Ruger 10/22 cleaning and maintenence?

Question

Hey guys, I got a 10/22 rifle last September, haven't had a chance to shoot it. Would it be okay to go out and shoot it or should I get it checked out, cleaned, or anything else. Also I got some bullets at the same time, would it be a good idea to throw them out and get new ones?

I forgot to mention that it has a plastic stock and blued steel barrel and receiver, if that helps.

Answer 1

Congrats, the 10/22 is a nice little plinking gun. I would probably give it the one over first before firing it. If it is new, I wouldn't really have a need to clean it all the way, just field strip it, and make sure there are no barrel obstructions or a lot of carbon build up.

As for the bullets, as long as they are kept cool and dry, they will last for years. I still have bullets from decades ago that still fire on a consistent basis due to proper storage. However, if you do see any lead corrosion (green or white fuzzy stuff or powder on the bullet) get rid of them by dropping them off at your local Police Department. In Minneapolis, that is one of the only legal ways to dispose of unwanted ammo.

Answer 2

I might recommend taking your rifle apart and cleaning it first - if anything just to 'get to know' your new gun. I had a 10/22 and its the easiest rifle to take apart and clean, so why not do it right? There are several models of the 1022 but I'm going to assume you have the regular model with the sporter barrel and wood stock. You can take it all apart in about five minutes and detail clean everything, and that way you know the inside of the receiver and how it works. First off, remove the magazine and make sure there is nothing in the barrel. At the front end of the stock is a metal ring that goes around the stock and barrel. Remove that by taking out the one screw it has. Now you should be able to remove the barrel and receiver from the stock. If the stock is dirty, I use furniture polish to clean mine. I'm sure there are some who will completely disagree, but its wood just like your dresser and Pledge will work fine. Now back to the metal...... if you want to take the barrel off the receiver, then you will need one allen wrench. Looking at the bottom of the barrel, where it meets the receiver, you will see a little block with the two allen head screws in it. It will have a V-shaped end facing back to the receiver. Take that off and the barrel will pull straight out. Looking at the side of the receiver, you will see a few pins. You can easily push these out with a small screwdiver. Once you remove the pins, then you can remove the bolt-carrier inside the receiver. Holding the receiver upside down you can see how it slides back and forth and then slide it back and pop it out. It all comes apart easy and goes back together easy so there's no real reason to not clean it well. If you break or lose anything, its all easy to replace - just go to MidwayUSA.com and you will find all your parts there. Enjoy.........

Answer 3

It sounds like you have done everything right. And that should include: having bought a cleaning rod that will fit into a 22 caliber barrel a jag made for a 22 caliber barrel a slotted tool made also to fit into a 22 caliber barrel And cleaning patches made expressly for use with a 22 caliber jag. You cannot use cleaning patches made for larger calibers or for shotgun gages because they're is so much cloth material it will not fit into the barrel. If you try mightly enough you might get it stuck in a fraction of an inch in and that is about it. Also cleaning patches made by different manufactures may be made of a thicker or even thinner cloth or other material. And may be cut into squares or circular shape. Try cutting down the patches you have, removing say 1/8 inch from two sides at a time to see if the cut down patch will slide into the barrel with it over a 22 calliber jag. If this works, cut down all patches before attempting to slide them into your rifles barrel. Some jags will have the caliber or gage it is made for embossed on the side of it's body. Others will come in a container with the size it is on the container. Use the right size for caliber firearm.. And a word about gun cleaning kits. The kits will generally say what minimum barrel bore size the cleaning rod and the jags that come with the kit will fit into. The kits generally have several jags. A kit for 22 caliber and up may have at least a 22 caliber jag along with say a 270 caliber and 30 caliber jag set. Separate out one patch and put over the top of the jag and push into the bore. Do not use more than one patch as there will be to much material you cannot push all that material successfully into the barrel bore. Other sets will be made expecially for larger caliber bores or for shotguns or for muzle loader firearms. And oh. There are cleaning kits made especially for 117 caliber air guns and 17 calliber firearms.

Answer 4

Did you get it new or used?

If new, it should be fine.

If used you might want to at least give it a cleaning first. Also check it after the first shot to make sure everything still looks ok. (No bullet lodged in the barrel, etc.)

If you don't know the age of the ammunition I wouln't use it. Don't just throw it away, though. It needs to be disposed of properly. Most police departments will take old ammunition for disposal.

Check with a local gun club or store before you call the cops, though. Some departments are quick to hit the panic button and you might suddenly find the bomb squad at your house and your neighborhood evacuated (although that's unlikely and totally unnecessary).

Answer 5

It's a good idea to strip and clean a gun to get rid of the thick grease that is often used to ship the weapons. That stuff could cause malfunctions if there is too much. Break Free would be good for cleaning, but if you have WD 40, you could use that too. Wipe most of the stuff in there off with a rag.

Consider buying a BoreSnake and Break Free when you're at the range.

Your bullets will be fine now if they were fine last September. It takes many decades for bullets to go bad.

Answer 6

I would check the rifle for obstructions in the barrel before I shot it. You can go to any sporting good store(gun shop,Wal-Mart,etc.) and get a cleaning kit for a .22 cal. This kit should include brushes,solvents,lubricants,push-rod,and cleaning pads. As for the bullets, of they show no signs of defect or aging they should be OK. If any doubt exists, ammo for this gun doesn't cost that much so dispose of it properly. Tough little gun, good-luck shooting!

Answer 7

There is no need to clean it or buy new ammo...