Drilling a cleaning hole in a 10/22

[captainsling]

Who has had a cleaning hole drilled into the back of the receiver on their 10/22? I have heard of several custom receivers that have this. Anyone recommend a smith that can do it in the Houston area?

[captainsling]

Sorry double post.

[ducks-and-bucks]

Never seen that. Why not take it apart and clean it properly inside and out?? The semis get carbon build up everywhere inside the receiver anyways not just the barrel and bolt

[captainsling]

I do clean it properly but you can't get a cleaning rod in unless you go from the crown in. This is not recommended by any barrel maker that I have heard of in fear of damaging the crown. This will allow you to clean from the receiver end like a bolt action. Most bench shooters do this to their 10/22.

[bboswell]

Very interesting. I was aware of the problem but have never heard of this solution.

Following!

[Jethro]

I have one in mine, I did it myself. Not really that complicated to do at all, just get your measurements right so that the hole is directly in line with the bore. I used to have a link as to what those measurements were but don't anymore. I'm sure you could find out over on Rimfire Central somewhere. Just use a drill press with a vise on it, no problem. I was refinishing my reciever anyways, so it didn't bother me to drill the hole.

To be completely honest though, I almost never use it. I do the vast majority of my rimfire cleaning with a Bore Snake pulled through from the breech end. Most .22RF fouling is really soft, and on a well shot in barrel just doesn't take that much to get it out. In fact, you can get a rimfire barrel TOO clean, where it has to build fouling back up before it will settle in and shoot again. My barrel has been reworked with a match chamber and recrowned by a guy over on RFC, and it will shoot. With the right ammo it has shot an average of under 1/4" for 4, 5 shot groups at 25 yards.

[captainsling]

I bought a 20" match grade Kidd barrel and just don't want to mess it up by going in thru the crown.
Wish I had a drill press and I would probably do it. You don't see the hole once it is back in the stock.

[Jethro]

That is correct, the hole is below the stock line. In fact, I had forgotten mine was there untill I read this thread. I guess that goes to show how much I use the Bore Snake, and how little I use the cleaning rod.

I think I used a 1/4" drill bit, or maybe a touch under that. Basically just enough for the bore brush to go through the hole without squeezing the brush.