Dust & lint in the barrel...problem or not?

[Rockrivr1]

I learned at the range what happens when you don't clean your pocket gun very often. In summertime I pocket carry a Keltec P3AT in a Uncle Mike holster. Thing just disappears in cargo shorts or jean pockets. After carrying it all summer I decided to do some practicing with it as fall was setting in. It came as a HUGE surprise when I fired the first shot and it was snowing lint and dust all over me. For a second I thought the gun had malfunctioned and came apart. Took 3 shots to get it to stop doing that all together. Now I clean it more often

 

[whatnickname]

Wow... Thanks for all the feedback here. To answer a few questions

My pocket carry handguns are the KHAR CW9 (stainless), a S&W M&P Shield...both are 9MM with standard pressure loads, as I find the standard pressure loads more easy to control between shots...more shots on target; at least for me anyway. My third carry gun is a S&W 638, again with standard pressure loads. My holster of choice is the DeSantis pocket holster. The little wing on the holster keeps the butt of the handgun oriented correctly in my picket. The little neoprene dots on the outside of the holster keep the holster in my pocket if the gun has to be drawn. Like others, I rotate my carry guns. I will continue to oil the barrels only very lightly to ward off the "dust bunnies" as someone put it. You don't need enough oil in one to run a Volkswagen...a little moderation goes a long way!

 

[jeepnik]

Varies. But lately it's been either a 1911 or a Glock 30. I use the same routine with my backups.

 

[Ironicaintit]

Maybe every week or so, ill pop the slide off of my BHP and use my oral air compressor (my lungs/mouth) to blow out any accumulated lint, drop a wee bit of oil on the slide, and put it back together. Then every couple of months, Ill swap in a fresh magazine.
Then, the next time im puttering around in the garage, ill empty the carried magazine, pull its guts and blow it out.

 

[trentcwwilson]

Varies. But lately it's been either a 1911 or a Glock 30. I use the same routine with my backups.

I can understand the glock. I just got an M&P 9 core and I realize how hard the mags are to load. The 1911, not so much.

 

[Bobson]

Dust/Lint in Compensated Glock?

How much of a problem/danger is this if using a gun like a factory compensated Glock (say a compensated Glock 19) as an EDC? Obviously the holster would (at least mostly) cover the cuts in the top of the slide, but still curious. Anyone CC something similar who can chime in?

 

[trentcwwilson]

I carried a ported glock at one time. Boy was that a mistake. The sound during practice was enough to change my mind. But seeing as the ports didn't clog up, I see no reason a comp would be any different.

 

[Shaq]

Why ?? Do you disassemble your car engine once a week and clean it ?
They're just machines, they don;t need to be sterilized like the baby's blanket. Proper, regular cleaning is obviously important, but obsessive over-cleaning is un-necessary, and can sometimes do more harm than good.
And a little lint or dust in the barrel isn't a big deal, but I also prefer them to be clean, and generaly run a dry patch down my barrels just before shooting (but that's mostly to remove the excessive left-over oil I usually have in mine from the last time I cleaned and lubed it for storage )

Rather amusing when people are concerned about some dust damaging the barrel. I doubt they're considering what happens every time they fire the gun. A chunk of lead or copper than is larger in diameter than the barrel is forced into the barrel at high speed & high temperature & squashed down to the barrel's dimensions.

 

[trentcwwilson]

Rather amusing when people are concerned about some dust damaging the barrel. I doubt they're considering what happens every time they fire the gun. A chunk of lead or copper than is larger in diameter than the barrel is forced into the barrel at high speed & high temperature & squashed down to the barrel's dimensions.

It's more or less principle. Let me continue on his though process and combine it with mine. Take my 1911. They can be finicky at times, we can agree on that. Now, consider how often I clean mine. Could you not compare that to an oil change, general inspection, and topping off the fluids? You are, after all, dealing with something that can save your life. I bet you don't let your significant other run up around 8000 miles between oil changes. Being the mechanic I am, I'd hope not.

