I'm pretty new to shooting competitively and I've recently bought a new Anschutz 1907. My biggest fear is in the cleaning. I want to keep it (especially the barrel) as in good shape as possible. With that being said, what recommendations would you have for me in the cleaning department. I have read the manual but was curious to see what advice any more experienced shooters might have.
Advice like...
Do you use a .22 snake?
How often would you run a steel brush through it?
How often do you run patches through the barrel?
Etc.
Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.
Cleaning new 1907
Moderators: pilkguns, Marcus, m1963, David Levene, Spencer
1) Some shooters use a boresnake. I saw a former Olympic medallist use one prior to the 50m Prone match at the London Games last summer. But you don't see that many serious shooters using one. Boresnakes are great for a quick clean, but don't clean as well as a rod and patches. However you must be careful that the cord does not pull across the muzzle, as this could damage the crown. Also after one pull the snake is embedded with abrasive particles and needs a clean itself.
2) No good shooter that I know of uses a steel brush. In fact I have never seen a .22 cal steel brush for sale. However many shooters do use a phosphour bronze brush. How often is up to you and your barrel. Some shooters will clean with a brush after each match/session, and others will clean periodically, say every 500-1000 rounds. Older barrels may need to be brushed more often than a new barrel. If used carefully a bronze brush will not harm the barrel, but is very useful to remove lead from the rifling grooves.
3) Patches are used very time you clean, in fact it's not really possible to clean properly without patches. Solvent-wet patches are used to remove loose fouling, and to saturate any stubborn fouling prior to brushing. Patches are then used to swab and dry the barrel.
Some shooters will wet and dry patch the barrel after each match/session, as the firing residue becomes hard and abrasive as the barrel cools, and will accelerate wear if left in situ. This removes enough fouling that they feel they do not need to clean with a brush so often.
As you can tell from answer 1, I recommend a good quality cleaning rod over a boresnake/pull-through. Don't skimp, cheap aluminium, brass, or multi-section rods can damage your barrel much more easily than a good single piece steel rod. A good rod is cheaper than a new barrel. I use a plastic coated steel rod, but others prefer bare polished steel. The rod should be long enough that it leaves the muzzle withoiut the handle catching on the butt. A ball-bearing handle is good so patches/brushes follow the grooves.
Also get a rod guide, these centre and support the rod so it doesn't touch and rub the grooves. Constant rubbing can damage the bore.
It doesn't seem to matter which solvent you get, most seem to work. That said stay away from solvents that have a very high ammonia content, like Sweets 7.62; the ammonia is there to dissolve copper residue from high velocity centre-fire ammo, and isn't neccesary for smallbore bullets.
Tim
2) No good shooter that I know of uses a steel brush. In fact I have never seen a .22 cal steel brush for sale. However many shooters do use a phosphour bronze brush. How often is up to you and your barrel. Some shooters will clean with a brush after each match/session, and others will clean periodically, say every 500-1000 rounds. Older barrels may need to be brushed more often than a new barrel. If used carefully a bronze brush will not harm the barrel, but is very useful to remove lead from the rifling grooves.
3) Patches are used very time you clean, in fact it's not really possible to clean properly without patches. Solvent-wet patches are used to remove loose fouling, and to saturate any stubborn fouling prior to brushing. Patches are then used to swab and dry the barrel.
Some shooters will wet and dry patch the barrel after each match/session, as the firing residue becomes hard and abrasive as the barrel cools, and will accelerate wear if left in situ. This removes enough fouling that they feel they do not need to clean with a brush so often.
As you can tell from answer 1, I recommend a good quality cleaning rod over a boresnake/pull-through. Don't skimp, cheap aluminium, brass, or multi-section rods can damage your barrel much more easily than a good single piece steel rod. A good rod is cheaper than a new barrel. I use a plastic coated steel rod, but others prefer bare polished steel. The rod should be long enough that it leaves the muzzle withoiut the handle catching on the butt. A ball-bearing handle is good so patches/brushes follow the grooves.
Also get a rod guide, these centre and support the rod so it doesn't touch and rub the grooves. Constant rubbing can damage the bore.
It doesn't seem to matter which solvent you get, most seem to work. That said stay away from solvents that have a very high ammonia content, like Sweets 7.62; the ammonia is there to dissolve copper residue from high velocity centre-fire ammo, and isn't neccesary for smallbore bullets.
Tim
Last edited by Tim S on Thu May 09, 2013 8:39 am, edited 3 times in total.
There is a very good post from a very good shooter here: http://www.targetshooting.co.nz/ubbthre ... l#Post4932 which is well worth reading.
K.
K.
E,
you're welcome.
Questions about cleaning often generate a little controversy, as many shooters feel that their particular method is the only possible way, and can take exception to contrary opinions.
