Gun cleaning frequency

[gregkl]

driving out roll pins etc. especially on polymer guns.

This is a very real thing. Anything that is friction fit should be left alone as much as possible for the greatest longevity.

 

[sharpetop]

After every shoot, always have and always will!

 

[Hkindiana]

I thought firearms were self cleaning

 

[Vanderbilt]

....this thread has gone 4 pages long, lol, who'd a thunk it?

 

[5point9]

I'm a newb to all this, but generally after every outing. I could see myself changing soon though as I am getting a bit lazier.

 

[Bstarkey_46947]

I don't have too, my 20 year old son loves cleaning and lubing the guns. I personally thing he is attracted to the odor of Ballistol.

 

[O Kelps]

I don't have too, my 20 year old son loves cleaning and lubing the guns. I personally thing he is attracted to the odor of Ballistol.

There is something about that smell that's soothing lol

 

[Mr. Blenderson]

It depends on how frequently I go shooting. These days it's pretty infrequent so I clean after every range visit. When I used to have more free time I would go every 3-5 range trips.

 

[indyk]

I will do a 6 month heavy application on the Older Mil rifles like the Mosin etc if I don’t shoot em through the year.
Other than that after every range trip or the day after.
On corrosive I will rinse out the barrel and action with a water tube contraption I made and then follow with a proper cleaning after getting home.

 

[Sigblitz]

Sometimes it's the next day. Sometimes I have help and it's just as enjoyable as going to the range.

 

[tomcat13]

There is something about that smell that's soothing lol

Totally agree; however, my personal preference is Hoppes #9.
They even make Air Fresheners with Hoppes' smell!

 

[Donovan48]

I grew up thinking you had to clean guns before the sun went down if you fired them at all. Probably from all the WWII vets at the ranges whose experience was mostly with corrosive ammo. Then I got into black powder and that reaffirmed my obsession with prompt cleaning. Nowadays I keep my carry guns clean and lubed. Everything else I am more relaxed about. I always wipe out and oil the bores after firing and wipe down the outside, but other than that I just do a thorough cleaning when they look like they need it.

 

[Life Member]

I wipe the outside off after handling my guns I only clean them when they quite working. Saves lots of time. It's llike going fishing and not keeping them. No cleaning. What the hell is a fouling shot?

 

[Donovan48]

I wipe the outside off after handling my guns I only clean them when they quite working. Saves lots of time. It's llike going fishing and not keeping them. No cleaning. What the hell is a fouling shot?

Serious competition bullseye shooters, which I am not anymore, will usually fire a first shot as a throwaway before firing a group because the first shot through a cleaned and oiled barrel would likely be a flyer that spoils the group. More of a problem with rifles, but it was still a common practice among bullseye pistol competitions.

 

[jaymark6655]

Powder combustion, no matter how clean burning, produces corrosive products that I would rather not let sit inside a barrel of any type of firearm. I'll clean even after firing only one shot.

 

[Patched]

Powder combustion, no matter how clean burning, produces corrosive products that I would rather not let sit inside a barrel of any type of firearm. I'll clean even after firing only one shot.

A valid point - so do you field strip and clean or just run a bore snake down the barrel?

 

[jaymark6655]

A valid point - so do you field strip and clean or just run a bore snake down the barrel?

I'll fieldstrip, not really that much work and not going to wear anything out on the weapons I own.

 

[Rvansickle]

Who else cleans their firearms after every shoot?

My match guns get cleaned every other shoot. My occasional shooters get cleaned after an outing .

 

[Judamonster]

I clean at the end of the relevant hunting season. Everything will get a thorough clean and lube for the 6 months or so of storage until summer. I will add a cleaning if it acts up. My favorite 22 needs cleaned every 200 rounds or so or it will fail to feed/eject, everything else could go forever without a cleaning. I just do it because months of being idle can turn into years when life takes over.

 

[crewchief888]

Just outta curiosity, I wonder of those that don't clean after every shoot, EDC 1911s.

EDIT: not badmouthing 1911s, it's where my gun cleaning obsession started.

i ran one of 1911's approx 5K rds of LSWC reloads shooting USPSA before it started malfunctioning (intermittent extraction issues)