Ruger 10/22 question

[dswanso1]

I am new to shooting and I have a new ruger 10/22 that I have run a few hundred rounds through. I have been shooting whatever I can find, which is mostly the cheap, bulk remington ammo. How often do I need to clean the gun?

 

[Double T]

For me, after every range trip.

 

[Simon6101]

Remington Ammo

Remington ammo burns very dirty so it will need to be cleaned more often.

 

[netsecurity]

For me, after every range trip.

Or at least every other time.

 

[mattritchie238]

For me, after every range trip.

+1 ^^ I clean my weapons after every use and sometimes even just for fun (I'm strange, I know ). Investing in a .22 cal bore snake makes the process quite a bit easier/quicker. They can be had for less than $20 and your bore will shine like glass.

Welcome to

 

[x10]

you folks are way better at maintenance than I am,

My 10/22's basically don't get clean untill they malfunction but you for sure don't want to overclean the barrel,

I usually only clean trigger group, bolt and bolt face, and maybe one reasonable patch through the barrell

 

[top hat 45]

using the ammo that i do (eley tenex and match) i only clean the bolt and chamber, never the barrel because the wax these bullits have on them maintains the accuracy. if i do run a boresnake down the barrel, it takes almost 30 rounds to reprep the rifling.

my play 22's almost never till a malfunction.

 

[singlesix]

I can't remember the last time I cleaned my two 10/22s ...

 

[OldBob]

I assume by your question that you are referring to bore cleaning. For bore cleaning I recommend the use of a Hoppes Bore Snake available at most Walmarts, etc. for about $14. They come in different bore sizes so be sure that you are getting one for your .22. I would shoot no more than 100 rounds without running the snake thru from the chamber toward the muzzle. Lock the bolt in the open position and take a Q-tip saturated with Hoppes #9 (also Walmart, etc.) and apply a generous amount of it in the chamber. Then let it sit for a few minutes and then pull the snake thru several times. Then apply any good bore oil (Remington, Winchester, Outers, etc.) to a clean swab and put a generous amount in the chamber then "snake it" again a 2 or 3 times and you are good to go.

As to the rest of the action clean as soon as you feel that there is a build-up of carbon with #9 with the bolt locked back using a small craft brush and Q-tips for removing the excess. NEVER stick a dirty swab back into the #9 as it will comtaminate it and spoil its effectiveness. Sometimes I clean up the excess #9 with rubbing alcohol (90%) then let it dry and apply a LIGHT coat of gun oil especially around the firing pin hole.

The third item is the magazine. They need to be disassembled occassionally. Google "How to clean a Ruger rotary magazine" for some YOUTube stuff on the subject.

My opinion. Forget about cleaning rods, patches, brushes, etc. for now. The snake is the way to go as rods, etc. can damage the bore and muzzle. Always clean from the chamber...not the muzzle. You can stick the snake in your pocket or gun case and wash it in laundry detergent when it gets too dirty. The snake is quick and easy and you can run it thru dry frequently at the range without a lot of bother. I often do so.

After much use copper/lead fouling may become an issue. If your rifle starts losing accuracy that may be the reason. Let's save that issue for another day.

By the way, Hoppes #9 is the old standby for bore cleaning. Hard to find an "old pro" who doesn't use it. Safe and non-corrosive. Stay away from any product that contains ammonia for routine cleaning. Ammonia can ruin your bore if not handled properly.

 

[Bennettjh]

I clean every firearm after every trip. I'm always surprised how dirty they get in just a few rounds. I also clean for fun too. Most practice .22LR burns really dirty so they get extra treatment on my table.

 

[OldBob]

Dswanso1....in the answer that I gave you I picked up on " I have been shooting whatever I can find, which is mostly the cheap, bulk remington ammo. ". The question that you pose will often yield as many different opinions as there are folks who care to answer. I feel that my opinion applies to your situation. If you are shooting Lapua Match ammo at about $150 for 500 rounds then I suppose that you have a different outlook. That's not your situation. You are probably switching from copper-clad to waxed lead and everything in between.

Now, if you want to open a real can of worms ask "how do I break in a new rifle barrel?".

 

[DanVoils]

I clean my guns after every range trip. I find it cathartic and relaxing to break them down and go through them. I use Gunzilla CLP as well as Hoppe's 9 and Remoil with teflon. Never had a problem with any of them on any of my guns. Boresnakes are the way to go and have multiples in many different calibers. Amazon has them for $10-$20 depending on the caliber.

 

[netsecurity]

I like to clean my guns too, if gives me a chance to handle them and get familiar with their mechanics. But I would like to know if I should not clean the bore when using lead nose (waxed) ammo, or whether the copper washed ammo requires different cleaning efforts. Maybe I shouldn't be mixing the ammo? I have heard that a long wax buildup is recommended by competition shooters, I just don't know if that is a superstition or what.

 

[Whip_McCord]

Thru the years, I read several articles suggesting not to run bronze brushes thru 22 rimfire bores. The thought was many rimfire bores are of softer steel and would easily get scratched. Some barrel makers suggest not using bronze brushes thru any of their barrels. The 22 rimfire boresnake has brushes embedded in the cloth.

What I do is take a suitable length of weed whacker line and cut one end at a 45 degree angle. That will pierce the cloth patch. Take the other end and heat with a match. When it is melted, press against a flat surface. This is the end that holds the patch. A 1 1/4" patch works well for a 22 bore. Run that from the breech end of the gun. For 22, I usually run a dry patch to remove any powder residue. This reduces the rounds needed for fouling. If I'm done with that gun for the season, I use a solvent and clean normally.

This is what I use for my 22s. Also much cheaper than a boresnake. For other barrels, I have been getting nylon brushes when I can. They are easier on the bore and last much longer when using a solvent that is aggressive on copper fouling. Just my $0.02.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Eh, it's a 10/22.

Clean it when it needs cleaned.

Many folks do more damage to firearms by cleaning too much or with overzealous cleaning. Especially true where rifle barrels are concerned (perhaps not .22 rifles necessarily, but up-caliber rifles for sure)

MY rule of thumb for MY 10/22 is that I clean it when it needs it. Same with my range-only 9mm pistol.

Now, my carry guns, I clean them after I fire them to give just "that" much more peace of mind that they'll work if I ever need them to.

-J-

 

[42769vette]

you folks are way better at maintenance than I am,

My 10/22's basically don't get clean untill they malfunction but you for sure don't want to overclean the barrel,

I usually only clean trigger group, bolt and bolt face, and maybe one reasonable patch through the barrell

using the ammo that i do (eley tenex and match) i only clean the bolt and chamber, never the barrel because the wax these bullits have on them maintains the accuracy. if i do run a boresnake down the barrel, it takes almost 30 rounds to reprep the rifling.

my play 22's almost never till a malfunction.

This

 

[BK1962]

My 10/22 was new to me in 1980. I have cleaned it many times. Often times because my primary concern is rust as I knew I had heated up the barrel and it would sit locked up for a while.

 

[Bearclaw]

I clean mine about every time after I shoot. Not because I have to, but because I like to! I also use a bore snake. Use one for my SG too.

 

[sig40]

i clean my 10/22 after each trip to the range.

 

[gds]

10/22

I clean mine when it starts to malfunction.