I have been wondering why my not very old and expensive cleaning rod has been feeling rough and scarred. So the last time I was cleaning my 15-22 A1 I noticed that it was riding the ejector in and out, felt the ejector and it is very sharp. Dam. Well from now on I will clean the bore from the muzzle.

Admittedly, I don't have a 15-22 ... but I don't bother with a rod in my rimfires more than once a year or so. A boresnake with some solvent and a bit of oil on the tail end, and call it good. Once a year I'll get out the copper solvent and really scrub the barrel clean, and then watch as my groups blow back out to 3-4MOA and slowly settle back down to 1-1.5MOA.

There is no need to clean the bore of a .22LR rifle unless it's choked with crud.

The same .22 caliber Bore Snake and CLP you use on your AR15 will work fine with the M&P15-22 as well, just don't get it snagged on the ejector. One or two pulls is all you need for either.

The need to eliminate copper "fouling" ended circa 1952 but folks still sell the unnecessary solvents merely because folks buy them... Anal "drill sergeant" cleaning is not necessary in the Army, it's an attention to detail, discipline tool.

-- Chuck

Yeah well I'm anal about cleaning everything

Even my tractor gets washed after I mow the grass.. Perhaps I missed my calling in life!

Hence my ongoing nightmares as I recall my squadmates cleaning the bores of our M-16's with Comet.

You're doing more damage to the bore of your .22 with a cleaning rod then by not cleaning it. Unless accuracy starts suffering I do not clean the bores of my .22's.

Bore snake, CLP

When U do have to clean the bore, use an Otis flexible rod (cable) or the above mentioned Bore Snake.

I have been using the Otis system for 12 yrs. now on all my firearms and I wouldn't go back to a traditional rod for anything.

Can someone explain this? Why in the world would cleaning your .22 bore with a rod be more harmful than not doing it at all? Are people scraping the rod against the inside or something??

No, there's a whole clean / don't-clean 22 bores thing (akin to the Ford / Chevy argument) that's been going on since ...forever.
Just take care when / if you clean the bore that your cleaning rod or boresnake doesn't snag the ejector and bend or break it. It's sorta vulnerable the way it hangs out there, so even if you never clean the bore you still need to be mindful of it when cleaning the breach face and ramp area.

The "Don't clean it too much" camp somehow thinks that a brass brush (which is less noble than steel) will somehow wear away at the steel barrel.

Cut off a small piece of automotive type vacuum hose and slip it over the ejector,making sure to completely cover it.This will prevent it from snagging on your bore snake..
Don't forget to remove it when finished ..lol

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JR

That vacuum hose tip is a good one ranger98. I've got plenty of it laying around.

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S&W15-22 RIA 1911
CZ75B SR9

What is this "mow the grass" you speak of?

My yard is a jungle and I like it that way!

Glad to help out John..

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JR

I recall on a lengthy discussion on the, to clean the 22LR or not to clean, that someone actually contacted smith & wesson and posted the official reply

smith & wesson highly recommended cleaning after every time you shoot the rifle and gave many reason for doing this

I will go back and try to find that thread and if I can find it I will copy and paste the reply from smith & wesson on the subject

as far as accuracy, I have never ever had any issues with accuracy being affected from cleaning any caliber firearm in over 35 years