Good Cleaning Practices

[freddahead]

During my handgun cleaning sessions, I soak the frame and all parts of the gun in Hoppes #9 solvent. After brushing everything clean, (SHOULD I SOAK THE GUN IN 99% RUBBING ALCOHOL TO REMOVE THE SOLVENT BEFORE OILING THE GUN?) What is a good step by step cleaning practice? Thanks

 

[digitalrebel80]

After using hoppes I just wipe off the extra and light lube, but I also don't soak the whole thing I just clean the dirty parts. Most of the time I just clean the frame with a dry tooth brush.

 

[cmj]

I definitely wouldn't soak the whole frame in solvent. I dip a brush in #9, brush all internal bits (paying particular attention to the 'hot spots' where residue builds up). Every couple of cleanings i'll take a pipe cleaner and do a more thorough job. I then wipe everything down with an old t-shirt (then proceed to let it dry while I clean the barrel)

Now a couple drops of oil in the interference spots, assemble, and function check.

 

[bstewrat3]

Cleaning varies by pistol, but I don't have any I would soak the entire frame on.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

Soaking the frame in solvent is a bit too much. Just hit the build up spots with hoppes and scrub it around with an old tooth brush. I clean certain parts of my Glock with rubbing alcohol but that's only some of the metal.

 

[M67]

You can go a long time without cleaning a firearm. They're tools designed to withstand abuse, you don't have to baby them. If your pistol is crudded so bad that you have to soak the thing in Hoppes, I would take gunscrubber to it, hold it over a trashcan, and give it hell. Let it dry, then stick it in an ultrasonic cleaner for half an hour.

Personally though......my Buckmark has gone over 10,000 rounds without cleaning. My 1911 only has about 200 since the last cleaning. AR-15 has 500 but I won't clean it until the 1,000 or 2,000 mark as an experiment I'm doing. My Sig 290 is only 2 days old, only 70-80 rounds through it but I'm not going to clean it until 500.

Non corrosive ammo, and firearms are tough. Just wipe down the exterior to prevent rust and just shoot it.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

A) Don't over think the process

B) Don't over do the process

C) Don't over do the process

D) Don't over do the process

More harm can be (and often is) caused to firearms by over cleaning and over-zealous cleaning.

Generally speaking, for pistols, a field strip and a decent wipe-down (and a pull/through with a bore snake) is all that's needed after a range trip.

Depending on your rounds fired per year, a detail strip and clean 1/year is PLENTY - and generally not really NEEDED.

YMMV - some guns are more finicky when "dirty" than others.

But agreed with some of the above: Soaking the frame in Hoppe's or rubbing alcohol is not necessary at all - and wasteful/expensive on supplies.

 

[Winner]

I use a spray cleaner,then blow off with an air hose.Then I give it a good coating of Breakfree CLP, let set for awhile or over night then wipe off excess,inspect and reassemble.Later you can usually wipe off more that comes to the surface.

 

[freddahead]

Thanks for all the insight on this matter! I'm shooting two gold cups and a S&W 41 on a weekly basis, and burnin 200 rounds per weapon. Iv'e been running junk ammo through them to get my fundamentals back on track after surgery. Thanks again for all the input! Fred