Clean The Barrel Muzzle or Breach?
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johnsonl
Member
Always clean from the breech to the muzzle when possible. When it isn't possible, exercise caution when pushing the cleaning rod through the barrel so as not to touch the interior sides of the muzzle. There are bore guides available to help with this chore. Bore snakes are the best for protecting the crown. Any quality bore snake will do, you can clean them in your dishwasher. Do not let your wife see you do this, she will frown upon it.
PATracker
Member
I'm new to the AR world but have always cleaned my rifles from the breach whenever possible. I'm assuming it's the same for AR's and just cleaned mine this way an hour ago.
I use Dewey cleaning rods, they are nylon coated rods.
I use Dewey cleaning rods, they are nylon coated rods.
Jammer
US Veteran
Just keep in mind that if you clean the barrel from the muzzle to the breach, then all you are doing is transferring the accumulated "gunk" in your barrel to the breach area! Then you have an even bigger clean-up job to do.
ALWAYS clean from the breach to the muzzle!
I recommend you pick up a bore snake, squirt the "rough spots" with a little CLP and run it through your barrel. It will clean quickly, and you don't have to worry about scratching the insides with cleaning rods and/or brushes. Just saying.....
ALWAYS clean from the breach to the muzzle!
I recommend you pick up a bore snake, squirt the "rough spots" with a little CLP and run it through your barrel. It will clean quickly, and you don't have to worry about scratching the insides with cleaning rods and/or brushes. Just saying.....
gmiller0737
Member
I normally clean from the breech to the Muzzle whenever possible,On the 15-22 take care not to bend the ejector while cleaning if you bend it even slightly there will be functioning issues the next time you fire it,Lately I use a patch worm from the breech end to avoid tweaking the ejector.
chuck s
Member
#3 is the correct answer. .22LR barrels rarely need cleaning.
If you insist, or somehow need to clean the barrel simply drop the same Boresnake you use in your 5.56mm version down the bore. Repeat if desired.
Usually better to drag any dirt out the muzzle rather than into the receiver, but if you have a compensator on the barrel it doesn't really matter to the barrel and the rope ain't gonna do things to your barrel crown. Dewey rods are entirely unnecessary.
The guys at the gun shop will sell you hundreds of dollars of cleaning equipment and solvents. Just grab a bottle of CLP.
-- Chuck
If you insist, or somehow need to clean the barrel simply drop the same Boresnake you use in your 5.56mm version down the bore. Repeat if desired.
Usually better to drag any dirt out the muzzle rather than into the receiver, but if you have a compensator on the barrel it doesn't really matter to the barrel and the rope ain't gonna do things to your barrel crown. Dewey rods are entirely unnecessary.
The guys at the gun shop will sell you hundreds of dollars of cleaning equipment and solvents. Just grab a bottle of CLP.
-- Chuck
JaPes
Member
An Otis flexible cleaning rod system works well for me.
+1 on the bore snake too
+1 on the bore snake too
22s rarely need cleaning?? Ok everyones got an opinion , heres mine. I clean mine after every time out, Im a clean freak and it might come from shooting bench rifles, I would pass a patch threw after every shot when shooting my tactical 25-06 Sendero at 300+yrds thats were it comes from I realize that these are just 22s and plinking is hardly that critical but my MP sports a 4-16 target scope and I love pushing a calibur to its limit to see how good I can get with it. I dont clean after every shot but for me after 100 rounds Ill pass a patch threw cause thats how I am. 22s are a filthy round to shoot and that just my opinion. Im out there to enjoy the day and a good cigar as well never hurts to run a patch threw and take time to shoot and have fun at the range the bolt is so easy to remove and clean at the range!! but hey thats me and my 2cents, Good Shooting Eric
chuck s
Member
I wasn't offering an opinion. 
.22LR barrels rarely need cleaning. You can clean 'em if you want to.
-- Chuck
.22LR barrels rarely need cleaning. You can clean 'em if you want to.
-- Chuck
Im sorry,If you wernt offering an opinion then I assume you were stating facts. 22 rifles rarley need cleaning,Were are you getting data from to support what you belive,Or are these just your personal experiances.Thats like saying cars rarley need their oil changed?? Here some facts on barrel cleaning from the experts at Lilja Precision Rifle Barrels.Its possible to accumalate fouling in the leade area of the chamber,build up here is highly detrimental to top accuracy.After 100 rounds dry patch from breach end and push out loose fouling,work over the leade area about 10 times and then push forward twards the muzzle. Every 200-300 rounds brush with wet solvent,work back and fourth in the leade area and any other area lead is present in the barrel. After cleaning and shooting 10-15 rounds wax coating is reaplied to the barrel and your ready to go! Lilja Rifle uses Butches Bore Shine in their barrels. So the choice is yours, if you prefer be knowlegble and learn everything you can about your sport and you care about your 500.00$ + investment in your M-P 15-22 gun and all the toys we buy and put on them,I would want to learn all I could about this great 22! Thell always be others who see it as just a 22 and say that it rarley needs cleaning.For those of us who see this as a great shooting and highly accurate gun we will always strive to learn all we can to treat are barrels with care based on the facts we have learned from the experts and those that have gone on before us. However to each his own and if youre happy rarley cleaning your rifle the great! More power to ya Dude!!!
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I wasn't offering an opinion.
.22LR barrels rarely need cleaning. You can clean 'em if you want to.
