Too Much Cleaning

[team sidewinder]

How much do you clean your MP 15-22 ? I have heard over the years from some sources that a cleaning a 22LR cal. too much can be more harmful too little cleaning. Now that modern .22LR cal. ammo have less corrosive powder and better bullets with which cause less leading. For me I may only shoot 50 rounds at the most every time I go out shooting gophers ( sometimes once a week in the summer ) and while I clean my other guns everytime I finish shooting. I do use them a lot less with longer times between use.

Also I am using gun grease on my MP 15-22 bolt slides ( same grease I use on my pistol slide ) and while I know in cold weather this could be too heavy of a lube I feel it offers better lube/protection for the conditions I will be using this weapon. Any opinions ? Maybe it is just me.

 

[RGERBER875]

I shoot about 500 rds. A month thru mine spray Ballistol in the trigger group blow out with air compressor, bore snake with Ballistol and Lucas on the slide call it good.
About 3,500 rds. So far

 

[gasjockey]

I may be the extreame, since I put about 1000-1500 rounds a week down range (father daughter time, the girls just can't get enough). I clean it once a week along with the other .22lr pistols that we shoot. Seems to be holding up well, with no FTF or FTE. Using cheap Blazer ammo most of the time.

I do clean my concealed carry after every trip to the range, but that is just to make sure there are no problems if I would actually need it.

 

[chuck s]

There is rarely any reason to clean the bore of a .22LR firearm. Ever. If you insist just drop a Boresnake into the chamber. Won't hurt. Rarely necessary.

Firing residue in the receivers is easily removed with some CLP, a brush, and small rag. Avoid the temptation to knock out the trigger and hammer pins to white glove clean in there. Adds unnecessary wear to the receiver.

-- Chuck

 

[Juvicator]

I like above put 1500 to 2500 a week thru it. Clean after every outing. Its my quiet time.

 

[Dead eye 22]

I would think you could go up to a week with out cleaning depending on how the barrel looks inside. Any longer and especially if it is humid I would want to at least usu a pull through cleaning device with some cleaner/ protector product on it in order to prevent the formation of rust.

 

[E6type]

I clean and oil all of my guns whether they have been fired or not.

 

[mrasgt]

this

I clean and oil all of my guns whether they have been fired or not.

Plus and I send my apologies in advance...but not cleaning the
bore is complete BS!!!

 

[Morgan320i]

Any kind of residue on a bore is bad after a period of time over a nice clean lubed bore

 

[reelman]

Ask small bore target shooters how often they clean the bore of their .22's.

 

[Jabbit]

Ask small bore target shooters how often they clean the bore of their .22's.

I think that is exactly what he is doing.

 

[CrazyFingers]

I clean my 15-22 with a .22 boresnake after every outing. I see no reason to put it up dirty. If it shot better with fouling and powder residue in it, then S&W would sell it to you pre-loaded with crud.

 

[reelman]

Most of my rifles shoot better with fouling and powder residue in them as do most of yours, you need to do some tests and you will realize that.

 

[E6type]

I clean my 15-22 with a .22 boresnake after every outing. I see no reason to put it up dirty. If it shot better with fouling and powder residue in it, then S&W would sell it to you pre-loaded with crud.

Awesome idea!

"Improve your accuracy with Crud, the new revolutionary non-polutionary bore coating system guaranteed to transform your favorite rimfire into that tack drivin' machine you always knew it could be. You will be shooting dimes in no time. But wait, order now and we'll send you two!"

{Plink} "Thanks Crud!"

 

[CrazyFingers]

Most of my rifles shoot better with fouling and powder residue in them as do most of yours, you need to do some tests and you will realize that.

You can do whatever you like with your rifles, but I'll continue to clean mine before I put them up, thanks.

 

[cmb2474]

For the bore/ chamber: 2x - CLP followed by a boresnake... 1 minute (including the removal of the action)! As was said by others before, 22lr bores are pretty much a non-issue.

Action: The actions on these fun machines fouls up with the best of them. I take it apart (off the rails, but not pulling the internals out of the bolt) and clean it good. I also make sure I clean the carbon away from the face of the bolt and the face of the chamber. I lube the action rails and rod up pretty good with a quality gun oil and put it all back together. Now that I have done that a few times, I can dissasemble, clean up and reassemble the action in about ten to fifteen minutes.

I generally put 500+ rounds through the rifle during each range trip (always bulk pack Federal or CCI Blazer... stay away from Remington).
This past weekend, I went well beyond that number with only one failure to fire (definately the ammo's fault... great hit on the rim). I think my action cleaning/ lubrication regimine is part of the reason for the lack of failures.

Caveat: I shoot my MP15-22 at least once a month and oftentimes more. If you are going to throw it in the safe for 6+ months, clean it up good and oil it.

 

[Aceman58]

Well in my experience, putting away any weapon either in a safe, wall or gun bag without cleaning the barrel is just asking for the cancer of all handguns & rifles to start, called RUST. Since the invention of the bore snake, it should be real easy to just do even a once through and you're good to go. Of course you can always take a chance with your investment and let mother nature desolve you nice weapon back to dust. I put a shotgun away without wiping the barrle (exterior), and one of the Officer had handled my shotgun, I got a thumb rust on the barrel withing a month..Lucky I took it out to check before the next qal. I had to rub it off and oil that spot for a while.. It can happen it was a rainy night, the soft case got wet, mother nature works fast.

