I have a S&W model 41 that I shoot almost daily. I have to keep the action clean for it to cycle. My question is: How often do you need to clean the barrel to keep it in top shape?

Every time a live round has been fired, optimally.

Just my opinion. You can't go wrong cleaning after every shooting session.

If you use the proper equipment and technique (cleaning from breech end, using a non-abrasive rod, etc.) there shouldn't be any problem with cleaning after every shooting session. You may want to use a Hoppe's Bore Snake so you don't need to disassemble the gun to clean the bore every day and save the gun a lot of wear and tear.

However, I am definitely jealous that you get to shoot nearly every day - any secrets to share?

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

My opinion may be in the minority here, but I typically don't find a lot of residue in the bore after shooting. My shooting coach drilled into me 20 years ago that more .22 pistols suffer wear and tear by excessive cleaning than by shooting. He had us wipe down the exteriors and wipe the inside of the action after every shoot, but we only cleaned the bores at the end of the season. I usually go several sessions between bore cleaning, and haven't seen any degradation in accuracy (maybe I'm not a good enough shot to notice the difference).

Usually just run a wet brush down the bore one or two times followed by a couple patches just to make sure all the loose debris is out, then wipe down the action/exterior & couple drops of oil each with every session.

Never really scrub the bore.

Personally, I like a clean gun.
However, a lot of smallbore rifle shooters in my club swear that cleaning the barrel should be done as little as possible. Some say never! You should see their tiny groups at 100 yards!! Really awesome....so, I can't argue with them.

The most I do to the bore...a bore snake once in a while.

Bob

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"Onward thru the Fog"

I agree with wanting to have a clean firearm and I don't shoot that much, so I clean at the range or soon thereafter when I get home.
I have heard that over- cleaning can affect accuracy and produce wear every time you do it.
In a .22 I've seen spirals of lead come out of the barrel from rifles that weren't cleaned after heavy usage. The lands were non-existent when viewed with the naked eye and in one such case I obtained a .22 rifle that was given to me because the bore was supposedly shot out. In that case I really solvent and brass brushed the barrel and accuracy returned.
Looking back at Army basic training we cleaned our weapons every day. I would think in doing so it would take a lifetime + to wear a barrel out.
After thinking out loud and writing this post I'm of the opinion that clean is good.

I don't use any bore brushes or "Bore Snakes" in the barrel of my target .22 pistols. I do use them in the chamber only. I use a piece of "weed wacker" trimmer line as a pull through after I scrub the chamber. The weed wacker line is cut at a sharp angle at one end and the other end has a small ball that I've melted to hold the patch. I just pull through a couple of wet patches and dry patches. I pull the patches through from the muzzle to the chamber. I reason that this pulls out the crud that I cleaned from the chamber without pulling it through the rifling.

I like to clean after every shooting session, for
corrosion control more than anything else.
I just run an oily patch down the barrel to rid
it of any moisture or anything that might cause
rusting.

I was tought to never let the Sun set on a dirty gun.

I never clean a .22 rimfire bore until top accuracy BEGINS to go south. I let the barrel tell me when to clean. This is with rimfires only and the bore, only.

The action and breechface of the gun gets cleaned when there is visual residue. This works out to be when more than 20 to 30 rounds are fired. Of coarse the exterior is fussed over to keep it pristine.

The reason for this is simple. Most barrel damage is done by improper or excessive cleaning. A lot of damage is done to the bore by using the wrong materials, tools, rods, ect... The crown is frequently abused by improper cleaning. When that part gets damaged, kiss accuracy good bye.

We must have had the same coach. I have never had a problem (functioning, accuracy, etc) from not cleaning the bore. I have a Mossberg (and I think it was Army surplus) I bought from the PX at Camp Perry over 45 years ago and it still shoots great. I clean the bore every couple of years out of boredom.

+1 for the (almost) never clean the .22 bore crowd.

Yes, I too was taught to clean my rifle (M 1) after every use, even just marching with it. However, that was at the end of the corrosive primer days and there was a very good reason for beating that into us. The very same people who taught me to clean rifles and pistols, not only after every use, but when even walking by their storage area, shuddered at the idea of cleaning .22 bores.

There is a theory that you should clean .22 bores before changing ammunition to a different maker, and then fire at least 100 fouling shots.
Some of the .22 rifle barrel makers say never, never clean, do not insert anything smaller than your elbow into the muzzle, etc., etc..
I wipe my M41s after every use (2-3 times a week) everywhere I can reach without pulling the barrel. I clean the chamber and the rest of the action fairly regularly to avoid failure to feed.
I clean the bore on a new barrel before using and after the first 100 or so shots. After that I clean bores perhaps once a year, I see very little build-up.
When I clean .22 bores I use a nylon brush from the breach and felt (VFG) pellets. It is difficult to clean 10/22s from the breach, the pellets allow you to do so, using a guide and inserting the cleaning rod from the muzzle then threading the brush or pellets at the breach.
I am forced to clean my M17 but do not clean the bore, at least I haven’t yet.

