• If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for a NES Membership  The benefits pay for the membership many times over.

Breaking in a Barrel?

BruceW

BruceW

Joined
Jan 7, 2009
Messages
614
Likes
322
Location
Middlesex County
Feedback: 6 / 0 / 0
Ok first off let me start by saying when it comes to guns, i'm still a Noobie.

I bought a 10/22 last December(the First NEW gun I've ever bought), and sense then it has been sitting in the safe, unfired. When i mentioned to my Friend that i was planning on taking it to the range this week so I could finally shoot it, he went off on a long winded rant about me needing to Break in the barrel. Having dug around on here, I have a idea what that involves, but my question is, Is it even worth doing it on a 10/22? Does it really make that much of a difference?
 
I'd say give it a good cleaning first before you go, and then have at it! 10/22's are workhorses and should be treated as such. Love this gun, because it deserves it.

I'm speculating that you won't be competing with it, or putting anymore money into it besides cleaning supplies and ammo. If this is the case just have fun, put MANY rounds thru it, and treat it right by cleaning it regularly.
Some will say that you don't need to clean after 100 rds, but I'd argue that it will get you more in touch and interested in your gun if you strip it and clean it regularly. Certainly can't hurt your gun.

You probably know someone who owns guns but hasn't cleaned them forever, or doesn't really care about them. And maybe you know someone who knows the ins-and-outs of all his guns and will spend the hour or two EVERYTIME to clean, inspect, and care for guns:

Which do you want to be?
 
BruceW said:
Ok first off let me start by saying when it comes to guns, i'm still a Noobie.

I bought a 10/22 last December(the First NEW gun I've ever bought), and sense then it has been sitting in the safe, unfired. When i mentioned to my Friend that i was planning on taking it to the range this week so I could finally shoot it, he went off on a long winded rant about me needing to Break in the barrel. Having dug around on here, I have a idea what that involves, but my question is, Is it even worth doing it on a 10/22? Does it really make that much of a difference?
Click to expand...

See how it shoots and if it's not as accurate as you had hoped, you can always firelap it. Our 10/22 was shooting 6 inch groups at 50ft and we got it down to a single hole with 10 rounds. Should be good to go after that.

That aside, 10/22s are cheap, fun, and a good way of learning the basics before you get into the heavier artillery. So just have fun with it.
 
Last edited:
I wouln't worry too much about it. Just take your time at first. Sight it in & find a appreciation for it's accuracy. It wouln't hurt to run a bore snake down it every few shots at first. Just don't bang away right out of the gate & heat it up. You should be fine.
 
I'm speculating that you won't be competing with it, or putting anymore money into it besides cleaning supplies and ammo. If this is the case just have fun, put MANY rounds thru it, and treat it right by cleaning it regularly.
Click to expand...
That would be correct. Im only planning on using it to plink and maby for some small game. I might a few small Add-ons to make it better, but im not planning on spending a ton on it.

You probably know someone who owns guns but hasn't cleaned them forever, or doesn't really care about them. And maybe you know someone who knows the ins-and-outs of all his guns and will spend the hour or two EVERYTIME to clean, inspect, and care for guns:

Which do you want to be?
Click to expand...
Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, I don't have a choice in the matter. I suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. They MUST be clean.



Thank you all for the Help & Advice!
 
BigMike said:
I'd say give it a good cleaning first before you go, and then have at it! 10/22's are workhorses and should be treated as such. Love this gun, because it deserves it.

I'm speculating that you won't be competing with it, or putting anymore money into it besides cleaning supplies and ammo. If this is the case just have fun, put MANY rounds thru it, and treat it right by cleaning it regularly.
Some will say that you don't need to clean after 100 rds, but I'd argue that it will get you more in touch and interested in your gun if you strip it and clean it regularly. Certainly can't hurt your gun.
Click to expand...
I disagree with this. You can hurt your gun and cause more wear to the barrel.

.22lr guns simply don't need to be cleaned that often.
 
It's a 10/22...Just shoot it for Gods sake...My 28-year old 10/22 is basically a smoothbore and it still groups at 100-yards. Drop the OCD when it comes to cleaning as well...Go wash your hands, straighten out the fringe on the rug or something else instead...Guns could be a cure for your OCD...[smile]
 
MassMark said:
It's a 10/22...Just shoot it for Gods sake...My 28-year old 10/22 is basically a smoothbore and it still groups at 100-yards. Drop the OCD when it comes to cleaning as well...Go wash your hands, straighten out the fringe on the rug or something else instead...Guns could be a cure for your OCD...[smile]
Click to expand...

so your saying that it really dosnt need to be cleaned often? not even to run a patch through to get any gunk out?
 
BruceW said:
so your saying that it really dosnt need to be cleaned often? not even to run a patch through to get any gunk out?
Click to expand...

