Cleaning Schedule

ASHDUMP

ASHDUMP

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So now that I'm a new firearms owner, when it is appropriate to clean it? After so many rounds fired, or maybe once a month? I've heard certain types of ammo is dirty and will cause frequent cleaning... is this true?

I've field stripped my Beretta 92FS but did not clean it because I wasn't prepared to do so.

Also, is a "round" one shot? Or is a "round" one magazine?
 
I cleaned both of my guns when I first got them and I still clean them after each use. I'm new to guns and I notice alot of other people will sometimes wait. I still have the energy and excitment so I'm all about "the books says to clean .......".

I dont clean after 50 rounds because the gun is that dirty. I clean it because it makes it easier to get the little bit of crud off and it helps me sleep at night.
 
A "round" is a round of ammunition - one shot.

Cleaning depends on the gun - most modern firearms (including your Beretta) can handle quite a bit of use without needing to be cleaned. Most of my handguns (like my XD, 1911, 92FS, etc) only get cleaned once or twice a year, unless they see extreme use.

Then again, I clean my Smith 686 every time I shoot it because it's stainless and I like to see it stay clean & pretty.

So really, it's up to you - your firearm isn't going to rot or fail to function if you don't clean it every time you shoot it, but some guys like to anyway.

However, be sure you oil your gun regularly - this is a completely seperate issue from cleaning, although some newbies confuse the two. You should oil your gun before and after you shoot it, and if you're shooting a lot (500 round day, for instance), you might want to oil every few hundred rounds.
 
I just run a patch with some CLP down the bore each time with a dry follow up and a quick clean on the guns metal exterior for fingerprints sweat ... Maybe once a year a field strip.
 
I thoroughly clean my firearms every time I fire them. I may not do it immediately after getting home with them, but I do it within a few days at most of using it.

A bore snake is NOT enough for a proper cleaning at home. It is, at best, a field expedient.
 
I try to field strip and clean it after every time out, it may be 50 rounds thru or several hundred.......it may sit for a couple days though before I get to it if i'm busy. Not an issue.

Mostly have glocks, so field strip takes about 1/2 a second, scrub with CLP and brush. Wipe oown, Relube, put back together and done.....
 
blitzpackage said:
I do it the way my drill sergeant taught me, after every time I shoot. No such thing as having too clean a gun.
Click to expand...

Interesting you should phrase it this way; turns out there IS such thing as too clean a gun, and your drill sergeant may be to blame:

http://firearmusernetwork.com/2008/12/31/moron-cleaning-guns-maintain/

That being said, I've heard plenty of gunsmiths say they've seen more worn out barrels from over-cleaning than from being shot-out. Not to say that a new shooter is going to over-clean his gun to the point of damage, but certainly something to think about.
 
Jose said:
I thoroughly clean my firearms every time I fire them. I may not do it immediately after getting home with them, but I do it within a few days at most of using it.
Click to expand...

Same here. A thorough cleaning also lets me inspect all the parts and discover any problems before something bad happens.
 
ASHDUMP said:
So now that I'm a new firearms owner, when it is appropriate to clean it? After so many rounds fired, or maybe once a month? I've heard certain types of ammo is dirty and will cause frequent cleaning... is this true?

I've field stripped my Beretta 92FS but did not clean it because I wasn't prepared to do so.

Also, is a "round" one shot? Or is a "round" one magazine?
Click to expand...

Some info that would be useful for a new shooter:
1. Don't call loaded ammunition "bullets". The bullet is just the projectile that exits the barrel.
2. Cleaning your gun is a personal thing. I have cleaned my Glock 34 once in probably the 13-14 months I've owned it but only because it started to bug me that I've never cleaned it. Some of my other guns I would never sleep if they weren't clean.
3. It's not a clip! It's a magazine. A clip is a loading device used to quickly load catridges into a magazine.