 

[tbury]

I think the idea that over cleaning a .22 causes more harm than not cleaning comes from people using cleaning rods from the muzzle end. With the small bore of .22s it is easy to cause wear at the muzzle which hurts accuracy. If you use a bore snake, otis flex line or clean from the chamber forward I do not think you can wear a .22 out by cleaning. As others have pointed out rust from moisture attracted to fouling will hurt the bore. I clean all my rifles and pistols after each range trip. JMHO

 

[riderrick65]

I think the idea that over cleaning a .22 causes more harm than not cleaning comes from people using cleaning rods from the muzzle end. With the small bore of .22s it is easy to cause wear at the muzzle which hurts accuracy. If you use a bore snake, otis flex line or clean from the chamber forward I do not think you can wear a .22 out by cleaning. As others have pointed out rust from moisture attracted to fouling will hurt the bore. I clean all my rifles and pistols after each range trip. JMHO

I agree with tbury, I clean my 15-22 after every range trip. I run a bore snake with a light coating of Rem-oil through the barrel (starting @ the breach end), then I clean the breach face & bolt face with Hope's #9. From there I disassemble the bolt slide, wipe it down, re-oil it (lightly) then reassemble everything & I'm good to go. It's like riding my Harley hard, then putting it away wet, (this would never happen!). Rifles, like Harleys are an investment, if not kept up they will loose their value.

 

[guy22]

In my exerince cleaning = Good
Not cleaning = Bad

Pretty simple really. JMHO

Guy22

 

[ecuFishbowl]

15-22 is my first weapon. I was wondering of I should do anything to the exterior of the rifle during cleaning? Should I run anything on the rails/grip/barrel exterior/ect.?

 

[Aceman58]

Note, I think the only harmful way of over cleaning a gun would be not letting the gun break itself in, so it is cleaned so well and lub'ed so good, it's running tight for ever... That to me would be a harmful event for any weapon... Break that sucker in first, then when it's good and running in it's grove, clean, oil, and shoot.. To me a winning combination when done this way.

 

[Texashunter]

a bore snake doesnt clean anything, if you want to remove carbon fouling and lead fouling a bore brush and a cleaner designed for carbon, lead and copper is the only way. a bore snake with rem oil is only oiling the carbon fouling its not even getting to the metal

 

[RedBaronRX7]

I like my guns, like I like my women, clean & wet.

 

[CrazyFingers]

a bore snake doesnt clean anything, if you want to remove carbon fouling and lead fouling a bore brush and a cleaner designed for carbon, lead and copper is the only way. a bore snake with rem oil is only oiling the carbon fouling its not even getting to the metal

You...DO know that boresnakes have 2 brushes embedded in the fabric about 6 inches apart, right?
Put a few drops of CLP on the first brush, run the snake through 3 times, you're done. And yes, it does clean the barrel quite well.

 

[Texashunter]

You...DO know that boresnakes have 2 brushes embedded in the fabric about 6 inches apart, right?
Put a few drops of CLP on the first brush, run the snake through 3 times, you're done. And yes, it does clean the barrel quite well.

depends on what you call clean, takes me on average 30-60 strokes of wet patches and bore brushing to get a barrel clean.
heavy fouling will take even more with a couple of foamings mixed in there as well.
how do you clean the bore snake, cause i dont run dirty patches back through a barrel, or even a dirty bore brush.

 

[J22LR1der]

Some tips here too, I clean almost everytime I take here out. but I put about 1000 through at a time also, if not 300-500 at a short indoor session.

Another cleaning thread.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-m-p-15-22/222709-cleaning-s-w-m-p-15-22-a.html

a bore snake doesnt clean anything,

I'd say it does a good enough job for me.
Next time I do it I'll run a few wet patches through to show you what's left. I usually pass it through from breach to barrel 2-3 times w a drop of cleaner and The thing Bling when I'm done. I used to the patches and rod provided in the cleaning kit and just knew there had to be a better way. Then all of a sudden I stumble on the Best Barrel Cleaning Tool ever. I believe it was called a BORESNAKE.

 

[Texashunter]

Some tips here too, I clean almost everytime I take here out. but I put about 1000 through at a time also, if not 300-500 at a short indoor session.

Another cleaning thread.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-m-p-15-22/222709-cleaning-s-w-m-p-15-22-a.html




I'd say it does a good enough job for me.
Next time I do it I'll run a few wet patches through to show you what's left. I usually pass it through from breach to barrel 2-3 times w a drop of cleaner and The thing Bling when I'm done. I used to the patches and rod provided in the cleaning kit and just knew there had to be a better way. Then all of a sudden I stumble on the Best Barrel Cleaning Tool ever. I believe it was called a BORESNAKE.

for a 22lr it might very well be good enough, for my deer rifle uh uh no way, it takes me a very long time to get the copper fouling out of it.
this is my first 22 in a very long time, i will soon find out how bad it fouls.
but i find it hard to believe you can get carbon and lead or copper fouling out in 3 passes with a boresnake

 

[CrazyFingers]

depends on what you call clean, takes me on average 30-60 strokes of wet patches and bore brushing to get a barrel clean.

30-60 patches to clean your barrel??????

How many thousands of rounds are you putting through it between cleanings?
Are you sure you're not going overboard just a bit?

 

[Texashunter]

30-60 patches to clean your barrel??????

How many thousands of rounds are you putting through it between cleanings?
Are you sure you're not going overboard just a bit?

bout 40 rounds through my deer rifle requires at least 60 strokes of a bore brush, thats not counting the wet and dry patching in between, to get all the copper fouling out of the barrell. sometimes a bore foam helps speed that up.
I dont have a bore scope but i do look in the end of the barell with magnifying glass and flash light and i dont stop untill the copper is gone.
barrel was properly broke in, and poi is within an inch off a clean barell first shot at 100 yds.
heres a 3 shot group @ 100yds on another gun i load for thats meticulously cleaned as well, by me. (.243)

heres a 3 shot group on my gun @200 yds (7-08)
roughly 3/4" group