Stopped Cleaning your Gun! I did - You Too?

[Terry G]

No way! I was a tyrant about this as a Squad Leader and as a Federal Firearms Instructor. Putting your .22 rifle or pistol away after a shooting session is not a big deal, really. Your carry guns? No. If I shoot it, it's cleaned that day or the next without a doubt.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I once decided to let my SR9c go as long as possible to see what were it's limits. I gave up after 800 rounds and cleaned it, just because I like it.

I did 6 years on my Ruger Mark 2 tens & tens of thousands of round until it quit. I hust didn’t want to spend 3 hours trying to figure out that upside down, clockwise, hold your nose … reassembly process.

I did use a tooth pick to crust off the breech face of lead when it build up.

 

[N555]

For smokeless powder guns I usually swab the bore with clp and that's it. If accuracy gets weird or I start getting way more fliers I'll run the bore brush a few times with clp and bore swab.
I clean 22lr pretty good. Bore solvent and brush always. If I put a 150 or so rounds rounds through my bolt action 22 it gets pretty dirty and groups nearly double in size. A 10/22 with silencer gets really dirty on the inside.

 

[tarosean]

How many rounds does his gun go before it becomes unreliable?

That's the answer I like to know on my guns.. While there is a higher probability with a filthy gun, a clean gun can malfunction too.
I know when the slide starts to slow on guns A, B, C while guns D, E, F keep on chugging.. etc.
That said, I dislike getting getting residue on my hands/clothing. So the outside gets wiped down a lot. Only to be covered in Dry Hands which I use liberally due to our Gulf Coast Heat/Humidity.

 

[Mark_Mark]

That's the answer I like to know on my guns.. While there is a higher probability with a filthy gun, a clean gun can malfunction too.
I know when the slide starts to slow on guns A, B, C while guns D, E, F keep on chugging.. etc.
That said, I dislike getting getting residue on my hands/clothing. So the outside gets wiped down a lot. Only to be covered in Dry Hands which I use liberally due to our Gulf Coast Heat/Humidity.

Remoil spray is good for a light wiping, doesn’t get on your clothing

 

[fastbolt]

I'll typically only leave a gun fouled from shooting if I'm going to be running it for sequential range sessions. Not carrying it. I prefer the guns I carry for retirement CCW be clean, for a variety of practical reasons. The exception is if I'm leaving the range to go home nowadays. Since I'm retired and no longer serving as an instructor and armorer at my former agency, I don't use their armory bench at the end of a range session, so I'll clean my weapons when I get home.

If nothing else, having a clean weapon can help eliminate the question of whether it has been fired, if a situation ever arises where local LE requires checking a weapon.

In that regard, FWIW, I remember when my former agency had to establish a policy that active employees must clean their weapons before leaving the range. It resulted from a couple of our guys being present on a case in another jurisdiction when a subject with whom they were dealing suffered a self-inflicted GSW (fatal). When they were asked to present their weapons to the other jurisdiction's uniformed officers, to show their weapons hadn't been fired (to inflict the fatal shot) ... the weapons of both cops were still fouled from their last qual session. Both weapons had to be taken into evidence and tested at the lab to eliminate them, while waiting for forensic results from the shooting victim. A new policy of never leaving the range with a dirty weapon was instituted.Go figure.

 

[.38 Special]

My guns and my rear end get cleaned after use, even just a little.

Just a quick wipedown, or a detail strip? And what's your favorite lube?

 

[LiveLife]

How many of you guys & gals stopped cleaning their guns.

I figure, it’s going to get dirty again. Why strip and clean Anybody Else?

Your carry guns? No. If I shoot it, it's cleaned that day or the next without a doubt.

Really? Consider this.

Let's say you take 200 rounds to the range to shoot. What's the difference between shooting all 200 rounds in the same session (During which you are unlikely to clean the gun) and shooting 100 rounds in two different range sessions?

Would cleaning the gun between 100 round sessions compared to 200 round session without cleaning make it shoot better?

---

How about if you take 1000 rounds to the range to shoot. Would there be difference between shooting all 1000 rounds in the same session or in two 500 round sessions?

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When I shot USPSA, my practice sessions would average 1000-2000+ rounds depending on practice stage setup and aspects of stage I was trying to practice (Bobbing head up and down through small square opening and random speed/stop sliding targets were my challenges). And no, I would not clean my Glock 22s during the 1000-2000+ round session.

