How often do you clean your gun ?

[indyyy]

If you go to the range and shoot 50 rounds through your gun once a week, do you clean it every week? I know many of you probably shoot more rounds but the cost of ammo gets a bit prohibitive. Please specify whether revolver , semi auto or both.

Also, do you clean a new gun before you shoot it for the first time? I hear you should but have seen quite a few youtube vid's where the reviewer shoots it right out of the box.

Thanks!

 

[Bikenut]

I clean my carry guns (revolvers and semi autos) on a regular basis in addition to after firing them.

The other guns I clean after firing them.

Doesn't matter if I fired a couple of hundred rounds or I fired only one... the guns mentioned above get cleaned after they have been fired.

I do have a .22 bolt action rifle, a break open 12ga shotgun, and a 9mm High Point pistol, that are for range use only and I don't bother to clean them at all. I consider them to be my "beater" guns. Oddly enough they still work every time even though they are dirty as can be.

And I don't clean a new gun before firing it... I figure it should work perfect right out of the box and I want to see if it will work perfectly right out of the box. If it doesn't then I bought a bad gun.

 

[Firefighterchen]

If you go to the range and shoot 50 rounds through your gun once a week, do you clean it every week? I know many of you probably shoot more rounds but the cost of ammo gets a bit prohibitive. Please specify whether revolver , semi auto or both.

Also, do you clean a new gun before you shoot it for the first time? I hear you should but have seen quite a few youtube vid's where the reviewer shoots it right out of the box.

Thanks!

I clean my firearms weekly, but I also make holsters and get kydex shavings in my firearms more than normal. If I don't make holsters, I clean them after range sessions (200-500 rounds) or once a couple months if not able to make it to the range.

I do clean new guns, probably don't need to, but I don't like getting excess oil on me firing a brand new gun.

Sent from my HTCONE using USA Carry mobile app

 

[Kramer1113]

I Clean right after a range day and a light cleaning right before. By light cleaning I mean I take the weapon down, wipe it down with a microfiber cloth and re-oil everything.
Following this process I feel I have prevented my weapons from acting up at the range. I have seen a few weapons act up when normally they function fine.
Mine are Semi Auto with only one revolver.

 

[Bill Amsden]

I always clean my pistols after a range visit. I try to take down/inspect/ lube everything every couple of months. My EDC will get lubed and wiped down every week. When I by a new semi auto pistol I always will take it down and inspect it and lube it before it goes to the range.

 

[Eidolon]

I clean my pistols after I fire them. I wipe down and lube my carry pistol once a week fired or not.

 

[bofh]

This question has been answered in part before: http://www.usacarry.com/forums/handgun-maintenance-cleaning-gunsmithing/40123-new-handguns-cleaning-schedule.html and http://www.usacarry.com/forums/handgun-tactics-training-practice/45434-how-take-care-your-weapon.html. It is not only how often, but also how do you clean your gun. I do a quick cleaning after a range trip (of those guns that I actually shot) and a more deep cleaning about every 6-12 months (again only of those guns that I actually shot).

I am using:

• M-Pro7 Gun Cleaner for cleaning
• Breakfree CLP for cleaning & rust protection
• HOPPE's #9 Lubricating Oil for lubrication
• Tetra Gun Grease for lubrication

For a quick cleaning after a range trip, I am field stripping the gun and cleaning it with Breakfree CLP. Then I apply a small amount of HOPPE's #9 Lubricating Oil at specific points using a Q-tip.

For a more deep cleaning (every 6-12 months), I am detail stripping the gun (including magazines) and clean all parts with M-Pro7 Gun Cleaner. Then I apply Breakfree CLP to those parts. I apply a small amount of Tetra Gun Grease to specific internal points using a Q-tip. Then I apply a small amount of HOPPE's #9 Lubricating Oil at the same specific points as in the quick cleaning process using a Q-tip.

Here are a number of tips:

• Detail stripping your gun too often can wear out pins. Don't detail strip your gun after every range trip. However, detail stripping also helps to identify wear and tear, which is important for parts replacement.
• Don't "clean" your gun with lubricating oil. Lubricating oil is not a solvent. It also can cause malfunctions if applied to the wrong places. Never put lubricating oil in the barrel or the firing pin channel.
• Gun grease vs. gun oil: There is lot's of information on the internet about that. I am using grease on the parts that I won't clean and oil regularly, but need lubrication (the extractor spring/channel for example).
• How much oil and which parts to oil: RTFM. Also, to quote James Yeager, people tend to overlube their handguns and underlube their rifles.
• If you carry IWB without a barrier between the metal parts of your gun and your body, wipe down the outside of your gun with Breakfree CLP regularly (daily or weekly) to remove sweat deposits.
• ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE GUN IS UNLOADED WHEN CLEANING, even when just wiping down the outside of your gun with Breakfree CLP.

 

[phillip69]

my new colt pt22 says in manual 'clean after about 500 rounds.' got about 300 thru it so far via short 3x/wk shooting 3-5 mags each. working fine.

glock 21, 30s, after 4-5 sets of 3 mag sessions. working fine after a few tho rounds. ditto bodygaurd 380 pistol.

cleaning when not shot seems like a waste of cleaning product and time. cleaning after each 50 round session proved to not be required to me. only edc gets cleaned before next carry.

 

[Stengun]

Howdy,

Most people either over clean or under clean their guns.

My ex-BIL would completely disassemble his handgun after every time he shot it 20 rounds or more.

