Recommendations on Breaking in New Barrel & Regular Cleaning

[aliascraig]

Recommendations on Breaking in New Barrel and Regular Cleaning

Ok so I have got my shiny new Anschutz 1416 (we all have to start somewhere) and just wanted to know how to break in the new barrel, if at all this is needed in a rimfire. I believe that it is packed in grease and will need to push this out I suspect, unless you wash this out with bore cleaner?

My main question is about regular maintenance type cleaning, from what I have read very few people clean their barrel on a regular basis, how regular can I do this? I am just used to cleaning barrels every time I use it. When it comes to cleaning what is the procedure that most people follow? I have read about people using bore snakes but am not really keen on the idea; I just wanted to use a rod, the old fashioned way. Will pushing dry patches through really be sufficient? Or can I also use a solvent and bronze/nylon brush. Which solvent is recommended that isn’t too harsh? And do people really not oil their barrels on the inside ever?

So many questions but I just wanted to make sure I do the right thing from day one.

Many thanks in return.

Cheers,

Craig.

[mordecai]

This is going to be like Ford vs Chevy, AR vs Mini-14, .45 vs 9mm so beware, YMMV.

If you look, you'll likely see that the bore has some residue in it from the factory sighting/proof shots if it's NIB. With this, I'd just push a few oily then dry patches down the barrel. If someone else has been shooting this already, you may want to clean it more if the bore looks obviously dirty.

Generally speaking, if you start out and continue with a good quality, lubed up, standard-speed LRN bullet, the length of the barrel should start to get a nice, teeny coat of lube that the bullet rides on which pretty much leaves my barrel without fouling for quite some time.

This is my opinion only - but I only clean when fouling or accuracy begins to be noticeable. I would recommend a bore-guide and clean, narrow rod. I wouldn't worry about using anything more abrasive than a patch unless you start getting some real fouling (copper or lead). I can't recommend a cleaner as I tend to use what's handy.

Others (who are likely more informed than I am) may have much better ways or methods. You should probably listen to them and so will I, but my lack of time tends to dictate the above for me.

Congrats on the gun - you're going to have a lot of fun.

[Travelor]

One thing to watch is the locking lug lubrication. I ALWAYS apply new grease on the locking lug after every trip to the range. As to cleaning the barrel, I run a patch with Butch's Gun Oil down the barrel every trip to the range to get the Powder fouling out so it will not attrack moisture.

It usually takes only one shot for the gun to be grouping at the normal POI after cleaning as above.

Just what I do,
George

[mike4764]

For rimfires I use nothing more than a bore snake with the brush removed. I clean my Hammerli Pistol only once a season. If you use good ammo that is all you will need. If you do use a brush or solvent it will take some time to get that layer of grease back down and accuracy will suffer.

[Evelio Mc Donald]

No break in process is required in a 22LR barrel. Just run a couple of dry patches to clean up whatever was left in it from the factory. I will not use a cleaning rod on any of my rimfire guns, what hurts the most, is after you run the patch in, while retriving the rod, the end will always rub the crown of the barrel which is the most critical point, specially on the new barrels with the real shallow grooves.
I also don't like the commercial bore snakes because of the brass inserts in it. My recomendation is to use a piece of weed eater line about 4 ft. long, tie a knot in one end, and cut a very sharp angle on the other end, sharp enought to pierce the patch, and use a 1 1/4" dia. patch, it works great with no chance to damage the bore or the crown.
After about 1000 rounds or when accuracy starts to deminish run 2 or 3 patches thru it, that is about all you need to take care of the barrel.
Evelio.

[AZRifle]

Evilio is on the right tract in my opinion. That is under the assuming you are using match-grade ammunition. If not, then use all sorts of brushes and solvents to get the lead out of your barrel.

Target ammunition does not leave lead deposits and, the wax buildup in the barrel is a benefit. Two of the former national champions I spoke with will not start a match with a clean rifle and prefer 150-200 rounds through it before they shoot in it. My anschutz 1712 will change its elevation after about 200-250 rounds and, it seems on a single shot a switch goes off in it. Therefore it is really dirty before I will clean it and, I am parinoid for a while after I do. My Anschutz 1808ms is a rock. It is stable after about 20 shots and will stay there. There is at least 1000 shots through my barrels before I clean them and sometimes it is probably close to 2000. I will be certain to clean it one local match before any major match I am going to to be certain to have the barrels waxed up again.

Jerry

[aliascraig]

Thanks for all of you answers guys. They are all of help. I guess that I just felt paranoid about not cleaning my gun on a regular basis. Would you call the would the cheaper grands of ammunition like Winchester T22 or CCI bulk pack standard velocity lead nose lubricated require more cleaning? I know that you guys may be using your rifle every weekend but with me there may be some times where I go months at a time without using it. Not for lack of wanting, just sometimes time gets the better of you.

Evelio, what thickness weed eater line would you recommend to gt the right knot size?

Kind Regards,

Craig.

