I've read every different opinion online I think, and read several different on this forum...

Ive shot over 1000 rounds thru mine, in just over 1 week of ownership, cleaned and lubed, should I bore clean it too? sorry for the newb question, I'm new to .22lr rifle ownership....

Only if the accuracy has fallen off from when you started. That has been stated several times by many posters.

You're only going to get opinion.

If your rifle is shooting just fine without a cleaning, meaning your point of aim is point of impact, then just leave it be. Clean the bore when the accuracy degrades.

Now I'm OCD about cleaning my rifle. I admit that after every range session, I'll clean my 15-22, including the barrel.

What I do notice is that the next time I'm at the range, accuracy improves after a few rounds to dirty things up a bit.

Haha you'll get several hundred more opinions in this thread too. At 1,000 rounds, I would if I were you. I used to clean mine after each session (Anywhere from 200-500 rounds). Now I'll clean it about every other time out. I just bought some Butch's Bore Shine since it seems like reallly good stuff for the barrel so I'll try it out after my next outing.

Since you've already read up on the subject you know that answers/opinions are going to be all over the place. I think that people who obsessively clean after every trip to the range are on one end and those who never clean are on the other. Use your own best sense. As Majorlk says "if accuracy has fallen off" and you don't know of any other factor that would effect that, then clean it. Some will say that the bore has to be somewhat "seasoned" before it will shoot true. Try it.

Field stripping and cleaning a gun can be as much fun as shooting it. See what works best for you.
T

do whatever makes you happy,i clean after each outing some once a year--i was taught guns are tools and like my tools they get cleaned and put away after each use

I was just asking to see about getting fresh opinions...having owned several pistols, including still a s&w 6906, cleaning them is really no mystery. But I have never owned a rifle, and I guess the bore cleaning remains a mystery to me, I will take the advice and wait to clean it until the accuracy degrades. That seems to be the prevailing opinion...Thanks

I recommend cleaning each time because it gives you the oportunity to closely examine the firearm for any sign of problems which may be developing or other signs of unusual wear as well as keeping the firearm clean.

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JR

I clean everything after every outing. I see a bunch saying wait till you put 1000 rounds through it or untill accuracy drops off, but beings in one range trip I usually put about 1000 rounds thru it so I clean. Never saw any difference in accuracy except the time I tried wildcat bulk. I was getting keyhole shots, huge amounts of lead smeared in bore. What I don't get is how y'all just shoot 200 rounds in a trip. I usually shoot till I'm out of ammo, it is way too much fun.

I clean after every use- except if I know I'll be shooting again in a few days. If it's going to sit for a week or more- full cleaning.

At a minimum, I'd run a few patches down the barrel at 1,000 rounds. You'll be surprised by how much gook .22's leave behind.

The last 3 posters have sumed it up.

I was always taught to clean after every outing.

IMHO, that's the way to go.

In this particlur gun just be careful around the ejecter

Just a parting comment ...

The cleaning fetish that is so common today comes from the days of corrosive primers and powders. In those days, failure to remove the salts the priming compounds deposited in the chamber and barrel would result is rusted barrels in short order.

Except for some European and Com Block surplus ammo, such powders and primers are things of the past, as are the cleaning requirements to deal with them.

There are a lot of shooters that need to come into the world of modern primers and powders and leave the dark ages in the past.

This Subject does have two definite sides. I myself have looked for some sort of hard evidence of either side. I found lots of info on why old rounds caused corrosion, and I also found that most .22 ammo has pulverized glass in it. I have my opinion on the subject, as does everyone else. But if somebody asks me if they should or shouldn't I don't tell them what they should do. Don't want to be the deciding factor on how somebody maintains their firearm.

There are lots of people new to the platform or shooting in general, and may not notice accuracy getting worse, or attribute it to bad ammo, so they don't clean the barrel possibly leaving lead inside and the next time they shoot maybe it blows out or maybe they get a bulged barrel or other damage.

Just don't think that people should tell others what should be done based on their opinion, especially when it deals with safety.

Well,here's an idea....just shoot it till it breaks !

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JR

I'm glad I'm not a bench rest shooter. I was reading my Lyman reloading manual and they have an article with the maker of Butch's bore shine. They clean after 10 rounds or so! That'd be annoying.

Barrel needs be oiled with brush after every session in range. Because burning powder makes moisture inside suppressor, and it will go to barrel rusting it.

Snake it anytime you feel the need. You didnt buy it gummed up,or at least S&W didnt sell it that way.