A sensible suggestion would be to let the rifle tell you when it needs to be cleaned (by which I mean a thorough clean with a brush). Take note of how many rounds it takes before accuracy suffers, and then clean before that point. You don't want to lose points at an important match because you left it too late to clean.
You only mentioned barrel cleaning in your first post, but I recommend keeping the breech/bolt very clean as well. These parts collect grease and crud, and will affect accuracy as well as ease of operation. Too much crud around the bolt nose and barrel face will make it difficult to seat a cartridge fully into the chamber, which can cause inconsistent ignition. If the cartridge is not fully seated with the rim flush against the barrel face, it will move forwards when struck by the firing pin, absorbing the blow and delaying ignition. This can cause poor accuracy. Crud in the bolt will also slow down the firing pin, robbing it of momentum.
Wipe the bolt and breech down when you finish shooting. Keep a toothbrush (the cheaper and stiffer-bristled the better) in your toolkit, and brush the front of the bolt, this keeps the extractors claws in good order. I also have cottonbuds/Q-Tips to hand to clean the barrel face and slots. A dentists pick, or wooden toothpick, is very useful as well, especially for the gas vent. The vent is the hole in the RHS of the action just ahead of the breech; if you have a faulty cartridge blow, this diverts the gas away from your eyes.
Tim
you're welcome.
Questions about cleaning often generate a little controversy, as many shooters feel that their particular method is the only possible way, and can take exception to contrary opinions.
A sensible suggestion would be to let the rifle tell you when it needs to be cleaned (by which I mean a thorough clean with a brush). Take note of how many rounds it takes before accuracy suffers, and then clean before that point. You don't want to lose points at an important match because you left it too late to clean.
You only mentioned barrel cleaning in your first post, but I recommend keeping the breech/bolt very clean as well. These parts collect grease and crud, and will affect accuracy as well as ease of operation. Too much crud around the bolt nose and barrel face will make it difficult to seat a cartridge fully into the chamber, which can cause inconsistent ignition. If the cartridge is not fully seated with the rim flush against the barrel face, it will move forwards when struck by the firing pin, absorbing the blow and delaying ignition. This can cause poor accuracy. Crud in the bolt will also slow down the firing pin, robbing it of momentum.
Wipe the bolt and breech down when you finish shooting. Keep a toothbrush (the cheaper and stiffer-bristled the better) in your toolkit, and brush the front of the bolt, this keeps the extractors claws in good order. I also have cottonbuds/Q-Tips to hand to clean the barrel face and slots. A dentists pick, or wooden toothpick, is very useful as well, especially for the gas vent. The vent is the hole in the RHS of the action just ahead of the breech; if you have a faulty cartridge blow, this diverts the gas away from your eyes.
Tim
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Eagleye357
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:07 am
That's all great advice! I wouldn't have thought about cleaning the bolt nose or the breach area where the bullet should be flush. I will also add a toothbrush to my cleaning supplies.
Another question. What kind of solvent/liquids would you recommend? I'm scared to death to use one that will wear my barrel down over time. Any recommendations on brands and such?
E.
Another question. What kind of solvent/liquids would you recommend? I'm scared to death to use one that will wear my barrel down over time. Any recommendations on brands and such?
E.
Hi E,
there are lots of solvents on the market, and most will do the job. as I noted in an earlier post you don't need ammonia heavy cleaners for a smallbore, so ignore Sweets 7.62, Hoppes Benchrest, or anything that is labelled specifically as a copper remover.
Any solvent that is labelled for nitropowder and lead is ideal. Plain old Hoppes no 9 works, especially if you let it soak in. Shooters Choice gets a fair few mentions, and I believe they sell a version formulated to shift lead. Boretech Rimfire Blend is another good choice, and is more environmentally friendly than traditional paraffin-based fluids like Hoppes. You can even mix your own, google the recipe for Ed's Red.
You also need a good oil for rust protecting and lubricating. Almost any branded gun oil will work. I'm not sure the more expensive mil-spec products are necessary for a smallbore rifle, as these are shot and cleaned regularly and not dragged out in the field.
Tim
there are lots of solvents on the market, and most will do the job. as I noted in an earlier post you don't need ammonia heavy cleaners for a smallbore, so ignore Sweets 7.62, Hoppes Benchrest, or anything that is labelled specifically as a copper remover.
Any solvent that is labelled for nitropowder and lead is ideal. Plain old Hoppes no 9 works, especially if you let it soak in. Shooters Choice gets a fair few mentions, and I believe they sell a version formulated to shift lead. Boretech Rimfire Blend is another good choice, and is more environmentally friendly than traditional paraffin-based fluids like Hoppes. You can even mix your own, google the recipe for Ed's Red.
You also need a good oil for rust protecting and lubricating. Almost any branded gun oil will work. I'm not sure the more expensive mil-spec products are necessary for a smallbore rifle, as these are shot and cleaned regularly and not dragged out in the field.
Tim