.22 rimfire barrel cleaning. Costly mistake.

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.22 rimfire barrel cleaning. Costly mistake.

Post by wildcard6 » 13 Dec 2018, 7:33 pm

Breaking a lifetime habit of not doing so, I decided to try cleaning my CZ452 .22LR barrel a bit more thoroughly. I will be using this rifle to shoot a new match in 2019 where metallic silhouette targets will be shot from 100m out to 300 yards. I have upgraded the scope to a Vortex long-range reticle unit, so this cleaning idea was just a part of a general push to improve performance. Keeping in mind the old adage about more damage being done by cleaning than shooting, I did the responsible thing and bought a rod-guide to protect the all-important chamber/ leade area and you may be surprised to hear that the rod-guide actually CAUSED the very damage I was trying to avoid! I've just come from my gunsmith's workshop who showed me the damage viewed in his bore-scope and it's horrendous! I'm up for $400 to cut the barrel back and re-chamber it. Talk about the text-book definition of irony... Let my expensive lesson be a free warning to others. The CZ has a standing/fixed blade ejector tab and the rod guide centres the rod in line with the bore. Unfortunately, that ejector tab is in the way and it pushes the rod sideways into the rifling. So remember that adage mentioned above - it's true!
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Re: .22 rimfire barrel cleaning. Costly mistake.

Post by Wm.Traynor » 13 Dec 2018, 8:04 pm

I went to a lot of trouble to circumvent the pesky CZ ejector in my 455. Now my rod is unobstructed. Will post pics if you like. Won't fix your barrel but you won't damage it again either.
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Post by bigrich » 13 Dec 2018, 8:41 pm

wildcard6 wrote:Breaking a lifetime habit of not doing so, I decided to try cleaning my CZ452 .22LR barrel a bit more thoroughly. I will be using this rifle to shoot a new match in 2019 where metallic silhouette targets will be shot from 100m out to 300 yards. I have upgraded the scope to a Vortex long-range reticle unit, so this cleaning idea was just a part of a general push to improve performance. Keeping in mind the old adage about more damage being done by cleaning than shooting, I did the responsible thing and bought a rod-guide to protect the all-important chamber/ leade area and you may be surprised to hear that the rod-guide actually CAUSED the very damage I was trying to avoid! I've just come from my gunsmith's workshop who showed me the damage viewed in his bore-scope and it's horrendous! I'm up for $400 to cut the barrel back and re-chamber it. Talk about the text-book definition of irony... Let my expensive lesson be a free warning to others. The CZ has a standing/fixed blade ejector tab and the rod guide centres the rod in line with the bore. Unfortunately, that ejector tab is in the way and it pushes the rod sideways into the rifling. So remember that adage mentioned above - it's true!


how many times did you clean the barrel to cause damage ?
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Post by Diamond Jim » 14 Dec 2018, 12:04 am

Ummm.... not doubting your experience but I've cleaned my 452 many times with no apparent ill-effect. I use a "Possum Hollow" rod guide, brass brush, solvent, patches etc. The ejector doesn't seem to come into the equation.
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Post by tom604 » 14 Dec 2018, 12:18 am

b#gger ,might as well buy a new one for that money :unknown: well,, maybe not quite but sheesh :crazy: lot of damage for one clean :wtf: :thumbsdown:
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Post by Gaznazdiak » 14 Dec 2018, 12:21 am

What the hell are you buggers doing up at this hour?

I thought only piss tank bludgers like me stayed up this late on the interwebbery.
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Post by bigrich » 14 Dec 2018, 4:39 am

I bought a locally made bore guide, and the ejector got in the way of the rod , so I stopped using it. Probably only used it three or four times. I use possum hollow guides on my centre fires and found them to be good. The only thing I did with mth my Cz rimfire was nylon brush and patch the powder out of it after using.
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Post by Sergeant Hartman » 14 Dec 2018, 6:12 am

The cz scratched my cleaning rod teflon coating. Read online about it apparently needed a 20cal or 17cal .... not the 22cal that the std rods are. Anyway who cleans a 22lr....I only did it cuz I bought it 2nd hand no idea how many it had through it.

