.22LR brush same as .223 brush?

kemassey · August 31, 2013, 01:58 PM

I can't for the life of me find a .22 rim fire bronze brush for cleaning. I will be using it for a henry rifle in .22 mag and a .22 pistol. Right now I'm using a bore brush for .223. Will my .223 brush hurt the fire arms for .22 rim fire? Just want to see what the experts have to say. Thanks.

Gary L. Griffiths · August 31, 2013, 04:57 PM

Dude, .22 is .22. Both take the same sized brush, rod, and patches.

**Aguila Blanca** · August 31, 2013, 05:02 PM

.22 Long Rifle, per SAAMI specs, calls for a bullet diameter of .2255" - .004", a bore diameter of .217" + .002" and a groove diameter of .222" + .002".

.22 WMR, per SAAMI specs, calls for a bullet diameter of .2245" - .004", a bore diameter of .219" + .002" and a groove diameter of .224" + .002".

SAAMI doesn't have dimensions for 5.56 x 45 because that's a military cartridge, but they do have .223 Remington. .223 Reminton, per SAAMI specs, calls for a bullet diameter of .2245" - .003", a bore diameter of .219" + .002" and a groove diameter of .224" + .002".

I think you'll be just fine using the same bore brush on all your "two-twos."

kemassey · August 31, 2013, 05:22 PM

Thanks for the replies.

Dfariswheel · August 31, 2013, 06:01 PM

A .223/5.56 brush will work in .22LR firearms but may be a very tight fit.
This can be used to advantage when removing lead from a heavily leaded barrel, and it makes an excellent cleaning brush for .22LR chambers.

The .223-5.56 brush is perfect for the .22 Magnum.

When my .223-5.56 brushes get worn I "retire" them to .22LR firearms.

Slamfire · August 31, 2013, 06:39 PM

Quote:

A .223/5.56 brush will work in .22LR firearms but may be a very tight fit.

That is my experience with 223 brushes and Anschutz match barrels. I use the 22lr brushes in 22LR barrels.

MattShlock · September 2, 2013, 08:07 PM

.223/5.56 brushes are usually LONGER than .22 LR brushes in my experience. What you do NOT want to do is reverse the brush anywhere IN THE BORE! Even soft "bronze" will do damage to the steel where the immense pinpoint pressure is exerted at the very tips of the bristles and a longer brush may require this depending on how you have to clean a particular gun and how far it can go down the bore.

johnwilliamson062 · September 4, 2013, 08:31 PM

Not related to the difference between the two, but when purchasing either I am especially observant of the materials used in the brush. The bore is small enough it is not too hard to contact the ?core? of the brush. I try to stick with something that looks like bronze or copper. They may just be washed/plated, but it makes me feel better.

Skans · September 6, 2013, 11:21 AM

I have used a .22 caliber bronze brush to clean .22, .223, 9mm, and .40S&W when I don't happen to have the appropriate size available. You just have to get the barrel clean - some solvent and a few scrubs from any old bronze/copper brush 'll do.

MattShlock · September 7, 2013, 10:54 AM

Your, um, think your brushing those other callibers clean with a .22 brush do ya now? Are the smoothbores by any chance!?

Skans · September 9, 2013, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Your, um, think your brushing those other callibers clean with a .22 brush do ya now? Are the smoothbores by any chance!?

Oh yeah. They're clean enough. I do this with my Glock 17 and Ruger LC9 when necessary (or just being lazy). I do treat my range guns a little nicer.

August 31, 2013, 01:58 PM	#1
kemassey Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2009 Posts: 148	.22LR brush same as .223 brush? I can't for the life of me find a .22 rim fire bronze brush for cleaning. I will be using it for a henry rifle in .22 mag and a .22 pistol. Right now I'm using a bore brush for .223. Will my .223 brush hurt the fire arms for .22 rim fire? Just want to see what the experts have to say. Thanks.

August 31, 2013, 04:57 PM	#2
Gary L. Griffiths Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2000 Location: AZ, WA Posts: 1,466	Dude, .22 is .22. Both take the same sized brush, rod, and patches. __________________ Violence is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and valorous feeling which believes that nothing is worth violence is much worse. Those who have nothing for which they are willing to fight; nothing they care about more than their own craven apathy; are miserable creatures who have no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the valor of those better than themselves. Gary L. Griffiths (Paraphrasing John Stuart Mill)

September 2, 2013, 08:07 PM	#7
MattShlock Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2013 Posts: 251	Another Consideration Fellas .223/5.56 brushes are usually LONGER than .22 LR brushes in my experience. What you do NOT want to do is reverse the brush anywhere IN THE BORE! Even soft "bronze" will do damage to the steel where the immense pinpoint pressure is exerted at the very tips of the bristles and a longer brush may require this depending on how you have to clean a particular gun and how far it can go down the bore.

August 31, 2013, 05:02 PM	#3
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,460	.22 Long Rifle, per SAAMI specs, calls for a bullet diameter of .2255" - .004", a bore diameter of .217" + .002" and a groove diameter of .222" + .002". .22 WMR, per SAAMI specs, calls for a bullet diameter of .2245" - .004", a bore diameter of .219" + .002" and a groove diameter of .224" + .002". SAAMI doesn't have dimensions for 5.56 x 45 because that's a military cartridge, but they do have .223 Remington. .223 Reminton, per SAAMI specs, calls for a bullet diameter of .2245" - .003", a bore diameter of .219" + .002" and a groove diameter of .224" + .002". I think you'll be just fine using the same bore brush on all your "two-twos."

August 31, 2013, 05:22 PM	#4
kemassey Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2009 Posts: 148	Thanks for the replies.

August 31, 2013, 06:01 PM	#5
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	A .223/5.56 brush will work in .22LR firearms but may be a very tight fit. This can be used to advantage when removing lead from a heavily leaded barrel, and it makes an excellent cleaning brush for .22LR chambers. The .223-5.56 brush is perfect for the .22 Magnum. When my .223-5.56 brushes get worn I "retire" them to .22LR firearms.

September 4, 2013, 08:31 PM	#8
johnwilliamson062 Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 9,995	Not related to the difference between the two, but when purchasing either I am especially observant of the materials used in the brush. The bore is small enough it is not too hard to contact the ?core? of the brush. I try to stick with something that looks like bronze or copper. They may just be washed/plated, but it makes me feel better.

September 6, 2013, 11:21 AM	#9
Skans Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Posts: 11,132	I have used a .22 caliber bronze brush to clean .22, .223, 9mm, and .40S&W when I don't happen to have the appropriate size available. You just have to get the barrel clean - some solvent and a few scrubs from any old bronze/copper brush 'll do.

September 7, 2013, 10:54 AM	#10
MattShlock Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2013 Posts: 251	Your, um, think your brushing those other callibers clean with a .22 brush do ya now? Are the smoothbores by any chance!?