Cleaning Time: Wife Thinks I'm a Nut

[carnaby]

How long do you guys spend cleaning your guns? I usually sit down with a pair of 1911's and take about 45 minutes a piece, to break 'em down and give them the business. My wife thinks I'm being ridiculous, and that nobody but I would spend that sort of time on cleaning.

What's the scoop, how much time do you spend per gun on cleaning? I better stick a poll on this

 

[cslinger]

I rarely find myself cleaning a single firearm after a range trip so I would say usually about the length of whatever movie I pop in. I don't go crazy cleaning just a good field strip and cleaning of the crud, although with revolvers I do sometimes get the urge to clean the face of the cylinder and that can be a PITA.

All in all I do about 4-6 guns in two hours or so. A single easy semi auto like one of my SIGs takes me about 15 minutes or so.

 

[browningguy]

I'm gonna guess 10-15 minutes per gun, that's counting actually cleaning time. I normally shoot foaming bore cleaner in and leave it for 30-60 minutes, spray the internals with gunscrubber, lube, swab the bore a couple of times and I'm done.

 

[springmom]

At least 30 minutes per gun. That's thinking handguns. If I'm cleaning my AR it takes longer because there are a zillion little pieces to individually clean and oil.

Besides, it's peaceful. And I'm "Monk" when it comes to making sure they're CLEAN. I take good care of them and if the need ever comes, God forbid, they'll take care of me.

Springmom

 

[javacodeman]

H&K .40 UPSc: This gun is pretty easy to clean, but as it's my SD gun I spend about 45 minutes to clean it.

Walther .22 compact: This gun is a real pain to clean:banghead:. I can spend an hour on it easy and not get it as clean as the H&K would be after 30 minutes.

java

 

[ZeSpectre]

My guns get, at minimum, a quick wipedown and inspection after every shooting trip. After about 500 rounds, or if they will be sitting for a long time without use, they get a more complete cleaning.

Now if you are talking about getting something from a gunshow or a cosmoline soaked toy... well the sky's the limit

 

[NeverAgain26]

15-30 minutes but I clean a bunch at a time so I may spend an hour or two. My wife still thinks I am nuts....

... but she loves the smell of Hoppes and Ed's Red

Saul Levy

 

[Lou629]

It depends on the type of gun to some degree, and the length of the range trip in terms of # of rounds fired, but i would guess my 'average' time is in the .75-1.00 hr. range. Revolvers can be a real PITA, but i don't use them that often. Semi-auto handguns break down so easily and make cleaning such a snap that i can do two in about an hour. On the other hand, i have taken over 2 hours on one semi-auto carbine after a particularly heavy round count. Lever guns average probably 1 hour. Bolt rifles and pump shotguns are probably easiest of all, 20-25 minutes tops.

 

[dragongoddess]

My mil-surp weapons take the longest to clean. They get the windex treatment, then a hot soapy water bath followed by a distilled water rinse and a quick air dry with some compressed air in a can. Then they get a normal cleaning to include linseed oil for any wood.

So those of you who use the foam cleaner how do you like it. Is it a better way then scrubbing with a rod and brush.

 

[10-Ring]

Depends - my 22lr wheelgun is a PIA to clean and can take a while, whereas my G19 is just a quick wipe down, brush & clean bore, a couple drops of lube on the rails and its done. My long guns take for ever just because I'm just not as proficient yet w/ those as I am w/ my handguns.
On avg, I'd say 20 minutes per for handguns - max. Long guns, twice that


PS....how long does it take your wife to clean the house????

 

[Stiletto Null]

I voted 15-30. But...

My CZ 452 takes like five minutes. I run ONE solvent-loaded patch down the bore, load up ONE patch with solvent and wipe off the action and shimmy it around the crown area with my pinky, and then run ONE dry patch down the bore. The action doesn't get very dirty, and overcleaning .22 barrels is unhealthy anyway. I pretty much do it to get hte fouling off.

My FN-49 takes a good 30~45 minutes. I run a few Windex patches down the bore until they come out gray and not black/chunky. I do the same with the gas tube. I then run a couple of dry patches down both. And then I go in with solvent patches until the bore and gas tube are shiny-shiny. And then I wipe down the bolt, bolt carrier, and action.