 

[Gun Master]

See Posting # 13

Use a synthetic motor oil, like Mobil 1, to prevent carbon "shellac" buildup caused by petroleum based products.
Go lightly.

 

[trentcwwilson]

I don't use petroleum based products. Well, Vaseline to cut the cold wind when tourney fishing.

 

[Hondo 60]

If you're using a semi auto, and cleaning (with whatever method you prefer) it weekly, please make sure you aren't re-chambering the same round.

Why? If the round was properly made, it won't be any different if you re-chamber it once or ten times.

And just to add to the chatter.
I also oil the inside of the barrel.
I've never noticed any issues and expect to continue my practices.

 

[trentcwwilson]

Again, these are all personal choices.

 

[1911 guy]

^^Wrong^^ (post #37)

Most, if not all, autoloaders strip the round from the magazine and run it up the feed ramp into the chamber. The bullet impacts the feed ramp and repeated impacts of the bullet on the feed ramp can and does cause setback. This reduces case capacity and raises pressure. Depending on caliber, handgun design and how far the bullet is set back, it can raise pressures to unsafe levels.

 

[trentcwwilson]

Wow. Reloading and ammo intelligence for the win.

It never fails to amaze me at what I can learn from the Internet people.

 

[AStone]

Back to the original question.

So with all of the above taken into account,
does firing a pistol with a minor amount of dust or lint in the barrel damage the barrel?

No.

How much dust or lint is too much?

Enough to oppose a 9mm 124 gr bullet going 1100 fps.

Do the math, and get back to us.

<Physics 101>

 

[trentcwwilson]

Back to the original question.

No.

Enough to oppose a 9mm 124 gr bullet going 1100 fps.

Do the math, and get back to us.

<Physics 101>

That's a hefty amount of lint...

 

[JTQ]

... So many of the holsters today are open on the bottom. ... A good many duty holsters used by LEOs are open ended and I'm sure these same issues are present there as well.

I think another part of the question is the OP seems concerned about open bottom holsters. Nearly all holsters are open bottom. The open bottom allows "stuff", with the help of gravity, to fall out. It also allows you to clean out your holster more easily than a closed bottom holster.

See Q#46 in High Noon Holster's FAQ section http://www.highnoonholsters.com/faqs/

 

[FL-NC]

How much dust do you think gets in barrels (and everything else) in afghanistan? Its just particulate debris. You'll get another particulate debris after you fire 1 shot in a "totally clean" barrel, except that its from gunpowder.

 

[herrwalther]

How much dust do you think gets in barrels (and everything else) in afghanistan? Its just particulate debris. You'll get another particulate debris after you fire 1 shot in a "totally clean" barrel, except that its from gunpowder.

Depends. South Afghanistan is much more dusty. East Afghanistan is more rocks and mountains. Not much lint anywhere.

Some people use an air compressor to blow out their carry weapons regularly for pocket lint and call it good. I personally run a patch down the bore to sweep it out, often with no oil on the patch.

 

[jeepnik]

I've seen even premium ammo experience bullet set back from repeated chambering. Might not cause a problem but when were talking about a firearm and ammo on which you life may ride it just makes sense to eliminate any potential issue you can.

 

[GLOOB]

I think it was on the back of a box of Speer Gold Dots that I read something to the effect that the ammo was designed to be chambered a maximum of 4 times.

If you have a pair of calipers, you can almost always measure a cartridge getting shorter after repeated chamberings.

 

[trentcwwilson]

I think it was on the back of a box of Speer Gold Dots that I read something to the effect that the ammo was designed to be chambered a maximum of 4 times.

If you have a pair of calipers, you can almost always measure a cartridge getting shorter after repeated chamberings.

I'm gonna grab my dead bullets for setting up my dies and check that.

 

[AStone]

f = ma

 

[Zerodefect]

I keep a rod with a dry patch on it under my nightstand's safe. I pop the slide off, remove barrel, push the lint out, inspect slide and rails for dirt, lint, and lube, reassemble.

If the pistol needs lubed, detail stripped and cleaned, then I do so. If it doesn't, I don't.

2 minutes tops. Glocks are easy.