Thanks To Whomever.

SGW Gunsmith · Apr 9, 2021

I shot off my BIG mouth, so here it is folks, the ".22 Rimfire Forum", and I'll do the first post.
I shoot mostly .22 rimfire handguns and rifles, for testing and for fun, so I own a bunch of these. Most of my .22 rimfire pistols are Ruger Mark versions, and I've also worked on a bunch of those.
There are many simple things we can do to help these pistols perform more smoothly, that doesn't require a bunch of expensive tooling, or "gunsmithing", but only a bit of fiddling to make them your very own
personal pistol.
Maintenance is one of the very first things I was taught as a youngster, to keep my firearms clean and rust free. Let's see what you all prefer for your famous tonic that's used for a cleaning, lubrication solution.
My favorite at this time is EEZOX, and I coat all my .22 rimfire barrels with this stuff. Fouling, in the form of carbon and lead smear, doesn't stick to the bore as badly as a non-treated bore:

On all the .22 rimfire firearms that I can clean from breech to muzzle, I prefer not to use a rod, but instead, a 20-inch length of 0.093 diameter weed-whacker line, to pull through these solvent soaked felt plugs. For cleaning the bore, two EEZOX soaked plugs, then one or two dry plugs. For storage until my next shooting foray, one wet plug pulled through and then the gun goes into the safe.

What's your routine?

dennishoddy · Apr 9, 2021

I plead guilty. Contacted the owner about starting this forum and he was agreeable.
That's an interesting cleaning system you have. Can't say I've ever seen the plugs before. Is it something your making at home or commercially available?
I use a bore snake on occasion, but typically don't do a lot of cleaning. I know, I'm a slacker, but I run them for awhile then sit down and do a through cleaning. Typically shooting two or three steel challenge matches before cleaning. Couple drops of oil on important areas, and a visual on the feed ramp before a match between cleaning.
Steel challenge isn't a precision sport. Three Ruger 10-22 rifles get a little more attention, cleaning when accuracy starts to suffer.
The brake on the Mark III gets pretty dirty. A bead blaster cabinet is the only thing I've found to remove the crud.

SGW Gunsmith · Apr 10, 2021

Thank you for your efforts and the results you've achieved. Being that this is somewhat of a "Boomer Forum" , I'll bet there are a bunch of members here who started their shooting experience with a .22 rimfire of some sort.
Let's read about those first impressions and how it has influenced your shooting attitude hereafter.
Mine was at an early age and involved a .22 single shot rifle, so how did you get started?

SGW Gunsmith · Apr 10, 2021

By the way, for those of you who visit here. Please, don't be shy about posting your thoughts and questions concerning .22 firearms. This forum is, and not like many of the others, who childishly act the way that's done around the inter-web. As for me, every question concerning the use of .22 rimfire is a very viable, and important, question that deserves an answer that's most helpful for you. It's not my intent to be like those "others" who criticise questions, as I've learned a long time ago, that knowledge that goes unserved, or shared, is knowledge wasted.
Don't be shy about your questions involving .22 firearms, or ammunition, let's discuss it here. And if you are fortunate enough to own a Ruger Mark pistol, or a Ruger 10/22, bring those issues hear, and I'll bet between myself and "dennishoddy" we'll be able to help you out ASAP.
With your help and membership here, we can be the very best rimfire there is on the net. So, tell your friends that there's a NEW forum in town that will help you with your .22 rimfires, with no BS involved, only experienced knowledge that works with no guesses.
So, tell your friends, fellow .22 shooters and especially your family members that there is nor a much more friendly to visit to get .22 rimfire answers provided with the best information that YOU deserve.

dennishoddy · Apr 11, 2021

SGW Gunsmith said:
Thank you for your efforts and the results you've achieved. Being that this is somewhat of a "Boomer Forum" , I'll bet there are a bunch of members here who started their shooting experience with a .22 rimfire of some sort.
Let's read about those first impressions and how it has influenced your shooting attitude hereafter.
Mine was at an early age and involved a .22 single shot rifle, so how did you get started?

In reality, I never shot anything other than a .410 shotgun and a JC Higgins 12 ga until going to the Army. Killed a lot of game in that time frame.
The 12 ga was a loaner from an uncle that was the only gun owner other than one uncle in my democrat family that hated guns and he died right when entering service. After coming home from overseas, my grandpa gave me a 1890 hex barrel pump chambered in .22 long and a double barreled 12 ga damascus barreled shotgun with exposed hammers because he wanted them out of the house like they were dangerous or something. He inherited them from his dad.
Still have that hex barrel 1890 but it has been modified to shoot long rifles vs the longs it was designed for. All the rest of my collection was stolen about 20 some years ago. We know who did it and they spent 16 years behind bars. Meth is a terrible thing.
I shoot the 1890 occasionally with .22 shotshells at wood bees that burrow into the barns woodwork. I call it redneck trap shooting.
The .410 is still around I bought at 11 years old from a pawn shop. It was in a different location from the stolen guns. My dad had to pass the money I earned from mowing yards. He hated guns like the rest of my family but allowed me to follow my dreams.
Would be called a straw purchase now, but legal back then. No 4473 required.

With some foresite, my stash of .22 ammo is huge. I saw the political winds from the obummer years. When .22 ammo got to .04 cents per round and sometimes .03 this boy stocked up.
Buy it cheap and stack it deep is my manta.

I could sell it and make some change, but I'm not a seller, just a buyer and I don't buy at panic prices.

SGW Gunsmith · Apr 12, 2021

Hey Dennis,

I get the felt plugs that I use from Brownells, but I'm told Amazon has these also. For your and any of our current guests, who will soon sign up as members, are interested, these felt plugs are available in all caliber sizes. One can order plain felt and then the more aggressive green felt variety that has bronze ribbon woven through the felt for those bores that may have a hard carbon build up.
Since I found these plugs around 25, or so, years ago, I've not run a bronze brush through any of my, or my customers .22 rimfire bores when cleaning.
.22 rimfire rifling is shallow, and I've found that todays solvents really don't need to be brushed through a .22 bore. I pull two soaked plugs with solvent through the bore, let it sit for 20-25 minutes and then pull a dry plug through. When using EEZOX, I've found that this stuff will actually coat the bore microscopically and help to prevent debris from building up in a .22 rimfire bore, with .22 rimfire ammunition being as dirty as it is.