I just bought, in my experience, the most filthy 10-22 I've ever seen. I am familiar with the design and disassembly so I have it broken down and the barrel is off. I won't disassemble the trigger group though but it is very dirty. The housing is made of a polymer material. I do not have a gunsmith nearby to detail strip it for me. In the past I would just spray it out with degreaser, then a little compressed air and then some lube. This one is not gonna clean up that easy. I have a large quantity of "Ed's Red" I have made leaving out the acetone and substituted it with Naptha. I'm going to soak the metal parts in a big metal can full of that solvent, should I soak the trigger group in that too or will the plastic degrade? The magazine is embarrassingly filthy as well. What about the plastic parts in that? The mag is not difficult, I can wipe and brush that but I do want to know about the trigger group. Thanks guys!
Cleaning a 10-22?
- Thread starter NY Yankee
- Start date
- Status
edwardware
Member
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2010
- Messages
- 4,424
I would NOT use acetone in contact with any polymer (plastic)!
I've never seen fouling that a can of BrakeClean wouldn't blast out. Make sure you re-oil afterward, or it'll rust before you can turn around.
Also, while you have the barrel off, finish Ruger's work and drill the receiver heel to allow cleaning the barrel from the breech.
I've never seen fouling that a can of BrakeClean wouldn't blast out. Make sure you re-oil afterward, or it'll rust before you can turn around.
Also, while you have the barrel off, finish Ruger's work and drill the receiver heel to allow cleaning the barrel from the breech.
As I mentioned, I removed the acetone from the mix.
Please explain about drilling the receiver heel. Thanks!
earlthegoat2
Member
LiveLife
Member
Drilling 1/4" hole in the back of the receiver aligned with the bore allows you to run the cleaning rod from the chamber end to muzzle so as to not damage the muzzle crown.
If you don't want to drill the receiver, you can clean the bore from chamber to muzzle using flexible cable system like Otis.
Some use Bore Snake but personally, if a .22 bore is properly burnished, I prefer to not brush and just mop with Hoppes #9 and dry patch as in this thread, we discussed cleaned 10/22 and T/CR22 barrel not improving accuracy over dirty barrels until they were fouled again - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...k-dirty-vs-clean-22lr-barrel-accuracy.897763/
Factory 10 round rotary magazine really needs to be disassembled to clean as gunk/dirt/grit build up on the inside will prevent the magazine from reliably rotating to feed rounds.
As to polymer/plastic parts, I have used Hoppes #9 solvent on Ruger pistol/rifle and other brand pistol/rifle parts for decades and never seen any issue (I can't speak for other brand/type solvent).
Non-chlorinated brake cleaner can work but gunk/build up is often trapped in holes and engagement areas that you cannot visualize looking from the top opening of the trigger group. And you still need to lube the hammer/sear engagement surfaces after cleaning and you can't really do that without disassembly.
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...22-collector-3-break-in.859106/#post-11296626
As to cleaning the trigger group and bolt/handle, there are plenty of videos on Youtube that will walk you through step by step. If you really don't want to disassemble the trigger group, you can carefully brush the internal parts with Hoppes #9 but likely won't be able to get to hammer/sear engagement surfaces to clean and lube. And since the firing pin/track is on top of the bolt that you can't get to without removing the bolt, you really need to remove the bolt to ensure all the fouling/gunk build up is removed paying attention to removing caked on build up around the extractor, extractor slot in the barrel, bolt face and firing pin channel or you could experience feeding/chambering and primer ignition issues.
Last edited:
edwardware
Member
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2010
- Messages
- 4,424
Looks like others have answered. They sell a jig to do it easily, but I've always measured carefully to center on the bore, and drilled a 0.250" hole.
sparkyv
Member
Looks like these guys got it covered.
wiscoaster
Member
While you've got the trigger group disassembled I'd recommend doing the bolt-release lever modification; either buy the part online or do it yourself (all it takes is a little filing or dremeling). The mod makes the bolt hold-open & release so much easier to operate.
This is just one of many YouTube videos on how to DIY:
PS - that's also a pretty good video on disassembly/reassembly.
This is just one of many YouTube videos on how to DIY:
PS - that's also a pretty good video on disassembly/reassembly.
doubleh
Member
Walmart's store brand of carb cleaner won't harm polymer or at least it hasn't for me and I have used it for years.
BillTell
Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2017
- Messages
- 258
I use Peanut Butter and Jelly jars in my wife's ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. If a larger tub is needed, I put it all in a waterproof container, and put the cleaning tub on top of the jewelry cleaner. It still works great. All I use is Hoppe's, some nylon brushes, and if needed, a brass brush for the metal only parts. Give it time and agitation. Those ultrasonic waves reach where you can't get with a brush.
I usually just spray out trigger groups with a clp product, and then blow off/out the excess with canned air. If I really cared to clean it deeper, and not disassemble it, I'd just drop the trigger group into hot soapy water, and swish it around a bit, maybe hit it with a toothbrush, then hose out with CLP and repeat the process with blowing the excess off.
Armorer 101
Member
The 10/22 has the distinction of being a nasty queen, folks just shoot and shoot it until it gets real funky. If you buy one used, get ready to break her down, clean and lube. It is a tinker toy when you get accustomed to the disassembly, it has a 1001 options. Right up to the US Olympic Running Boar team guns, literally.
wiscoaster
Member
No special luck needed, just patience!! 
berettaprofessor
Member
If you drill out the heel of the receiver, is there any problem with being hit with excess lube as it cycles?
BBBBill
Member
I never noticed any problem. If it is an issue simple, enough to get a small rubber plug to go in there.
Last edited:
Skylerbone
Member
Stock will cover the hole when the action is installed.
- Status