So one day I wondered how many rounds of my match reloads would take to choke my Glock 22s (I was using Montana Gold 155/165/180 gr FMJ/JHP and WSF/W231 for my match loads and Berry's plated bullets for practice). Well, it took over 4000 rounds to build up enough gunk in the pistol to where I could scoop it out. But once I took a sheet of paper towel and wiped the gunk from inside, Glock 22 would run again ... without lubrication.

Now, I do a once-a-year strip down to individual part cleaning of my Glocks but after each range session of several hundred rounds, I just put a drop of CLP or any oil on hand at four slide rail points and trigger bar. That's it.

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If you shoot a lot, especially with "dirty" burning powder/loads with Glocks and get lighter striker indent on primers, consider checking inside of striker tube channel, especially behind breechwall face as fouling tends to flash up through the vent hole in the slide and pack down to build up preventing travel forward of striker tip. When I was experiencing lighter striker indent after several thousand rounds, I had to block the vent hole and fill the channel with Hoppes #9 and literally scrape caked on hard build up. After opposite side of breechwall face was cleared of packed down build up, striker left nice and deep indents on primers again - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ire-primer-failure-ideas.625875/#post-7734121

Glock slide with striker removed. White arrow points to slide vent.

Glock slide breechwall face with vent hole with screwdriver through

Bottom of striker channel showing backside of breechwall face with rectangle opening for striker tip. Bottom of channel is where the fouling will build up and pack hard from striker pounding behind it ... This hard packed build up is what can prevent full striker indent on primer.

Red arrows point to part of striker that pounds the fouling build up into hard flake behind the breechwall face

 

[Mark_Mark]

Really? Consider this.

Let's say you take 200 rounds to the range to shoot. What's the difference between shooting all 200 rounds in the same session (During which you are unlikely to clean the gun) and shooting 100 rounds in two different range sessions?

Would cleaning the gun between 100 round sessions compared to 200 round session without cleaning make it shoot better?

---

How about if you take 1000 rounds to the range to shoot. Would there be difference between shooting all 1000 rounds in the same session or in two 500 round sessions?

---

When I shot USPSA, my practice sessions would average 1000-2000+ rounds depending on practice stage setup and aspects of stage I was trying to practice (Bobbing head up and down through small square opening and random speed/stop sliding targets were my challenges). And no, I would not clean my Glock 22s during the 1000-2000+ round session.

So one day I wondered how many rounds of my match reloads would take to choke my Glock 22s (I was using Montana Gold 155/165/180 gr FMJ/JHP and WSF/W231 for my match loads). Well, it took over 4000 rounds to build up enough gunk in the pistol to where I could scoop it out. But once I took a sheet of paper towel and wiped the gunk from inside, Glock 22 would run again ... without lubrication.

Now, I do a once-a-year strip down to individual part cleaning of my Glocks but after each range session of several hundred rounds, I just put a drop of CLP or any oil on hand at four slide rail points and trigger bar. That's it.

---

If you shoot a lot, especially with "dirty" burning powder/loads and get lighter striker indent on primers, consider checking inside of striker tube channel, especially behind the breechwall face as fouling tends to flash up through the vent hole in the slide and pack down to build up preventing travel forward of striker. When I was experiencing lighter striker indent after several thousand rounds, I had to block the vent hole and fill the channel with Hoppes #9 and literally scrape caked on build up. After opposite side of breechwall face was cleared of packed down build up, striker left nice and keep indents on primers again - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ire-primer-failure-ideas.625875/#post-7734121

Glock slide with striker removed. White arrow points to slide vent.

Glock slide breechwall face with vent hole with screwdriver through

Bottom of striker channel showing backside of breechwall face with rectangle opening for striker tip. Bottom of channel is where the fouling will build up and pack hard from striker pounding behind it ... This hard packed build up is what can prevent full striker indent on primer.

Red arrows point to part of striker that pounds the fouling build up into hard flake behind the breechwall face

remember the days of corrosive Russian primers. 90’s… my brother instilled cleaning my guns after each session, he was also Army, so they probably beaten that in their heads. Took my years to unlearned that

CLP is my best friend now

 

[LiveLife]

my brother instilled cleaning my guns after each session, he was also Army, so they probably beaten that in their heads

Our drill sergeants pounded into our heads virtues of cleaning our M16s til "You could eat off it" but I think most of that pounding was so we could be very familiar with disassembly/reassembly and to keep us busy/occupied. (Out of boredom, we would do blindfolded disassembly/reassembly challenges)

I was "volunteered" to help out in my unit's armory and was surprised to learn how many rounds could be fired in M16s before fouling build up caused stoppages. And various published torture tests done on even entry level AR15s demonstrated several thousand rounds before needing cursory cleaning,

But that's gas operated recoil system venting gas all over the bolt/carrier and this is "Handgun ..." subcategory.

