CJ810

I got a Ruger 10/22 when I was 13. I loved that gun. I can still remember how proud I was at camp when it was time for shooting class to get my own gun out of the camp's gun safe and carry it down to the range. It came with a scope as part of a special. I used to love using that scope. It was a cheapo and broke and has since been removed.

At some point in High School I quit shooting regularly and then I went to college, and it's been in a soft leather or vinyl case for 20 years. Last night I got it from my folks garage, took it to my father in law's house and pulled it from the case. I had expected and been warned of the possibility of rust.

I saw a couple of flecks that could be rust when I pulled it from the case. Primarily at the tip of the muzzle but they brushed off, and I could see no rust anywhere on the gun. I ran 2 swabs with Hoppes 9 in and out of the barrel, with a dry cloth before, in between and after. I never saw anything that looked like rust on the swabs.

I am paranoid about looking down the barrel of a gun. Even after I've checked the gun and swabbed the barrel there is just something about holding a gun up to my eye that I have a distinct aversion to (doesn't that break rule #2 Never point a gun at anything you don't want to destroy, in this case my eye and the brain behind it?).

If the swabs were coming out clean, is that sufficient, or do I need to actually peer down the barrel?

Also I dryfired it 4x total, and a couple times when I was running the rod down the barrel it hit the rear part of the chamber pretty hard. Are either of those things to be concerned about with this gun?

Right now the 2 clips I had with it are awol. But I am pretty sure they are in a memento box in my bedroom at the parents house, now that I think about it. How they originally got there, I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure about that.

I had a 10 rd and an after market 25 rd.

Any help/tips/suggestions?

I got it out of storage to sell or trade. Now that I have it in my possession again the thought of selling it is difficult.

C9H13NO3

I usually just go off of when my patches come out clean. I have no problem looking down the barrel though. I prefer too look through the breech end, but if it's not possible, I'll just clear it, and double check it's clear. I don't worry then.

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-Ryan

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

Zippy

Pick up a bore light that will go in the breech and then look down the barrel with that in there. If there is a light in the chamber then it can't go bang.

searcher 45

If a 10/22 has set up for a while the trigger may need some work. They can become very hard to fire and throw you aim off. This can be fixed by breaking down the rifle and cleaning the trigger and oiling it. I have a 10/22 that set up with no attention for years and this is what i had to do to it to get it back in good firing order. Mine did not rust ether and now shoot very tight groups at 100 years. Enjoy your old friend and run many rounds through it.

Bark'n

It's important to inspect the bore and the rifling for damage or stubborn fouling that wasn't cleaned out with brushes and swabs. Especially on guns that have sat unused for extended periods of time.

So obviously, the rule of never pointing the muzzle at anything you do not wish to destroy has some caveats which go with it. Before you ever look into a barrel, you should:

1) You must KNOW the gun is unloaded and safe.

2) You must KNOW the gun is unloaded and safe.

3) Account for all ammo and make sure it is away from the gun!

4) Open the action! Make sure you can see a clear chamber and action; then physically inspect the chamber area by poking your finger in and out of the area!

5) Make sure the action remains open when looking down the barrel. Like C9H13NO3, I prefer to look from the breech end, but if the design of the gun prohibits that, I make sure I KNOW the gun is unloaded and the action is open before I'll look inside from the muzzle end.

6) As far as I'm concerned there is absolutely no reason to look into a barrel if the action is closed! Make sure the action is open and you can see daylight in there.

Of course, if the gun has been broken down to where the barrel is totally removed and you are looking at an individual component (the barrel,) totally detached from the rest of the gun, it shouldn't be a problem.

Before buying a used gun, I always inspect the rifling. You'd be surprised how some people poorly care for their guns. I've seen huge nicks a gouges in the rifling on some guns which could significantly impair accuracy. Likewise for any damage to the muzzle. Which is why many quality guns have a recessed crown on the muzzle. To protect that critical edge where the bullet leaves the bore on it's flight down range.

So to sum things up. It is perfectly acceptable to look down the barrel of a gun provided the proper precautions have been strictly adhered to and you made sure it is unloaded by using more than one means of verification.

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-Bark'n
Semper Fi

"The gun is the great equalizer... For it is the gun, that allows the meek to repel the monsters; Whom are bigger, stronger and without conscience, will prey on those of us who without one, would surely perish."

dnowell

If you're really, really nervous you could use a mirror to look down the bore. Just a thought.

SIXTO

And dont sell it, You'll be sorry.

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ramrunnr

SIXTO said,

But if you do want to sell it let me know.

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Kel-Tec P-3at, Taurus PT-908, Glock 26, Ruger 10/22, Kel-Tec SUB-2000 9mm Glock mags, ...I just keep getting more and more.

Ram Rod

My suggestions for cleaning the barrel on a 10/22 is to get a bore snake or patchworm and clean from the breech properly. Definitely don't want to clean from the muzzle end with a rod and hit the bolt. Removing a 10/22 barrel off the receiver for cleaning several times can also cause it's own problems, and if you do, be sure to index the extractor properly if you do. The barrel to receiver fit will become loose for removing the barrel too many times. I have angled head bore lights that I'll stick in the chamber and look down the muzzle with. Dry-firing your rimfire often is highly not recommended on an empty chamber! You should definitely hang onto your older 10/22 because Ruger just don't make 'em like they used to. Brand new ones are made with plastic trigger housings now. If you get to where you have a list of questions about your 10/22, then I think rimfirecentral would be a good place hang out on occasion. I've been doing more of that myself here lately. If you head over to rimfirecentral and you do want to sell your 10/22, I'm sure that would help as well. You'll need to be a member for 35 days before posting in their B/S/T forums though. Good luck.

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RamRod-----sans remords
live, eat, breathe, sleep Glock

jwhite75

Definitely do not sell it. youwill not go wrong having a 10/22, you will however go wrong seling one of your childhood memories.

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