i have a beretta nano and carry it daily in either a barsony owb holster or tagua iwb holster. now every night when i take it off i remove the gun from the holster and wipe it down with a lightly oiled rag and store it out of the holster. i only get to shoot it about once a month or so, but i take it apart and clean it after its shot. however it can go a month if not a month and half with out firing it, should i clean it between shootings or will it be ok with a wipe down till i clean it in 4-6 weeks? thanks for any help.
how often to clean a unshot carry gun?
- Thread starter old fart
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Firefighterchen
OC for Tactical Advantage
I'll quickly break down and wipe down my safe firearms (take out once every couple months...maybe) before a range session, then clean them thoroughly after the range.
My carry guns and rifle are getting 50 - 100 rounds every other week, and I clean them thoroughly every three months.
I skeet/trap every Sunday, I don't clean my shotguns until they start sticking.
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My carry guns and rifle are getting 50 - 100 rounds every other week, and I clean them thoroughly every three months.
I skeet/trap every Sunday, I don't clean my shotguns until they start sticking.
Sent from my D6616 using USA Carry mobile app
I use FrogLube on my EDC's; not on all my guns, (Because I'm too lazy.) but on my EDC pistols. The stuff is amazing! Once it's put on right, according to the manufacturer's directions, you don't have to touch the gun for months - Months! If it gets wet just wipe it down with a soft cloth; and, maybe, run a dry patch through the barrel.
The right way to clean a gun (barrel) after using it is to clean it once; and, then, clean it again two or three days later. This will get rid of any, 'residual gases' and other microscopic crud that leach out of the steel rather than only the obvious crud that sits on top of it. If I'm not frequently shooting a gun then I always clean it twice, with a good 24 hours between cleanings.
This said: I always clean my guns within a day or two after using them; often I'll do the first cleaning while I'm still at the range. (I don't like to holster a dirty weapon because the soot often ends up all over my clothes!) Then during the next day, or so, I'll scrub the barrel out again and polish it with either Flitz metal polish, or FrogLube. I've used Flitz for more than a decade, now; but, so far, the FrogLube has been working better.
(The soft Carnauba wax in Flitz wears off more quickly, and needs to be touched up after about a month; but FrogLube seems to just last, and last, and last! Unlike the commercial auto polish protectants Smith & Wesson has, for a long time now, recommended that I use, FrogLube has yet to build up any residual coating on my guns; and it wears off very slowly.)
The right way to clean a gun (barrel) after using it is to clean it once; and, then, clean it again two or three days later. This will get rid of any, 'residual gases' and other microscopic crud that leach out of the steel rather than only the obvious crud that sits on top of it. If I'm not frequently shooting a gun then I always clean it twice, with a good 24 hours between cleanings.
This said: I always clean my guns within a day or two after using them; often I'll do the first cleaning while I'm still at the range. (I don't like to holster a dirty weapon because the soot often ends up all over my clothes!) Then during the next day, or so, I'll scrub the barrel out again and polish it with either Flitz metal polish, or FrogLube. I've used Flitz for more than a decade, now; but, so far, the FrogLube has been working better.
(The soft Carnauba wax in Flitz wears off more quickly, and needs to be touched up after about a month; but FrogLube seems to just last, and last, and last! Unlike the commercial auto polish protectants Smith & Wesson has, for a long time now, recommended that I use, FrogLube has yet to build up any residual coating on my guns; and it wears off very slowly.)
Firefighterchen
OC for Tactical Advantage
I've never heard this before, and Google didn't come up with anything quick. Do you have a source I can read more about this?
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What would people do without Google? Humanity would probably have to start out all over again; wouldn't it!
This is old information, Chen. It's been around for decades. Most of the NRA competition riflemen I used to shoot with were well aware of the need to remove impregnated residual gas and firing residue two or three days after the initial cleaning. Suggest you rev up that search engine some more.
Here's one article I found. Read Ed Harris' 1994 comments on using, 'Ed's Red' cleaning solution. A Clean Barrel. (Toward the bottom of the page)
Why have I continued to clean gun barrels like this for all these years? I'm careful to clean any gun barrel twice on any gun that I intend to store in the safe for an indeterminate period-of-time. There ARE elements in gunpowder that, over time, can cause rust or pitting to occur underneath an oil topcoat. I've got 40 + year old guns in my safe with bores that have been well used and, still, look brand new!
Firefighterchen
OC for Tactical Advantage
Is it the powder or the corrosive primers that suggest the need for cleaning twice?
" It is ALWAYS good practice to clean TWICE, TWO DAYS APART whenever using chlorate primed ammunition, just to make sure you get all the residue out."
How much ammunition and reloading material still use corrosive primers?
Does the advancement in ultra sonic cleaners negate a second cleaning?
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Fallschirmjäger
New member
Polytetrafluoroethylene, which is a component of many cleaners is known/reputed to continue to pull carbon from the pores in metal even after the initial application is wiped away. Combine that with the military's inclination to conduct 'white glove' inspections on stored firearms (instead of letting them absorb lubricating oils) is what's formed many people's idea of what 'clean' is.
