Gun Cleaning....love it or hate it?

[Airedale1]

After a great day at the range with my buddy, we parted ways and I expressed that I was looking forward to getting home and cleaning my weapons. Well, he looked at me like I was crazy and he told me how much he dreaded having to clean his.

I don't know about you but I've always enjoyed the entire process of disassembly, cleaning and reassembling my weapons. I dont know what it is but I've always found it to be a very relaxing, enjoyable and comforting process. I've never viewed it as a chore. What are your thoughts on it?

 

[troy fairweather]

I do like cleaning them,tho some days I'm so exhausted unless it's black powder or was shot with Corrosive primers it can wait to the next day.

 

[NorthBorder]

It's a good habit to get into for sure, but...I hate it.
BTW, I once attended a sniper school and someone asked about cleaning their rifle each night. The instructor's response was "a dirty rifle is a happy rifle".

 

[Mark 40]

For the most part I like it, put on some nice music and it all goes well.

 

[gonoles_1980]

I do it every 100 rounds, which means two range trips for some guns, 3-4 for others. I'm not a fan of cleaning the guns, but it needs to be done.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Don't care for it.

I shoot multiple guns weekly year round. I don't clean them until they start to give me malfunctions or accuracy problems or I get tired of getting soot all over my close. I have a few that I have intentionally never clean to see how long they can go.

 

[1KPerDay]

Don't care for it.

I shoot multiple guns weekly year round. I don't clean them until they start to give me malfunctions or accuracy problems or I get tired of getting soot all over my close. I have a few that I have intentionally never clean to see how long they can go.

Same here. Used to clean every gun every time it was shot. Then I started getting and shooting a lot more guns more often. Now I wipe off the fingerprints and keep them lubed, and detail clean when I feel guilty or they start having malfunctions.

I clean thoroughly after corrosive or BP loads.

 

[Jimbo80]

Hate it. Squirt of ballistol, a wipe down, and a bore snake is about it for me.

 

[Artg56]

I’ve always found it a nice way to unwind after spending a few hours at the range. I typically run a few hundred rounds through whatever I bring and keep everything clean and lubed

 

[Jeff62]

I enjoy cleaning but i probably wouldn’t if I was using the kitchen table. I have a shop and a dedicated bench for cleaning, smithing and other stuff. I jack up the stereo and might have a wee dram of corn squezzins and live in the moment.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I would guess that a lot of people who clean after every range trip either don't go to the range that often and/or don't shoot that many guns when they do.

I also was taught by my dad that "you have to clean a gun everytime you shoot it". I learned later in life that dads are sometimes wrong...lol.

 

[bdickens]

It is a chore. Not particularly unpleasant but there are a lot of things I'd rather do.

 

[LonewolfMcquade]

I despise it, would rather preform dental surgery on my self!
Now once I set down & commit myself to it, it's not so bad.

 

[Blkhrt13]

I love it me. I’m a fan of small rituals. I really need to get a special spot dedicated to reloading and gun maintenance and cleaning. One day.

 

[AJC1]

I clean a lot because I hand load and want to see if I'm damaging the gun. I look for things like Pitts on the bolt face, and excessive carbon from the powder or a specific load. Some guns are easy to clean and some a ptia. My mini-14 is a pain to clean so I don't shoot it often. My marlin lever guns are one screw and ready to field clean in less than a minute. Before I traded away my glock, I loved how easy it was to clean. So I shoot and clean guns that are easily maintained.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I clean the big gunk at the range, the finish at home.

 

[jmr40]

Neither. I do it because when it needs to be done, because it needs to be done. I'd rather be shooting, but I don't hate it either.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I like cleaning them. It's a good time to check for anything going bad too. I don't clean after every range outing though.

 

[Bazoo]

I don’t clean every time I shoot. If I did it would suck. I clean when I’m in the notion. And I do enjoy it.

But I do wipe my gun off every time I shoot. Wipe the soot and finger prints, reoil. For my single actions I remove the cylinder and wipe the soot. But for others I just get it the best I can with the action open.

I wipe the fingerprints off and reoil a couple times a week, or weekly for sure,on my carry gun if it’s blued. For stainless I’ve went a few months between any maintenance or shooting so much that I had rust causing malfunctions. But that was a 1911. It became to me just a tool, like a glock, after years of carrying it. Not like a revolver though, that is a fine personal weapon to be cherished and cared for.

 

[doubleh]

I can't say that I am really crazy about it but I regard it as a necessary part of the sport of shooting. It is certainly easier than changing the oil and filter on your vehicle which is a necessity of vehicle ownership. Ignoring either is going to cost you money in the long run.

 

[wiscoaster]

I love cleaning guns. I find it relaxing. I've even offered to clean other shooters' guns.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I like cleaning them. It's a good time to check for anything going bad too. I don't clean after every range outing though.

Alright… I really can’t go to bed until the gun is detailed and clean and lubed!

 

[Bazoo]

For a while I ran gun cleaning day once a week at my house. Tried to get friends to come over and have a gun cleaning party. Pizza, coke, tales of the gun on the tube. Nobody was interested. I had a friend come, he cleaned his gun as quick as possible and was like I’m done I got to go. I was thinking, it’ll be fun. In the end, I’m the only one that didn’t HATE cleaning their guns.

 

[Bazoo]

Alright… I really can’t go to bed until the gun is detailed and clean and lubed!

For a person that only sleeps 5-6 a night, they got all the time in the world to clean their guns.

 

[Meeks36]

Some guns are a chore. Others are a joy. My G19 easy. My hi point carbine. Little more involved. When I had a high point c9 It was a chore.