How do you clean your 10/22?

[BurnOut]

While I've owned guns all my life, I only relatively recently purchased a Ruger 10/22, so please pardon my ignorance on this subject... but other than removing the barrel from the action (or using an aftermarket action with a cleaning access port), is there a way to clean these things from the breach end?

Mine is in a bullpup stock (HTA 90/22), so access is more of a PITA than usual, but even if it was in a factory stock, I still don't see a way to get to the breach/chamber with a cleaning rod unless you go in from the muzzle end. I don't like going in through the muzzle for a variety of reasons, but one of the main ones is that it makes it tricky to clean the chamber. I found a way to do it (stick a rod with a dry bore mop on it in through the muzzle all the way back into the locked-open action, wet it with CLR per Orkan's suggestion, and pull it into the chamber to soak for a few minutes), but it still requires going in through the muzzle. Is there some technique or product that I'm not aware of that makes this easier or won't lend its self to damaging the crown on my muzzle?

 

[Downtown]

One interesting idea, cleaning from the muzzle, is to drill out a fired .17HMR case to create a nifty muzzle guard and use a .17 caliber rod and jag. A pull through Otis kit also works great. A third idea is to find the instructions for drilling a cleaning hole at the back of the reciever. A popular modification covered by the stock when assembled.

 

[BurnOut]

Huh... I may have to try that trick with the .17 HMR case... thanks!

 

[Tucker301]

Drilling the receiver is so easy I could it.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Actually, that 17HMR case rod guide trick is a great idea. I already have the 17cal rod for cleaning my air rifles.

Greg

PS I just got the 17 cal rod out and looked at it. The rod end has a male thread, All my brushes, etc., have male ends, too. It's a no-go for me.

I'm still just as happy to pull the barrel and clean it from the chamber end.

 

[Longbow53]

I use A piece of weed wacker that I have hand tied like fly tying A loop on one end. This is the style I use for High Air Rifles and no way am I sticking a rod down a 22 bore. Push the loop thru from breech or muzzle,slip patch in and pull out.

 

[Tcoddington]

They do make a muzzle end bore guide for heavy barreled 10/22. I have used it for years with great results.

 

[Servo93]

I never take my barrel off and I clean from the muzzle.I know cleaning from the muzzle is not a preferred method but if you're careful it is not a problem.
What I do is pull the trigger assembly out, remove the bolt with it's associated parts and slide a rod down the barrel without a jag on it. With the end of the rod protruding into the receiver I then screw on a jag and pull it through. I repeat this until I feel the barrel is clean.
I don't like taking the barrel off because it throws my zero way off were as cleaning it this way my zero is usually close if not right on.

 

[...]

im in the camp the beleives you really dont need to clean .22s terribly frequently.......so i just pull a bore snake through it every once and a while.

and maybe every 10K ill pull the barrel off and scrub it out

 

[Steel+Killer]

I don't think the crown is nearly as easy to F-UP as most would lead you to believe, but I suppose that is a debate for another thread.......

 

[Servo93]

^^^^^ Agreed! After many years I still haven't made a mess of mine.

 

[Smokyred]

It's a 10/22....I don't think Ruger spent much time making sure the crown was perfect to begin with, and I doubt you'll do much, if any damage to it unless you really try. That said, it would be easiest to pull the two barrel retaining screws if you feel strongly about properly cleaning it. I personally wouldn't punch a hole in the rear of my receiver for something I only do every few thousand rounds, but that's just me.

Dave

 

[BurnOut]

im in the camp the beleives you really dont need to clean .22s terribly frequently.......so i just pull a bore snake through it every once and a while.

and maybe every 10K ill pull the barrel off and scrub it out

That's the approach that I was taking with this particular gun, but I started having extraction problems; and when I broke out the ol' Lyman video borescope, there was a shitload of carbon in the chamber. The bore its self was in pretty good shape, but I'm definitely going to have to keep an eye on the chamber.

As for the crown, I'm running a TacSol barrel on it... not the highest end barrel out there, but certainly not factory Ruger, either...

 

[...]

That's the approach that I was taking with this particular gun, but I started having extraction problems; and when I broke out the ol' Lyman video borescope, there was a shitload of carbon in the chamber. The bore its self was in pretty good shape, but I'm definitely going to have to keep an eye on the chamber.

As for the crown, I'm running a TacSol barrel on it... not the highest end barrel out there, but certainly not factory Ruger, either...

what a lot of guys do is take a bronze brush and bend it at a 90 degree angle, and use that to just scrub out the chamber area when extraction gets difficult

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I neglected to say that my 10/22 barrel is an older (late 1990's) Kimber aftermarket heavy stainless barrel. It's no longer available as a replacement, and it shoots damned small. It fits the matching Kimber Anschutz style stock as a press-fit. I suspect it was subcontracted to L-W, but I can't find any source to confirm that. At any rate, I'm treating it like Unobtainium/Irreplacium, and cleaning it with serious respect.

Greg

 

[lancetkenyon]

You are supposed to clean a .22LR? Hmmm.
I never do. Ever. I have a 10/22 with around 42k rounds through it that still one-shots squirrels, so accuracy is still plenty good.

Shoots "MOSH" to at least 50 yards (Minute of Squirrel Head)

 

[NewsShooter]

Drill the receiver, use the string trimmer line trick, both work. Clean the chamber as mentioned above with a brush.

 

[WickedDaddy]

Bore Snake. Once and done after every range trip/shooting day. Twice if I'm feeling really OCD. 5 minutes and done.

 

[rg1911]

I have to clean mine around the 150-round mark; otherwise consistent accuracy goes down the tubes. However, the Kidd barrel is threaded for a silencer, so I bought some Delrin rod and had my 'smith bore and thread a section to fit on the barrel, with the rest of the rod drilled so my cleaning rod just fits. The rod never touches the crown. Because the Delrin is so easy to cut/drill/thread, he only charged me a few bucks.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[softcock]

10/22 .. did the hole-drill in rear of Receiver years back, and worth the 15 minute time investment . Suppressed 10/22 is filthy animal. besides forced to routinely disassemble Rotary Magazines and clean them . I mostly just brush-off the bolt-face with small brush and swab out the Chamber ..
Very rarely have I ever clean the Bore . I think the last time I actually cleaned the bore was when I took off the Can and gave a brushing to the blast baffle to knock-off the big chunks .
.

 

[Arko]

Pretty much all of the above is good and true advice. .22s dont need to be cleaned after each shoot, very few of my guns no matter the caliber get that treatment. Ive seen too many high dollar barrels over the years ruined by cleaning than I care to remember. While I dont completely agree with the statement about the crown on a .22 being real critical, my shooting lifes experience would lead me to disagree but I have seen many with less than pristine crowns shoot well ENOUGH.
I know no one who removes the barrel from the action to clean it.
The weedeater string idea is good and I used to use that all the time for a quick clean if it was indicated and I didnt have time for, or access to, my regular gear. However, once I discovered Otis gear I bought/used/loved it so much that its now all I will use and have no regrets. For me its simply the most logical choice out there. Their bore brushes, while rarely used , are positively the highest quality Ive ever used. Likewise with their patches, something I never really gave much thought to until I used them. I wont go too in depth but you should at least give them, and the rest of the Otis line a try. No, I have no affiliation with Otis, I just am really impressed with their gear.
This is just one mans opinion so make of it what you will.
I think Im rollin up on 500 rounds on my 10 22 without cleaning.