Cleaning A 22LR Revolver ? A "PITA"

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ctkenc

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I'm not new to shooting but have to admit, Cleaning my .22 revolver is a real PITA .
I use a Bore Snake frequently as it is so easy to use ... actually, I use 2 of them, one soaked with Hoppes and 1 that I keep dry.

I'd really like to be able to put a patch through the Barrel and the Cylinders, soaked with Hoppes, and then keep repearting the process with Dry patches until they come out clean but i have yet to find any tool that will allow a patch to go through ,,,, every thing is too large.
I can get the tool to pass through OK but once the patch is on it, there is no way to get it through.

I've broken some of the rods and tools trying to force them through and don't want to keep repeating that stupid process as sooner or later I'm going to slip and scratch the gun or in some other way cause damage.

Cleaning my other Revolvers of all other Calibers is not as much of a probelm and cleanning 1911's and Glocks etc is a piece of cake but cleaning a 22LR Revolver is a royal PITA.

What have you found as a process and tools that makes it easier and more effective? I like my guns to be really clean when I put them away and i clean afert every shooting.
thanks
Ken
 
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Your using the wrong tools for the job, you would not replace the heads on an engine with just a pair of vise grips and a screwdriver. Get a good set of caliber specific pistol cleaning rods, bronze brushes, jags, and patches for your revolver. Bore snakes are for quick cleanups at the range not for a full detailed cleaning.
 
I use an M16 cleaning rod with the issue slotted tip, and half a GI .30 cal. patch, cut diagonally. That combination and gettin' sloppy with the Hoppe's works like magic on my K-22, my High Standard Sentinel, and with the appropriate number of rod segments, all my .22 rifles. The M16 bore brush also works well, but is a mite long for revolvers and closed-breech rifles such as the 10-22.

Larry
 
Smith357 said:
Your using the wrong tools for the job, you would not replace the heads on an engine with just a pair of vise grips and a screwdriver. Get a good set of caliber specific pistol cleaning rods, bronze brushes, jags, and patches for your revolver. Bore snakes are for quick cleanups at the range not for a full detailed cleaning.
Click to expand...

Sorry, my fault ... I should have been more clear in explaining the situation.
I am using all of the tools and supplies you mention, .22 caliber specific.
What do you use to get a patch down the barrel or through the cylinder chambers and what kind of patches are you using ?
I've tried a couple of 22LR cal. jags, and patch holders, and a couple of brands of patches, but they just won't go through, at least not without completely inappropriate force.
The Bronze brush do go through and work just as they should, no problems there .... my problem is with the patches.
ken
 
Another system similar to a Bore Snake

somewhere I saw another system that was kind of similar to a Bore Snake .... but in this case you actually attached patches, swabs, mops etc and the cord you pulled through was, as i recall, made of nylon .... not a very clear picture but hopefully someone can steer me to that web site.

I think tghey used some kind of a color coded system to describe some aspect of their system and their patches came in various degrees of grit .... I vaguely recall that some of the patches etc. looked like cotton balls .... sorry to be so vague but that is all I recall.
thanks
 
Bad part about the snakes is that most DON"T know how to use them, thats right. when you pull - you have to pull stright out -not at a angle or you will burn the crown. Next you pull slow, and when you are pulling it needs to go into the barrel stright or you can burn the forcing cone. All in all as 357 said is true, but I myself wouldn't use one :D . Each to his own.
 
I have had this problem and have found that the only way to get a patch down mine is to use the Outers .17, .204, .22. cal patches (42317).. I have tried other .22 cal patches that I use with AR type rifles and they won't work
 
The patch thickness and size are the key to routine, non-hassle cleaning of a .22 rimfire.
Basically, you're obviously using oversized patches.

When I need patches for whatever purpose, I take my micrometer to the fabric store, buy the thickness I want, and cut it to the size I want. My .22 rimfire patches are only 1" square soft cotton. They should push through readily on a jag.
 
IMHO .22LRs do NOT like to be excessively cleaned! Many of the serious bullseye shooters I know like the Patch Worm (Midway has 'em)but a piece of weed wacker line can be futzed around with to make it hold a patch. Using a brush in the bore isn't usually neccesary nor desireable. A brush is neccesary for giving the chambers a good cleaning, I have as lightly oversized one bent at a right angle to serve as a handle.
 