My Mosins and Mausers take 15~30, most of which is just running a whole bunch of patches down the bores until they're nice and shiny. And then I wipe down the bolts. Mausers, I'll usually go ahead and disassemble the bolts entirely (because it's relatively simple), and wipe down as appropriate; Mosins, I'll separate the bolt heads and wipe those downs.

 

[silhanek]

On average I'd say about 10-15 minutes. I do a basic cleaning after each trip to the range, but every 2-3 times I do a more detailed cleaning that can take up to 30 min.

 

[The Deer Hunter]

Most of the time i just clean the barrel of my benelli but every other time i take it completely apart and really clean it. When it comes to my muzzleloader its more than an hour-always

 

[wally]

I wipe them down and put them back in the safe with a drop of break-free on the rails. I only take them down for cleaning if I've taken out a safe queen for someone else to try (which could be years before it gets out again) or they tell me they need it by having had a few failures. This way I have more time for reloading instead of cleaning, and get some occasional realistic practice with immediate action drills.

Only the (few) guns in my carry rotation get cleaned after every regular use.

--wally.

 

[redneckdan]

I usually average an hour per gun. I'm fanitical about cleaning firearms, though you wouldn't be able to gues it from looking at my apartment. When my friends want to sell off a firearm they bring it to me to detail strip it and clean it.

 

[armedandsafe]

Lessee, 5 black powder guns...about two hours an a half. Modern guns with non-corrosive, about 15 minutes each.

Pops

 

[merk]

Depends on how long it takes to get the job done.

I easily spend an hour on my Mosin Nagant, but the WASR 10 is about thirty to forty minutes of cleaning.

 

[rhubarb]

A few minutes each. Field strip, hose down with brake cleaner, few wet then dry patches through the barrel, few drops of oil judiciously applied, reassemble and wipe down. That applies to all my guns. No, of course I don't clean them every time I shoot.

If you've got time, clean them all you want. If you're cleaning guns to get out of housework, shame on you.

 

[Glockfan.45]

It depends on the gun. Most of them I clean after every shooting session, My Glocks and the like probably around 20 min a gun. My Kimber target pistol about 45min. The AK and 10/22 only get cleaned once in awhile so when I do clean them I really take my time and do it right. Probably around an hour or so. The shotguns only get cleaned if I have been hunting in the rain that day. Then they only get a wipe down and a light coat of oil. The AR I dont look at the clock while cleaning it. If i did I would never want to shoot it again. When I do clean them I wait till the wifes not around so I am not bothered with "Honey are you gonna sit there and play with your guns all day". When I clean a them the barrel gets soaked in Hoppes, the rest gets wiped down with Hoppes while it soaks. Then a bore brush, a few dry patches wipe down, oil, and a little furniture polish on any wood.

 

[bumm]

Depends on the gun. I'm pretty meticulous about cleaning guns, but my old single shot Stevens #10 target pistol takes maybe 5 minutes. I might spend 25 minutes field stripping and cleaning my Kimber Gold Match. Once a year, I detail strip it and I don't time that...
Marty

 

[El Tejon]

For a 1911? 10 minutes tops including stripping cleaning and lubing. A Glock is maybe half that.

Everyone once in a while I let a barrel soak overnight though.

I may spend the most time, say 30 minutes, on weapons in which I have been shooting corrosive ammo.

I baby the "good stuff", HK91s or M14s, etc., and take my time, but that is just because I enjoy fondling them and has nothing to do with cleaning or lubing them.

 

[LeonCarr]

About 30 minutes per firearm, after each range session. If you take care of your firearms, they will take care of you.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[MD_Willington]

About 45 minutes, my children come out to the shop and watch, my son is old enough to help. I also explain the 4 rules etcetera.

MD

 

[Walkalong]

Cleaning Time

On my 1911's it depends on number of rounds thru the gun.
A complete tear down, cleaning, relubeing, & reassembly can take 45- 60 minutes.

Most times it is just remove the slide , clean and lube rails on frame. Disassemble top end, clean slide, spring assembly, clean barrel while chucked in a vise, relube and reassemble. Thats about 30 minutes.

Sometimes its lube rails, barrel exterior, and spring assembly. 10 minutes.

 

[Ala Dan]

Most of the time, I can accomplish the cleaning of any handgun between
15-30 minutes; with detailed striping, cleaning, and inspection. Back when
I owned a Ruger MK-II KMK-512 I could not have said that~!