How often to clean

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"I wipe off the outside after a trip, clean every once in a while."

What he said. I used to clean them every single time, but that was 50 years ago and for me it's just not necessary.

:) I shot my Kimber Stainless Gold Match over 5k times before I detail stripped it. I cleaned the barrel and wiped it out as best I could regularly, but that was about it.

Regarding carry guns: I clean them and then shoot them before carrying. Yes, I carry dirty guns. Just because.

John
 
I Clean and oil after every use because I shoot sporadically and my guns may sit dormant for quite some time. For instance, I might get on a .357 kick and only fire those while the other calibers languish.

If I clean and oil them before storage, they're good to go whenever they get the call.

I can lay my hand on any weapon I own and it's ready for any situation from paper to hunting to SD.
 
I clean my firearms every time I fire them, no exceptions. I'm very particular about the process too, I'm getting to the point (despite being a new shooter) that I don't even like to use the all-in-one CLP cleaners.
 
You shoot, you clean.There are no reasonable excuses.

There are no exceptions.

A dirty gun is put away until it is a clean gun.

Tell me your reason for not cleaning a weapon and I'll tell you your excuse.

Keep your weapon clean at all times. You never know when you need one more round and that "one more round" is stuck up the pipe because your weapon is not serviceable.

Clean your weapon.
 
My S&W 1940s M&P gets cleaned after every 100 rounds, while my carry piece gets cleaned every week, which amounts to every 20-40 rounds. My silenced Buckmark pistol get cleaned every 200 rounds, as the silencer really increases the blowback and resulting lead/carbon buildup.

Most of my other pistols (Glock 17, H&K USP Tactical .45, XD45) get cleaned every 200 rounds.
 
I with the bushmaster and others... I clean my babies every time even if it's just one round or 1000. The longer you let that stuff stay on the weapon the more of a chance that it will harden on there and be even more of a pain in the @$$ to get off and it will effect the accuracy, action, and reliablility of the weapon. Let me ask you this??? would you spend $20,000 on a car (not a jeep or mudding truck a CAR) run her through the mud and then some salt and just let it sit like that until the month is over or the year even??? My friend if you say yes in all sincerety then I will tell you to sell the gun to someone that will treat it like gold on the princess' necklace.
 
I clean them after every trip to the range. Remember, cleaning also allows visual inspection of all parts you don't normally see. Plus, cleaning them is actually part of the fun for me. Get into a routine and it becomes second nature.
 
On my duty weapons (Glock, AR-15, and Rem 870) the firearms are cleaned immediately after shooting, every single time. I also do a very thorough cleaning on these weapons, to the point of being accused of being a bit overly cautious.

The same procedure goes for my Mauser whenever I shoot corrosive ammo (plus a few other steps specific to corrosive cleaning).

My other guns are generally cleaned as time permits, but I don't sweat delaying for a few days on those!
 
I agree with you colorado. I some times forget to clean them right after or just don't have a chance and they will sit for about a week max.

I also agree with tntwatt... You don't know what kinda damage your firearm may have suffered during the firing session, so cleaning it give you the chance to inspect it guts for damage. I can't tell you how many bolt and bolt carrier groups I have cleaned in the Military (yes I know this isn't the rifle country forum) that had stuck/caked on carbon fouling that looked like it hadn't been cleaned out in over a year or firing. Let me tell you that is really hard to clean even with solvent. you have to literally scrape that stuff off using a sharp pointy object.
 
I clean them after shooting ALWAYS and whenever I feel like that after that.
 
I'm getting to the point (despite being a new shooter) that I don't even like to use the all-in-one CLP cleaners.
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Welcome to the club....Even though I rant about the "power of advertising" and their various propaganda techniques, I do succumb to their tactics.
My cleaning box looks like a test kit from Consumer Reports...BTW, many of these products are pure, unadulterated junk...:eek:
 
After every range session, my 5" 1911s get oiled and boresnaked. Somewhere between 750 and 1K rounds, I pull the slide off, do a quick wipedown, and reassemble. Somewhere between 1500 and 2K, I detail strip it, break out the brake cleaner, clean it thoroughly, inspect for worn or broken parts (they're Mimbers), and reassemble with a new recoil spring. Once a week I take the grip panels off and coat the inside of them with RIG. I have a dedicated rimfire 1911 that hasnt been cleaned since it was built.

