The most neglected part.....

[Sheldon]

Of almost any semi auto.....
Short version I am anal about my CC gun being clean, I pull a full take down weekly with daily inspection and mag checks..... So I am up in the gun room doing my weekly and I decide to unload the mag for a round check... As I slide out the rounds, Humm kind of sticky feeling....
So I take apart my mag for a closer look.... heaps of fine dust have coated the spring and the inside walls, so I clean it and do a wipe down of everything with a very light oil, works like new....
Had I needed the gun that could have easily been a FTF..... now averted.

 

[NDS]

I don't specifically clean them, but I do inspect them. While cleaning and inspecting my CCW I'll take an empty magazine and use a tool to slide the follower in the mag. I'm looking for any binding, rough spots, etc. If I think there's a problem I'l deal with it.

 

[ricbak]

Not as often in the winter as in summer. Sweaty ol phat bodies are had on metal parts.......

 

[Red Hat]

I blow mine out with a compressor and occasionally I do clean them. It all depends on the environmental conditions when I use them.

 

[HK4U]

I too do it more in the summer months or anytime I feel that they may be especially dirty like after a lot of shooting.

 

[jtg452]

I disassemble mags once every blue moon. Mostly because I discovered that they really don't get dirty enough to bother with doing it more regularly. The ones in use for concealed carry are either in the gun or in a mag pouch so it ain't like they are readily accessible to dirt, dust bunnies or other grime. Mags that are in storage are more likely to collect dust bunnies and such. Wilson mags are the worse about collecting dirt since they have those big windows in the sides of the mags.

I was taught to NEVER oil mags. The 'light' coating of oil will hold any dust or dirt in place- exactly where you don't want it.

If I have some that get really gunked up (like those used in a match that were repeatedly dropped in the dirt), I disassemble and clean them out, then degrease them and reassemble.

 

[trophyhunter]

I try to disassemble my mags at least 3times a year usually every 4 months or so, but depends on amount of usage. Excellent Post though. We sometimes overlook the little things like mags. that in turn could be an bad thing so thanks for the new education..

 

[6shootercarry]

It comes down to the amount of shooting I do. My .22 mags get more use lately due to cost of ammo. .22 ammo is also dirty so I try to keep them clean. I shoot 1st and 3rd Monday night of every month in a league so once per month for those. The rest are based on round count so it's been kinda low the past few weeks.
Ammo prices have gone up at Wal-Mart and I have to drive to a few to find what I'm looking for like .40S&W, .45ACP, .223 REM. I gave up on the .38 and .357 as it's gotten way to expensive. I have some reloaded .38spec that I got from a friend, about 300 rounds of that left. 200 or so rounds of .357 left.

Anyway back to the mags.. It's not that big an issue to slide the floor plate off and pull a rag through it once in a while.

Peace...

 

[Ringo]

I've never had a mag get dirty regardless of how much I shoot them, lucky I guess. I will disassemble every so often just to run a silicon cloth through them, works for me.

 

[Ringo]

It comes down to the amount of shooting I do. My .22 mags get more use lately due to cost of ammo. .22 ammo is also dirty so I try to keep them clean. I shoot 1st and 3rd Monday night of every month in a league so once per month for those. The rest are based on round count so it's been kinda low the past few weeks.
Ammo prices have gone up at Wal-Mart and I have to drive to a few to find what I'm looking for like .40S&W, .45ACP, .223 REM. I gave up on the .38 and .357 as it's gotten way to expensive. I have some reloaded .38spec that I got from a friend, about 300 rounds of that left. 200 or so rounds of .357 left.

Anyway back to the mags.. It's not that big an issue to slide the floor plate off and pull a rag through it once in a while.

Peace...

Have you been checking the net for ammo? I've loaded up on a ton of.38spl. & .357 premium ammo on line, and at prices just as good as Wal-Mart USED to charge.

 

[thebrez1]

Of almost any semi auto.....
Short version I am anal about my CC gun being clean, I pull a full take down weekly with daily inspection and mag checks..... So I am up in the gun room doing my weekly and I decide to unload the mag for a round check... As I slide out the rounds, Humm kind of sticky feeling....
So I take apart my mag for a closer look.... heaps of fine dust have coated the spring and the inside walls, so I clean it and do a wipe down of everything with a very light oil, works like new....
Had I needed the gun that could have easily been a FTF..... now averted.

Don't use anything with oil, even a light pass with very little oil will actually attract oil. use a clean cloth in the mag and then you can wie the follower with silicone if you want. Just stay away from any oil. lightly oil your range mags if you want, but for carry, oil equals dust bunnies that wont go away unless you clean the mag again.

 

[6shootercarry]

Have you been checking the net for ammo? I've loaded up on a ton of.38spl. & .357 premium ammo on line, and at prices just as good as Wal-Mart USED to charge.

Yes, just started that route. I need to find a place that will ship to MA and not cost me an arm and leg due to shipping costs. The laws here are designed to prevent gun owners from having freedom.

Peace..

 

[handgonnetoter]

I think it was all the time doing range related duties in the Marines, but I find cleaning my weapons soothing. I usually clean my carry piece weekly - magazines too. I do use a very light coating of oil on my magazines, inside and out, but because I clean them weekly I see no real issues with them becoming dust magnets.

 

[Ed Hamberger]

I break mine down and clean all parts with a simple silicone rag, then reassemble them. I do this every two weeks and they feed my rounds fluidly... :smile:

 

[rksap]

I disassemble and wipe out the mags for my pocket bug regularly. Even in a holster, they tend to collect dust.

 

[dobleceroseite]

I clean my any more once every 5 times I fire my gun (range time as I don't have my CC yet. After CC probably clean mag once every two weeks or so). It is the last thing I do and since I use Viva Paper Towels (Wonderful to clean a gun with) it is usually covered in hoppe's I run it through the mag then do a follow up clean with a Q-Tip. Let air dry for 10-15 minutes then reassemble, reload and slide it in.