I officially have the silhouette bug thanks to the guys at Tusco. Before I really got into it, I was shooting primarily high velocity copper plated stuff. Now I shoot CCI Standard Velocity and Eley Target. Most of my 22s love the Eley. This past Saturday at Tusco, the Contender with Eley shot everywhere. I was very confident with that gun. My first shoot with it, I shot 18x40 standing. This past shoot just 11x40. I know I am a big variable in all of this, but I know I made some good shots. My brother was spotting and telling me how far off the shots were and I couldn't believe it. I have about a brick through it without cleaning. I did see a lot of unburned powder in the barrel. Today I cleaned the barrel and went the range with the Contender wearing it's new High Plains Gun Stocks Hammer grip. I shot it 6 o'clock hold as usual at a poor man's target off the bag at 25 yards. There are 5 shots that measure just under 5/8". Those were the first five shots after cleaning. I was more than happy. My question is, how often are you all cleaning your 22s especially if you shoot Eley? Does cleaning affect your zero?

Wow, thank you! I think I have some Wolf Match Extra. Is that much different than the Match Target? Maybe next month we can meet up at Tusco. My brother and I will probably be going on Saturday again.

Most say dont mix copper and lead
Most that do clean dont use a brush
Just wet patch then dry patch
I see shooter clean between relays
most of the good shooters
I know hardly ever clean
The lube on the bullet needs to coat the bore
Ive been told
I use eley target in my contenders and wolf
In my annie because that what shoots the best in
Each
I clean the action area couple times a year
Lightly clean bore for winter storage with Kroil
Just thoughts from a wont-to-be

I've been using Eley for many years and now that I ran out of my Brown Box(Standard) last year, I switched over to Eley Target. Shoots VERY well in my TC's and Anschutz with a Shilen barrel. 40s plus all the shootoffs.....I push a clean patch thru the bore after the match...that's it. No brushes, no solvent, no nothing. I do use a nylon brush to clean the chamber, but just one or two clean patches thru the bore after the match will do it for me.

If you shoot the copper plated ammo you could foul the barrel.I agree with ole95 never mix wax with copper.I wont say I never clean my 22`s
but its very rare, I do clean and lube the bolt and action regularly, and I never shoot copper in my Anschutz! research with different brands of ammo to find the one that your 22 likes the best and Confidence in your ammo is the most important factor.At this years Internationals one of the UASFS 80x80 was shot with Wolf match extra.
one of the USB 80x80 was Eley Target.Eley or Lapua will get you there,both good choices,not to say that others wont work.

Please Tonedaddy and others don't hate me, but freestyle and even taco hold just are not for me. That is now, maybe someday. I shoot isosceles or weaver stance. I shoot like that because that is how I hunt. I'm not gona shoot at a deer or squirrel from creedmoor or taco hold. That is just me. I want to focus on standing right now in my infancy stage of IHMSA. However, Saturday at Tusco, Jim Kesser was selling his Wichita and it caught my eye for a long time.

When I started to practice for IHMSA smallbore, I put CCI SV, Federal AutoMatch, Wolf Match Extra, and Eley Target thru my Contender and Buckmark. Both guns liked Eley Target the best. Recently, I was shooting my dad's single six. I only put CCI SV and Eley Target thru it. It loved the Eley. I shot 5 guns Saturday and the scores are kind of running together, but I'm pretty sure I shot a 15x40 with it standing. If I can get to 20 targets I will be very happy. Anyway, I now have a few bricks short of 2 cases of Eley Target, so I'm gona keep shooting that for the time being.

I use Bore Snakes on all my guns with NO solvent. Just pull through about 2 times and barrels are clean but still seasoned from last match. I do this even with my big bore guns shooting jacketed bullets and have never had flyers at beginning of next match. More 22s have been ruined by over cleaning than anything else. Ole95 advice is right on the money, don't mix plated and non-plated .22 ammo. Keep shooting your standing entries and enjoy the matches. When you feel the need to branch out to credemore style shooting look up tonedaddy and the others at Tusco and you will be swamped with offers of guns and ammo. You have fallen in with some great people over there. Hope you can make the trip to our LHA range sometime too but understand the logistics involved. Can't go wrong shooting at Tusco!!!!

Before falling and breaking my back I cleaned my .22 after every match if possible. Three wet patches followed by dry patches. I never shoot copper in my target guns. Now I clean them when I feel physically like doing it. I still try to limit the number of shots to 200 or so. I'm probably on the other end of the spectrum.

Over the years I have discovered if a person believes they are doing the right thing, cleaning/not cleaning guns, primer pockets, brass or any other quirk we may believe in, then it will help you be a better shooter. If in your mind you are doing the right thing, then you will probably shoot better. If you worry about NOT doing something, then it will probably affect you at a match whether it physically makes a difference or not. That is the great thing about shooting, everyone is right as long as it helps them shoot better. So many people do things differently but still shoot great so I don't think there is a hard, fast rule on the right thing to do whether it be gun cleaning or reloading as long as it is safe and the shooter thinks it is the right thing to do. If you gun doesn't like to be squeaky clean, then just shoot and have fun. If it wants a bath after every so many rounds or every match, then get used to cleaning it. In the end, there is no secret formula that works for everyone!!!!

Hi
I fall into the camp of not cleaning my .22's. I will clean the chamber and I clean any buildup from the throat and beginnings of the rifling. I don't want to clean the lube from my barrels. I feel that the lube helps and it costs me money to get the barrel well seasoned. I buy my ammo by the case so I will have the same sight settings until it runs out. I have shot Eley, Lupua, Wolf and SK. I have had good results with all. Some guns prefer one brand over the others. All seem to get better the longer I shoot the same load with the same lube.

Don't get me wrong. I am not condemning cleaning your guns. I recently started shooting a .22 rifle game where we shoot 2/5 sized targets at 50, 100, 150 and 200 yards or meters depending on the range. I don't clean that rifle any more than my silhouette pistols but some of those shooters scrub their barrel spotless before each match and those guys shoot very well. Like what was said before do whatever gives you confidence and enjoy shooting.

John Anderson