DCunniff

I have an older carbine. Typical practice was for me to use a cleaning kit or a bore snake through the barrel, wipe out the open chamber, and call it a day.

I ran Gun Scrubber and Break Free sprays through it this week after using it, including the magazines. I didn't take the gun apart.

Dana

madcratebuilder

A bore snake, compressed air and dry lube. I only take it down once a year, that's about 3k rounds.

jjfunk

I clean usually when accuracy falls off, malfunctions appear, or before long term storage.

JJ

DCunniff

Thanks guys. I have a model from 1987 I"ve had for over ten years. Was one of several I took off an uncle of mine. He was not the best at cleaning them but I've been shooting it more this year. I shot it today.

My wife had liked this 10/22 and shot it a lot the last few months but she just picked up a Savage bolt, target .22 so I've been shooting the Ruger more the last two weeks.

The 10/22 carbine has never malfunctioned, it has just an old 2.5X scope, and is good to shoot. She shot it well but got a better 4X scope on her Savage to start. She doesn't see as well, and prefers a scope to iron sights.

I've been paying more attention to a batch of .22 rifles I have since she likes shooting .22's. I figured I would ask what others do since it looks like you don't have to take them apart too often.

I adjusted the sights the last week and at 50 yards the 10/22 is right on versus bolt .22's I have.

Thanks again.

Dana

czruger

My wife also favors shooting the 22's more than anything else. She is much more confident with them. I think it has alot to do with less/zero recoil and not real loud. Her favorite at the moment is the 22 charger. We start out at the range shooting the mark 3's and other 22 cal pistols, this gets us back in the groove of shooting and on target before we start spending a bunch of money shooting the larger caliber guns/ammo. All in all, best times at the range with my family are always with the 22's in my collection. Even guest seem to have a better time and appear more comfortable with the 22's.When I started this crazy hobby I would have never thought that.

Pat-inCO

+1!

Iowegan

It's amazing how forgiving 10/22s are when it comes to operating when dirty. By the nature of a "blow back" action, all 22 semi-autos actions get really filthy with powder residue but 10/22s seem to keep working long after other brands quit. When I had my gunsmith shop, I would often get 10/22s in that were jamming. When I took them apart, I couldn't believe how much residue had accumulated. A good cleaning and they were good to go for many more bricks of ammo.

10/22s are so easy to field strip and clean that I just can't put my own back in the safe until is has a good scrubbin'. I'm pretty anal about cleaning because I have way more time than money so I really try to keep all my guns clean.

rebjak23

its amazing how fast they get very dirty. My kids both have Ruger 10/22 and a typical day at the range they will go through 600-800 rounds. We will tear down and give them a good cleaning after that.

Mike

SavageMOA

Clean a 10/22? I didn't even know you had to?

Neil

I liked that. Good one LOL

Average Joe

I too am surprised at how dirty they get. I prefer to just use a nylon brush on the breech face and bolt face through 3 or 4 shooting sessions, and then take it all apart on the 4th. or so. Breech/bolt face because I see accuracy change with that. The rest because I want to keep them fully reliable, just in case....

easy

Magazines need the cleaning far worse than the bore. Mags seem to get gunked worse than the reset of the action.

packgoat

I clean mine evry time out. I am a little obsessed though.

roughneck

I was about to post the same question. I just bought two 10-22's from my bro. He said that they were non-working POS's. I stripped em down and there was alot of black, waxy stuff all inside the upper receiver. I think he tried to lube it up and that attracted the crud.

I cleaned everything with brake-cleaner and nylon brushes and just reassembled it all dry. The action is very smooth now.

BTW, is there a safe way to dry-fire a rimfire gun without damaging the firing pin?

unclebill

i use a spray dry lube.
elmers makes one.

unclebill

Iowegan

roughneck, The firing pin itself is not the problem ... it's when the firing pin hits the chamber mouth that causes damage and prevents cartridges from chambering. 10/22s don't have an auto-bolt lock back feature and because most shooters can't count, they almost always dry fire after the last round. So ... Ruger designed a simple stop that prevents the firing pin from hitting the chamber mouth. It's called a firing pin stop pin and is included in the bolt of every 10/22. Within limits, the stop pin makes it safe to dry fire a 10/22. Eventually, the stop pin gets bent from dry firing and will allow the firing pin to travel too far. It's a good idea to inspect the pin each time you tear the gun down for a good cleaning. Older models had a solid pin ... newer models have a roll pin. There's "how to" information in my 10/22 IBOK, located in the forum Library. You need 10 posts or more to unlock the Library so you can't even see it now.

