How often do you clean your guns?

Jeremae · #31

I am a big user of Break-Free CLP and buy the biggest containers I can but one word of caution:

This product is designed to remove and inhibit rust, which is a good thing except that some forms of blueing are RUST so it will take that pretty finish right off your gun.

TDDude · #32

No one's mentioned this so I thought I'd better. Do not use Hoppes 9 on nickled guns. I've been told that it damages the nickle.

I don't know how true it is because I've never wanted to test it.

JackRR · #33

I clean each gun after a range trip. Now you have to define "cleaning". Detail like you are going to sell it clean or a quick wipe down when you know you are going back to the range next day.
Basically I got 3 cleaning levels (quick, normal, and detail)

Quick means running a bore snake or a couple of patches wet/dry thru the barrell. Quick wipe down on the rest.
I focus on the barrel mostly. I do the "quick" routine if I know I am going to shoot the same gun next day or same week. Basically I am just trying to get the powder residue off. No tooth brushes or bore brush

Normal means cleaning the firearm per normal instructions supplied by the manufacturer. Time spent on this will vary depending when I plan to shoot the gun next. I use tooth and/or bore brushes here.

Detail means I get the dental picks out spend some quality time with the gun in question. I do this once or twice a year depending on how often I shoot it.

Carry guns get special treatment, they get cleaned "normal" and a followup in the next day or two. My dad always cleans his guns 3 days in a row starting with the day you get home from the range.

The ruger 10/22 and shotgun I spend less time with but make sure I get the residue off.

The M4 is another story, pain in the a** to clean. I sometimes dont shoot it because I know I got to clean it.

I use Breakfree CLP on the M4, remoil on 870, Hoppes 9 on the pistols and all else to clean.
I use remoil to lube what I just cleaned with the hoppes 9

A-R · #34

I try to clean within 24 hours of any shooting. But sometimes kids, wife, job, LIFE gets in the way and they sit a few days.

I'm usually meticulous with my cleaning. Always do at least a "normal" cleaning, using the description of the poster above and about every 3rd cleaning is fairly detailed. None of my carry guns (Glock, S&W J-frame, LCP) probably NEED this much cleaning. But I just like a clean gun. I've been known to spend half a day just cleaning my guns after a range trip.

I also agree with above that I don't shoot my AR-15 as much because it is such a pain to clean. But when I do shoot it, I thoroughly clean it every time.

Shotguns I'm a bit less picky about. A few bore swabs and rub it down with an oil rag is about it.

I use a lot of Kleen-Bore products and Break Free CLP, but lately have been using "Shooter's Choice" solvent and "Militec" oil at recommendation of an LEO friend of mine. I'm impressed with both. The Shooters' Choice solvent REALLY works well, gets a bit of a sudsing action going (as if it is extra oxygenated or something?). I also use Blue Wonder (though it's getting harder to find) for serious bore cleaning. Works great. I also use those silicone patches from Kleen Bore and don't consider my bore truly clean until I can put one of those down the barrel and it comes out fairly clean.

dac1842 · #35

I clean mine after every range trip or about once per month, IF I happen to go that long without shooting it. This is my way of spending quality time with it and it makes you more familiar with it. I got into this practice on SWAT.

Street2Peschel · #36

After every time at the range or every three months.

roman3667 · #37

Ditto street2.

A-R · #38

I read somewhere else about using Flitz metal polish as a bore cleaner. I was a bit skeptical at first because Flitz is some powerful stuff (I inadvertantly stripped the bluing off one of my grandpa's old single-shot .410s while trying to remove rust with Flitz).

Anyway, I decided to try it today and MAN does it work!!! I'm still a bit cautious about it - only used it on my Glock (those guns will take anything). But I'm seriously considering using it on the chrome-lined barrel of my AR-15 now.

Anyone have any experience with this?

As an aside, I do find it funny that Flitz is now available in and marketed to many gun shops. 10 years ago I had to go to a restaurant supply store to find it (it was originally intended as a cleaner/polish for stainless steel cookware.

slowrey · #39

I clean my guns every time that I come back from shooting. I try to do it same day but worst case it's done within a couple days of shooting. I am a bit OCD though.

USA1 · #40

what i want to know is how often folks disassemble and clean their magazines .

i had a gun once , that the magazine would get stuck about 2/3rds of the way up causing FTF .
the problem was resolved after cleaning and lubricating the mag .

Kevinf2349 · #41

USA1 wrote:what i want to know is how often folks disassemble and clean their magazines .

i had a gun once , that the magazine would get stuck about 2/3rds of the way up causing FTF .
the problem was resolved after cleaning and lubricating the mag .

Were you peeping into my house yesterday? I cleaned my mags last night!

(honestly)

I have a Bersa that is acting up a little so I stripped and cleaned all the mags while I was doing the Bersa's

USA1 · #42

Kevinf2349 wrote:
USA1 wrote:what i want to know is how often folks disassemble and clean their magazines .

i had a gun once , that the magazine would get stuck about 2/3rds of the way up causing FTF .
the problem was resolved after cleaning and lubricating the mag .
Were you peeping into my house yesterday? I cleaned my mags last night! (honestly)

I have a Bersa that is acting up a little so I stripped and cleaned all the mags while I was doing the Bersa's

that's funny you mention bersa .
its the exact gun i was referring to .

dicion · #43

USA1 wrote:what i want to know is how often folks disassemble and clean their magazines .

i had a gun once , that the magazine would get stuck about 2/3rds of the way up causing FTF .
the problem was resolved after cleaning and lubricating the mag .

Depends on the mag. Some mags are not supposed to be lubricated (P-Mags on an AR, for example)
Some people say that you should never lube a mag, just clean it real good. Reason: Lube Attracts dirt, dirt jams followers & springs.

Also depends on how grimy the person's hands are when theyre handling the mags ;)

jsimmons · #44

I clean/oil after every range visit, and before every range visit, I oil it again. Since range visits are infrequent, OI also oil once/month.

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