How to Clean a Ruger 10/22: Bolt, Receiver and Barrel

Why the 10/22 gets so dirty

Every .22 LR round leaves something behind: wax lube from the bullet, unburned powder, and priming residue. In a blowback semi-auto like the 10/22, the bolt opens while gas is still leaving the barrel, so a share of that mess blows straight back into the action. That's why the bolt face goes black so quickly and why carbon packs into the extractor.

The 10/22 copes with dirt better than most guns. Ruger says it has sold in the millions over more than half a century. But "copes" isn't "doesn't care." When a 10/22 starts failing to eject or feeding sluggishly, a dirty bolt and chamber are the first suspects.

This guide follows the steps in Ruger's own 10/22 instruction manual. If your rifle is a takedown, a carbon-fiber model or one with aftermarket parts, check your own manual, because some steps differ.

What you need

• A 5/32-inch Allen wrench for the takedown screw (Ruger's manual specifies it)
• A small punch to drift out pins
• A .22-caliber cleaning rod or pull-through, a bore brush and patches
• Powder solvent and light gun oil
• A nylon brush or old toothbrush and cotton swabs
• Eye protection, and a clean, flat work surface

If you'd rather use a pull-through, bore snakes and rods are in Ammunition Depot's gun cleaning supplies section. Our rimfire cleaning kits roundup compares rods, pull-throughs and chamber tools.

Step 1: Unload and verify

This is the step that matters most. Ruger's manual is blunt about it: removing the magazine does not unload the rifle.

1. Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger outside the trigger guard.
2. Put the safety on.
3. Remove the magazine.
4. Pull the bolt back, lock it open, and look into the chamber. Don't rely on memory. Look.
5. Check the magazine too.
6. Take all ammunition out of the room you're cleaning in.

Once you've confirmed the rifle is empty, let the bolt close. Ruger's disassembly steps begin with the hammer cocked.

Step 2: Remove the stock

1. If your rifle has a barrel band, loosen the barrel band screw and slide the band forward over the muzzle.
2. Loosen the takedown screw on the underside of the stock, in front of the magazine well, with the 5/32-inch wrench. Ruger says to loosen it, not remove it.
3. Center the safety button so an equal amount sticks out each side. Ruger warns that if you skip this, you can damage the stock when you lift out the action.
4. Lift the barreled action out of the stock.

Watch the two receiver cross pins and the bolt stop pin as you lift. Ruger cautions they can fall out once the stock is off.

Step 3: Drop the trigger group

1. With the safety on, drift out the two receiver cross pins.
2. Lift the trigger housing out of the receiver.

Ruger's manual recommends not taking the trigger housing apart. For routine cleaning, blow it out or wipe it with a lightly solvent-dampened brush and leave the internals alone. If it's truly gummed up, a gunsmith is the better route.

Step 4: Remove the bolt

This is where people get stuck. Take it slowly.

1. Cock the hammer if needed and put the safety on. Turn the barreled action upside down.
2. Drift out the bolt stop pin at the rear of the receiver.
3. With your left hand, pull the bolt handle fully back and hold it.
4. With your right hand, lift the front of the bolt up and free of the bolt handle, then take the bolt out.
5. Keeping pressure on the bolt handle, ease the guide rod assembly (the handle, guide rod and recoil spring) out through the ejection port.

The guide rod is under spring pressure. Keep control of it so it doesn't fly across the room.

Step 5: Clean the bore

Ruger's manual lays out a simple routine:

1. Run a solvent-wetted patch through the bore.
2. Run a solvent-wetted bristle brush the full length of the bore.
3. Finish with dry patches until they come out clean.

The manual notes the bore can also be reached through a plug at the rear of the receiver. If you clean from the muzzle, keep the rod centered so it doesn't rub the muzzle crown. A rod guide or a pull-through makes that easier.

Don't scrub a .22 bore to bare metal every session. Many rimfire shooters find accuracy settles after a few fouling shots, and some barrels shoot best slightly fouled. Our piece on barrel break-in and seasoning covers that debate.

Step 6: Clean the bolt, chamber and receiver

This is where the 10/22 really needs attention.

• Bolt face and extractor: Scrub with a nylon brush and solvent. Pay attention to the extractor claw. Carbon packed under it is a common cause of failures to extract.
• Chamber and feed ramp: Wipe with a solvent-damp swab, then a dry one. Ruger's manual specifically says to remove grease buildup from the bolt face, extractor, chamber and feed ramp, because it can interfere with feeding.
• Receiver interior: Wipe out loose residue with a patch or brush.
• Guide rod and spring: Wipe clean.

Ruger also warns against caustic or acetone-based cleaners, and against automotive or paint-stripping products. Test any cleaner on a hidden spot first. Don't use abrasives on the clear-coated aluminum receiver or trigger housing.

Step 7: Clean the magazine (without taking it apart)

Ruger's manual is clear: don't disassemble the 10/22 rotary magazine. Incorrect reassembly or spring tension can cause a dangerous malfunction.

Instead, use a solvent that won't rust metal or harm plastic, shake it out thoroughly, and check that the rotor turns freely and springs back. If a magazine is damaged or won't feed, replace it.

Step 8: Lubricate lightly

Apply a very light coat of oil to the moving parts and surfaces. Ruger says too much oil attracts dirt and can congeal in cold weather. Wipe off any excess.

Never spray lubricant onto cartridges. Ruger's manual warns that oil on a cartridge can prevent it from firing or cause the bullet to lodge in the bore.

Step 9: Reassemble

Reassembly is mostly the reverse, with a couple of tricks from Ruger's manual.

The bolt:

1. Set the receiver upside down on a clean, flat surface.
2. Insert the guide rod assembly through the ejection port into its pocket, keeping pressure on the spring. It must lie flat against the side and bottom of the receiver.
3. Use the bolt handle to compress the guide rod assembly fully to the rear.
4. Lay the bolt in, push it back, then lay it over the bolt handle. Release pressure so the handle slides the bolt forward.
5. Reinstall the bolt stop pin, then cycle the bolt several times. It should move smoothly.

The trigger group: Set it in place, keeping the ejector pressed forward into its slot, and reinstall the two cross pins.

The stock: Center the safety, drop the action into the stock, and hand-tighten the takedown screw. Ruger warns against overtightening.

Step 10: Function check

Before any live fire, check that the bolt cycles, the safety works and the bolt lock holds. Ruger's manual says that if any check fails, don't use the rifle. Fix the problem or take it to a gunsmith.

Storage after cleaning

Store the rifle unloaded, ideally in a locked safe or cabinet or with a cable lock, and keep ammunition stored separately. Lock it away from children and anyone not allowed to handle it.

When cleaning isn't the fix

If a freshly cleaned 10/22 still jams, the next suspects are magazines, the extractor, and ammunition. Ruger's manual says the rifle is designed to work with standard, high-velocity and hyper-velocity ammo made to U.S. industry standards, but warns against Stinger in target-chambered 10/22s. Some 10/22s don't cycle low-powered ammo reliably. Our guide to semi-auto .22 jams walks through the rest. A box of a reliable high-velocity load, such as CCI Mini-Mag 40-grain, is a sensible baseline when you're diagnosing a feeding problem.

Editorial note: This is an independent editorial overview built from manufacturer specifications, retailer listings and published sources. We have not performed hands-on testing of the products discussed, and nothing here is a performance guarantee. Verify specifications, compatibility and the law where you live.

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