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Ipsis Rebus Dictantitbus

When I still had my Ruger 22/45, I cleaned everything roughly every 300 rnds. It never failed on me due to cleaning (ammo yes) or lack there of. I would usually wipe the carbon off of the bolt and oil it after shooting it.

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J.D. Roy

I have been cleaning them after every use for over 30 years, never wore anything out and they shoot like the day I got them.

For all of you that say you are going to wear out a barrel or damage the crown, do you have any proof or documentation?

I find it extremely hard to believe if you use the proper tools and clean them properly you will damage them. The materials are softer than the steel the guns are made of.

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Dom

I'll make a confession here:
I have a Remington Speedmaster .22 semiautomatic rifle. Being a semi, it is very difficult to clean from the breach. (In fact I've never broke it down that far) I've had it roughly 30 years now. I never cleaned the barrel until recently. I shot it often and carried it daily as a teen. Never put it away. Always loaded. It was always a tack driver. After 30 years of not cleaning the barrel - It is still a tack driver. I cleaned the rest of the gun. Cleaned the action when it got too gummed up, and the outside.

I do not plan on treating my 41 the same. However not cleaning did no noticeable harm to the speedmaster???

Why?

I think not cleaning is a monkey see, monkey do thing with me.
The .22lr bench rest crowd seems to not clean bores and the barrels do not wear out, if they replace the barrel it is only on a hope and change basis. They put the holes very close together at remarkable distances.
I used to know .22lr competitive rifle shooters, only one regularly cleaned his barrel.

I use very little but lead in my 22s, most of the target ammunition has a wax coating some quite heavy, the only build up I see in the bores is wax. The wax comes out easily, but in a few shots is back.

If my accuracy slips, most likely it’s me, second most likely is a bad batch of ammunition, all else failing I will clean the bore. I must say that cleaning the bore has never fixed my bad shooting yet, but there is always hope.

I clean centerfire pistol bores regularly, however Wilson and Schuemann both of whom know something about .45s and barrels say that most of us way over do the cleaning of bores. Evidently it is the experience of these gentleman that unless you have a leading problem, frequent cleaning just adds to barrel wear.

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Ipsis Rebus Dictantitbus

BE Mike,
Your "weed wacker" suggestion is one I may try. I have an Anzchutz that has never had the bore cleaned...it prob'ly will never have the bore cleaned but I do not use bulk-pac ammo in this gun...just the good stuff. About the only time I bore-snake my other .22s...if it's been sprinkling a bit at the range.

Bob

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"Onward thru the Fog"

Interesting thread. I'm solidly in the fanatic cleaner camp. I can't stand the thought of a dirty gun and so, I clean after every trip to the range. My guns all look like new and they fire like new guns, after thousands of rounds and hundreds of cleaning sessions. I have a Model 41 that is in my regular rotation of guns that I take to the range and it gets cleaned, bore and all, after every trip, just as I clean all of my other guns. It hasn't lost an iota of accuracy even after many, many cleanings.

But I also have friends who almost never clean their guns. They show up at the range, and pull out these pieces that are black with carbon fouling. And, they shoot just as accurately as my pristine weapons. After having observed that numerous times over the years I've concluded that most of my obsessive cleaning is almost certainly unnecessary. I still do it, however (because I'm obsessive!!!).

stevieboy,
Agree with you! Very interesting thread. I am much more "obsessive" when it comes to the finish and action...the bore does not get that same level of care...it would if I shot corrosive ammunition!!

Bob

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"Onward thru the Fog"

I've heard that the barrel can go without cleaning but the breech end needs to have the residue cleaned for proper extraction in my model 41. If I take her down for that, I figure I might as well clean the whole gun. And I do until the patch comes out with no more residue. Once a Marine always a Marine, I could not even imagine putting away a dirty weapon. If you know how to clean, you will not damage anything, IMO.

When I take a gun from the range box or bag, it does not look dirty nor is it. I carefully clean to the field strip point after every session.
The question was about bores.
Centerfires; I field strip and clean all but the bore. I check the bore and run a felt pellet though it unless I am switching from lead to jacketed or back. To clean the barrel/bore I remove them and put them in a bottle of #9 overnight. Next day a brass brush, felts, and finally a oiled patch. Wilson says 500 rds/ Schuemann says infrequently unless he sees a problem. Consider that these guys and the target shooters are not switching ammunition or bullet types as a rule.
Much of the fouling problem can IMO be attributed to mixing Jacked and lead without cleaning in between, or problems with leading due to barrel or load.

I do not pull M41 barrels after each session; I can effectively clean the breach +ramp without. At the first hint of feed problems I field strip and clean the chamber.
I find CCI-SV to be clean, not perhaps as clean as my beloved Peters SV perhaps, but good enough.
Fouling Shots, many target shooters fire fouling shots when they have a clean barrel before sighting shots, I skip that.

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Ipsis Rebus Dictantitbus

OK so no one has any proof that cleaning to much will wear out the bore or ruin the crown???

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Dom