NG-with gun cleaning question

[FFGColorado]

First time here posting a new thread. Recent arrival after getting frustrated with 'another' forum..won't mention it's name BUT....

A old gent at the range, while we were both waiting for an open lane..cleaning your guns subject..I mentioned almost as fun to clean them after the shoot as shooting..
He mentioned, particularly with EDC guns..if it's gonna have a problem, it's somewhat likely because of a recent cleaning...So..he cleans before going to range to shoot them..then leaves them, EDC a couple..then cleans again BEFORE the next range session, NOT right after the range seesion..Just curious what others think.

Yes, I am in the Glock universe and they are all uber reliable regardless but...

 

[Mauser lover]

What he's referring to is the possibility of a malfunction from incorrect assembly. I like leaving my guns clean instead of dirty from the last session; but I always do a couple of dry-fires and cycles with an empty magazine to make sure it still fires, trigger isn't gritty or anything, slide lock still works, etc.

 

[FlSwampRat]

I agree with Mauser lover, a properly assembled, cleaned and lubed firearm isn't likely to malfunction. You are returning said firearm to as close to new from the factory condition as possible. If it passed QC at the factory what on earth would make it go bad from returning it to that condition?

Of course the important word there is "properly".

 

[Pat Riot]

Welcome FFGCOLORADO

I agree with Mauser lover and FlSwampRat. I clean after and I make sure all is well. As well as it can be without firing again.

 

[FROGO207]

OP Welcome to this forum. This one is lots calmer and civil due to strictish rules and fair moderators for the most part. That gent may have his reasons for doing this for what ever reason. And that's his choice. If my firearms are cleaned properly and a funcion test without live ammo is OK I am good to go. Just establish a system you feel is best for you and make it a habit.

 

[badkarmamib]

I have had issues with a cleaned firearm, which I attributed to using too much oil. The oil can hold carbon, which will cause feeding problems. Now, after cleaning my pistols, I wipe everything down and swab the bore with a clean, dry patch. All of my pistols are nitrided stainless, so I know the residue is enough for corrosion resistance. Other materials will require different care.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Since it's opinion, he's not *wrong*.

I'm partially of his ilk in this.

Whenever I do a detailed cleaning, modification or servicing of any of our carry or stash guns, I try to get them out to shoot as soon as possible and then they get a bore-patch and wipe down with the range trip serving as a confirmation.

Same with a dedicated hunting arm. If I am confirming function, a loading or zero.... I absolutely WILL NOT disassemble for cleaning before the hunt. Again, bore and wipe-down only.

Todd.

 

[BSA1]

Ditto Todd.

With a semi-auto handgun it makes more sense to only fire a couple of rounds after cleaning. A couple of rounds will ensure proper reassembly and the bang switches are doing their job. Also two rounds will not get the gun too dirty.

The main problem with shooting after cleaning the gun is city folk neighbors might get upset.

 

[CapnMac]

It's take an enormous long time to shake off the military requirement that all weapons must be spotless all of the time, and the "keep idle hands" busy part of incessant, and unnecessary, firearm cleaning.

Some folks never do, and they get all hot under the collar at any suggestion that the habits they picked up over years, decades, even, might not be Only Way To Do Things. And, of course the "shoot it to clean it" crowd feels adamantly convinced that their way is the only way. The guys who shot all the time, who compete where their scores require "going bang" on external demand, well, they tend to be too busy doing that the gab at length on internet fora.

You may have to develop your own method. if you do, remember that it is yours, and yours alone []

 

[Virginia Jim]

Ditto Todd.

With a semi-auto handgun it makes more sense to only fire a couple of rounds after cleaning. A couple of rounds will ensure proper reassembly and the bang switches are doing their job. Also two rounds will not get the gun too dirty.

The main problem with shooting after cleaning the gun is city folk neighbors might get upset.

I don’t live in town, but could you build a sand trap or something to fire a couple of rounds into? I mean in the garage or basement?

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

I don’t live in town, but could you build a sand trap or something to fire a couple of rounds into? I mean in the garage or basement?

You can find a lot of tutorial videos on utoob. Use your own judgement as to which seems sound and for what calibers.

