How often do you clean your guns?

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You are supposed to clean guns often?

I thought with all the new super alloys and synthetics, clean primers, clean powders, clean bullets, and cool good smelling stuff like Frog Lube, you are supposed to clean you gun seldom. Oh well whatever your supposed to do mine keep going bang.:D
 
Pride of ownership

No I am not AR but I believe in keeping all possessions in top notch condition and clean and polished. That includes my home!
My motorcycle gets a wipe down and a quick mechanical check after every ride, just as every one of my firearms gets cleaned and checked after every trip to the range. Found a loose screw on one my 357s last week after some fun with full house loads and cleaning afterwards, I found the loose screw!. Cleaning and checking do pay off! I also fly radio control planes and during a recent post flight cleanup and check out, I found a radio receiver problem, Changed out the radio receiver and saved losing a $500 plane.
Any one of my firearms, may at some point, be what I have to use for self defense! I sure wouldn't want to have a failure due to a dirty weapon.
Each to his own but I take care and clean all of my possession and everything is always in clean ,top notch condition! Sure helps retain the value too. I have an early 70s SW model 19 K frame that still looks BRAND NEW, despite having thousands of rounds through it. Beautiful looking and mechanically perfect.
As I said earlier, Each to his own but for me its pride of ownership!!!
 
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If time will allow as soon as I get back from the range I clean what guns I shot. If not right then then the first chance I get.
My hunting rifle being stainless I usually clean @ the close of the season unless I fire several rounds before then. Modern ammunition has non corrosive primers and it's not as critical as is once was to clean right away. Of course Black Powder is a whole different story.
 
Seems like everybody has a different take on the subject.

I`m old school. You use it you clean it. What others do I could care less.
 
Perhaps it was my military training, or perhaps it is because I have been accused of being somewhat anal, but whenever I take out my weapons, either at the range or hunting, they get a thorough cleaning. I do this for two reasons. First of all, it handles any dirt and residue and keeps it from building up, and second, it keeps me familiar with my gun. To me, a gun is similar to a vehicle, in that the more you are familiar with it and it's workings, the better you will be able to handle it.
 
If it can't go 1000+ rounds without needing a take-down cleaning it quickly becomes a safe queen. I just wipe them down with an oily cloth and run a bore-snake pass or two.

As was said above, no real point to being obsessive about it when its likely to be shot again soon.

Only exception are my actual carry guns, but they get shot infrequently, most I have duplicates or analogs of (example: carry S&W Shield .40, shoot ~50 rounds/week through Shield 9mm, practice ammo cost savings quickly paid for the 9mm pistol) and these get the regular treatment.
 
I shoot several times a week. I don't clean semis until they start to malfunction. I don't clean revolvers until they get so dirty that I can't stand it anymore....After shooting, I just wipe them down with an oily cloth and put them back in the case.
 
Guns are like your teeth: keep 'em clean and properly maintained and they'll last a lifetime. Besides, cleaning after use allows for inspection, pleasurable fondling and sipping a little of my favorite beer alone in my space doing a gun thing Ive always enjoyed. That's beer with cleaning; not shooting of course.
 
I don't know why someone would get in their car and drive to a gun store and wait for a clerk so they can coon-finger a gun when they could get their own gun and coon-finger it all day and save on gas.

I'm cleaning the chambers out on my Charter Arms PITBULL and its fun!

When I get done cleaning it I'm going to put Snap-Caps in it and practice dry-firing while watching "Fear The Walking Dead"
 
I once went about 800 rounds prior to cleaning my SR9c. It was functioning fine but mighty dirty.

I learned my lesson with my carry gun (LC9s). I sweat a lot and even though it hadn't been fired in a while it was showing the effects. It gets cleaned regularly whether fired or not.
 
If I fire only one shot it is at least going to get a bore snake ran through it, even if it is going to be shot the next day. Overkill? maybe, but that is how I was taught, it is also why all my guns are in pristine condition.
 
C0untZer0 said:
When I get done cleaning it I'm going to put Snap-Caps in it and practice dry-firing while watching "Fear The Walking Dead"
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Had Snap-Caps in my 637 EDC last night while watching Monday Night Football. Alternated back and forth between left and right hands. It was a very clicky-sounding game. :D

Then, I cleaned it. :)
 
Longhunter1700 said:
If I fire only one shot it is at least going to get a bore snake ran through it, even if it is going to be shot the next day. Overkill? maybe, but that is how I was taught, it is also why all my guns are in pristine condition.
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My guns are in pristine condition under the carbon.
 
I field strip and clean after each range outing with pistols.

My AR seems to work best after a complete cleaning. I gauge that with shooting off of the attached bipod from a bench. Off hand, it is hard to tell.

Long guns get a regimented round count cleaning that has worked for me.
 
Different requirements for different guns. Most at minimum anytime they are fired, my arrowhead hunting/canoeing/fishing gun usually after every trip, as it likely got wet. CCW guns need attention often even if not fired, high humidity and sweat are just facts of life in southern Mississippi. I cannot abide a dirty gun.
 
I clean them after I shoot them. I rarely leave one dirty for long. Once a year or so everything gets a wipe down, fired or not.
 
I am of the clean after each shooting club. It just doesnt feel right to let them sit dirty.

Yesterday I was at the LGS and a guy was discussing long range shooting. Fouling a barrel, barrel break in, hot barrel vs cold barrel.

Do i really need to shoot rounds and dirty up my rifle barrel before shooting at 400 yard targets?

I understand letting the barrel cool for a few minutes.

Let me appologize for my ignorance. Many ranges around here do not have many targets over 100 yards, lucky to get 200 yard target.
 
Everyone, keep in mind that there can be a BIG difference between returning fired/dirty firearms to a RH-controlled gunsafe or just leaving them out.
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And you need to keep in mind that "Everyone" may not live where there is a "BIG difference" between ambient humidity and an RH-controlled gun safe.

High humidity where I live is 35% for an entire day, and that happens infrequently. It's currently 22% according to my weather station because it's cloudy and there was rain in the vicinity. In June of this year, the RH was in the 2%-4% range for several weeks.

I don't worry about guns rusting or cars rusting..in fact, unless an object is left outdoors and gets precipitation on it for several years, things don't rust.
 
moxie said:
Hope that doesn't happen when you really need it to work! Say, one or two rounds into a potential 10 round gunfight.

"Wait, Mr. Bad Guy, hold up while I squirt some frog snot into this thing!!"
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Tell us more about this frog snot. Is it biodegradable? How much does it cost? More than Pennzoil?

Keep your guns clean. Treat them as well as your favorite coffee mug at minimum.
 
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