In locked breech action pistol? I already did 4000 rounds for my Glock 22.

Here's Todd Jarrett doing 1000 round torture test of 1911 (As fast as you can pull the trigger) in just over 10 minutes. For many, that could be five 200 round sessions or three 300 round sessions. No cleaning!

The 1000 Rounds Challenge - Part 3

Part 3. Todd Jarrett's world record - shooting 1000 rounds with a Para USA PXT 1911 SSP. More at http://www.downrange.tv/show1/

www.youtube.com

 

[MPistone]

Depends on the firearm. My PRS stuff gets the barrel cleaned, often at the range, after every 20 shots.

 

[Terry G]

Really? Consider this.

Let's say you take 200 rounds to the range to shoot. What's the difference between shooting all 200 rounds in the same session (During which you are unlikely to clean the gun) and shooting 100 rounds in two different range sessions?

Would cleaning the gun between 100 round sessions compared to 200 round session without cleaning make it shoot better?

---

How about if you take 1000 rounds to the range to shoot. Would there be difference between shooting all 1000 rounds in the same session or in two 500 round sessions?

---

When I shot USPSA, my practice sessions would average 1000-2000+ rounds depending on practice stage setup and aspects of stage I was trying to practice (Bobbing head up and down through small square opening and random speed/stop sliding targets were my challenges). And no, I would not clean my Glock 22s during the 1000-2000+ round session.

So one day I wondered how many rounds of my match reloads would take to choke my Glock 22s (I was using Montana Gold 155/165/180 gr FMJ/JHP and WSF/W231 for my match loads and Berry's plated bullets for practice). Well, it took over 4000 rounds to build up enough gunk in the pistol to where I could scoop it out. But once I took a sheet of paper towel and wiped the gunk from inside, Glock 22 would run again ... without lubrication.

Now, I do a once-a-year strip down to individual part cleaning of my Glocks but after each range session of several hundred rounds, I just put a drop of CLP or any oil on hand at four slide rail points and trigger bar. That's it.

---

If you shoot a lot, especially with "dirty" burning powder/loads with Glocks and get lighter striker indent on primers, consider checking inside of striker tube channel, especially behind breechwall face as fouling tends to flash up through the vent hole in the slide and pack down to build up preventing travel forward of striker tip. When I was experiencing lighter striker indent after several thousand rounds, I had to block the vent hole and fill the channel with Hoppes #9 and literally scrape caked on hard build up. After opposite side of breechwall face was cleared of packed down build up, striker left nice and deep indents on primers again - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ire-primer-failure-ideas.625875/#post-7734121

Glock slide with striker removed. White arrow points to slide vent.

Glock slide breechwall face with vent hole with screwdriver through

Bottom of striker channel showing backside of breechwall face with rectangle opening for striker tip. Bottom of channel is where the fouling will build up and pack hard from striker pounding behind it ... This hard packed build up is what can prevent full striker indent on primer.

Red arrows point to part of striker that pounds the fouling build up into hard flake behind the breechwall face

I'm not saying you are wrong, it's just my background (I got schooled on the M-16 too) that makes me uncomfortable with a dirty carry gun.

 

[Mike J]

As far as the rest of it do what you like. If it is gun I will be carrying it gets cleaned.

 

[LiveLife]

my background ... that makes me uncomfortable with a dirty carry gun.

Think about it ... Over several hundred years, thousands (likely) of engineers and technicians worked to make semi-auto pistols reliable not just to operate under normal "clean" conditions but likes of Gaston Glock designed "Combat/Service/Fighting" pistols to operate under "harsh/dirty" conditions with self-cleaning slide rails, etc. etc.

That would be like buying "trail rated" Jeep or Ford Raptor or Ram Power Wagon 4x4 but never taking them offroad and just driving them on pavement while keeping them shiny and polished.