It's very easy to build a magazine or less test-fire affair that is safe but what many do not attend to is ventilation.

Some will use fluid, some granular fill and some use a combination with inertia-dampening in a spiral like the factory built *snail* units.

Todd.

 

[Obturation]

If it's a glock, just put the whole gun in the dishwasher and then dip it in Crisco . done. Nothing to mess up.
(Only kidding, or am I?)

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

If it's a glock, just put the whole gun in the dishwasher and then dip it in Crisco . done. Nothing to mess up.
(Only kidding, or am I?)

The next gun I put in a dishwasher won't be the first, or second.......

Todd.

 

[FFGColorado]

OP Welcome to this forum. This one is lots calmer and civil due to strickish rules and fair moderators for the most part. That gent may have his reasons for doing this for what ever reason. And that's his choice. If my firearms are cleaned properly and a function test without live ammo is OK I am good to go. Just establish a system you feel is best for you and make it a habit.

Thanks all..BTW-went shooting yesterday with youngest son('young', he's 40yo-)..came home and cleaned them..I DO enjoy it. Other point is often going up there above Lyons to shoot is sometimes spur of the moment..

As for other forum..not here to slam them(well, maybe a little), but some of the mods there, their heavy handedness and obvious bias...so..really enjoying this one, glad I found it.

 

[Spats McGee]

If I had my 'druthers, and lived out on land I could shoot on, I'd shoot a few rounds immediately after cleaning for the function check and then carry. I do not have my 'druthers, though. I live in the middle of town on a major street, so the neighbors and police would be displeased if I started shooting out in the yard. So what I do is clean after the range session, and dry fire for function testing. And I probably shouldn't admit this, but when I say "after the range session," ..... sometimes I carry the pistol for several weeks after the range session before I get around to cleaning. Ammo doesn't seem nearly as dirty as it was 25 years ago, and the modern polymer pistols are awfully tolerant of a little benign neglect.

 

[Allen One1]

This is a somewhat interesting subject because what we are really concerned about is a first round malfunction, but should we be. This can be tested rather easily by cleaning the firearm, function test as normal, then go to the range and test the first round. When was the last time you went to the range and the firearm failed to fire that first round? I have seen many failures during a shooting session but it is rare that a firearm fails to fire the first round of the day.

If a firearm is failing to fire the first round it may be time to look for a different EDC.

 

[shoobe01]

Don't clean as much. Cleaning isn't as important as we were all led to believe, and I've slowly gotten out of the crazy habit based on repeated and strong evidence. More damage occurs to firearms from over-cleaning than not cleaning enough. Inspect and lube regularly however.

There's no end to the logic of firing a round to make sure it works. What if the firing pin /just broke/? Better fire again? X-ray inspection?

You don't have to do live fire testing to find if the gun works. Post assembly you do a function check. For self loaders, usually good enough is, with no magazine and pointed in a safe direction

1. Apply safety
2. Charge the weapon (retract slide, bolt...)
3. Allow to go into battery
4. Set safety to fire
5. Pull trigger, keep trigger to rear
6. Re-charge
7. Pull trigger again
8. Re-apply safety

Your system or preferences (e.g. full auto things should be set to auto, cycled with trigger back to assure they trip the sear properly) may vary but what this covers is the basics. The action, safety and fire control systems operate without key issues like hammer follow or failure to go into battery.

 

[K0ZZZ]

My shooting buddy and I have been mostly shooting rifles the last year or so on range day, so last week I suggested we finally go back and shoot pistol for a day, and to fire our carry guns. Good thing too, he had misfire after misfire. Taking it apart it was the typical dust and crud gumming up the works. I had him set a calendar reminder to regularly clean his carry just to be sure it's ready.

 

[jmr40]

Sometimes we do the right things for the wrong reasons and I believe this is the case with the example in the OP. I've seen more guns malfunction from improper cleaning or reassembly than from being dirty. I don't clean any of my firearms nearly as regularly as a lot of people. But when I do I won't trust it until I've run a few rounds through it after reassembly.

