Stupid Cleaning Question

[dross]

As a former Army sergeant, the idea the weapon cleanliness is goodliness is now as permanent a part of my DNA as is the fact that I wake up early and roll out of bed whether I need to or not.

Yet I've heard differing points of view on the subject. How often should I clean my pistol, but more importantly, why? Can I cause permanent damage if I fire 1000 rounds and then don't clean it for weeks? I cleaned it thoroughly last night, then fired 75 rounds through it when I got home today, and I'm sitting here feeling guilty that I haven't cleaned it and may not tonight. What's too little? What's too much? I'm interested in what you folks know and think.

 

[Dogman]

As a former Army sergeant, the idea the weapon cleanliness is goodliness is now as permanent a part of my DNA as is the fact that I wake up early and roll out of bed whether I need to or not.

Yet I've heard differing points of view on the subject. How often should I clean my pistol, but more importantly, why? Can I cause permanent damage if I fire 1000 rounds and then don't clean it for weeks? I cleaned it thoroughly last night, then fired 75 rounds through it when I got home today, and I'm sitting here feeling guilty that I haven't cleaned it and may not tonight. What's too little? What's too much? I'm interested in what you folks know and think.

Depends on the gun, how bored you are, how guilty you feel.
Just me, before my boating accident I had guns that I cleaned after every time I shot them 100-150 rounds, then others (did I say Glocks?) that I would clean after shooting several hundred 500-600 rounds . I think there's a couple of people who say they never clean their guns.

 

[jfed85]

I think its about personal preferance really. I clean my guns after every time they are fired....maybe I'm anal. I think I just do it because I enjpy fondling them. For example, I recently acquired a .357 magnum through a trade with another INGO member. Today I was bored and seeing as I live in the country and I wanted to fire it, I took it out back and ran 10 through it. Came in from outside and grabbed the hoppes lol. I just like to protect my investments I guess.

 

[NEOCON]

I feel the same way for the same reasons. I still clean mine with dental floss and Q-tips yes a whole box. But I do not clean them like that every thime. I clean my carry weapon after every shooting session, even if it is just 20 rounds or so. I will clean the powder residue off the bolt face, run a boresnake down it and make sure it still has enough oil on it. But about every month or so I will completely strip it down and give it the whole deal. Most of my rifles are spotless all the time especially my ARs, call it habit I guess.

 

[jeremy]

dross, I like yourself am former army. I clean almost everything the evening I am done firing whatever it is. However I am doing 2 lets not clean it till it wont fire "tests". One on a Sig P226 the other on a Taurus PT 111. I am going on to 3 years on the Sig and 1+ on the Taurus. Both still function pretty well. They are only shot about once a month. With 150 - 250 rounds though each.

 

[sloughfoot]

IMO it is not a stupid question. My carry pistol gets cleaned after practice and before carrying again because if I am in the area where a shooting occurred,and they check my pistol, and I didn't have any part of it, I don't want any residue in it. All of the LEO's around here know that I pack all the time. It's a matter of self preservation.

My PPC revolver has not been cleaned since 1996. My S&W Model 41 target 22 has not been cleaned since 2003. Just oil added. My 1911 target pistol has never been cleaned. Just oil added.

I am an ex-Army type though and I can still hear DI SFC Boxley yelling at me to get that weapon clean!!

They cry out to me from the safe to clean them. Its pretty tough to ignore them.

Having said all that, most modern SA pistols can go a long time before cleaning is needed if shooting jacketed ammo.

Maybe we should form a support group.....a 12 step program?

 

[Kingrat]

i clean my carry gun in detail every time i shoot it, my other stuff depends how clean it is and how many rounds, i range from wiping it off running a bore snake through it and oiling, to detail cleaning, it just depends

as long as they have enough lubrication i dont think the powder residue is going to hurt too much in most cases

 

[JByer323]

Not a stupid question.

I clean mine each time they are fire. It may not be a thorough cleaning, but I'll at least run a snake through it, a lightly oiled patch, and check that it is still sufficiently lubed.

Carry guns get done monthly whether they like it or not. Everything else get checked every couple of months, even if it hasn't been shot.

 

[Goodcat]

Every time I fired them or when I'm bored and they haven't been fired since being cleaned. lol

 

[Skoty]

I clean mine monthly. As for shooting then cleaning, only if I run more than 500 rounds will I clean a firearm.

 

[Plague421]

I clean my guns after they are fired or when I'm bored. They are always clean and ready to go.

 

[demmons]

Both cary guns every Sunday before bed if they have been shot or not. Every thing else every time they are fired.

 

[Engine03]

I clean mine everytime i fire them. My hunting guns I clean everytime I take them out in the field fired or unfired. The guns that don't get used alot get a monthly wipe down like it or not. Guess i just like the smell of gun oil and powder

 

[ryanmercer]

I clean every time I fire... then every few months on any that I carry due to this being a very very very very dusty house.

 

[WhitleyStu]

Even if I just step out the back door and shoot a 7 rnd mag the 1911 gets cleaned later in the day. When I used to shoot pistol league I would mop the bore between trips to the line. Just like a clean firearm...

 

[paburger]

Daddy taught me to clean after firing. (you think the military screams at you, then you never met my daddy) By the way, if guns are stored and never shot, they still need attention. It's devistating to open the gun cabinet to find surface rust living there. Never occured to me to inspect and wipe down Daddy's guns after he passed. I bought silicone gun sleeves to keep my long guns in that are not shot often. They are +/- $5.00 and will save you alot of headeaches, plus they protect the wood if your safe is overloaded like mine.