My glock gets field stripped and wiped down whenever I feel like it, which isnt often.

I think my Mossberg 590 just gets lubed and boresnaked. I dont think I've had the trigger group out since I added the side saddle, shortly after I got the gun, if not that same day.

My 5.56 AR is kept pretty clean. I use a Ciener in it quite a bit.

My 9mm AR is filthy. Oil it, boresnake it, and shoot it. Repeat. I am going to actually clean it soon so I can diagnose the problems I'm having with one CProducts magazine. I keep putting it off because its going to be an all day thing.

Basicly, I dont clean them. I oil them and feed them. And they just keep on running like my Timex.

I'd rather be shooting.
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Yeah, that pretty much sums it up for me.
 
Hey, thanks guys. I guess it probably wouldn't damage the gun if it wasn't cleaned but cleaning after each use is a good habit. And, I am retired, the social calendar isn't that full !!
 
I clean them after every range trip which is usually about 300 for the 1911 and 500 to 1,000 for the 22.

I clean the magazines first, so I can get them out of the way. Got feeding issues? Clean mags. Still got feeding issues? Clean mags again. Still have feeding issues? Measure the OAL of your ammo again.
 
"Tell me your reason for not cleaning a weapon and I'll tell you your excuse."

Because experience has shown it just isn't necessary. Experience learned over 50+ years. I'll go with facts over supposition. Stick that in your crystal ball. ;)

As far as carrying a clean gun goes, how do you know you've put it back together correctly unless you've shot it? Who wants to find out there's a glitch/mistake/broken part when you absolutely need the gun to work. Not me.

Everybody do exactly what makes you happy. I know I will.

John
 
I want my heater to fire when I pull the trigger.

Murphy is always out there lurking.

By cleaning after each use, I eliminate one potential cause of a stoppage, ie, a dirty gun.

Be it at the range, in competition, or in defense of me and mine, I will NOT accept a stoppage caused by a dirty gun.

YMMV
 
I try to make a habit of cleaning my centerfires after every range trip. Mostly because I enjoy it.

I avoid cleaning rimfires often because I've heard that, since their bores have shallower rifling, it's usually more damaging to clean them often or improperly than it is to let them sit.
 
I clean mine every time I shoot. Like to keep the value up and keep them lookin all pretty inside and out.
 
"Tell me your reason for not cleaning a weapon and I'll tell you your excuse."

Because experience has shown it just isn't necessary. Experience learned over 50+ years. I'll go with facts over supposition. Stick that in your crystal ball.

As far as carrying a clean gun goes, how do you know you've put it back together correctly unless you've shot it? Who wants to find out there's a glitch/mistake/broken part when you absolutely need the gun to work. Not me.

Everybody do exactly what makes you happy. I know I will.

John
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Amateurs advice for amateurs. He is right, it is your choice.

I know of no professional gun fighter that will go to a gunfight, or probable gun fight with a dirty weapon.

I know of no Professional gun fighter that can not put his weapon together, after cleaning and/or maintenance and KNOW it is going to fire and function properly.

I know of no Professional gun fighter that if anyone else works on his fighting weapons, will not disassemble it and make sure they are correctly put together, clean and properly lubricated.

Only an amateur would do otherwise.

I know and have known many professional gun fighters, I used to be one. As you indicate about yourself, I have only been shooting about 52 years. Competing with guns for about 48 years, and started going to gun fights on a regular basis about 41 years ago.

Trust me, no Professional is going to a potential gunfight with a dirty weapon. Particularly one he hasn't put together himself. By the way, professionals have learned to do these things BECAUSE OF THEIR EXPERIENCE.

Will a weapon "probably" work with out being cleaned. Yup. BUT..... Anytime a professional can take a potential problem out of the fighting equation with preparation, he does. His clean weapon assembled and inspected and lubricated by him is part of that preparation and taking potential problems out of the firefight mix long before any potential firefight takes place.

Anyone who doesn't have the confidence to maintain, assemble and clean his own weapon correctly, better not be planning any fighting with his weapons. Or for being a gunfighter. Because that is what amateurs and wannabes do, make excuses that they pass on to other non gunfighters as rational and practical advice, for not doing the work and do diligence necessary to maximize your odds in any potential firefight.

My best advice, is don't take advice from amateurs. But this is America, and it is your choice.

Go figure.

Fred
 
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