I think if you follow a mix of advice here, you may find a happy medium. I have a friend who used to shoot M1 Garands and M14's at Camp Perry. He cleaned his match rifles once a year...Supermoto stated he never cleans his barrels - my guess is he keeps his action clean, but leaves the barrel as is for a reason. I barely clean my guns - especially my Ruger 10/22. KMM696 keeps threatening to run a patch down the barrel, but I think he realizes it would be a bad idea....[smile] I detail clean my M1A once or twice a year and clean the gas system/barrel and re-grease about every 1,000 rounds or so - same with my AR, (though I never clean the gas system). I think over-cleaning your firearms is too much of an okay thing....Keep your 10/22 oiled and shoot it until your fingers bleed...
 
Personally, rather than going through a barrel break in process, pick up a variety of different brands of ammo and go with the one that suits your rifle best (my 10/22 seems to like Wolf Match ammo).

You just might find that no barrel tweaking is necessary.
 
BruceW said:
so your saying that it really dosnt need to be cleaned often? not even to run a patch through to get any gunk out?
Click to expand...
Sure it does. When it starts malfunctioning. I still haven't cleaned mine.

I clean my centerfire guns on a regular basis. My rimfires? I clean them if they stop working.
 
MassMark said:
...Supermoto stated he never cleans his barrels - my guess is he keeps his action clean, but leaves the barrel as is for a reason. .
Click to expand...

Yep, The rest of the gun is kept clean. I field strip them, clean with Q-tips and a paper towel, no chemicals or cleaner, Oil it up and put it back together.

The issue with bore snakes is that a lot of junk can be scraped off them as the are compressed from the chamber to the bore
 
BruceW said:
so your saying that it really dosnt need to be cleaned often? not even to run a patch through to get any gunk out?
Click to expand...

Yes, definitaly run a patch down it & get the gunk out once in ahwile. Also whipe out the action. .22's are one the dirtiest rounds there are.
 
Last edited:
Supermoto said:
Yep, The rest of the gun is kept clean. I field strip them, clean with Q-tips and a paper towel, no chemicals or cleaner, Oil it up and put it back together.

The issue with bore snakes is that a lot of junk can be scraped off them as the are compressed from the chamber to the bore
Click to expand...

How come you don't use any chemicals or cleaners?
 
meth0d said:
How come you don't use any chemicals or cleaners?
Click to expand...

Because they are not needed. Nothing gets built up to the point to were it wouldn't come off just using a shop rag. With the oil I use, the guns are still wet when I finish shooting. Take them apart, wipe the parts off, oil them back up.
 
Well i purchased a 10/22 from a friend not too long ago , It was built in 92 and never once cleaned , and it had shot god knows how many rounds through it and except for once in a while it wouldn't eject spent casings its ran great.I bought it to convert it to a M-1 carbine look alike. I gave it its first cleaning and sent it on its way.You dont want to overclean them because the next thing you know they think that they have become target rifles.

P.S. i found out why it wouldn't always eject , there was some crun in the extractor.
 
Aww, a 10/22 ain't nothin.
You should see what DPMS recommends about breaking in an AR.... clean after every round for the first twenty![shocked]
I know it's not a .22, but I always thought that was excessive...

ace57
 
I'm with M1911 on this.
Only a very poorly made .22 will lead up the barrel. No need to clean until very filthy and then only the action.
Lead is a protectant.
 
I clean the barrel on my AR 22 lr upper as it has a tight chamber. I only run a patch with some solvent on it through barrel, no bore brush.
 
My first "new" rifle was a 10/22. I looked up a entire "break in" procedure online. It was something like 1 shot/clean the bore for 20 shots, 5 shots/ clean the bore, 10 shots/clean the bore.

I really don't know if it helped, but I'm sure it didn't hurt anything. I can also tell you that my 10/22 is far more accurate than I am. I have an Appleseed "300 yard" AQT target I cut out to remind me what happens when I actually do find natural point of aim- it is a 3 shot group that cloverleafed. If I could only shoot that way all the time.

Anyway... take the hour to "break in" the barrel... if anything you lost an hour of your life doing something fun like shooting.

.02
 

Similar threads

BREAKING NEWS: Scores Killed, Hundreds Injured as Extremists Riot in Boston Area
Replies
16
Views
932
Bfatz
Bfatz
Breaking: Police Arrest Trans Student For Planning Multi-School Shooting
Replies
19
Views
539
Dadstoys
Dadstoys
BREAKING: Manhunt underway after 8 shot dead in Joliet, Illinois
Replies
9
Views
531
allen-1
allen-1
Want to know who has a monopoly of force in America?
2 3 4
Replies
99
Views
2K
240Geezer
2
These Are The Worst States To Be A Gun Owner In 2024
Replies
9
Views
488
Zappa
Zappa
Back
Top Bottom