Do you clean your mags?

[critrxdoc]

Any of them? What if it is your CCW? If so, how often? Thanks.

 

[WeedWhacker]

I don't clean my magazines regularly.

I probably should.

For reference, I shoot several thousand rounds per year, but out of various firearms. I change magazine springs in carry magazines once per year - some of the crud probably gets knocked off during the ordeal.

 

[wally]

Depends on the magazine. 1911 mags almost never, usually only because I have to replace the spring. Para Ordnance mags often, as fouling rather quickly builds up causing the rounds to bind at the double to single stack transition leading to feed failures.

I keep my carry guns very clean, mags included. Everything else I tend to shoot, wipe down, and repeat until I have a problem with it. Guns that can't do at least a thousand rounds before takedown for cleaning quickly become safe queens as I hate cleaning guns but love shooting

--wally.

 

[AndyC]

I always clean my mags - after every visit to the range.

 

[W.E.G.]

I can generally tell when a mag is dirty enough that it needs cleaning.
That's when I clean it.

I think the wear-and-tear removing the floorplate on some mags is good reason to avoid unnecessary removal.

Speaking of floorplates, sombody forgot to tell the blue-tape guy to tape the BOTTOM of his mags.

 

[Hyaloid]

Nah... that's just his retractable slinky rangefinder.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Magazines do need to be cleaned, but not as often as the gun itself. Say, every fourth or fifth practice session. If you are in a competition where you reload and drop your mags on the ground where they will pick up dirt, do it every time. I also like a very thin film of lube on the follower contact surfaces, the inside of the tube/body clean and dry.

 

[dfariswheel]

Since my very life depends on a defense gun, I clean the magazines EVERY TIME the gun is fired, whether it's 100 rounds or ONE round.

I also clean both the gun and the magazines regularly, whether fired or not.

Unless you're not doing it properly, it's impossible to clean a magazine TOO often.
If you're doing it right, there's no good reason not to maintain a magazine properly, and some very good reasons why you should.
Like your life.

 

[Bobo]

Yes, I clean them after each range visit when I clean my gun.

 

[10-Ring]

My mags get wiped down after every session, they get taken apart & cleaned properly at least once a month.

 

[fletcher]

Once in a while. The mak magazines will get some junk near the top (on the outside), but I've never really found it to affect performance.

 

[shootallatime]

Every few times to the range. However, I have forsaken taking them apart. It's too difficult and has a damaging affect on them. I spray them inside thoroughly with Gun Scrubber and shake them out, then let them dry. I wipe all areas that are exposed. All mags for 5 pistols work flawlessly.

 

[Jason_G]

I clean them after every session, same as the rest of the gun.

Jason

 

[jimmy]

I clean my mags every two or three range visits. I find they've gotten dirty, but not dirty enough to affect function. This is not to say I haven't had mags that were desperate for cleaning, but so far they've come with used guns. Like the mag that came with my P6: it was lined with dirt and contained a ball of lint. I doubt if it had ever been cleaned. Or a Mak mag I picked up that was not functional due to crud (once cleaned, it was fine). These may be extreme examples, but I think they serve as a warning about how fouling and other dirt can get out of hand and affect function if some kind of mag cleaning program is not followed regularly.

 

[Chris Rhines]

It's very important to clean your magazines, more so in my experience than it is to clean the gun itself. If your self-loading firearm malfunctions, it's usually the magazine causing it.

During matches, I clean a magazine every time it gets dropped on the ground. Pop the floorplate off, scrub with mag brush, wipe inside of magazine tube, follower, and spring with silicon cloth, reassemble. Takes less than 1 minute per magazine.

I also number my magazines, so if one of them starts to go bad I can cull it.

- Chris

 

[Black Adder LXX]

I wipe them down, but don't take them apart.

 

[KHawk]

Absolutely I clean mags! And coat them with a very lite oil. Never thought of maintaining them any other way.

 

[USMC Tanker]

After every range trip, my magazines are cleaned, maintained, and oiled.

 

[moxie]

After every use, inside and out, including the spring. With Hoppe's #9. If you don't clean them, how do you know a mag hasn't picked up a piece of junk or carbon or unburned powder off the range wherever you set the mag down that could interfere with functioning? And if you drop them on the ground, well, that should go without saying.

 

[ZeSpectre]

Generally I wipe 'em down (especially the feed lips) after every use. I take 'em apart and clean and drylube every once in a while when the mood strikes me.

 

[GRIZ22]

Clean them as needed. Always after being dropped in sand, mud, water, or such.

 

[obxned]

Always!

 

[Sylvan-Forge]

If I was allowed only to clean one part for whatever reason, the magazine would be it. For lube I prefer dry graphite powder burnished onto the sides of the follower.

 

[opd743]

I clean mine about every 1000 rounds through the gun. I also lube with graphite, as oo7 said. The graphite does not let dirt "stick" to it like oil or other lubes do. I also use it on my handcuffs. And it is a whole lot cheaper than any gun oil. I think I paid around $5 for the tube I have now at
Wal-Mart three years ago.

 

[tkendrick]

I'll catch some "saywhats" over this, but.... I run my 1911 mags through the dishwasher every so often, then oil them. The dry cycle takes care of any water that might get caught, hit them remoil and wipe down.
Been doing it for twenty-five years with no rust and no problems.