To me, some of my guns are more of duty guns where it's just meant to be shot and shot as much as possible. Other's are more collectible, shot less frequently and babied a bit more.
 
I field strip and clean my guns after every range trip. Although I often dont touch the bore on most of my range guns (when shooting jacketed non corrosive ammo) with the exception of the occasional bore snake.
 
I (or I let my husband) clean my gun after a few trips.. If I am shooting IDPA, or something important, I make sure the gun is clean. I wipe it with a silicone cloth every time is enters the safe.
 
I clean with solvent and lubricate after every trip. I boresnake or brass brush it only if I am really beating the piss out of it (lots of rounds)

I lubricate and wipe down the outside as it needs it when I am not shooting it.

Any firearms sitting around not getting fired regularly, I take apart and lubricate semi regularly. Right now it is humid in the basement, so I will lubricate more often.
 
I actually find it theraputic to clean my guns. Does that make me a real gun nut, or just sad?

I usually clean most of them after each use at the range. With the exception of my Ruger MkIII.
 
TonyDedo said:
Interesting you should phrase it this way; turns out there IS such thing as too clean a gun, and your drill sergeant may be to blame:

http://firearmusernetwork.com/2008/12/31/moron-cleaning-guns-maintain/

That being said, I've heard plenty of gunsmiths say they've seen more worn out barrels from over-cleaning than from being shot-out. Not to say that a new shooter is going to over-clean his gun to the point of damage, but certainly something to think about.
Click to expand...

I disagree. Use the proper tools and you can get a spotlessly clean firearm with no damage to the rifling or throat. BTDT.
 
TonyDedo said:
A "round" is a round of ammunition - one shot.

Cleaning depends on the gun - most modern firearms (including your Beretta) can handle quite a bit of use without needing to be cleaned. Most of my handguns (like my XD, 1911, 92FS, etc) only get cleaned once or twice a year, unless they see extreme use.

Then again, I clean my Smith 686 every time I shoot it because it's stainless and I like to see it stay clean & pretty.

So really, it's up to you - your firearm isn't going to rot or fail to function if you don't clean it every time you shoot it, but some guys like to anyway.

However, be sure you oil your gun regularly - this is a completely separate issue from cleaning, although some newbies confuse the two. You should oil your gun before and after you shoot it, and if you're shooting a lot (500 round day, for instance), you might want to oil every few hundred rounds.
Click to expand...

I'll be honest with you, I considered cleaning the firearm the same as oiling. Since no one has gone over oiling with me, what should I be doing? I bought a full box kit at Four Seasons that has two types of oil and a bottle of spray, along with brass brushes for the bore and wipes. ...and a blue cloth.

The gun is pretty oiled up from the factory though.... I've noticed that.
 
Big_Red said:
Same here. A thorough cleaning also lets me inspect all the parts and discover any problems before something bad happens.
Click to expand...

I don't clean after every range trip, unless I'm using corrosive ammunition. Well, I don't clean every gun after every trip, but any gun I carry for protection gets cleaned after every range trip.

If it's a new gun, I clean and lubricate it so I can get familiar with how it strips and functions and make sure everything looks good.

If it's a used gun, I clean and lubricate it because I want to take a good look at it anyway. Even used guns I've bought from dealers usually need a good clean and lube before being shot.

Not exactly on topic, but ANY hand gun I might carry for self defense gets cleaned, lubed, shot, cleaned, and lubed, before I carry it. Just common sense to make sure that it works properly before hanging your life on it.
 
I've read the manual front to back.... for the firearm that is.

Hmmm. Seems there is a thorough description with the cleaning kit. haha

Is there egg on my face?
 
Carry gun = My life could depend on it. Since I normally carry a semi auto, I clean it after every time I shoot it.

Target pistol - not so much. I'll clean it after a couple hundred rounds has gone through it.

Don't over oil it! You only need a slight coating on the gun.

And definately do not call a magazine a clip in front of an instructor. [laugh]
 

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