Author Topic: .22mag barrel life (Read 1952 times)

lurcher · « **on:** February 03, 2005, 12:14:04 PM »

can get a good deal on a 2nd hand Anschutz model 1514 bolt action .22 mag. Seems in reasonable shape, but is at least 10 year sold and bluing is well worn.

What is the barrel life on a 22mag like? could I get a replacement barrel if required later on for this rifle?

Anyone know much about this model of Anschutz?

Cheers

John
New Zealand

Ramrod · « **Reply #1 on:** February 03, 2005, 01:54:01 PM »

If a rimfire is kept clean, I believe the barrel life is something close to forever.

doorgunner · « **Reply #2 on:** February 04, 2005, 03:48:23 AM »

If you talk to the rimfire crowd, most rimfire accuracy guru's will tell you that rimfire barrels are generally ruined by excessive/improper cleaning. We centerfire buffs tend to be very particular about keeping copper and poweder fouling out of our bores. Most rimfire guys that I know clean their bores much less often that I would. I've been advised that bore fouling is much less of an accuracy issue with a rimfire, than it is a centerfire.

Just passing on what I've been told, your mileage may vary!

Graybeard · « **Reply #3 on:** February 04, 2005, 04:40:54 AM »

I would certainly not agree with the premise that fouling in standard rimfire barrels is an issue. Clean ONLY when accuracy has deteriorated. Cleaning actually reduces accuracy in these barrels.

BUT much, most .22 Magnum ammo tho rimfire is also jacketed. So treat it as a centerfire rifle. It just doesn't need cleaning as often because it is a much milder round. Barrel life could easily exceed 20,000 rounds on such a gun and there is no reason for it not to.

Hildy · « **Reply #4 on:** February 04, 2005, 11:13:38 AM »

Well, its a rimfire so there is no throat erosion with it's weak pressures and gas heat. The bullets are jacketed for the mag but they only run around 1800-2000fps, so this will play very little affect on it also.

I would say you are looking at tens of thousands of rounds for a mag barrel. If not, when the accuracy falls off simply replace it. I have never seen a rimfire barrel worn out from shooting it. Only from the wrong cleaning methods.

wink_man · « **Reply #5 on:** February 04, 2005, 11:38:01 AM »

Most people don't seem to realize the 22 Mag ammo is copper jacketed, and tend to just use a regular cleaning solvent. It doesn't even amaze me anymore when I buy a used 22 Mag, and clean it thorougly with Shooters Choice bore solvent, that the first patch comes out cobalt blue from the disolved copper. Treat a 22 Mag like a centerfire, and use a good copper solvent every time you do clean it.
Sincerely,
Garry

Catfish · « **Reply #6 on:** February 08, 2005, 05:48:55 AM »

When I was young I put alot of round through a .22 mag. and never had a lose in accuracy. I would not heasitate to buy one in good shape no matter how old. I never did, but it porbibly would be a good idea to run some Sweets 7.62 through it to remove the copper. Give it a good cleaning with Hoppies #9 or the like befor you run the 7.62 through it if you do, but if it`s shooting good I wouldn`t even mess with that. My wife has a cousin that said his .222 lost all accuracy. He bought the gun in 1960 and carried it in his pick-up for 40 years so it was well worn. I brought it home and run 50 patches of 7.62 through it and the last patch was as blue as the first. Getting tired of cleaning I tooke it out to see if I had made any improvement. I shoot a 1/2 group with it so I figured that in another 20 yeasr I get it back and clean some more copper out of it. I put another coat of finish on it and took it home. The .22 mag. should copper foul at a slower rate than the .222 so I really doubt you will have any trouble with it.