[hansolo]

I am one of those guys who practically cleans his handguns on the drive home: I recently bought a Chicom SKS on a whim and I love it! Now, to be consistant in my cleaning, I look at the 15-18 page mimeographed flyer on "How to clean honorable SKS". I have been told by some SKS owners to shoot the bageezzis out of it and occasionally brush out the bore...OTOH, some say to field strip the gas system, etc, soak every component for a week, and slap it back together. What do Y'all say? Thanks!

P.S. No offense meant to Pacific Rim THR'ers...I'm over 50 and it would have been funny back then.

[goon]

If you are shooting the average noncorrosive stuff that the rest of us are shooting, then you can get away with only minimal cleaning.
If you get into some corrosive stuff, you have to clean it right away with Windex or some other ammonia based cleaner.
To put it into perspective, I generally let my AK get around 600 or so rounds between cleanings. Some go more, but I don't really mind cleaning it that much.

[Mike Irwin]

Doesn't even have to be an ammonia-based cleaner.

Just needs to have a lot of water in it.

The ammonia does serve to lift any traces of oil out of the bore that might hide some fouling, though.

[Sir Galahad]

Verily, I say unto thee, clean EVERY centerfire weapon after EVERY shooting session. A clean weapon is a weapon you can depend on. While cleaning, you inspect each part for serviceability. You become more familiar with the weapon and how it works. And you have the pride in taking care of your weapons as a good craftsman takes care of his tools. I clean my rimfires just the same way, but they're not as critical as a centerfire. When a friend comes over and you show him your weapons, he can see that you are a man who takes care of his weapons. Take pride in ownership. Clean.

[dave3006]

I clean every weapon every time I take them out. It is a discipline thing. It is just the right thing to do.

[DMK]

I pull the top cover, remove the bolt & carrier, clean out the action and bore with Hoppes #9 and reoil with FP-10 every time. Also wipe out the magazine with a dry rag. Blowing out the trigger group with compressed air wouldn't be a waste of time either.

About every third time out or if the rifle will be sitting for an extended time, I pull the gas tube and clean it out with Hoppes #9 also. Wipe the tube and piston dry. Do not leave oil on these parts or the oil will "coke up" under the heat an pressure of the hot gasses. The piston is chromed so it doesn't need it. To prevent rust, I usually oil the tube, but then carefully dry it completely with patches on a pistol cleaning rod.

The SKS strips easily, everything is accessable and the Albanians, Norincos, Russians and Romanians have a chrome bore. There is no good excuse not to clean it every time.

Don't forget, they aren't importing Chinese arms anymore. I'd take care of the one you've got.

[Mike Irwin]

Verily I say unto thee...

Then I'm one undisciplined SOB, and my SKS still works like a champ...

I'm probably up to about 600 rounds fired right now...

[cslinger]

I fall into the I clean my guns, all of them, after every use. A clean, well maintained gun is the way to avoid as many problem as possible. Kinda like changeing your oil and 3K miles, cheap, easy insurance.

My VEPR II(AK Varient) is as clean as the day it was bought.

I feel guilty if I wait two day to clean them after shooting them.

Anytime corrosive ammo is used in any guns they immediately, upon getting home, get cleaned in hot hot water with dish detergent and then cleaned as normal with hoppes/CLP/whatever.

I have traded guns to gun shops who were amazed at how well kept my guns were and they said that so many people don't ever clean their guns.

Chris

[tac17]

I clean all of my firearms after firing them, even my Glocks, SKS's and AK's that aren't supposed to need a lot of attention. I don't give them a detail cleaning everytime, but I always hit the important parts and make sure that they haven't been damaged in any way. I am paranoid and like to know whether all of mine are running at full speed or not. :D