I drove International Scout II 4x4 as a bachelor and always kept 4x4 trucks/Suburbans after I got married and fully expected them to go offroad as we did family camping trips to mountain trails, deserts and coastal dunes with quads. Unlike our C5 Z06 which was kept shiny and polished in the garage, the 4x4s didn't matter how clean they were as long as they worked reliably outdoors.

For EDC or defensive pistols, unlike safe queens and BBQ guns, they must first be reliable and go bang no matter clean or "somewhat" dirty, like the 4x4s.

 

[American_Fusilier]

I stopped cleaning my guns after every outing a few years ago. I don't shoot nearly enough for it to matter. I do clean my carry piece.

 

[qwert65]

I usually fire 2-3 rounds after I clean my ccw- because I have an annoying little voice in my head that says what if you didn’t reassemble it correctly?

Which is insane because it’s never happened with my ccw or my other guns

 

[JTQ]

I usually clean my guns pretty regularly, but I'm more concerned with making sure they are properly lubed rather than being concerned that they may be too dirty. Lubed and dirty is fine, but dry and either clean or dirty I don't like.

Here is a blog post from a SLIP 2000 user and his 6,000 round cleaning interval

After 6000 rounds I cleaned my gun with a paper towel.

The week before the 2018 World Speed Shooting Championships I put 6000 rounds through my pistol without any issues. I shot 1000 rounds a day and simply added a little EWL to my gun at the end of each day. At the end of the week I wiped my gun clean with a paper towel and a little Slip 2000 EWL...

slip2000.com

 

[LiveLife]

took over 4000 rounds to build up enough gunk in the pistol to where I could scoop it out. But once I took a sheet of paper towel and wiped the gunk from inside, Glock 22 would run again ... without lubrication.

SLIP 2000 user and his 6,000 round cleaning interval [with paper towel]

Nice to see another "paper towel" user.

Wow, that gun was really gunky ... But then I didn't shoot 6000 rounds, only 4000 rounds ...

 

[JTQ]

I also used to quote a FAQ page from Schuemann barrels, where the owner commented his cleaning technique is to not run a bore brush through his barrels, and just ran a lubed patch through the barrel, and his barrel got shinier and shinier the more he shot. When he'd use a bore brush, he'd get more fouling, so he just kept shooting, and patching.

 

[LiveLife]

I also used to quote a FAQ page from Schuemann barrels, where the owner commented his cleaning technique is to not run a bore brush through his barrels, and just ran a lubed patch through the barrel, and his barrel got shinier and shinier the more he shot. When he'd use a bore brush, he'd get more fouling, so he just kept shooting, and patching.

Moderator @Walkalong mentioned about Schuemann Barrels' recommendation of not over cleaning barrels, especially with cleaning chemicals and bore brush. Since then, I just wet mop the bore and let it sit x2 and dry patch after range session. I only bore brush if I see reduction in accuracy now. For 11,000+ round 22LR ammunition comparison testing, I only bore brushed every 2000 rounds and 10/22 and KSA bull barrels remained clean without leading - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/beginnings-with-22-lr.929540/page-3#post-12878895

BTW, Schuemann Barrels article on barrel cleaning - https://szbarrels.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Barrel-Cleaning-2021.pdf

 

[hoardingthemanual]

There’s no seat for my butt here. I keep my stuff well kept. I’m a good steward.

 

[JeffG]

Carrying a working amount of fouling in any gun is a gamble. While I like keeping the odds on my side, I have never been overly OCD about it. The fact that a firearm functions fine after a 200 round training session is a reasonable observation. I would feel the need to clean and inspect after that; so lesser incidence of firing could be retired without immediate cleaning. An unforeseen breakdown could take the weapon out of service also; broken spring, etc. Somewhat like being cured of cancer, and next day being hit by a bus. That's life.

 

[Lo-Profile]

Depends on the gun.
My EDC guns get cleaned bi-weekly, fired or not.
Range guns, about every three months.
Safe queens, yearly.

 

[jmr40]

I break down and clean all of my guns once/year whether they need it or not.

 

[LiveLife]

My EDC guns get cleaned bi-weekly, fired or not.
Range guns, about every three months.
Safe queens, yearly.

BUT how are we defining "cleaning"?

For me, "cleaning" is disassembly of every part, inspect/clean then reassemble with lube.

In comparison, "field strip" is remove slide and barrel, inspect and swab barrel/clean parts as necessary and reassemble with lube.

I think many people interchange "field strip" with "cleaning".