Cleaning a 10/22
- Thread starter topspin43
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Death from Afar
New member
It depends on how dirty the weapon is. I do belive that folks over clean their shooters- the military certainly does- I would take mine right down about 500 rds, and clean the bore about every 1000. The .22 doesnt foul very much.
support_six
New member
Yup, I think I've cleaned my 10/22 about once a decade since I got it in 1965. It just keeps on shooting well.
OneInTheChamber
New member
I'm an over-cleaner. I break it down as far as needed (take out the bolt/action, remove the spring, and make it clean enough to eat off.
.22lr ammo leaves guns filthy.
After 100rnds, the action in a 10/22 looks like you dumped black powder directly into it.
I don't clean my barrel other than using a bore snake.
However, after each shooting, I remove the stock (one screw), remove the trigger group, bolt, and bolt handle (3 pins), and clean everything up. It doesn't take long at all.
There are a few exceptions like when I go small game hunting and don't shoot many rounds, I won't clean it. But if I'm ever at the range and blow off a brick... yeah it's gettin' cleaned.
Death from Afar
New member
Sorry, by fouling I mean copper fouling within the barrel compared to say, a .220 swift, so you dont need Hoppes or Sweets every 35 rounds.
SavageSniper
New member
You are supposed to clean them???
Clean for storage
I clean mine after shooting cause it is going back in the locker and I don't really know how long it will set there, like maybe all winter. Paranoid about the idea of that 22 firing crud causing a stoppage or malf. on some important shot someday. But I do think the crud amount varies with brand or type of ammo somewhat. Like how much lube they put on the bullet etc. I at least do a quick bore clean and clean up around the bolt face, maybe use q tips if that helps. Keep crud from getting built up under the extractor. I also think the type of ammo affects how long you can go between cleanings without a malf. Presumably low powered ammo has less oomph to cycle the action if crud is slowing it down. And those odd pointed flat nose bullets from Federal among others don't feed that well, and anything like crud will increase that malf. a bit. SOme folks drill a hole in the back of the receiver and then they can clean from the rear of the barrel with the bolt out. Gunslick.com has come out with a special cleaning kit especially for the Ruger to make cleaning better and less work for the rifle. Some folks never clean them, and perhaps do go thru hundreds of rounds. But remember that a semiauto is alot more sensetive to crud than a bolt gun or other manually operated rifle. With those you can just use more force as needed, until it really gets bad!
I clean mine after shooting cause it is going back in the locker and I don't really know how long it will set there, like maybe all winter. Paranoid about the idea of that 22 firing crud causing a stoppage or malf. on some important shot someday. But I do think the crud amount varies with brand or type of ammo somewhat. Like how much lube they put on the bullet etc. I at least do a quick bore clean and clean up around the bolt face, maybe use q tips if that helps. Keep crud from getting built up under the extractor. I also think the type of ammo affects how long you can go between cleanings without a malf. Presumably low powered ammo has less oomph to cycle the action if crud is slowing it down. And those odd pointed flat nose bullets from Federal among others don't feed that well, and anything like crud will increase that malf. a bit. SOme folks drill a hole in the back of the receiver and then they can clean from the rear of the barrel with the bolt out. Gunslick.com has come out with a special cleaning kit especially for the Ruger to make cleaning better and less work for the rifle. Some folks never clean them, and perhaps do go thru hundreds of rounds. But remember that a semiauto is alot more sensetive to crud than a bolt gun or other manually operated rifle. With those you can just use more force as needed, until it really gets bad!
Death from Afar
New member
I have been embarressed by what I said above. I was using old- and I do mean old- Federal ammo, and it was filthy. After about 100 rds the rifle was jamming about every 4 shots, so I was forced to do a filed strip, something I have never struck before. Killed a load of rabbits, mind you.
I pulled mine out a couple weekends ago and the last time it was fired was probably 2 years. Wasn't cleaned before getting put away, I took it to the range and it fired fine and accurate.
Brought it home and used some old toothbrushes, toothpicks, bore brushes and patches to clean it. It was definately a little gunked up from those years of no use. But it still cleaned up nicely either way.
I just take the magazine out and run a brush a couple times, clean out the magazine area and chamber area with some solvent and rub it with a light coat of oil.
I'm probably guilty of over-cleaning my guns (this wasn't mine), I generalyl clean my handguns after every use and even during non-use. I'm an obsessive in that matter
Brought it home and used some old toothbrushes, toothpicks, bore brushes and patches to clean it. It was definately a little gunked up from those years of no use. But it still cleaned up nicely either way.
I just take the magazine out and run a brush a couple times, clean out the magazine area and chamber area with some solvent and rub it with a light coat of oil.
I'm probably guilty of over-cleaning my guns (this wasn't mine), I generalyl clean my handguns after every use and even during non-use. I'm an obsessive in that matter