how important is full disassembly?

[badbadtz560]

I've been cleaning my sig p226 by just field stripping. Is it important to do a full disassembly and cleaning + relube? or is full disassembly for when something breaks?

 

[rcmodel]

When it breaks.

You don't even want to tear a SIG all the way down unless you are a graduate of the SIG Armors School.

If it gets really dirty, take the grips off and hose it out with Gun Scrubber, then spray it with Rem-Oil or other good aerosol lube.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Agreed, the SIGs' breechblock is rather difficult to remove from the slide - especially in stainless slide models with the solid retaining pin - and too frequent detail stripping could actually do more harm than good. I've always kept mine clean just with aerosol degreaser.

 

[Farnorthdan]

Birchwood gun scrubber is terrible stuff

I would avoid this stuff at all costs....it will ruin any poly or plastic parts on your gun and dries everything terribly. Oh yea and don't get it in your eyes (don't ask, its a horrifying story),,

DS

 

[The Bushmaster]

Unless there is a real good reason to totally disassemble one of my handguns or rifles. like dropping in the mud, I don't. Like rcmodel said...

 

[rcmodel]

I would avoid this stuff at all costs....it will ruin any poly or plastic parts on your gun

If you take the grips off a SIG as I suggested, you done plum run out of plastic parts!

But if you are still concerned there is also Gun-Scrubber formulated for plastic fantastic guns that won't hurt anything.

On the otherhand, if you shot yourself in the face with a spray can of Gun-Scrubber, you probably shouldn't use it either.

 

[Baneblade]

I would recommend doing it on a regular basis. By "regular" I mean yearly if you use it as a carry gun. If you don't want to try and do it yourself then take it to a gunsmith. Some will charge a fortune, other will charge $25 for a "service."

I fully disassembled several Sigs using a manual and info on the internet. The block is annoying, but just required some time to get it back in on each Sig. The trick is just turning the pin to the right angle.

If you don't have experience stripping guns and don't have the tools, get someone else to do it. Of course you get experience by just doing it. I used a Radocy manual, but bear in mind this if for the older style Sigs.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=994564&t=11082005

There are plenty of places online to find info as well.... such as this forum.

 

[jaydubya]

I have yet to detail strip any of my handguns, three of which are forty years old or more. I shoot one of those (a t-series Browning High Power) weekly, and field strip it afterwards for cleaning.

Cordially, Jack

 

[Boats]

The ability to easily detail strip the 1911A1 and the Ruger GP-100 ensures that these two firearms will always have a place in my heart.

Glocks are recommended for this design feature as well, if you can get around their crappy ergonomics.

 

[NC-Mike]

if you take the grips off a sig as i suggested, you done plum run out of plastic parts!

But if you are still concerned there is also gun-scrubber formulated for plastic fantastic guns that won't hurt anything.

On the otherhand, if you shot yourself in the face with a spray can of gun-scrubber, you probably shouldn't use it either.

...

 

[Jim K]

Considering the number of posts from people who insisted on detail stripping guns and wound up with a brown bag full of parts (some broken) I am in the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" group. While a few handguns (e.g. the M1911) were made to be taken down, most guns are not and full disassembly usually does more harm than good.

(I am not a newbie - I can probably dis- and re-assemble about any gun ever made; but I don't do it all the time.)

Jim

 

[Ben86]

I hear its only neccessary every year or so of regular shooting. I highly recommend doing some research before attempting it, and having someone to bring it to as a "plan B" in case you can't get it back together.

 

[2nd 41]

I would avoid this stuff at all costs....it will ruin any poly or plastic parts on your gun and dries everything terribly. Oh yea and don't get it in your eyes (don't ask, its a horrifying story),,

A friend told me the BC Gunscrubber ruined his contact lense.
If needed the pistol could be ultra sonic cleaned.

 

[dmazur]

I have had 1911's apart for replacement of parts, but I just "hose them out" for an annual maintenance. Even though it's easy to detail strip a 1911, I'm not convinced it's necessary.

Same goes for Ruger MkII's. I've had them completely apart, but they can be cleaned pretty thoroughly without taking them to bits.

Even though Ruger cautions it is rarely necessary to disassemble a Super Blackhawk any further than cylinder removal, I had to do it. (I'm an engineer) After some effort, I managed to get all the springs lined up and it went back together. At this point, I believe Ruger.

I also have a Winchester 1895, and I understand these are extremely difficult to field-strip. I think I'll exercise a little discretion (finally) and just clean it out periodically with solvents, after removing all the wood.

So, that's my answer. I don't think full disassembly is necessary. Some manufacturers try to advise you of this fact, right before the detail strip instructions. Some used to supply detail strip instructions (Colt 1911's) and no longer include this info in the user's manual. I believe there have been way too many "bags of parts" horror stories, and the manufacturers may have been involved in a few of these.

I'd say go ahead and do it if

1. You can do it easily without causing damage (as mentioned, the 1911 is designed for this), and
2. You get some form of satisfaction from it, as it isn't necessary for cleaning.

 

[NeverAgain26]

Birchwood Casey has put out a Synthetic Safe Gun Scrubber you can use on Polymers. I have used it extensively and it does not eat away at any of my polymer receivers.

That said, I am not sure that Gun Scrubber really cleans inside of a receiver or action well. It loosens up gunk, but unless it drains directly out (and I don't see how it can), the loosened gunk ends up pooling inside the receiver in any of the nooks and crannies while the Gun Scrubber liquid drains out.

And then you need to oil anything the Gun Scrubber touches, because it strips away oil so well, so you really need to get oil into the action and you run the risk of over-oiling.

Yes, a full strip is beyond most of us here, but a once a year to a gunsmith seems like it might be in order if you shoot enough to warrant it and also use the gun as a carry piece.

NA26

 

[GRIZ22]

There is no reason to totally disassemble any firearm unless something is broken. I've carried a handgun since 1974 and never see a need to take everything apart unless it's broken. Do you tear down the engine in your car or truck every 25,000 miles?

If you don't like Gunscrubber or mineral spirits (there are things they shouldn't be used on) you can always boil the gun clean.

Ask any gunsmith how often someone brings a gun in it a bag they can't get back together.

 

[sophijo]

Dunk

I removed the grips and field stripped my P6 and P220, when I first gotem; submersed them in a mixture of WD 40, Miracle Oil , and ATF, overnight. Used compressed air to blow em out the next day. Greased the slides and went to the range. Traditional cleaning/lube protocol after that/ per Sig videos.

 

[Big Daddy Grim]

Agree don't fully dissasemble without a reason

 

[Lookn4Brass]

I would say that since we have lots o' gadgets nowadays, like dental picks, lube syringes that can reach pretty darn near any crevice, and a spray can society with all kinds of stuff inside (except maybe an alien sperm spray, or, something like that) - full detail strip just isn't necessary for most folks. I almost refuse to do it on Browning Hi-Powers :banghead:, but on some guns it isn't a big deal. I like putting TetraGun lube on all hammer/sear contact surfaces, but still can usually manage that without a full detail strip.