Question on Cleaning...

[BlackWidow]

So I got myself my first gun yesterday night (a Sig Mosquito) and I was reading reviews online about how its very sensitive to ammo and cleaning is an essential part of its reliability (that's why I wanted to get this gun so I could practice, practice, practice).

I understand a gun like any other fine machinery needs to be broken in properly and maintained well - what I don't know is what exactly all do i need to clean my gun?

I googled some cleaning kits and even search this forum, but what cleaning kit/tips would you guys recommend? At this point I'm quiet put off by all my experiences with gun shops and would rather ask here.

The gun in question is a Sig Sauer Mosquito Sport .22

TIA

[mr.72]

I would suggest you go check what's posted on rimfirecentral.com to get info about this particular gun. I know a lot of the rimfire guys don't suggest cleaning the bore frequently if ever the way we would with a regular pistol. Maybe just run a Hoppes #9 patch through it with a bore snake or a nylon cord.

Rimfire guns can be picky about ammo, and it doesn't take much to get them to not cycle or feed correctly. You may have to experiment with a variety of ammo to find the one that works correctly. FYI CCI Blazer .22LR is the same ammo as Federal 510 besides having a "C" rather than "F" stamped on it, and Federal Bulk Pack 750 that you can get from Wal Mart is a lighter load than the Federal 510. Federal 510 is kind of the standard "cheap" ammo and you can get it in 500 rd bricks (10x 50rd boxes boxed together) from Academy for about $14 or 50rd boxes at Wal Mart for about $1.47/ea. If you have ammo issues then you can try a box of CCI Mini-Mag which is the go-to "premium" ammo for most high-velocity .22LRs to make sure it is working correctly and not experiencing a non-ammo-related issue.

Other than that I think cleaning should be done according to the instruction manual. I have no experience with that kind of gun but with my .22 semi rifle and my two 9mm pistols, Hoppes #9 for cleaning, Breakfree CLP for the "not lubed, but protected" bits (like the feed ramp, barrel, etc.) and Mobil1 0W20 from an eyedropper for lube has worked extremely well. Since you are not relying on it for self-defense reliability then cleaning after each use is probably not required, especially if you shoot it regularly. Maybe just keep a round count and clean every 250 or 500 rounds, or whatever other interval you find works for your gun.

[WildBill]

+1 on following the instruction manual.

IMO, a 22 pistol doesn't need as thorough cleaning as a center fire. A quick swab of the bore with Hoppe's and run patches through until clean. I prefer a jag, but others may prefer some other method. I do not recommend using a brass brush.

In my limited experience [with one Sig Mosquito] you need to keep it well lubricated and shoot hundreds of rounds through it before it will function reliabably. My Sig P239 performs flawlessly, but I was very disappointed with the Mosquito. I hope you have a better experience with it. If you find a particular brand of ammo that feeds and shoots reliably, stick with it.

[flintknapper]

+1 on following the instruction manual.

IMO, a 22 pistol doesn't need as thorough cleaning as a center fire. A quick swab of the bore with Hoppe's and run patches through until clean. I prefer a jag, but others may prefer some other method. I do not recommend using a brass brush.

In my limited experience [with one Sig Mosquito] you need to keep it well lubricated and shoot hundreds of rounds through it before it will function reliabably. My Sig P239 performs flawlessly, but I was very disappointed with the Mosquito. I hope you have a better experience with it. If you find a particular brand of ammo that feeds and shoots reliably, stick with it.

Unfortunately, the cleaning instructions that come with the Sig are less than worthless (unless you didn't know at all... that firearms need to be cleaned).

The Mosquito likes to be very clean, well lubed...and will probably be finicky about ammo until broken in (and maybe even thereafter). Most folks like to use CCI mini-mags in the Sig with the white recoil spring.

As with any .22 (semi-auto) pistol, learn to break down the weapon (remove slide from frame) and pay particular attention to getting the chamber area clean (use an old toothbrush and spray solvent). The bore of the weapon doesn't seem to get as dirty as the chamber..and will not require anything more than a copper brush run down it (with solvent), followed by patches.

The extractor and any reliefs/detents will build up with powder residue...these are your chief concerns as well as making sure the slide is clean.

Never clean the barrel from the muzzle end!

The suggestion to visit one of the rim-fire forums was a good one IMO. Of course, its best to go there BEFORE buying any particular .22 , but also a good source of info after the fact.

[WildBill]

Unfortunately, the cleaning instructions that come with the Sig are less than worthless (unless you didn't know at all... that firearms need to be cleaned).

Thanks for the reminder. I had forgotten that instruction manuals for guns are written by lawyers, not gunsmiths.