Cleaning disassembly, semi-auto and lever gun

[WVneighbor]

I have a Ruger 10/22 semi-auto and a Savage 99 lever action. Both need a good thorough cleaning. The problem is I have never taken a semi-auto (aside from my M-16) or a lever-gun apart.

I have the cleaning disassembly instructions from Ruger and am going to get them from Savage. I can follow directions and am mechanically inclined. I can take damn near anything apart, its the putting it back together part that sometimes causes problems.

Tools I've got, no problems there. Its the knowing what common mistakes to watch out for that are causing me hesitation. I know not to mess with the trigger group, but beyond that, the inner workings of both of these guns are a complete mystery to me.

Has anyone taken either of these two rifles down? Are there any springs or ball-bearings or other little do-dads which might fly out and end up in the same place the dryer sends my socks?

My biggest concern is after reassembly. I don't want to go to the range with an unsafe gun, or one that wont feed, fire or eject.

[knight0334]

There is really no need to take those apart unless you have caked mud in them. You're just asking for trouble if you do.

Just open the action/pull the bolt back and turn them over or to the side so debris can drop out - then clean the barrels. There are spray cleaners you can use to clean out old oils, lube, dirt, and fouling. Then you can use canned/compressed air to blow it dry. ...then relube as needed.

The ones you gotta be careful with are gas operated semi-autos when cleaning, which the 10/22 is not - it is recoil operated.

[andrewjs18]

There is really no need to take those apart unless you have caked mud in them. You're just asking for trouble if you do.

+1
had to replace the recoil spring on my marlin model 60 because of that simple fact....

my G/Fs Dad was taking mine apart to show me the assembly of the rifle and the recoil spring kinked and wasn't functional anymore...

what I like to do is take some solvent and pour it over the cleaning brush, then push the inside the barrel a few times then put a patch over the brush and run it down until it comes out clean.....

also what I do is take a white piece of paper and stick it against the breach face and shine a light on it so you can look down the barrel and see if it's clean or not.