How Many Dirty Guns Are Sitting Around Your House?

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Maybe I'd better start a survey. It seems that younger shooters (myself included, when I was under, say 40) clean their guns more regularly after shooting, and the 40 and over bunch (I'll be 59 this year) tends to not worry about it as much. Is that what everyone else is seeing here?
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I started shooting when I was 21, and cleaning got old when I was about 22. I'm now 30.

I think its more of a military vs civilian thing than it is an age group. Most of the guys I know that served clean them if they shoot them once. Most of the guys that don't clean them, never served.
 
I clean between trips and shoot once a week. Nothing too serious, field strip them, keep the bores clean, degunk and defunk. It does limit the number I take to the range. I don't make the bed every day, however. A man has got to have priorities.
 
None...I also clean 'em after every trip. However, my idea of cleaning is probably not like most. I spend at most about 5 minutes on a gun getting the dirt off the high spots.
 
Normally everything gets cleaned ASAP.

But, I just realized the other night that I'd put away my Saiga.308-ver.21 away dirty.
It'd been a month or more, no worries though, it has a chrome lined bore/chamber and no corrosive ammo has been through it.
Gave it a good cleaning, t'was filthy.
Bore light showed it to be a mirror finish, still smooth as a baby's behind.

My Saiga12 hasn't been cleaned in.... Time unknown, but I know its 450 rounds.
I don't plan on cleaning it till it malfunctions due to the gas system fouling, so I'm counting rounds.
 
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I guess I have to go on record by saying that if some of you want to clean every time, even after one shot, so be it. This wasn't meant to be a topic where someone tells somone else what to do, or "I'm better than you because I only have CLEAN guns", etc. I just thought it was interesting to see how everyone does it. I spent time in the Army, and I can clean an M16 after 300 -400 rounds of range use and deny a drill sergeant any spots on his white gloves, etc. I even used to clean that well for quite awhile even after I got out, but it became obvious that it was more of a habit than a necessity, so I found the "happy place" in between, since I often get 4-8 guns dirty in a week now and then. I simply don't have the time or desire to make it a ritual or obligation when it doesn't make a difference in long term care or use of the weapon. To each their own.
 
Depends on the gun how diligent I am about it. My 99 savage made in 1908, never dirty same with my 1894 n 1911A1 etc. Mainly my "important" guns. My HnR 410 n mossberg 22 have been sitting there uncleaned since fall. But no matter the gun I come one step away from loosing sleep every night knowing they are being eaten away every passing night... :*( lol
 
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I could probably clean my .22, and my 12 and 20 gauges. the .410 got cleaned, I think. It's probably just those three. Although I can always run a patch through my ML and get residue.
 
funny someone mentioned the older crowd. I borrowed my F-I-L's SKS for a family shoot last year (this year's event is next weekend, excited!). He bought it in the early 70's. now I get it and shoot it for the day. I am meticulous about cleaning a gun if it isn't mine. As I'm cleaning it, I pop the cleaning kit out of the butt, and it's still covered in cosmoline. I asked him when the last time he used the cleaning kit. His response, "that thing has a cleaning kit?" So I asked him when the last he clean it was. He replied, "probably the early 80's or so."
 
I think it's hilarious that most folks rarely clean their .22s, though those are usually the dirtiest. And some probably don't clean them because they are the dirtiest and it's a PITA...interesting catch22 there. Now that I think about it, I'm in that boat to some extent.


Getting on topic, I have several around that need cleaned. They don't need to be clean to function properly. As someone else said...do you clean your hammer? How about your screwdrivers? When was the last time you took apart your jig saw for a nice wipedown? I've shot guns that haven't been cleaned in thirty years and still shoot fine, accurately, dependably, all with original parts. Not saying a good cleaning wouldn't help it out, but I think there's a small part of the cleaning concept that's solely marketing. Sure it's something to do, relaxes the mind, and makes us feel good having a gun that smells like Hoppes and oil. But some of it is overhyped IMO
 
SharpsDressedMan - What I'm saying is, that is the way I was taught as a kid. And taught and or reinforced in the Navy. A clean gun is a happy gun.
 
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I don't really knock anyone for keeping a spotless gun, and it DOES reflect one's respect for the gun, and as mentioned, respect for the way one was taught. I believe in practical cleaning, at the minimum. I once was bored one evening, manning a guardshack for a combined police and security force I worked for. I had anyone that was interested bring in their S&W revolver that night (about 16 guns) and I gave them mine while I fully disassembled and cleaned guns, some that hadn't been thoroughly cleaned since manufactured, and some were 15 or more years old. Pretty interesting. I felt good that each officer now had at least an inspection AND a serviceably clean gun. I'm sure this chased Murphy away for at least a few more years, as some of those guns might have malfuctioned for all the dirt, rust, and lint I found in them. My dad was a notorious poor gun cleaner. He regarded guns as tools, and he often had rust on his tools, too. We boys used to pick up the slack and clean Dad's guns every so often when we visited. It was so bad with his "yard gun", that we bought him a stainless Marlin .22 mag with a synthetic stock (matching silver Tasco scope) for critter control. He used to leave a gun near the window in the garage, and it was always getting wet from rain spray.........
 
Four. I normally clean every gun I shoot as soon as I get back from the range. Sadly, before beginning today's cleaning session, I didn't check to see if I had enough gun oil. I got the last out of the bottle while finishing up on my carry gun (always the first to be cleaned after a trip to the range). I'll pick up some oil in the next few days and finish cleaning the rest of them as I have time.
 
None; maybe 1-2 days after is as long as I leave them, but usually I clean them as soon as I get the kids to bed, the same day I shoot them.
 
I cleaned all my pistols when I last got home from the range, but my AR has been sitting around for about a week all dirty. Thanks for the reminder to clean it!
 
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