Gun cleaning, how often?

Status
Not open for further replies.
I have 3 that I bought new have never cleaned. Several thousand rounds through each, too. I have several I bought used that I havent cleaned, mostly semi or lever .22s.

My rifles and handguns rarely get cleaned. I wipe them off with an oily rag before I put them away and that's about it.

O/U shotguns get old grease wiped off the hinge points and new put on. I spray the barrels and pull a boresnake through. I only clean chokes when theres a lot of plastic. Then, I use a brass brush in a drill.
 
I stopped the clean after every use when I started reloading and my shooting went up 5x+

I enjoy cleaning but there is really no need to clean after 50 rounds if you’ll be shooting again in a week. I’ll clean after a few range trips or if a firearm is going to sit for a period of time. Maybe a quick wipe on the outside after a range trip.

Jeff
 
Wipe em down after every use.
Clean the bore/guts...... after season.
Varmint rifles may get cleaned a couple times during season.
But they get the obligatory foulers and anything popped from a stock gets taken to the range.
 
My cleaning habits have changed along with my shooting habits. I used to clean my guns after every trip to the range. That usually involved 4-5 guns and hundreds of rounds. It was also maybe only once a month or so.

Over the last decade I've moved more towards going once a week or more, only shooting one or two guns and only a couple dozen shots. These are usually the guns I carry and I'll clean them every couple of weeks or I notice they need it. There are exceptions. But that's the general pattern.
 
My range toys get cleaned when they need it.
My carry guns get cleaned thoroughly every time I go to the range. Mostly just because I can't go as often as I'd like to, and clean and oiled guns do better in Florida humidity than ones with some crud left.
 
Range only centerfire pistols, as needed. It's not needed very often. Maybe every 300-600 rounds and I know from experience that they will go longer than that without trouble and without causing any unusual wear.

Centerfire rifles usually get cleaned every time they are shot. Not because they need it but because I get to the rifle range so rarely and I have enough rifles that any given rifle could sit in the safe for a good while before it gets to the range again. Might as well clean them.

Carry guns, after every range trip. Because I don't like getting GSR on me or on my clothes any more than is absolutely necessary.

Rimfires, when I feel like it. That's usually a lot more often than they really need it, but I usually get bored and clean them at some point, long before they are really in any need of cleaning.
 
For me, it's generally a field strip and basic clean after a use and before the firearm goes back in the safe. And I generally do it right after I get home from the range, club or field. I also put related gear back where it goes.
In some people's book that's minimally attentive, in others' it's OCD.
Meh, I do what works for me.
 
Are we out hunting in the rain or snow, or is this after a few rounds at the range on a sunny day?

One of the worst things you can do is put a wet gun in a case & leave it. We’ll, besides that muzzle-loader after shooting black powder.
 
Guys that say "everytime you shoot them" generally don't shoot that much and/or dont shoot a large variety.

For years, I have gone to the range 3 to 5 days a week and sometimes shoot a dozen different guns a week. If I had to clean guns after every trip the days and number of guns used would quickly dwindle.
 
A clean bore may shoot different than one thats had a couple shots.

And a fouled bore may shoot better.

Test to see what is needed.

I have a very picky muzzleloader.
Bone dry to start, good for 5 shots w bullets lubed. Clean and start over. Cant have any oil/ solveny residue in bore. Zero.

What a PITA that thing is. But, it was figured out ( load and cleaning interval ).
My other ones did well and were quite forgiving.
 
Whose lifetime? Yours or the gun's? The gun will live a whole lot longer than you will. I don't think you need to worry about that part. I enjoy cleaning my guns. I find it relaxing. I've even offered to clean other people's guns. I think that if you don't enjoy it, only do it as often as you think it's necessary, and don't worry about it until they stop working.
I can relate to this. When some buddies come over and we go shooting..I'll be the designated gun cleaner when we're done. I like field stripping different guns just to see how they're built compared to mine.
 
I usually only take 3 or 4 guns on a range trip and I always cleaned them after each use like my dad taught me. Now that the shortages have limited my rounds fired per trip I don't always clean them after each trip, especially if it's a gun I only shot a mag or two through. I do always lube my AR after a trip even when only one mag has been fired as I've been told repeatedly that they aren't real fussy about being clean but they like to be run wet.
 
If you have a vintage firearm that has metal patina, i dont recommend wiping it down obsessively.
That's a good point, but there's a trade-off. Human skin oil and sweat are a whole lot more harmful than a light wipe with a lightly oiled absorbent rag.
 
Gas guns get cleaned after every use. as do single action revolvers. recoil operated may go a couple sessions, and manually operated guns a few sessions longer than that. Rimfires, cleaned as needed. For lube I use Mobile 1,, high temp synthetic that never gels and never congeals.
 
I rarely clean my guns in the tradition sense of disassemble and bore scrubbing with a brushes and solvents etc. I only clean when needed as dictated by function and/or accuracy. In general I simply add oil and keep going.

BeCztsvl.jpg
Mother nature decided I didn't clean this one often enough and helped me out. My liberal use of lubrication protected it just fine from this drenching.
 
As an aside..a gent at a shooting range, as we were waiting for a lane..he said he cleans his just before using them at the range..then takes them home, leaves them until the next time he shoots them, cleans them just before. Including his EDC gun. His reasoning..it was working at the range..don't muck with it....
 
My carry piece once a month. My Glock every couple range trips. My Ak has never seen any proper cleaning just a spray with clp. Keeps on trucking.
 
Like many mine could be cleaned a little more often, but experience has shown they will keep running longer than most would believe. Way back in the mid 80’s I read an article and the guy doing the testing was always testing something every month. He said he cleans his personal guns every 10,000 rounds whether they need it or not. The most any of mine has gone is 5,000 before it started to get a little gritty, so I took pity on it and cleaned it. I rarely clean anything with less than 1000 rounds through it.
 
Depends on the gun. Heck, I have some guns that I shot a few times and never bothered cleaning. If I shoot 10 rounds and it needs a detailed strip then it doesn't belong in my collection. Of course corrosive ammo, fragile finished/wood and collectables get different treatment.

I will go several thousand rounds through my Glocks and XDs. My Ruger SP101 would go several hundred close to 1k before I cleaned it thoroughly. They all worked properly. (I do wipe the exterior with a rag after soot starts to build up on the muzzle.)

I think some people are used to firearms that don't function after a few rounds.
 
22lr rifles - Annually. Even then I try not to scrub the bore too hard. They group better slightly fouled.

Bolt action rifle - The action is cleaned after every range trip. The bore gets cleaned when the groups start to open up.

AR rifle - Thorough scrubbing after every range trip.

Revolver - When it gets difficult to put rounds in the cylinder. It's not a carry gun.

Polymer semi-autos - When they look like they need it. They just seem to run and run without ever missing a beat.

Carry gun - After every range trip.

Shotguns - Annually or when I can see some plastic residue building up in the chokes. I don't shoot my shotguns as often anymore so the annual cleaning is usually just a wipe down and run a couple of patches through the bore.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top