I might next do it......... in 20 years
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Post by No1_49er » 14 Dec 2018, 12:35 pm

bigrich wrote:I bought a locally made bore guide, and the ejector got in the way of the rod , so I stopped using it. Probably only used it three or four times. I use possum hollow guides on my centre fires and found them to be good. The only thing I did with mth my Cz rimfire was nylon brush and patch the powder out of it after using.

If you used a bore guide that was appropriate to your rifle, how on earth did the ejector get in the way? Something's not right, somewhere.
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Post by bigrich » 14 Dec 2018, 12:46 pm

No1_49er wrote:
bigrich wrote:I bought a locally made bore guide, and the ejector got in the way of the rod , so I stopped using it. Probably only used it three or four times. I use possum hollow guides on my centre fires and found them to be good. The only thing I did with mth my Cz rimfire was nylon brush and patch the powder out of it after using.

If you used a bore guide that was appropriate to your rifle, how on earth did the ejector get in the way? Something's not right, somewhere.


Agreed, something’s not right. It seems to just catch the edge of the jag tip. I’ve got a couple of different rods, and the “spika “ rod is a bit smaller than others and seems to fit well with the bore guide . I only shoot lead projectiles, and just nylon brush and run a dry patch or two through to remove any powder. If stuff doesn’t fit, I don’t force it. I’ve got a mate who keeps breaking stuff and wonders why :roll:
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Re: .22 rimfire barrel cleaning. Costly mistake.

Post by wildcard6 » 14 Dec 2018, 12:58 pm

I used the rod guide just once and the damage was done. It's my own fault I admit, but because I'd had such a devil of a time getting hold of the rod guide I was keen to use it. When the rod entered the barrel it was like scr*wing a porcupine... I thought 'WTF', but kept pushing [big mistake] and the rest is history. To those unfamiliar with CZ452 anatomy, the ejector is prominent and the centred rod is forced sideways by contact with it. It made some impressive scratches on my steel rod, I can tell you! I looked at getting a .20 calibre rod, but you can't put a .22 calibre patch jag on .20 cal rod - it won't fit. I was advised to use a .20 cal jag with two patches... [Why not use a .17 cal rod with three?] I think that if a bore guide is manufactured and sold as a .22 cal rod guide, it should work as is!
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Post by in2anity » 14 Dec 2018, 1:08 pm

I believe this thread should be renamed "CZ452 barrel cleaning. costly mistake"
At what point does lack of maintenance become patina?
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Post by Bills Shed » 14 Dec 2018, 1:12 pm

I agree something is not right here. It takes a lot of effort to mess up rifling and I doubt a brass jag and a coated rod could do that damage in one go.
Just my 2 cents

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Post by Member-Deleted » 14 Dec 2018, 1:15 pm

dumb question perhaps but am I equally at risk of damaging something if I don't use a bore guide? Currently, i clean by having the muzzle slightly lower than the chamber to prevent fluid coming back into it, use a carbon rod and bronze jags. I wouldn't have thought it could scratch or damage the chamber or rifling. yes/no?
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Post by No1_49er » 14 Dec 2018, 1:42 pm

wildcard6 wrote:I used the rod guide just once and the damage was done. It's my own fault I admit, but because I'd had such a devil of a time getting hold of the rod guide I was keen to use it. When the rod entered the barrel it was like scr*wing a porcupine... I thought 'WTF', but kept pushing [big mistake] and the rest is history. To those unfamiliar with CZ452 anatomy, the ejector is prominent and the centred rod is forced sideways by contact with it. It made some impressive scratches on my steel rod, I can tell you! I looked at getting a .20 calibre rod, but you can't put a .22 calibre patch jag on .20 cal rod - it won't fit. I was advised to use a .20 cal jag with two patches... [Why not use a .17 cal rod with three?] I think that if a bore guide is manufactured and sold as a .22 cal rod guide, it should work as is!