JSX

Interesting, What's IBOK?

Iowegan

Iowegan's Book of Knowledge. There are seven of them in the Library .... SP-101, GP-100, Security-Six, Super Redhawk, SA Revolvers, 10/22, and MK Series pistols.

pistol-packin-preacher

22 cal brush and some gunscrubber, followed by a blast from the compressor, then run the a clean brush through with WD-40 --- once every 300 or so rounds. Not OCD with it, just when I think of it. Have done it this way since I've had it, and not issues.

capbyrd

Like someone else mentioned earlier, I clean mine about once a year. Recently, I havent seen much range time so I doubt I will bother anytime soon.

unclebill

i dont clean the bore until accuracy suffers.
once every long long time.

deputy tom

I did a tear down and complete cleaning when I bought it new but other than an exterior wipe down with an oily rag and magazine cleaning I don't plan on another complete cleaning for many years.This has worked for several of the 10/22's that I've owned in the past.YMMV.tom.

gunn308

My two 10/22s get cleaned more for rust control/protection than performance as these see more field time than range time, now my 10/17 needs to get cleaned every 300 or so rounds or she will start acting up stovepipes,fail to extract etc.

Dave in PA

I have one that I got in about 1994 or 1995. I have cleaned it exactly two times since then. It still runs great, so why mess with that?

BrimsonJoe

Have never really clean my 10/22 the right way but I will after I can get into the IBOK can't wait but wil have to.

Bozack

I clean mine after every shoot. Generally just a bore snake down the barrel and swab out the receiver and bolt without breaking down the gun.

Possum

Not sure I ever have. I don't shoot it much. The kids shoot it more than I do. I guess I need to clean it now that I have read this post.

MrMajestic

I don't usually clean it until I look inside and get disgusted that I left it go so long. So, I guess the answer is not enough! I do use a bore snake frequently as switching between Aguila 60 gr. SSS's and others with a standard length case causes FTF's if I don't.

david_g17

My father bought me a 10/22 about 10-12 years ago. I've put many, many bricks through it. I've never cleaned it.

Tbonekilla

Wow. I don't know how you guys do it. Currently my sitting here dirty. I'm waiting on my scope bases to arrive for I clean and I driving my crazy lol.

mrmagoolew

I've had my 10/22 for several years now, and all I do to clean it is run an oiled rag down the barrel before I put it away, then run a dry rag down it before I shoot the next time. That's it. I think I took it apart when I first got it years ago.

Charger22

Every 300 or so rounds.

DCunniff

Lot of different ways we clean them. Thanks, I was curious how others handle cleaning of their 10/22's so I started this thread last summer.

Looks like .22's will be a popular round this summer again with ammo prices going up more and some tight availability of some calibers.

Dana

williedikker

Boresnake and a toothbrush with some CLP on it to clean away powder residue. No sense in wearing away at the gun cleaning it when shooting it causes less wear and tear.

chezrad

I cleaned the receiver section on mine once after around 10K rounds. It was filthy but the accuracy was still good. It was a mess. I cleaned it up and kept going. It didn't seem to make difference. It was still the accurate little rifle that I had become accustomed to. One day I'll clean out the receiver again.

Most times I clean the bore and put it away for next time. Cheers.

Doc45

I have to clean mine after every outing. My Dad would have whooped my butt if he ever saw me put a gun away dirty. He's been gone about 10 years now but I still think he is lookin' over my sholder, ready to kick my ***, if I even think about putting a gun away without cleaning it.

Musashi

I clean most of my guns every time I shoot. The two exceptions are my Glock 17, and my Ruger 10/22. I run both until reliability or accuracy suffers. Currently, my 10/22 has seen about 3,000 rounds since the last cleaning.

jhrosier

I shake out the loose chunks and oil the outside and whatever I can reach with a patch on my finger.
If it isn't broke, don't mess with it.

Jack

Iowegan

None of my guns go back in the safe until they are spotless.