Most rounds without cleaning...

Status
Not open for further replies.

blkbrd666

Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2008
Messages
1,301
Location
Georgia
What is the most rounds you have shot through a semiauto handgun without cleaning it?

I didn't take the time to clean one of my handguns after a few trips to the range, which turned into a test to see how long the gun would go without a cleaning. I eventually couldn't stand the looks of it, because it was Inox and just looked bad, so I broke down and cleaned it. It was a Beretta 92FS. I managed to put just over 1000 rounds through it and it was still functioning although it was mostly black.
 
I shoot frequently and really see no reason to clean any more Often than 500+ rounds through a firearm.

Of course, I also no longer subscribe to the 3000 mile oil change advice. Using synthetic oil, change once per year and even with track days, analysis shows the oil has not broken down and is still providing full lubrication.
 
I have only been shooting for about 60 years or so.
But my old daddy the WWII solder, taught me to clean my guns after I shot them.

Then, 18 years later, my Army drill Sargent taught me the same thing.

Then 10 years later, I taught Army trainee's the same thing.

So I don't know how many rounds I have shot in one day without cleaning.
Maybe 50 on a good day with a 4.2" Morter?
Maybe 500+ on a good day with a rifle or pistol?
Maybe 5,000+ on a good day with a machinegun?

But at the end of the day, whether you shot 1 round, or 5,000 rounds?
You clean the gun.


Kinda like those who don't brush their teeth if they didn't eat much that day.

It's just not good personal hygiene to let your teeth, or your gun go to bed dirty!!

So, You shot it, you should clean it!!
Like my old daddy, and the old Army DI told me.

A clean gun might save your life some day.
And it will for sure last longer.

rc
 
Letting a gun purposely go a long time between cleanings is a bad idea. The firing residue caught in the lube is now an abrasive once the residue is so much that the lube is unable to keep it in suspension.

When you shell out your hard earned money for a gun, you don't feel like torture testing.
 
How many rounds?

I am waaaay too obsessive to let my guns go longer than a day or two (after a training course) after shooting.

Like that ol' Tootsie Pop commercial used to say- "The world may never know."

:)
 
I cleaned my Glock before I ever took it to the range. Only been around 500 rounds through it so far, but I haven't cleaned it since that first time. I might just do it tomorrow.
 
Does not compute. Guns are cleaned every time they're fired ... every time. I was taught to keep my guns clean circa 1959 and I've seen no reason to alter the routine.

Cleaning guns is relaxing to me. The way I see it guns are like teeth, keep 'em cleaned and properly maintained and they'll last a lifetime and serve you well in the process.
 
Cleaning guns is relaxing to me. The way I see it guns are like teeth, keep 'em cleaned and properly maintained and they'll last a lifetime and serve you well in the process.
Idk why but I never thought of it like that. I was a dental assistant for close to five years, and that's a remarkable analogy. I'm going to use it in the future.

I'll also keep my guns clean from now on. :p
 
An avid shooting buddy began having trouble with his Glock at one of our IDPA practice nights. Later over coffee he offered up that it was likely well over 5000 rounds since the last time he broke it down to clean it.

I suspect that he's been pondering the question since he had to shift over to his CZ to finish the session off.

I simply do not clean my guns after each range session. Although I likely clean my semis every 500 to 600 rounds and my revolvers a little more often since I shoot cast bullets from the revolvers and the lead and lube tends to gum things up that much sooner compared to jacketed.

On another forum I'm on there's an older guy which was part of a rather widely held opinion that with .22 target rifles it's simply not a good idea to clean the bores unless they are noticably leading up.

Obviously there's a lot of issues related to cleaning a gun. In the case of semi autos conditions that the barrel bore will easily tolerate and still shoot accurately will seize up the action in a blink. So the need to clean the guns isn't always related to the bore condition.
 
I used to clean after every range trip. I finally learned that ritual was hampering my enjoyment....Now,I shoot about half the days of the month and shoot multiple guns each day. There's no way I am cleaning after every range trip....Yesterday day I shot a 1911. I would guess its seen about 1 k rounds since being stripped and cleaned. Hasn't had a single malfunction in that time.

BC,

I shoot .22 benchrest. I do not clean my target rifles until the groups open up. After cleaning and stripping out the bullet lube, it usually takes 15+ rounds to get them back grouping well.

As a general rule, I don't clean my guns unless I think they need it, not just because they were fired.
 
Last edited:
10,000. Was an instructor during the change from revolver to semi. We had to make sure them newfanagled contraptions were going to work.
 
But my old daddy the WWII solder, taught me to clean my guns after I shot them.

A lot of us were TAUGHT how to clean guns by WWII vets. Thing is, WWII ammo was corrosive, and if you didn't clean often the guns could literally RUST SHUT. It's not that way anymore! We've all read of the tests that run thousands of rounds, and the guns still function.

The firing residue caught in the lube is now an abrasive once the residue is so much that the lube is unable to keep it in suspension.

That seems like a good point, but if it wasn't terribly abrasive while you're shooting it, why does it become super-abrasive if the gun is setting unfired? How is a long day at the range any different than several short sessions at the range?
 
I do not carry my range guns or use them for HD/SD purposes. They tend to stay in the range bag until I get so sick of them being ugly that I clean them.

I've probably let a S&W M&P and a CZ75B go for about 5K rounds each more than a time or two, and a handful of 1911's go as far as 7K rounds between cleanings. The CZ and M&P triggers got kinda sluggish at the end from all of the cast bullet lube spooge, but the 1911's acted like they could have kept going indefintely. And no, none of them had any significant barrel fouling even after all those rounds. I wouldn't put the guns and ammo into range use if I didn't first make sure that the combo was working well.
 
My carry pistols get cleaned and lubed when new and then fire to atleast 500 rounds to proof the handgun. Then cleaned and lubed again for carry.
 
I once shot a 1911 until the crud inside slowed the cycling to the point that it started to not quite get back into battery. I guesstimated that was maybe 4,000 rds. I doused some oil on top of the barrel and finished out the match, then cleaned it well that night.

Most of the time I'm pretty good about cleaning. Probably every 500-1,000 rounds whether they need it or not.
 
I have only been shooting for about 60 years or so.
But my old daddy the WWII solder, taught me to clean my guns after I shot them.

Then, 18 years later, my Army drill Sargent taught me the same thing.

Then 10 years later, I taught Army trainee's the same thing.

So I don't know how many rounds I have shot in one day without cleaning.
Maybe 50 on a good day with a 4.2" Morter?
Maybe 500+ on a good day with a rifle or pistol?
Maybe 5,000+ on a good day with a machinegun?

But at the end of the day, whether you shot 1 round, or 5,000 rounds?
You clean the gun.


Kinda like those who don't brush their teeth if they didn't eat much that day.

It's just not good personal hygiene to let your teeth, or your gun go to bed dirty!!

So, You shot it, you should clean it!!
Like my old daddy, and the old Army DI told me.

A clean gun might save your life some day.
And it will for sure last longer.

rc
Well, I clean my guns at least once a week; but I don't clean my teeth or shower once a week. Guns tend to be more durable (not to mention don't smell as bad) to neglect than the human body. :p
 
No more than 150 rounds or so. If anything I'm guilty of being an over cleaner of my guns. None of my guns (handguns) are just target guns, they all find their way into my carry rotation so they are usually only dirty for the amount of time it takes me to get back home from the range. They get cleaned and put back in the holster and ready for duty. They are reliable enough to carry even when dirty but it doesn't make sense not to clean them to ensure they will be reliable when called upon.
 
I usually clean after every range trip. No reason to run it dirty unless you're testing for function under bad circumstances.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top