Cleaning magazines-how often?

[Grandpa Shooter]

Just had abdominal surgery and got thinking how to spend 2 months on light duty. Pulled out a couple of Colt 45 mags to see how dirty they are. Yuck!

So besides obviously needing something to do for two months minimum with a 10 lb weight limit, how often do you folks clean your mags?

 

[Thernlund]

I clean mine when I clean the pistol they're for. Really that just means I wipe them down and wipe off the follower with a silicone cloth.

What I think you mean actually taking them apart. Sometimes. Not very often though.


-T.

 

[Ala Dan]

My magazines get cleaned on a regular basis; just like the firearm~! One
never knows when their lives [or the lives of loved ones] may depend on
a magazine fed firearm; so I want to be prepared~!

 

[CNYCacher]

People clean magazines?

 

[JoeHatley]

how often do you folks clean your mags?

No regular schedule. I give them a quick wipe after each range session, espsecialy under the feed lips, and give them a look over. If they start looking pretty cruddy, or if I had any feeding problems at the range, then they get broken down and cleaned really well.

Joe

 

[jonboynumba1]

once or twice a year...usually following a lot of 4-wheeler riding-LOL Which usually means spring and fall when we start riding out at the hunting club more...I swear you get dirt everywhere dirt can get on a gravel or dirt road on one of them things

 

[TexasRifleman]

When I drop them in the dirt.

 

[DavidLee]

I usually don't, except like the rest I just oil'em off to keep'em shiney. Desert eagle mags, now they take some inside cleaning. I had one fail on me because of (I'm assuming) grit inside causing the elevator to bind up. That made me a bit tetchey. I cleaned the inside up and it worked allright again.

 

[Omaney]

Usually a wipedown. About every third pistol cleaning I will disassemble the mags and clean them. Or if I hear friction from dust.

 

[xsquidgator]

Maybe once or twice a year, meaning take the bottom off and take it apart, wipe it off and clean the inside out thoroughly. Or as needed, sometimes somehow grit or sand or something will get in there and I can feel the grit as the follower goes up and down. Even with a little grit in there I've never had feeding problems though, I just think as many do that it'd be good to stay on top of this before it could cause a failure at a bad time.

Fwiw, I didn't know to clean magazines also until I'd been reading this and other internet boards. My dad never did this and didn't know better I guess and so didn't teach me to, so all I used to do was to wipe off the outside. The first time I took one of my old pistol mags apart (first time it had ever been disassembled in 25 years) about a year ago, it was REALLY nasty dirty in there. But, even like that, the magazine functioned perfectly. Disassembling and cleaning inside and out seems prudent but might not be strictly necessary.

 

[ilbob]

I clean magazines at the same time I clean the guns. They get much the same treatment. First a rinse in the parts washer to get most of the crud out. Then a soak in kerosene for a short time (maybe an hour) to lossen any additional crud followed by the toothbrush treatment. Then more rinsing with kerosene.

During the rinsing phases, move the follower up and down inside the magzaine if you can't take it apart easily.

Drip or blow dry, then light oil.

 

[kymarkh]

I wipe them down really well after each use and take them down for a detailed cleaning once a year. If you wipe them down immediately after use it keeps powder fouling from building up in the first place. Occasionally I might use a toothbrush on the follower and feed lips but thats about it.

What I mean by a detailed cleaning is simply taking them apart and scrubbing them inside and out with a toothbrush, then giving them a good wipedown inside and out with a clean cloth. I don't use any solvent to clean magazines. I don't use any oil on magazine springs. Steel magazines get a wipe with a silicone cloth or a patch with a few drops of oil then I'm done.

 

[ZeSpectre]

I wipe the outside and feed lips down every time. About once a year I disassemble and wipe it all down.

Unless, of course, I've dropped a mag in sand/dirt/mudpuddles, etc in which case they get detail cleaned when I get home.

in my own stable...
Most fussy - CZ-52 (with 1911 mags close behind)
Least Fussy - XD-40 mags

 

[Mad Magyar]

I wipe them down really well after each use and take them down for a detailed cleaning once a year. If you wipe them down immediately after use it keeps powder fouling from building up in the first place. Occasionally

+1 With multiple mags, numbered of course, any that might have caused a problem will get a detail strip & cleaning for their "last chance" before I toss them. I'm not a parts changer...