He bought a Norinco 1911A1 and after firing 50 rounds he would completely disassemble it including removing the firing pin, extractor, etc. he did this every time.

I bought it from him in 1993 and 15,000 rounds later it hasn't need taken apart any farther than a simple field stripping.

I use Gun Scrubber ( Synthetic for plastic guns ) to clean 'em and either RemOil or, here lately, Royal Purple gun oil to oil 'em.


Rimfire is dirty so you need to clean more often. Back in the early 90's I was given about 10lbs of Green Dot that was made mid 80's and it was very, very dirty, almost pyrodex dirty, and after 100 rounds my gun was fouled up. Finally, after 20 years I have shot it all up.

Nowadays I use Clays Universal which is much, much cleaner.

Paul

 

[r1derbike]

After every range session, nothing in between, even for my edc.

 

[SlyFerret]

I won't carry a dirty gun. I clean my EDC right after a trip to the range. My less frequently carried guns may go a few trips between cleanings, but typically get cleaned frequently as well in case I decide to carry one of them.

-SF

 

[Aurelius]

I practice at the local range or go shoot on BLM land every couple of weeks. I field strip after every session. I also prefer lead free ammunition......

Would you want to holster a dirty gun, especially if you use a leather holster????

 

[Eidolon]

I won't carry a dirty gun. I clean my EDC right after a trip to the range. My less frequently carried guns may go a few trips between cleanings, but typically get cleaned frequently as well in case I decide to carry one of them.

-SF

There was a guy that used to post on THR named "SM" who used to say he never carried a clean gun. When I asked him he explained that he meant that you should test fire any gun you were trusting your life to before carrying it. The post is several years old but I'll try to find it

I stand corrected it was rbernie

A clean gun is an anomoly. A gun is only clean for one shot; for all other shots it's in some state other than clean. It runs differently than a dirty gun, in many cases.

More to the point, many folk take their weapon apart to clean it and when they reassemble it manage to jam something up the wrong way. It's now unreliable at best and broken at worst, and the person carrying it has no way of knowing it until they need it. Hopefully, they don't need it until the next range session.

Never carry a clean weapon. If you've not shot it to verify it's proper functioning since its last cleaning, it's not been proven worthy of SD use.

I suspect that is what sm is trying to say. If not - I said it.

knock off the carbon. But I'll never carry a weapon that's been field-stripped or detail-stripped for cleaning.

 

[MDT]

I always clean and lube before range trips. The packing grease many firearms are treated with is gummy and causes more than a few failure issues. Carry guns should be maintained regularly, range dirty or not, because a failure in a crisis moment should not happen because you were too lazy to maintain your equipment.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using USA Carry mobile app

 

[POP CHARLIE]

I clean after every range trip, just a good habit. When I get a new gun I like to field strip and clean before I fire it for the first time, again just a good habit.

 

[subvet69]

Yep, every time after going to the range I clean the bore and wipe the other areas. When I feel like it I clean the rest.

 

[Call_me_Tom]

Any gun I fire regardless of rounds shot gets cleaned & lubed that day.

 

[CapGun]

I am thinking that carrying a "dirty" gun makes sense for everyday carry. Disassemble the gun, thorough cleaning, reassemble and check for functionality. Maybe firing one round might be the best "functionality" test. Then run a Bore Snake through it. The gun realy isn't dirty and you actually know it is working. Just a thought.

 

[Rocketgeezer]

I have come to the conclusion over the years that while there is nothing wrong with it as long as the gun is reassembled correctly, cleaning everytime its used, is not really nessessary, for one thing I absolutely do not use unjacketed bullits, lead rds foul barrels and you have to clean even fireing jacketed last don't clear up the lead fouling, if I shoot ammo that is especialy dirty I will run a oily rag in the barrel a couple times, and when I do actualy break one down and clean it, I do not use any high dollar gun lubes or oils, both the Glocks and 1911s field strip it, spray everything down with WD-40, scrub with whatever you have for brushes, spray again liberaly, blow dry with compressor, a couple drops of motor oil on the slides and a small drop of antiseze grease on the lugs, assemble, a wipedown and its good to go, and its been brought up about carrying the gun after cleaning before shooting in again, weather it will work or not, this is true, but if you know your guns the risk is minimal, if you want to be more sure it will function when needed, get some snap caps, load the mag and cycle the slide several times and, BE SURE THE THE GUN IS NOT LOADED, cock it and insert a bic pen or small wood dowel in the barrel and pull the trigger, the dowel should shoot across the room, this way you know the trigger and fireing pin will work,........ the only other thing is this go's out the window with anything with black powder, where some rifles need to be cleaned between shots, to keep accuracy, this is why I don't have one anymore

 

[beachbum17]

I do believe when you first get a gun cleaning first range sessions is a good practice. I always clean a carry gun after shooting regardless of rounds.

Now with that being said, guns are very durable. I recommend cleaning brand new gun to remove factory oil/preservative and the chance to remove any shavings out of the barrel and slide from the machining. These burrs if pulled down barrel by projectiles, could cause minor damage to lands and groves and hurt accuracy.
Clean after the first range shooting as well.

After that clean as you will. I shoot 1-3 times a week and take 3-5 handguns and rifle or shotgun every time so for me it is pointless to clean them but every 300+ rounds. I've seen guys go 600-1000 rounds on cleaning and have no problems. From personal experience I recommend cleaning sometime past 250 or more rounds. If you get 400 through it no big deal. Also if you don't plan on going shooting on the next week or so I would say clean it. Any gun with a blued finished should be at least wiped down every time.