Irrespective of the anatomy of any rimfire rifle, if the bore-guide is made for THAT rifle, it should reach as far as the breech face. No possible way for the rod to be touched by anything other than the guide and bore.
Centrefires are even better because the guide will "plug into" the chamber so keeping everything centered, and prevent solvent running back into the action/bedding, or the trigger.
Did you have the correct guide?
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Post by wildcard6 » 14 Dec 2018, 1:42 pm

I just received a reply from the rod-guide manufacturer and they claim that there's nothing wrong with their rod guides. The problem lies with the inconsistent dimensions of the CZ's ejector tab. Mine, it seems, is too high and can be seen when the rod guide is in place. Not all CZ's have this issue apparently. B*gger! I've forwarded the manufacturer's email to my gunsmith to see if this is something worth dealing with, but I know what he's going to say. "Don't clean the barrel, you d*ckhead', or something similar. He shoots rimfires out to 500m and simply doesn't clean his barrel. I think I'll just keep this bore guide as a reminder of something stupid that I did once.
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Post by bladeracer » 14 Dec 2018, 2:21 pm

Diamond Jim wrote:Ummm.... not doubting your experience but I've cleaned my 452 many times with no apparent ill-effect. I use a "Possum Hollow" rod guide, brass brush, solvent, patches etc. The ejector doesn't seem to come into the equation.


Brass brush for cleaning a .22LR bore? I don't even use a nylon brush in the .22's, just soak with solvent and patch out until clean.
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Post by bladeracer » 14 Dec 2018, 2:24 pm

wildcard6 wrote:I used the rod guide just once and the damage was done. It's my own fault I admit, but because I'd had such a devil of a time getting hold of the rod guide I was keen to use it. When the rod entered the barrel it was like scr*wing a porcupine... I thought 'WTF', but kept pushing [big mistake] and the rest is history. To those unfamiliar with CZ452 anatomy, the ejector is prominent and the centred rod is forced sideways by contact with it. It made some impressive scratches on my steel rod, I can tell you! I looked at getting a .20 calibre rod, but you can't put a .22 calibre patch jag on .20 cal rod - it won't fit. I was advised to use a .20 cal jag with two patches... [Why not use a .17 cal rod with three?] I think that if a bore guide is manufactured and sold as a .22 cal rod guide, it should work as is!


You can buy a thread adapter to run larger attachments on the smaller rods.
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Post by bigfellascott » 14 Dec 2018, 5:07 pm

Never had bore guides when I bought my Brno Mod 2, I still don't have a bore guide for it, seems to shoot fine not that I clean it much, :unknown:
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Post by deanp100 » 14 Dec 2018, 8:12 pm

bladeracer wrote:
Diamond Jim wrote:Ummm.... not doubting your experience but I've cleaned my 452 many times with no apparent ill-effect. I use a "Possum Hollow" rod guide, brass brush, solvent, patches etc. The ejector doesn't seem to come into the equation.


Brass brush for cleaning a .22LR bore? I don't even use a nylon brush in the .22's, just soak with solvent and patch out until clean.

Irrespective of what is needed, brass or nylon should not have damaged a steel barrel first time. I reckon you could nearly stick a rat tail file up a barrel once and not do anything. After all they are steel. So what did the damage., the scratches in rod then passing through the bore. Still doesn’t sound right. Are you sure the gunsmith isn’t having a go.
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Post by bladeracer » 14 Dec 2018, 8:16 pm

deanp100 wrote:
bladeracer wrote:
Diamond Jim wrote:Ummm.... not doubting your experience but I've cleaned my 452 many times with no apparent ill-effect. I use a "Possum Hollow" rod guide, brass brush, solvent, patches etc. The ejector doesn't seem to come into the equation.


Brass brush for cleaning a .22LR bore? I don't even use a nylon brush in the .22's, just soak with solvent and patch out until clean.


Irrespective of what is needed, brass or nylon should not have damaged a steel barrel first time. I reckon you could nearly stick a rat tail file up a barrel once and not do anything. After all they are steel. So what did the damage., the scratches in rod then passing through the bore. Still doesn’t sound right. Are you sure the gunsmith isn’t having a go.


I'm not suggesting any brush would damage the bore, simply surprised that anybody has a .22 that requires brushes to clean.
He said that the rod being forced to the right side of the chamber by the ejector damaged the leade on that side.

