Magazine Maintenance?

[jla1947]

I'm a newbie here and have found the info provided on this forum very informative. I've purchased a Walther PPS 40 S&W on lay-away and will have possession of the gun by mid-March. In the meantime, I have been reading and absorbing a lot as well as signing up for some classes at my local gun club. On the subject of when and how often one should clean/lube a firearm I have one question I have not seen anyone ask or have addressed. The question is multi-faceted and is when, how, and how often should someone clean/disassemble the magazine of a semi-automatic, or is it even necessary at all. TIA for any and all responses to this query.

 

[Rhino]

It shouldn't be necessary unless you get significant and noticeable foreign material in the magazine that might hinder the operation of the spring or follower. The inner workings of a gun magazine are about as simple as you can get, and with the exception of the follower, the parts don't typically get exposed to the kind of dirt and debris from shooting that the internal parts of the gun do. All you really need do is wipe the residue off the top of the follower. In the case of most modern firearms today, there's a high likelihood that you'll cause more problems than you'll solve if you try to disassemble a magazine. So in almost all cases it's best just to rely on the old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

 

[S&W645]

If you get mil-spec 1911 mags that are surplus, you'll want to clean and lube them when you get them. Most others, once a year for cleaning and lube after the first year. Mine tend to pick up fuzz and dust on ones that get carried every day but they will still work. Just it causes more wear and tear on them. If you go to a range and drop the empties, you might need to spray them down every trip.

 

[jla1947]

Thank you Rhino and S&W545 for your input. It is deeply appreciated.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I577 using USA Carry mobile app