 

[shadowalker]

I also wipe mine down when I clean the firearm, and break them down and clean completely about twice a year, it also gives me the opportunity to check the springs in more detail.

 

[deputy tom]

Grandpa Shooter,I hope your surgery went well and that you heal up quickly.I clean the mags along with the pistol when I return from the range.I'll detail strip the mags once a year or if I was dropping them on the ground as part of the drills practiced that session.YMMV.tom.

 

[1man]

I usually clean mine after every use. I skip that cleaning, for sure will strip it and clean it on the next cleaning. I never let them go uncleaned for more than 2 uses!

 

[wally]

Range mags, never (beyond wiping the soot off the outsides and follower) unless I have a problem with the gun using them, then I generally give both a thourough takedown and cleaning.

Mags for carry are cleaned anytime I can see or feel anything inside the tube while loading which usually means after every outing.

I find it really takes a lot to mess up a 1911 mag, and then usually cleaing is not the cure, as it needs a new spring.

--wally.

 

[ironvic]

I clean my P-226 mags after about two or three range sessions. Complete take-down, toothbrush all parts and lightly oil, wipe and reassemble, then function test using dummy rounds.

Between full strip-and-clean sessions, I wipe all external surfaces of the mag, use a toothbrush (baby size) to get under the feed lips and first inch or so of the mag interior and call it good if the magazine function tests OK.

ironvic

 

[possum]

i clean mine after every few range trips with that particualar weapon/ mag combo , unless of course it was rainning, or they got droped and kicked around in the dirt/sand/mud etc, and then i clean them asap when i get home.

 

[mballai]

They make brushes so you can clean down into a mag's innards without disassembly. I'd think you can go for many months without needing to take a mag apart.

 

[mightyike]

dedicated pocket pistol

My Kahr's get lint and dirt in the mags and I clean them regularly.

Anything that is carried where sweat or grit can get into the gun or magazine must be cleaned frequently-when dirty or grimy; mags and guns.

The mags are washed with hot soapy and cleaned with Qtips, etc....even the ones than cannot be taken apart are washed carefully....amazed at how much grit gets in from pocket carry.

If I have trouble drying, I keep a couple bottles of alcohol (the Home Depot-Lowes kind or Walgreens)...and dip and rinse out the water with the alcohol and then let air dry....I save and reuse the alcohol until it becomes dirty as well.

Works fast and inexpensive...same way I clean any new 1911 or other gun at home....they all get their personal bath and dry....

 

[rantingredneck]

You're supposed to clean them?

I guess that's my answer. I don't clean mine very often at all other than a wipedown with the silicone cloth when I clean the gun they are for. I don't think I've taken any of my Ruger .45 mags apart at all yet. I did take a 9mm mag or 2 down and clean them once a few years ago.

Hope all goes well with your recovery. I'm in about the same boat. I just had back surgery and have a 5 lb. weight limit for now and the docs won't let me shoot even a .22 yet. I'm bored to tears most days.

 

[Grandpa Shooter]

You're supposed to clean them?

I guess that's my answer. I don't clean mine very often at all other than a wipedown with the silicone cloth when I clean the gun they are for. I don't think I've taken any of my Ruger .45 mags apart at all yet. I did take a 9mm mag or 2 down and clean them once a few years ago.

Hope all goes well with your recovery. I'm in about the same boat. I just had back surgery and have a 5 lb. weight limit for now and the docs won't let me shoot even a .22 yet. I'm bored to tears most days.

Got to keep this on track. I have to admit I didn't do a very good job of cleaning things up before I stored it away back awhile. I got some stuff out to look at it and was disgusted with myself. I started cleaning some stuff, did a little "gunsmithing" on one of my pistols. and now have the entire top of a full size pool table covered with stuff. (yes I covered the pool table first)
In the future I will make certain I do a better job of routine maintenance.

Recover and shoot well my friend!

 

[VARifleman]

I clean mags with a "range kleen" brush I bought at walmart for 4 bucks and cut the handle short. You can find it with the cleaning supplies as it was made to brush the dust off the back of ovens and refrigerators. I do that anytime they hit the dirt, or every other gun cleaning (250-500 rounds).