Cleaning an air rifle

[beerd]

Hi guys,

Looking to get my first air rifle.

Realised I don't know what you're supposed to do about cleaning one?

No powder to burn, no copper fouling?

Do you need to do anything or do they never require a clean?

[petemacsydney]

spray and wipe? lol

[WesleySnipes]

I need to clean my air rifle after about 200 shots, just a build up of crud in the barrel. If you have a break barrel like myself just break it and point it towards a light source and look through the back of it. If there's anything in there I just run a wet patch through it a few times and then a dry patch and that's it.

[Warrigul]

I have never cleaned either my air rifle (BSA meteor break action I got in 1980 and thousands of pellets through it since) or my Feinwerkbau air pistol (had it for years too).

I have heard you can get cleaning pellets but I have never needed them and both firearms shoot ragged hole groups at 10m for the pistol and 15m for the rifle.

I give the BSA a squirt with inox spray occaisonally but do nothing to the Feinwerkbau, I could be wrong. If the accuracy ever goes off I will track down some cleaning pellets.

[chilliman]

I use a .22 pullthrough on mine and wipe the barrel and woodwork down with a little oil - done in under ten minutes

[chilliman]

@warrigul - here are the cleaning pellets, have saved them in my ebay favourites but haven't bought them => http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/161259349208 ... 1436.l2649

[Warrigul]

@warrigul - here are the cleaning pellets, have saved them in my ebay favourites but haven't bought them => http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/161259349208 ... 1436.l2649

Thanks but both of mine are .177, one of the other blokes at the Pistol Club did mention them a while back. Apparently (like most things concerning shooting) there are a couple of different takes on air pistol/rifle maintenance.

I shoot mine often enough to stop them rusting and they are still accurate but just for curiosity I might give the rifle a clean to see if it improves or retards accuracy. I am loathe to touch the air pistol as it is super accurate.

[chilliman]

here you go sir, .177 cleaning pellets => http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BEEMAN-177-c ... 258bce6460

[teekay0]

I use the VFG cleaning pellets and small spray of oil G96 about every 3rd time i use it , I spend more cleaning the Walnut stock than the barrel
Tk0

[BBJ]

If you're regularly using it I wouldn't bother.

Only time I'd do it is if you know it will be laid up for months without use.

Just a quick scrub and an oiled patch to keep it in good condition till you get back to it.

[beerd]

Many thanks all.

[Mark TAC]

worth mentioning (sorry if you know) - use silicone air rifle oil if pathcing out the barrel

normal gun oil ignites with the air pressure (dieseling)

[beerd]

Thanks mark.

Didn't know that.

Will be sure to get the right thing.

[Squiddy]

I've seen youtube videos where people just drag a fishing line with a wet cotton swab of WD-40 through it followed by a dry cotton swab.

This wont ignite will it?

[MR. WINCHESTER]

My mates and I shot zillions of pellets through our air rifles when kids, without cleaning the bores.

Accuracy NEVER suffered.

Could always still, shoot the eye from a sparrow at 25 metres.

[Korkt]

normal gun oil ignites with the air pressure (dieseling)

Interesting, would it be a problem at all though?

I can't imagine it's going to create any pressure or anything that would resemble a safety concern.

[Title_II]

Sell it to a kid at a garage sale. Go to Walmart and buy a new one.

[huccl]

Interesting, would it be a problem at all though?

I can't imagine it's going to create any pressure or anything that would resemble a safety concern.

Just a pretty muzzle flash maybe