I give my guns the same 'clean room' attention that I give my car's engine; I tear down and rebuild the motor for three days in a row after every trip to the corner store. It's the only way to really be sure the motor is clean and will work the next day, .... right?
On a serious note, I'll wipe down my carry gun every couple of months, sooner if I notice any dirt on it. The important thing is to keep it lubricated. A lubed but dirty gun will work longer than a clean but dry gun.
I give my guns the same 'clean room' attention that I give my car's engine; I tear down and rebuild the motor for three days in a row after every trip to the corner store. It's the only way to really be sure the motor is clean and will work the next day, .... right?
On a serious note, I'll wipe down my carry gun every couple of months, sooner if I notice any dirt on it. The important thing is to keep it lubricated. A lubed but dirty gun will work longer than a clean but dry gun.
JCliff
New member
I was taught the same thing in the Marine Corps with regards to follow up cleaning for residual carbon and fouling, though I don’t believe it’s done routinely anymore. Late 70’s early 80’s I recall the requirement to do it 2 or 3 days following qualification on the range, etc., but don’t recall doing that later on. Probably ancestor worship, as the ammo we were using did not have corrosive primers, etc., but not so long ago in the “institution’s historical memory” they did. Corrosive primers/powders aren’t common anymore, unless you’re shooting some old military surplus ammo that can still be found out there. If you are shooting that stuff I would strongly recommend follow up cleaning, because, well, that stuff is corrosive, and I guarantee you’ll find it in your barrel a few days later even after a thorough cleaning. I’ve always found that if I put a couple of hundred rounds or so through a firearm, clean it thoroughly (last patch clean as a whistle), if I go back a few days later and run a patch through it will come out gray, sometimes black. I don’t worry about that though, and I don’t do “3 day follow up” cleaning on my firearms. I’m not shooting any known corrosive stuff though.
.
In response to the OP, the answer is “it depends!” Since you’re talking about an EDC “duty” firearm, I hope you continue to at least look at and/or wipe down the firearm daily as you are now doing. You want that thing to work first time every time, so keep it functionally clean at all times. Whether it needs a more detailed cleaning depends on what you’ve exposed it to. Did it get wet or sweat soaked? Is there a lot of dust/lint/dirt/grime etc., on it? If there is do a quick cleaning just to remove that stuff and keep corrosion at bay if it got wet/sweaty. Don’t forget to check the magazines. Dirty magazines are a primary source of malfunctions. Even if I haven’t fired my EDC firearm, at least once a week I will break it down and look it over, wipe off what needs wiping off, re-lube if necessary, etc. I always find some lint and dust in there when I do this, and you just don’t want and shouldn’t have that stuff building up in your duty firearm. This type of inspection/cleaning has never taken me more than 5 minutes.
.
In response to the OP, the answer is “it depends!” Since you’re talking about an EDC “duty” firearm, I hope you continue to at least look at and/or wipe down the firearm daily as you are now doing. You want that thing to work first time every time, so keep it functionally clean at all times. Whether it needs a more detailed cleaning depends on what you’ve exposed it to. Did it get wet or sweat soaked? Is there a lot of dust/lint/dirt/grime etc., on it? If there is do a quick cleaning just to remove that stuff and keep corrosion at bay if it got wet/sweaty. Don’t forget to check the magazines. Dirty magazines are a primary source of malfunctions. Even if I haven’t fired my EDC firearm, at least once a week I will break it down and look it over, wipe off what needs wiping off, re-lube if necessary, etc. I always find some lint and dust in there when I do this, and you just don’t want and shouldn’t have that stuff building up in your duty firearm. This type of inspection/cleaning has never taken me more than 5 minutes.
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Do whatever you like! As I said: 'This is old information'; it's been around for a long time, and applies to BOTH corrosive and noncorrosive primers.
Firefighterchen
OC for Tactical Advantage
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Cool. I agree!
Firefighterchen
OC for Tactical Advantage
It's amazing how ego gets in the way of information. I'll post this in the right thread, and remove all the insults.
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Well, it took me awhile! 'Back in the day' I'd been thoroughly trained in this procedure; and during the 70's and 80's this data frequently appeared in various forms of gun literature; but, admittedly, I'm getting older and a little forgetful. When I tried to remember, I couldn't find this information anywhere on the Net. (Actually, in large part, you still can't. It's only older marksmen like myself who, rather apparently, still recall this sort of knowledge.)
Not as a favor to you because you and your buddy, in my considered opinion, have really fresh mouths; but, in vindication of my own training, here is an authoritative source for you to reflect upon. In particular notice that corrosive primers are NOT LISTED as a principal cause for the necessity of repeated cleaning. (Got it!) No, 'thank you' is necessary; and, now, you know what you can do with your own considerable ego - Yes! :wink:
* US Marine Corps FMFRP 0-11A - M40A1 Sniper Rifle - April 1989, 'Cleaning The Rifle', Pages 10 & 11.
* US Marine Corps FMFRP 0-11A - M40A1 Sniper Rifle - April 1989 - Documents
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