Gun cleaning or the lack-there-of...

[snojet]

Ok, I've been taught from day one that a gun has to be spotless between range times. That is how my Dad and the Military had me trained. That's how I did my gun cleaning; clean after the range, period. Previously most of my time at the range involved shooting 50 to maybe 250 rounds, slow rate of fire, usually at an indoor range. Throughout the years I have heard from others that they don't clean after every single range visit and their firearms function properly and do not suffer any long term damage. I have always dismissed this but now I'm questioning my cleaning practices.

To clarify how the "others" clean their firearms. All that was involved in cleaning the gun, it was a quick wiped down where easily accessible and a patch swipe or two in the barrel.

I have just recently entered into shooting organized matches, the IDPA and USPSA. I've met a lot of people and they claim that they don't clean before a match or clean the gun after every range use. In fact, one fella claimed that he went 4,200 rounds before he cleaned his 1911, that's when the gun acted up. He did it as an experiment.

What I've found interesting while practicing for and participating at these matches is my gun will sometimes misbehave until it has about 30 rounds put through it. Although, last weekend was a little different, my gun gave me a bad time throughout the match. I really don't know if it is because of my squeaky clean gun (using Hoppe #9), my ammo (Winchester Target ammo 230 grain FMJ .45), or mag's (McComicks, Wilson, original). I am now going to do an experiment with my gun and insure it has about 40 rounds through it before I participate in my next match. Hopefully I can figure this out.

So, what do the rest of you do, clean like a fool or not?


...

 

[RelicHound]

Ill admit that I dont clean rite after each trip to the range..some times I will let it go a day or 2 before I get to it,but then again I dont shoot 100s of rounds per trip either.
now...I always clean my guns after hunting. crawling around in mud,sand,water etc etc will ruin a gun pretty quick
it usually depends on the type of hunting I was doing and what the weather was like will depend on how much I clean the gun...if it was a nice day and I didnt have to crawl in mud or shoot alot then I may just giver her a wipe down and call it good..if it was muddy,rain/snow etc etc Ill clean her inside and out.

 

[Dogman]

Cleaning for me depends on which gun it is, my Kahr and Para get cleaned every time I shoot them, the Glocks get wiped down and cleaned every 3-4 times.

 

[rvb]

I have just recently entered into shooting organized matches,

The more you get involved in those, the less you'll care about squeeky clean. The time spent cleaning can be spent dryfiring. I once went ~20k on a beretta between cleanings (was still running 100%). Usually I'm more anal than that and clean that gun every 10k or so, but I had gotten lazy.

My match guns get wiped down inside every couple thousand rounds, and totally stripped every 5-10k.

Carry gun doesn't ususally see more than 1k between cleanings (because -I- don't want to get all dirty).

I never bother cleaning the bore on a pistol (I shoot jacketted rounds), just the chamber.

What I've found interesting while practicing for and participating at these matches is my gun will sometimes misbehave until it has about 30 rounds put through it.

It does start to seem that way. I NEVER go to a major match with a squeeky clean gun. I always plan to get a local match in or practice session first, especially after a detail strip.

In between cleanings, I may put a drop of lube on locking lugs and rails.

As a practical shooter, you'll quickly start to look for ways to be more efficient in everything you do, including cleaning. paper towels, brake cleaner, old toothbrush, and q-tips.

-rvb

 

[IndyGunworks]

My carry gun is squeaky clean, as is my HD shotgun, other than that, they only get cleaned when i start to have issues or if i was shooting in the rain, or with corrosive ammo

 

[westfork]

i'm in the same boat on cleaning vs. not. historically i clean everything pretty thoroughly after each outing, and clean my carry guns periodically regardless of whether or not they have been fired (particularly my pocket gun to keep it free of lint, other crud). as of late i've been shooting a lot of .22 pistol (s&w 22a) for cheap handgun practice and have decided i'm going to 'neglect' it for a while to see how it reacts.

curious to see more thoughts and input on this controversial subject...