Hello ctkenc,

Your problem with patches and jags is that you are using patches that are too thick or too large for your jag. I have never purchased a ready made patch so I'm suprised you don't do the obvious and cut your own. Buying new fabric measured with a micrometer no doubt works great but I've only bothered with that as an effort to get consistant patch and round ball fit in muzzel loading rifles. Your household rag bag no doubt has plenty of patch material. I just clipped a few to measure what looks right and they average 5/8" square. Old cotton and flannel are my preference.

Since you're willing to spend a little, for easily adjusting tightness of patch fit, I suggest accumulating a collection of different jags and writing their diameters on them with an electric pencil.

Best Regards,
Gil
 
I have also experienced the problem with some brands of .22 cal. patches. The fix for me was to take a .22 cal brass jag, chuck it in a power drill and spin it against a file until the diameter of the the jag was reduced enough to allow the patch to be pushed through with enough friction to do the job but not so much that force was required. A .204 jag for one the new Rugers would accomplish the same thing if you can find one. .17 cal jags usually require a smaller diameter rod so it's easy & cheap to modify a standard .22 cal set up.
 
If you are using a jag you have to have patches made for a jag instead of for a slotted tip or they will not pass through. Here are jag sized patches from Sinclair.

SINCLAIR INTERNATIONAL : Cleaning Patches (3/4 in square) - 500 ct -

I like to use a 25 caliber bronze brush as a chamber brush for a 22 and don't really brush the bore. I like the Brownells brass pistol rods.

DEWEY : "LOOP" RIFLE & PISTOL ROD - World's Largest Supplier of Firearm Accessories, Gun Parts and Gunsmithing Tools - BROWNELLS


I have a big bag of USGI 22 cal cleaning patches someone gave me that I have been using a long time and still have many left. They will not work with a jag though. It shouldn't be that hard if you use a slotted patch to wet the bore and chamber. Let it sit a minute then brush the chambers with the 25 cal brush, maybe brush the barrel a little with a 22 cal brush then jag out the solvent and clean under your extractor star.
 
Last edited:
ctkenc said:
Sorry, my fault ... I should have been more clear in explaining the situation.
I am using all of the tools and supplies you mention, .22 caliber specific.
What do you use to get a patch down the barrel or through the cylinder chambers and what kind of patches are you using ?
I've tried a couple of 22LR cal. jags, and patch holders, and a couple of brands of patches, but they just won't go through, at least not without completely inappropriate force.
The Bronze brush do go through and work just as they should, no problems there .... my problem is with the patches.
ken
Click to expand...

Sorry about that, I completely misunderstood.

To clean my .22 rifles I use Dewey .17 caliber rods and jags and I use an old 12" section of broken .17 caliber rod epoxied into a hunk of stag for my .22 handguns I make my own patches from old shirts and cut them to size.

http://www.deweyrods.com/cgi-bin/cc...od&ref=17COATED_ROD&cat=RODS&catstr=HOME:RODS
 
Last edited:
I use a brass cleaning rod with a slotted brass tip to hold a standard .22 cal. patch, 1-1/8" square. Slide the corner into the slot, as you pull it halfway through, the patch will fold over- it's fine.

I never use a bore brush anymore (unless I've unwittingly gotten myself into some real garbage ammo- like once every 6 years, or so). Some brands of .22LR ammo are comparatively dirty. I do still have a couple bent bore brushes in my cleaning box- one end acts as a handle, as posted above, but I stay away from junk ammunition, and over the last few years, haven't run into any qa/qc issues with any of my regular brands.
 
Patch Worm

ctkenc said:
somewhere I saw another system that was kind of similar to a Bore Snake .... but in this case you actually attached patches, swabs, mops etc and the cord you pulled through was, as i recall, made of nylon .... not a very clear picture but hopefully someone can steer me to that web site.

I think tghey used some kind of a color coded system to describe some aspect of their system and their patches came in various degrees of grit .... I vaguely recall that some of the patches etc. looked like cotton balls .... sorry to be so vague but that is all I recall.
thanks
Click to expand...

I think this is what you're talking about?
 
I had the same problem with my .22 High Standard...ended up cutting regular caliber specific patches in half and they fit just fine. If a full patch won't fit, just cut it in half...it'll go.

Good luck.
 
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