[mordecai]

Most anything standard velocity with decent lube/wax on the bullet will probably give you a long, trouble free bore.
It's when you start going high-speed+ you can get "leading" or use jacketed bullets that can leave fouling - IMHO.

[Borg]

On the subject of the weed eater line, I put a flat piece of metal on the stove, got it hot, but not too hot, it sticks, then pushed the line straight into the plate to where I had a melted blob on the end. Sharpen the other with a pencil sharpener.
If done right, blob centers the patch in the bore evenly instead of a knot that tends not to.
You can also make it as tight in the bore as you want.
Borg
ETA the thicker, the better on diameter of line

[AZRifle]

Personally I never use anything above 1080fps in any of my smallbore rifles.

Unfortunately the cost of all of the match-grade ammunition has gone up.

Jerry

[steve b.]

Wow... This is all very interesting indeed.

From what I can tell, all of the suggestions are consistent across silhouette shooters, and that is very interesting to me. They are also 180 opposite from the world of rimfire benchrest. Obviously these two sports are complete different in nature, and seem to generate a different approach to cleaning, or at least that's the assumed case.

I wrote this on a post over at RFC, so I'll just cut and paste:

"Anyhow, the next book is going to get into cleaning and maintenance, and there will be a mountain of testing to support some new ideas I have on the subject, along with plenty of photos from my new video borescope system.

But it's not going to be a one-sided arguement. I have about 20 shooters who are the very best at their sport and have agreed to share their cleaning methods (which do conflict), allowing the reader to see a few different sides to the discussion.

It's important to establish a common ground for all of us to understand, some consistent terminology, and some detailed testing to either support on refute ideas.

Along with them, a healthy dose of info from barrel makers and ammunition manufacturers.

p, I got 40,000 rounds set aside, as well as $30K in testing equipment, for that little issue to be nailed down. I hope then when I'm done, this horse will be DEAD.


The status right now is laying out all the testing plans and details, and collecting the right type of barrels to test. I will probably end up with a dozen or so barrels for this project. They will be representative of all the different barrel types we all deal with. "

For now, I suggest to go with whichever method seems to work best for you.

[Innocent]

Steve,
Having grown up through the competitive junior position program (both 3 and 4P) and moved into silhouette from there the clean vs. don't clean and the how to and not to is quite different. Knowing very little about metallurgy I have some opinions about cleaning myself. Much like religion I tend to keep it to myself, but I do question some of the thoughts that soft metals do much 'damage' to harder metals. As for chemicals to use while cleaning firearms, I feel that that is much like what is the correct diet for a person YMMV. The cleaning fluid should be based on the type of bullet, powder etc. going through the barrel, of course the chemical plant of a firearm is not nearly as complicated as the human body when it comes to what is the correct diet, what is the correct cleaner etc.

I look forward to reading your results.

Mary

[AZRifle]

Anschutz does not recommend any cleaning solvent for their rifles, only an acid free oil in order to prevent damage from moisture.
I have never used a cleaning solvent in my rifles and never will.

Jerry

[Jason]

I agree with Steve. I came through rimfire benchrest before I found silhouette and my cleaning tendencies show it. I usually clean every few matches or practice sessions, even though I only use well-lubed target velocity lead ammo. I also clean between brands/types of ammo when ammo testing. I don't clean between matches like I did in benchrest, though. I was showing my daughter how to clean a 22lr rifle the other night, as she just got her first one. Here are the steps that I showed her.

I use a Tipton carbon fiber rod (better than coated and stainless rods, IMO) with a bore guide specific to that action and push two dry patches through the bore. Then I push one coated with whatever cleaner/oil I'm using straight through. Then I use one coated patch and work it in little strokes (couple inches at most) all the way to the muzzle. Then I use that last coated patch to wipe around the muzzle and make sure the crown is clean. Then I let that sit for a couple minutes while I clean the bolt face and breech with Q-tips and toothpicks. After that, I push a dry patch through the bore again and use it to wipe off the muzzle. One more dry patch for good measure and I'm done. If the rifle's getting put away for a long time, I run one patch covered with oil through the bore as a protectant. Note that it's useful to wrap one turn of electrical tape around the cleaning rod for reference when the jag is about to exit the muzzle. This allows carefully taking the patch off without the rod or jag rubbing against the crown. I also don't believe that there is any point in putting liquids stronger than RemOil, Hoppes #9 or Butch's Bore Shine Rimfire Blend in the bore of a 22lr rifle. It might be useful for rimfires like 22mag, 17m2, or 17hmr that use actual jacketed bullets. I don't believe it helps anything for 22lr guns and it can definitely hurt to leave the harsher solvents in there.

[steve b.]

Jerry,

Anschutz suggest a cleaning routine for the two simple reasons that have been pointed out:

1. Dirty rifles can still shoot very well.

2. Improper cleaning can screw up a rifle fast, especially when executed by shooters with less than a skilled hand. In short, there are some mechanics who can break a tire iron. Anschutz would rather have the average shooter just not clean the rifle.

Anyhow, it's just a little pet project that I'm working on.