It's truly not necessary to clean 22LR bores as often as people think.
22LR Barrel Cleaning
- Thread starter orkan
- Start date
So you're saying any barrel that requires cleaning every 1500-2000 rounds means it's just a bad barrel?
I agree with not needing to clean most smallbores to maintain accuracy. However, what i've experienced with multiple rifles is a first shot flyer that is way off, not cold shooter error. I did some research and found an explanation in rimfirecentral where the thread stated that the throat gets built up with lead and when the lead is cold it deforms or grabs the bullet, but after the first shot is gets heated up and softened and doesn't deform or grab the bullet any longer. I've shot multiple strings in a session with enough time for the barrel to cool and then watch the first shot of each string be thrown way off. So, i cleaned only the throat of the barrel and not the bore at all past the throat. The first shot flyer went away and then showed back up after about 500 rounds.
I'm wondering, have you experienced this? I think is is more noticeable with ammo that doesn't have a wax coating.
I'm wondering, have you experienced this? I think is is more noticeable with ammo that doesn't have a wax coating.
Now that is interesting.
I took a bunch of my 22s out today and decided to shoot all of them on one target to test my Eley action ammo (pretty much CCi SV) and awesome see how they compared. It seems that the 1st shot from a cold gun was a flier.
Attached is a photo from today. Only the Tikka (4 groups starting from right side) and CZ 457 (3 groups) did I shoot more than 2 groups on this paper Not the best shooting but for me and pretty cheap ammo I am tickled pink (distance was 48.4 yards)
I am wondering if I should clean the chamber to get rid of the fliers or maybe it’s just me.
Rifles were
RPRr with OEM barrel
Tikka T1x OEM barrel
kidd LW barreled Tactical Innovations receiver
Reworked by Queue 10/22 with a custom shroud by brimstone barrel
CZ 457 (17hmr) and the wind was gusting when I got to shoot this one.
Attachments
I found the same exact thing with both my Vudoo and my custom barreled T1X. Once the rifle cools down the first shot goes wild. Usually at leasT 1” off target but Ive seen my Vudoo go as much as 2-2 1/2” off at 50 yards. As soon as I start seeing those flyers I know it’s time to clean. I can prolong this for a very long time however if I just clean the chamber or pull a bore snake through after ever range trip. I usually give my rifle a good cleaning every 1500 rounds or so weather it needs it or not.
I don’t think I’m going to be selling or rebarreling 2 rifles that shoots amazing because I’m too lazy to clean them every 1500 rounds. Maybe it’s just me but I would rather spend 10-15 minutes cleaning my rifles every 1500 -2000 rounds and keep the $1000 it would cost to rebarrel both and use that for ammo. 
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Orkan, so what happens if you throughly clean the bore including removing the carbon ring? Does accuracy decline And if so how long? Also have you read Bill Calfree’s book Rimfire Accuracy and what are your thoughts on his position on the accuracy window, tapered bores, slugging barrels,etc?
Eoddave27 and Frankr, yes i would suggest a good cleaning of the chamber and throat area but not the bore. Another test is to just keep shooting. I noticed the 1 cold shot flier to be further from the group after more rounds. When i clean the throat, the flier would start to show up, maybe only an inch off at 50yds after 500 rounds. Cleaning has the throat has defiently emilnated the intial flier for at least 500 rnds in my main 22lr, a Sako Finnfire II. But i've seen this issue in Savage MKII's i've owned that were very accurate, intial filer would be 2-3 inches and off the group, with a group 0.5" at 50yds
I just do a regular cleaning once I start seeing flyers and all is good for another 1500-2000 rounds. Takes about 5 rounds after cleaning for the rifle to settle in again. It isn’t rocket science. I think people really overcomplicate cleaning for the most part. What I do has worked well for me so that is what I will stick with.
I haven't spent much time with bore scopes in these bores. Generally I only use bore scopes for troubleshooting. When things are working well, I don't much touch em.
Excuse my ignorance, but when I do searches it seems like if you don't clean your barrel it can lead to rust. Is that correct? That's the only reason why I clean my barrels for any gun.
Do you shoot these guns so often you don't need to worry about that? If that is a reason, what is a realistic time frame you can go not shooting a dirty barrel without a fear of rust.
Do you shoot these guns so often you don't need to worry about that? If that is a reason, what is a realistic time frame you can go not shooting a dirty barrel without a fear of rust.
Yes.
However, high end rimfire ammo doesn't seem to lead to bore corrosion... or at least I haven't encountered it yet. I've had some of these rifles for 12-15 years... but I don't know how it will react if you just left it sit for decades at a time.
