Picked up my 15-22 yesterday. Advice?

[RolandW]

Thank you for all of the great info I've already found on this forum. My new-in-box M&P 15-22 (DZL serial, black with threaded barrel) is sitting in pieces on the kitchen counter, awaiting better weather. My break-in plan is based on an article I read. Hey, it was on the internet so it has to be true!

• Clean cardboard fuzz and any other debris from the chamber.
• Pull a BoreSnake with a little Hoppe's through.
• Put one round in the magazine and fire it.
• BoreSnake again.
• Put two rounds in and fire once to make sure it doesn't full-auto, then fire the other round.
• BoreSnake again, fire three, BoreSnake, fire four, BoreSnake, fire five, BoreSnake.
• Put the cleaning stuff away and start having fun.

I will be using bulk Federal 36-gr. hollowpoints from Walmart.
Any advice or admonitions?
Is it OK to use compressed air (dry shop air, not from a can) to blow out crud when cleaning? Machinist's textbooks always warn not to do this because it can force stuff into places where it shouldn't be, but of course we all do it anyway.
Thanks again. Looking forward to "kicking some brass" in the sticks outside St. Louis!

 

[Breechloader]

Sounds similar to the Howa rifle break in procedure.
http://www.legacysports.com/pdf/Howa%20Break-in%20Procedure.pdf

 

[iouri]

Congrats on your new purchase You seem to have a very solid plan of action. I only did field strip and good clean before range time. Didn't do any routine with incremental number of rounds, but mine seems to not have full auto "feature" I was shooting Winchester bulk from Wallmart and it doesn't like it much.

 

[googanelli]

Seconds on the Walmart winchester bulk not liking the 15-22.

Joe

 

[Bowlseye]

Make sure you clean and lube the bolt, and the trigger mechanism as well, anything that moves should be cleaned and lubed as well. Aside from that sounds good, enjoy it!

 

[Bowlseye]

Oh yeah, and GO STL!!!!!! Thats where I am from as well so nice to meet ya neighbor!!!!!

 

[nathantc]

umm buy mags and ammo lol

 

[crracer_712]

One of the funnest things I and my boys like to do with ours is use them on the resting targets. We have a Caldwell resetting 22 target, 4 targets to flip up and one to let them back down. Also have a cheapy from Walmart, a winchester branded set of 3 spinning targets that is fun, but rather flimsy.

Other than that, trimming tree limbs is always a fun thing to do.

 

[RolandW]

Very good. Thanks. From this I gather that it is not good to run something with a little oil on it through the barrel after cleaning (unless you're getting it ready for storage)?

 

[Breechloader]

Yes not before firing cause the heat will turn oil into carbon.

 

[Pete 45]

Breaking In The Barrel?

I'm aware of and in certain instances concur with breaking in a rifle barrel, especially if it is to be utilized as a target or sniper rifle. I've never been aware of breaking in a handgun barrel, especially a .22 long rifle that in most instances will use lead ammo. Seems to be a bit of over kill to me. That's only my opinion.

Enjoy your new pistol for it is sure a good one.

 

[RolandW]

Thanks - and great to know you too! Yes, we're pretty rugged out here in rural east-central Missouri, where an inch of snow closes all the schools for two days.

 

[mud king]

Roland,

If I were you, I'd break the gun down clean it well and lube everything up. Then shoot as many rounds as you'd like then clean it when done. This is the plan and approach I took and it worked for me.

 

[RolandW]

Yes, the author actually states several times that this probably is overkill, but his attitude is that many experienced owners swear by it, and since it costs next to nothing (aside from your time) and can't hurt anything, why not do it.

 

[corpulent]

I'll hazard to say that this is sufficient:

• Clean cardboard fuzz and any other debris from the chamber.
• Pull a BoreSnake with a little Hoppe's through.
• Put the cleaning stuff away and start having fun.

Compressed air should be fine, Federal bulk ammo should be fine.

 

[mud king]

Well the concept is, you wanna get the gun used to what it will encounter in the future. Kind of like a car. You want good gas mileage, break it in by being easy on it, whereas if you want power, work the thing to death and it work forever. Same applies to these firearms.

 

[Majorlk]

I'll hazard to say that this is sufficient:

• Clean cardboard fuzz and any other debris from the chamber.
• Pull a BoreSnake with a little Hoppe's through.
• Put the cleaning stuff away and start having fun.

Compressed air should be fine, Federal bulk ammo should be fine.

Absolutely. Anything else takes time that is better spent shooting.

 

[mud king]

Absolutely. Anything else takes time that is better spent shooting.

^^^^^^^Agreed

 

[RolandW]

Wow, this is an active forum. Thank you all. I have a feeling that if the weather dries out as it's supposed to late this afternoon and I start firing this bad boy, the number of cleanings will be in proportion to the daylight remaining.

 

[tork'd]

ours does not mind the bulk federals, but dislikes hollowpoints...
imho...clean, shoot a bulk box, clean, enjoy a cold refreshment and try to stop grinning..
repeat the following day