you might only want to clean your gun every five years, however you want to keep a light coat of oil to keep it from rusting.

But is you are shooting competition, you want to clean your rifle after each match, using a bronze brush etc etc....... If you pay attention to the folks who shoot the olympic matches and the competetors who shoot the " belly flop" ( position shooting) matches, they will clean their rifles after every fifty shots or more.

My shooting buddy and I had been told this by a former position shooter but didn't pay much attention to it at the time. One day my buddy started beating me on a regular basis and he told me that if I didn't want him to beat me that I was going to have to start cleaning my rifle with a brush ( always use a bronze brush, a stainless steel brush will ruin your barrel).... This is when I became a believer of the advice that I had given before.........Don

Budd · « **Reply #13 on:** January 02, 2004, 01:53:12 PM »

I will always run a patch through before firing, and then clean it when I'm done. After a few times out, I will disassemble EVERYTHING, and scrub, clean, and polish. This is mainly because I have alot of free time at work. And because I think it's fun :-)

Rusty R. · « **Reply #14 on:** January 09, 2004, 11:51:40 AM »

When I am done shooting

spitpatch · « **Reply #15 on:** January 09, 2004, 02:18:02 PM »

I always point the barrel in a downward position and blow a half can WD-40 all over everything....cleans, protects, and makes childbirth a pleasure!......JUST KIDDING. I recently bought a Marlin 882-SS .22 mag. and the owners manual said the bores are "self cleaning" and need no maintainence......go figure. It also stated the bolts and actions need only occosional wipe down. I will tell you to "let your conscience be your guide" as to the care of your rifle. I clean my guns after every outing whenever their shot, and wipe the outside after every time their handled. I've found out that poor maintainence leads to poor preformance, and the gun will probably let you down when you need it the most.

Bugflipper · « **Reply #16 on:** February 06, 2004, 12:13:31 AM »

Some of them have been 15 or so years, besides a ligt exterior oiling every few years. I just disasembeled my 10/22 heavy barrel the other night and cleaned it with a nylon coated rod, patch and hoppes. Seems like I built it 3 years ago, accuracy didn't fall, I just got guilty, I had maybe 2000 rounds through the barrel it was still hitting 16 penny nail heads at 55 yards with regularity.

spitpatch · « **Reply #17 on:** February 06, 2004, 11:39:12 AM »

Sometimes guilt is a wonderful thing. I've had rifles that were not cleaned for extended periods and mine, also, kept good groups. They were my no account rifles though. Nowadays, as I've grown older and wiser this sort of debotchery doesn't happen, as I care for everything better than I used to.

shinbone · « **Reply #18 on:** February 06, 2004, 09:44:56 PM »

i was one to clean after every use but found that mine shoots better dirty.it didnt seem to do good until i had about 50 rounds threw it.after about 250-300 rounds ill clean it but not befor a match.

spitpatch · « **Reply #19 on:** February 06, 2004, 10:01:35 PM »

I absolutly agree shinbone. A clean bore of a rifle should have a few foulers shot through it before matches, and before hunting.....and we both know why. Bugflipper, thats pretty good shooting.