I would want to see how it shoots before determining it was actually "damaged", no point replacing a barrel that still shoots.
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Post by deanp100 » 14 Dec 2018, 9:10 pm

If he had a brush on it would have centred the rod as well. I don’t get that a scratched or misaligned rod, no matter how hard it is jammed to one side is going to do anything detrimental on one occasion. After years of use maybe .I say shoot it as well.
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Post by Diamond Jim » 18 Dec 2018, 2:14 am

"Brass brush for cleaning a .22LR bore? I don't even use a nylon brush in the .22's, just soak with solvent and patch out until clean."

It's just what I do with my rifles. Doesn't seem to do any harm. Give 'em a scrub, solvent and patch until clean. Oil before putting in the safe. In my centrefires I use Sweets for copper fouling.
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Post by No1_49er » 18 Dec 2018, 12:26 pm

Seems some people doubt the need to use a brush to clean a 22 RF barrel.
After passing a number of clean patches through a barrel, and seeing no more (apparent) evidence of anything remaining, take the time to push a clean bronze brush through, and watch the dust cloud that forms as the brush exits the muzzle.
If you think that is "nothing", then go right ahead and use your "non-method". There IS sh1t in there that needs to be removed.
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Post by bladeracer » 18 Dec 2018, 12:45 pm

No1_49er wrote:Seems some people doubt the need to use a brush to clean a 22 RF barrel.
After passing a number of clean patches through a barrel, and seeing no more (apparent) evidence of anything remaining, take the time to push a clean bronze brush through, and watch the dust cloud that forms as the brush exits the muzzle.
If you think that is "nothing", then go right ahead and use your "non-method". There IS sh1t in there that needs to be removed.


Does the remaining dust cloud affect the accuracy though?
I don't clean a bore to make it clean, I clean it to make it shoot accurately again.
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Post by Sergeant Hartman » 18 Dec 2018, 1:40 pm

But thr million dollar situation is how often to clean a 22lr barrel. Mone is close to 700 rounds since last clean.... I can see some particles in barrel
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Post by bladeracer » 18 Dec 2018, 2:57 pm

Ziad wrote:But thr million dollar situation is how often to clean a 22lr barrel. Mine is close to 700 rounds since last clean.... I can see some particles in barrel


With my Rugers I'm going around 1500rds before having any issues. I went close to 3000rds with the Target model recently and was still hitting longer-range targets despite the grouping opening up a little.

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Post by Wm.Traynor » 18 Dec 2018, 4:11 pm

bladeracer wrote:
No1_49er wrote:Seems some people doubt the need to use a brush to clean a 22 RF barrel.
After passing a number of clean patches through a barrel, and seeing no more (apparent) evidence of anything remaining, take the time to push a clean bronze brush through, and watch the dust cloud that forms as the brush exits the muzzle.
If you think that is "nothing", then go right ahead and use your "non-method". There IS sh1t in there that needs to be removed.


Does the remaining dust cloud affect the accuracy though?
I don't clean a bore to make it clean, I clean it to make it shoot accurately again.


The "dust" is burnt carbon and that is what holds atmospheric moisture against the steel, eventually resulting in rust. Do you live in a dry part of Oz, bladeracer? If so, that might be why your barrels don't rust. I live near the Pacific north of Bris, where the air is salty and humid. Perfect recipe for rust.
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Post by bladeracer » 18 Dec 2018, 4:42 pm

Wm.Traynor wrote:The "dust" is burnt carbon and that is what holds atmospheric moisture against the steel, eventually resulting in rust. Do you live in a dry part of Oz, bladeracer? If so, that might be why your barrels don't rust. I live near the Pacific north of Bris, where the air is salty and humid. Perfect recipe for rust.


Are you saying that a .22LR bore will rust despite the coating of bullet lubricant? I can't recall ever seeing that. I would think scraping the lube out of the bore is more likely to result in rusting.
I wouldn't say Central Gippsland is dry :-)
But I do shoot very, very regularly.
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Re: .22 rimfire barrel cleaning. Costly mistake.

Post by Wm.Traynor » 18 Dec 2018, 7:25 pm

Yes, the bore of my late lamented 452 rusted because I did not clean it. By that I mean, including oiling after cleaning. Maybe you don't give it time to rust?
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