Gun Cleaning....love it or hate it?

I like it. You find out if anything is loose or broken and can deal with it then. I follow set cleaning procedures for each type of gun and am damn near OCD with my black powder rifles. My borescope that hooks up to my phone has aggravated my condition!

I enjoy cleaning my guns. I may not clean them right away but I don’t put it off because I don’t like cleaning them. I sometimes shoot a gun or two then wipe them down with a silicone cloth and stow them and clean them before the next range trip.

I can't say I love it but I do it after each day at the range. I don't get crazy about it; although, I still hear a drill sergeant telling me that it isn't good enough every time I inspect that star chamber.

Pretty much hate it.

3C

I've all ways loved cleaning guns. There have been times now and then I would wait till the next day. Mostly when I was hunting two or more days a week. And then it would at least get wiped down with wd at the end of the day.
I have lever action, pump and semi autos that I have bought books on how to disassemble and reassemble so that I can get inside for deep cleaning.
I don't hunt anymore but I do still shoot a good bit. I do have guns that I have not shot in years.
Every six months or so I take one or two days to do nothing but clean all guns shot or not. And every gun I clean gets wiped down inside and out with wd40.
Been doing that for over 50 years now. I just can't understand how/why anyone can let a gun get so dirty that it malfunctions or loses accuracy before they will take a few minutes clean it. Makes no sense. Just me.

I enjoy cleaning guns (unless I've taken say, several ARs to the range that day). Handguns are easy. Get out some TV trays, put in my Blu-Ray discs of seasons 1 and 2 of Miami Vice or my complete Dirty Harry collection, open some windows and turn on the fans... wife'll still come home from work, sniff once, and say, "You been cleaning guns in the family room again?"

Gus Chiggins said:

View attachment 1072474 I like it. You find out if anything is loose or broken and can deal with it then. I follow set cleaning procedures for each type of gun and am damn near OCD with my black powder rifles. My borescope that hooks up to my phone has aggravated my condition!

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Its a labor of love and necessity for us bp enthusiasts.
There is a certain satisfaction from finally seeing a patch come out of the bore clean.
The same satisfaction that you get from looking down a shiny bore on a break-action single barrel....

Not crazy about it, but I clean a semi-auto rifle (internally) within 2-4 weeks of use.

And I Always cleaned a gun before taking it to a gun show or to a buyer on Armslist (at least ten of them sold by this method) etc.

Play some music in the background.

The inside of a dirty Car is far easier to put off.

Armored farmer said:

Its a labor of love and necessity for us bp enthusiasts.
There is a certain satisfaction from finally seeing a patch come out of the bore clean.
The same satisfaction that you get from looking down a shiny bore on a break-action single barrel....

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I have to wait to clean my bp guns for when my mom isn't home, last time she walked in on my scrubbing my hawen she flip tfo.

ColtPythonElite said:

I would guess that a lot of people who clean after every range trip either don't go to the range that often and/or don't shoot that many guns when they do.

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…or live in a humid climate where cleaning is not just cleaning but also rust prevention.

I generally tend to oil more than I clean.

If your Cleaning your gun, that means your shooting your guns… and studies shows, shooting guns leads to a happy life

jdc1244 said:

…or live in a humid climate where cleaning is not just cleaning but also rust prevention.

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I am what some might consider an over oiler when it comes to rust prevention. I might not clean them, but I wipe them down after every range trip.

I didn't have time to clean guns often I thought when I was working. Usually take 2-3 pistols and 3-5 rifles to range at a time with son and grandson. Now I am retired and don't clean guns often either so I guess I don't like it. Son and Grandson must not like it either 'cause they beat feet as soon as we get home and car gets unloaded!!! "Thanks Pops, gotta run! We'll come over someday and help reload!! Bye. " Tires squeeling, Varooooom. One time I am pretty sure I heard the Roadrunner escaping Wiley Coyote, Beep Beep LOL.

Fooey said:

I didn't have time to clean guns often I thought when I was working. Usually take 2-3 pistols and 3-5 rifles to range at a time with son and grandson. Now I am retired and don't clean guns often either so I guess I don't like it. Son and Grandson must not like it either 'cause they beat feet as soon as we get home and car gets unloaded!!! "Thanks Pops, gotta run! We'll come over someday and help reload!! Bye. " Tires squeeling, Varooooom. One time I am pretty sure I heard the Roadrunner escaping Wiley Coyote, Beep Beep LOL.

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I would make them clean the gun before, then after the range!

I ‘like’ cleaning my guns knowing that they’ll continue to function properly and are corrosion-free.

I hate it and view it as a chore. A very necessary chore. Like cleaning out the cat's litter box, or wiping after- well, you know.

I enjoy knowing my guns are clean and have simplified the process where ever possible. Unlike simple tools that we throw in a box and collect rust until next use, I view guns (most anyway) as precision tools that require due care to maximize their dependability.

For me...........It`s if you shoot it, you clean it. Some of us were taught by Uncle Sam.

I don't mind doing it, and even enjoy it sometimes. Listen to a good audio book and clean away. But in all honesty I don't clean very frequently, with modern propellants and primers there is no need. As others have said, I am more about good lubrication than clean guns.

I find it to be a relaxing activity. I generally like to put on a movie or something after a range trip and take my time cleaning my guns while I watch.

except for the bushing on a 1911. Removing and then putting that pack on is the one thing I don’t love…. Even with a 1911 tool I don’t love that part of it.

ColtPythonElite said:

I would guess that a lot of people who clean after every range trip either don't go to the range that often and/or don't shoot that many guns when they do.

I also was taught by my dad that "you have to clean a gun everytime you shoot it". I learned later in life that dads are sometimes wrong...lol.

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Eh I go at least one a month when it’s not snowing. But generally more than that. And how many guns I shoot depends on what doing/in the mood for but it’s usually at least 1 rifle and 1 handgun.

I just genuinely enjoy cleaning, but I am also not needing to clean off too much gunk because I do it every time anyways.

also a good set of bore guides and some nice cleaning rods like the coated rods from J. Dewy make it a lot more enjoyable and more mindless. Just back forth back forth until all the carbon is gone.

But I also enjoy things like house painting. I just like mindless repetitive activities.

Gun4Fun90 said:

But I also enjoy things like house painting. I just like mindless repetitive activities.

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You might make an excellent trapshooter.