.22lr revolver - how challenging to keep clean?

[Rodfac]

With todays non-corrosive primers and powders, cleaning is not as critical as in years past. That said, if I shoot a gun that won’t be shot again for a while, I clean it. I do not clean so much that you could eat off it, but I get the crud out and coat the chambers and barrel with oil. If I’m planning to shoot the gun again in a day or two I might not clean it until I’m done shooting it. Guns I use for carry, I do clean the gun after shooting

I have had far too many instances of crud making cartridges tough to insert, or worse stick in the chambers, to not brush out my rimfire chambers after every use like you do.

Good advice from two knowledgeable shooters. I subscribe to their sentiments. For .22's, in particular due to the 'sludge' of lead particles and wax/grease, I use a bore brush two passes through each cylinder and a half-dozen through the bore. This suffices and will not affect zero. I wipe out the bbl. face, and the cylinder / frame as well. For autos, it's important to keep the breach face and extractor free of debris as well.

For adverse effects of shooting lead alloy after or before copper coated .22's, I'd recommend Ed Harris's treatise on the subject in his eminently readable "Back Creek Diary". Ed, a former test engineer for Ruger as well as a member of the American Rifleman staff in years past, was the inventor of "Ed's Red", the best of the home made or commercial bore cleaners. Look him and it up...it's well worth your time. BTW, Ed's Red is equal parts by volume of: Acetone, Paint thinner, Kerocene and ATF Dextron lll. Cheap, and effective.

My own cure for copper fouling prior to lead alloy .22 use is a thorough bore patching with JB Bore paste or the Remington equivalent. For copper after lead alloy, I haven't noticed an accuracy degradation.

YMMv, best regards, Rod

 

[Jim Watson]

I only shoot Stingers. 1600fps, copper jacket- no leading in barrel.

I was shooting Stingers in my comparison of .22s for defense.
They were not functionally reliable in my M&P-C and stuck in the chambers of my Pathfinder.
They seem OK in full size guns like ACE and Nelson Conversion, so they won't go to waste, but not worth the money when I get good shooting from ordinary stuff.
My Nelson was today 100% on MiniMags and the ACE was, for a wonder, 100% on Aguila SE. Last week the Nelson was running rough, even on MiniMags, I wonder if I over cleaned it and it had to get back to a Condition.