 

[FFGColorado]

This is a somewhat interesting subject because what we are really concerned about is a first round malfunction, but should we be. This can be tested rather easily by cleaning the firearm, function test as normal, then go to the range and test the first round. When was the last time you went to the range and the firearm failed to fire that first round? I have seen many failures during a shooting session but it is rare that a firearm fails to fire the first round of the day.

If a firearm is failing to fire the first round it may be time to look for a different EDC.

Last Saturday with a new FTS magazine...only that first one..the rest and numerous subsequent loads worked 4.0..

AND before you say it, I would NEVER EDC a new gun or new magazine w/o first thoroughly testing it at the range.

 

[edwardware]

With any machine more complicated than a rock, a malfunction is as likely to be caused by improper maintenance as by random failure. The appropriate response is a thorough function check after maintenance.

The check should address BOTH functions of ever selector (safety on prevents firing & safety off permits firing), interactions between selectors, and parts breakage.

There's no bottom to this rabbit hole. . . because everything will fail at some point.

 

[boom boom]

The next gun I put in a dishwasher won't be the first, or second.......

Todd.

You are not married, are you? Or is it don't ask, don't tell in your household?

 

[boom boom]

First, welcome to the THR,
Don't spit on the floor and and take off your muddy shoes and you'll be fine here.

One of the reasons of the cleaning regime came from corrosive primer days when they switched from mercury fulminate to chlorates. The newer primers, without swabbing the bore with something likes Hoppe's No. 9, or the old military cleaning solvent (brought back in part as Ed's Red) coupled with carbon/metal fouling could cause bore corrosion pretty quickly in the right humidity range. Hunters also developed the habit as you might put up the firearm for awhile after shooting and corrosion would happen. So, the military, smart users, and hunters all combined to create the notion one must clean after one shoots.

Some of the semi-smokeless powders used in rimfires plus the primers were particularly nasty which is why a lot of rimfires of a certain era are either pristine or quite nice (careful owner) or have horrible bores and chambers (careless).

With modern firearms composed of better materials, better lubrication, and better coatings in some cases (chromed or nitrided bores for example), absent firing old military surplus corrosive ammo, most firearms are probably cleaned too much outside of warfare conditions.

Me, on handguns, I've gotten a bit lazy and use the dreaded b-word--bore snakes for casual cleaning. You are unlikely to stick a boresnake in a 4-5 inch barrel and a quick swab with a powder solvent up front and a bit of oil at the back, keeps them in good condition. On revolvers, I clean each chamber with swabs. My rimfires get a little more attention. I finish with wiping down the exterior with a lightly oiled rag.

I do have one revolver that insists on fouling if I use lead bullets so that one gets a full workup or I simply use fmj type bullets in it.

Rifles, I do clean after shooting as it might set up for awhile and I use full length cleaning rods with the rifle in a cleaning vise. New ones generally get less attention--quick swab with a powder solvent, clean patch, evaluate, and then a final patch with a bit of oil and then return to storage. But I have some old warhorses that foul due to pitted barrels that can sometimes require a bit more care. On rifles, I spend some effort to make sure that both the crown is protected and the chamber using protectors for such.

I have quite a few and do tend to rotate what I fire for example rimfires one session, then center fire the next trip, and vary among those.

 

[FlSwampRat]

I live in the middle of town on a major street, so the neighbors and police would be displeased if I started shooting out in the yard.

At the risk of being off topic for the thread, Mrs. Swamprat wanted shelves put up in the laundry room. Concrete block construction. Started shot-pinning them in with my HIlti. After shooting a dozen or so shot in to secure the 2 x 4's, I realized was doing this at 7pm on a Saturday night with a .25 caliber nail gun. I sat on my front porch for half an hour waiting for the police to investigate and all that happened was I got mosquito bit. Nobody showed up.
Not sure if I should be happy or disturbed about that.

 

[GRIZ22]

One should know how to perform function checks after assembly. That's part of being a responsible gun owner IMO. I've seen a lot of guns cleaned and assembled on my time and I've never seen one where any improper assembly didn't show up when doing a function check.

I guess it boils down to how much you trust your abilities.