 

[lewisjt]

My guns stay clean. Sometimes I wont get to it right after shooting, but will within a couple of days. I enjoy cleaning, and look at it as a way of protecting my investment.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I always field strip my carry gun, after a trip at the range. I hardly ever shoot my sd shotgun. As for the rest, when the cold weather settles in, I give all my guns a good cleaning. After the range it's just a good barrel swab, and clean what I can get to. Ususaly use synthetic safe gun scrub, folowed by some rem oil.

 

[Armed-N-Ready]

Clean freak

I clean after every range trip (except for AKs), I'm not too anal about it but don't want crud jamming up the works. It's more of a bonding thing for me, a chance to stay familiar with each firearm and i enjoy it. I was taught in the Navy "work it may shine it must" and guess I just applied it to my collection.

 

[gund]

I clean because I'm addicted to the smell of gun oil. But I don't clean the bore with any harsh brushing. Foaming bore cleaner. A dry patch or two with a wooden dowel and one wet one. That's it.

 

[Mini-14]

I clean after firing any of my guns. No matter how many rounds i've shot.

 

[boozoo]

I usually clean after each trip. I guess I'm paranoid in the case of my 9mm stuff. With rifles, I use a lot of corrosive surplus, so it's pretty much required in that case.

 

[Bisley Man]

I clean my guns the day I shoot them. If I don't have time guns are at least wiped down and bores, chambers swabbed out with BreakfreeCLP. I DO NOT carry a dirty handgun for defense, If I'm involved in a "critical dynamic incident", and DID NOT shoot my gun, or shot 1-2 rds, (revolver) I want that to be obvious.

 

[TopDog]

I don't know about not cleaning and then repeatedly firing the weapon with no malfunctions as I clean after firing. Always have always will. The worst have done is shot many guns in one session and not gotten to cleaning them up to a couple of months after firing. but they always get cleaned. Its just not good practice not to clean your weapons either daily carry or safe queens.

 

[Cemetery-man]

My handguns are always stripped and cleaned after every trip to the range. I can't stand to even see fingerprints on any of my firearms. As soon as I get home, I remove the pistols from their leather holsters give them a good wiping with a silicone cloth, then into a cloth holster and into the gun safe.

 

[zoglog]

I have always been taught to clean after every firing. This has been a subject in the Rifleman magazine and in some other threads lately. Until last weekend I always completely field stripped the weapons. My ccw did not start shooting in the groups I was used to seeing until it had about 50 rounds through it, then the groups tightened up. So to experiment, I cleaned it and will be shooting it this coming up weekend to see if it does the same thing. Every other weapon, except the 995 will continue to be stripped and cleaned. I love the smell and the time with the weapons is very relaxing too!

 

[TheLoneRaider]

I clean mine after every range trip. If they have been sitting unfired for 3 months ill clean them.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

I clean every gun I fire after I get home , my trip to the range isn't over until the guns are clean .

Now my truck is another story , I wash it every time it rains .

 

[shibumiseeker]

Heh. I clean my carry guns a couple of times a year whether they need it or not. For the semiauto rifles they get cleaned every few hundred rounds or so depending on whether I am motivated. Bolt actions rifles get cleaned from a hundred to a few hundred depending on the caliber. My .22s get cleaned when they start having more malfunctions than normal for the cheap bulk pack ammo I shoot. Usually they get a squirt of clp to break up the gunk and put on the bench on a paper towel for shooting the next day.

It should be noted though, I shoot almost daily. If I cleaned my guns every time I shot them I'dbe spending most of my time cleaning them.

 

[Titanium Man]

No matter how tired I am, I ceremoniously clean, and put them away. I also check the scopes, and clean them with a lenspen.

It's also comforting having the golden rod in my safe, keeping it a constant warm temperature, and the chances of rust are greatly diminished.