-- Chuck
You might add the caveat of using half decent ammo.
Thunderbolts will lead your barrel.
RGB's will dirty things a bit but not horribly. I use them exclusively in my P-22 and while my accuracy has decreased (i can still hit a can, easily) I'm over 1k rounds through it without a cleaning.
Johnsonl Just reading what you said about bore snakes,theyve had my attention for years when ever Ive seen them in stores. I just wrote them off as a gimic, today I bought one and ran it threw my barrel 3 times and it was awsome to say the least! I put a bore light in and it was so clean I allmost couldnt look at it! like a mirror this seems to work very well, however my gun wasnt that dirty, but still I could tell a differance.Well sitting there looking at the stock tube and being new to this rifle I saw someone on utube take the stock off so I thought I would try it and it removes very easy. I saw the plug in the end and removed it as well and thought it might store my bore snake and it works perfect if you wrap up the cord and drop it in first you can put the whole snake in there!! Cool I now will have a fast cleaning tool at all times with the gun no matter were I go !!
.22 need cleaning once in year, only, if you shoot often. If you store it for longer period, then put oil with nylon brush and store muzzle down.
And always from breech.
But if you use sound silencer, then oil barrel quickly after shooting. Silencer keeps all water steam inside and it slowly goes to barrel, rusting it. Water steam comes always when something burns.
I use silencer, so after every shooting session I put oil inside with nylon brush, and thats all. Next time I only start shooting, without any cleaning.
Hope you understand, my english is not very good.
And always from breech.
But if you use sound silencer, then oil barrel quickly after shooting. Silencer keeps all water steam inside and it slowly goes to barrel, rusting it. Water steam comes always when something burns.
I use silencer, so after every shooting session I put oil inside with nylon brush, and thats all. Next time I only start shooting, without any cleaning.
Hope you understand, my english is not very good.
Jayhawkhuntclub
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I agree. I can't prove it, but I'm very confident that more guns are damaged by over cleaning than under cleaning. And I'm not just talking about 22s. But to each his own.
PHXSHOOTER
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HOLEFIRE, As you said some place, “each to their own”. Pass a patch thru after every shot, wow! The accuracy of any rifle is most dependant on the knowledge and skill possessed by the one pulling the trigger. It is not based on how often a patch has traveled the path between bullets. You obviously enjoy cleaning your firearms and that’s OK. For me it is necessary maintenance. My range bag contains a small tool kit, the cleaning kit stays at home. I enjoy shooting, not cleaning. Of all the variables involved in my own accuracy, clean barrels are at the bottom of the list. They are not filthy, but clean enough.
IMHO Chuck S. provides readers of this forum with the best contributions available here. His information is deadly accurate, succinct, and spelled correctly. I don’t know the man, but I have no doubt his knowledge comes from experience far greater than mine. I listen to him. I enjoyed your challenges of his simple but true statement, it made me laugh. He does not get into pi**ing matches here to come out on top. He provides information. Pass as many patches as you like Eric. And each to their own.
I'm still looking for the hard evidence that not cleaning a .22 barrel is not only good for it but makes it a better shooting gun. I've read lots of post of people saying that they had whatever gun for a million years and never cleaned the barrel and when they did the accuracy was way off. But to me it sounds like neglect catching up to them.
I don't know not saying one is right or the other is wrong I just need more info I guess before I start letting my gun get dirty.
I don't know not saying one is right or the other is wrong I just need more info I guess before I start letting my gun get dirty.
I always clean my guns after every range session. That way if it sits for months prior to another outing I know it's clean. The M&P15-22 is easy to clean, I soak a patch with Hoppes No 9, run it thru the bore, breach to muzzle, and while it's sitting I'll clean the bolt and receiver. I remove every bit of carbon out of the receiver which can take awhile. Then some dry patches through the bore, lube the bolt guides and done. I've owned 3 M&P15-22s, first was a standard early one with no flash suppressor. 2'nd was one with the flash suppresor and improved springs. Third was a black MOE example, and all have been really good rifles. I ordered a FDE MOE model 2 weeks ago and my dealer got in today just in time for Christmas. These MOE versions are the best of the bunch.
treetop
Member
Ive shot comps for years, and shoot with olympic shooting team...
and I will say..... that you should always clean after every use, and a dry patch before use, if you want a regular consitant accurate rifle...
however...... a .22 will not have the same barrel wear as a .223 or bigger and does not need, to have the same routines, I have never met a man yet to wear out a .22 barrel ( other than accuracy reasons).
so its up to the owner of the rifle.....
personally, like I said, I clean after ever shoot, that way I know when it goes to bed, it will still work in the morning..!!!
and I will say..... that you should always clean after every use, and a dry patch before use, if you want a regular consitant accurate rifle...
however...... a .22 will not have the same barrel wear as a .223 or bigger and does not need, to have the same routines, I have never met a man yet to wear out a .22 barrel ( other than accuracy reasons).
so its up to the owner of the rifle.....
personally, like I said, I clean after ever shoot, that way I know when it goes to bed, it will still work in the morning..!!!
The way I look at it: Yeah sure grandpa had a 10/22 that was never cleaned and has had thousands of rounds through it. When I shoot competitions, you should clean the barrel to provide the same accuracy every time you go to the range. To me that's common sense. If you sight your gun in one way, wouldn't you wanna do the same thing again next time to ensure the same accuracy?
