Gun cleaning tips?

[hoonshyne]

Hey all - this is my first rimfire and I'm learning that shooting a few hundred rounds can leave a gun relatively dirty.

What do you guys do to clean your gun?
Is it a good idea to just buy a pre-packaged "rifle cleaning kit"?

What parts need more attention to clean?

 

[CrazyFingers]

Get a .22 boresnake, some Break-Free CLP, a rag, and maybe some Q-tips. Run the boresnake after a decent amount of shooting, then clean & lube the bolt, carrier and the feed ramp. Shouldn't take more than 10 minutes. When your fcg gets nasty, give it a quick cleaning too.

 

[dadude]

There will two schools:

1) Strip and clean after every outing
2) Clean only when accuracy degrades

Best is to decide which works best for you.

I'm using an Outers cleaning kit that uses a cleaning rod. The rod makes contact with the ejector. Some have suggested using a straw to protect the ejector from scraping the cleaning rod. I haven't tried it yet, but seems like a workable solution.

Then there is the boresnake. I think it would be a good method of cleaning the bore on a regular basis before the BIG annual strip down and clean. I think I may be switching to this.

 

[dadude]

Clean feed ramps with CLP using brush and some Q-tips.
Clean bolt, lube rails

 

[hoonshyne]

I appreciate the responses guys. do u guys think it's worth buyin one of those cleaning kits or do they come with unnecessary items?

 

[thacheese]

I appreciate the responses guys. do u guys think it's worth buyin one of those cleaning kits or do they come with unnecessary items?

the kit is pretty much not necessary. BUT it's handy to have the kit with a solid rod and attachments if you end up with lead fouling and can't even get the snake through.

buy a $10 kit at walmart, and hope you never need to open it.

i use regularly:
boresnake
winchester detailing kit (brush and picks)
lead remover cloth
qtips
birchwood casey gun scrubber (polymer safe) to clean
remoil to lube
all of these will cost more than the cheap kit, but work a whole lot better, and faster.

 

[What the]

A cleaning kit will come in handy sooner or later, It's a good idea to have a brass brush and a toothbrush or two handy. Q-tips and a few rags for a wipedown are nice to have as well.

 

[Seanie boy 1986]

Here's my question. How often should we remove the barrel for cleaning?

 

[Hobie1]

Never. You get to all the necessary parts without removing it. Just watch out for the ejector when you clean.

Hobie

 

[chuck s]

Reports from trusted shooters (here) verify thousands of rounds down range without cleaning the rifle.

Cleaning any .22LR barrel is seldom necessary. Soft, externally lubricated lead bullets down a steel bore doesn't cause copper or lead fouling and produce less wear than scrubbing the barrel. Drag the same Boresnake thru the bore that you use on your 5.56mm version occasionally if you insist.

The rest of the rifle requires little cleaning as well. Sure it gets dirty, but lubrication is more important than cleaning. Remove the bolt group and wipe it off with some CLP on a rag and wipe out the upper receiver. Done.

Don't clean your rifle for (say) the next 1000 rounds. See how it performs the next time to the range after that.

-- Chuck

 

[TrashmanNYC]

Reports from trusted shooters (here) verify thousands of rounds down range without cleaning the rifle.

Cleaning any .22LR barrel is seldom necessary. Soft, externally lubricated lead bullets down a steel bore doesn't cause copper or lead fouling and produce less wear than scrubbing the barrel. Drag the same Boresnake thru the bore that you use on your 5.56mm version occasionally if you insist.

The rest of the rifle requires little cleaning as well. Sure it gets dirty, but lubrication is more important than cleaning. Remove the bolt group and wipe it off with some CLP on a rag and wipe out the upper receiver. Done.

Don't clean your rifle for (say) the next 1000 rounds. See how it performs the next time to the range after that.

-- Chuck

does the CLP wipedown cover the lubeing as well?

 

[CrazyFingers]

does the CLP wipedown cover the lubeing as well?

Break-Free - Products: Break-Free CLP

 

[Hizzie]

How I do it.

1. Unload and make weapon safe.
2. Field strip weapon
3. Remove upper from lower
4. Use CLP to saturate bore
5. Use CLP and toothbrush top clean everything else.
6. Use GunScrubber(synthetic safe) to remove CLP and crud from pieces parts-except for barrel
7. Use CLP and toothbrush to clean upper
8. Add another dose of CLP to bore
9. Run bore snake through bore several times
10. Use GunScrubber(synthetic safe) to clean CLP and crud away
11. Run boresnake through bore once more
12. Lube BCG and FCG
13. Reassemble upper and lower.

Works for me.

 

[dbuffington]

Reports from trusted shooters (here) verify thousands of rounds down range without cleaning the rifle... Don't clean your rifle for (say) the next 1000 rounds.

Over the years, I've moved closer and closer to the minimalist school of gun cleaning -- that is, only clean when there's an issue of some kind.

But with my 15-22, well, I ran a bore snake (a great invention, by the way) through it right after I bought it, primarily as a safety check.

And since then, I haven't cleaned it at all I'm guessing I've fired 1,000-1,500 rounds so far with no issues of any kind.

Stay tuned.
Dave