.22 Boresnake

$15.95

.22 or 17 Cleaning Kit

$25.95

17 Boresnake

$15.95

Hoppe's Cleaning Products

We are constantly asked how to properly clean a rimfire barrel. I have written my opinion below.

Rimfire barrels don't need a "break in" like centerfire barrels due to their lack of high heat and high pressures. They do however each have their own personality which will surface as shooting sessions and cleanings progress.

You should clean your rifles bore about every 100 rounds for the first 500 shots. Use a fairly tight patch with a little bore solvent followed by a dry patch. This will remove any lead or powder residue which may occur in the early use of a new barrel. A boresnake can be used very effectively with just one pass.

 
Most rimfire ammunition is coated with a waxy lubricant which lays down a very thin film in the bore and really aids accuracy. The solvent will obviously remove this lubricant and approximately 10 to 50 rounds will need to be fired to replenish it. This is called fouling the barrel.

This is where each barrels personality will surface. Some like to be dirty with quite a bit of fouling and some like to be fairly clean with minimal fouling. Rarely do any like to be "squeaky clean". I like to clean the barrel prior to each shooting. This way I know I did it. If I do it after each shooting I cant remember if I was lazy and said I would do it later and of course, didn't.

You will have to experiment to find your barrels preference. A dry patch or a wet patch? A dry patch will remove excess bullet lube and powder residue but still leave a layer of lube in the bore. A wet patch will remove the same but will not leave any lube in the bore. The bore will need to be fouled again. This is why I like the boresnake. I can pull a wet one or a dry one with no patches or rods to fool with and its always rolled up and stashed away in my shooting bag.

 Don't forget to clean the barrel breechface and the face of the bolt. They get a lot of build up from the lubricants.