1958 Winchester Model 61 pump

[desertrider]

Last night I did a complete teardown and cleaning of my old Model 61.

I haven't done much shooting with any of my .22's lately, and it's been years since I shot this one. I pulled her out of the safe yesterday afternoon and worked the action (pump slide) and was really surprised at how stiff and sluggish it felt. This little rifle has been in my collection since about '03 and got a lot of use when my son was young, but it's been a safe queen since about '08.

Sure enough, when I took the slide mechanism apart, the grease that I had used when I cleaned and lubed it after I bought it had hardened and turned into a sticky paste.

Everything came apart and got a brake cleaner bath and scrubbing followed by CLP throughout. I hit the barrel with a double regimen of Shooters Choice and really cleaned it up. Barrel looks good and all the moving parts slide smooth and slick now.

Can't wait to put her through the paces this weekend.

Now I'm wondering how many of my other seldom used guns have "tightened up" from non use, or from using cleaning products that harden over time? I think the stuff I used back then was Tetra Lube Grease. This time I just stuck with CLP.

[dfletcher]

I don't shoot my 22s enough. When I bring them to the range it's usually because I don't feel like shooting and reloading at home, and then I realize how much fun they are. My Winchester 52 will shoot nice tiny groups out to 100 yds, a little JC Higgins Model 30 (Reno gun show find for $75.00) or Marlin 39 or Browning SL 22 are just great fun. Easy to forget the basics while we're chasing the neatest & latest.

I've run into the same problem of sluggish operation problem with Tetra. It works fine so long as the guns don't site for a while. I have a Dan Wesson whose slide barely made it closed because it sat so long with Tetra on the rails, same thing (I discovered last night) with a Smith 14 - trigger barely made it to reset.