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To clean after every outing or not to clean after every outing? That is the question.
- Thread starter Rockrivr1
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- Mar 28, 2009
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It depends
Target shotguns, When I get to the range I open case, grease and assemble When finished shooting I run a bore snake, spray some lube, wipe it down and put it back in the case.
Target pistols (.22 bullseye) - spray with lube and wipe down before going back in the safe. Bore snake every couple of outings. Full clean and lube every couple of months.
Action pistols - spray and wipe, bore snake now and again. Full clean after several thousand rounds.
Carry gun - I make a point to shoot it once or twice a year and then a cleaning. (and before I get beaten up, I have an identical gun or 2 or 3 that i practice with in the category above)
Rifles - I don't shoot often and they may sit in the safe for a while so I like to clean after each outing.
Target shotguns, When I get to the range I open case, grease and assemble When finished shooting I run a bore snake, spray some lube, wipe it down and put it back in the case.
Target pistols (.22 bullseye) - spray with lube and wipe down before going back in the safe. Bore snake every couple of outings. Full clean and lube every couple of months.
Action pistols - spray and wipe, bore snake now and again. Full clean after several thousand rounds.
Carry gun - I make a point to shoot it once or twice a year and then a cleaning. (and before I get beaten up, I have an identical gun or 2 or 3 that i practice with in the category above)
Rifles - I don't shoot often and they may sit in the safe for a while so I like to clean after each outing.
I dont clean but I do wipe down everything I handle with a rust preventive
Bore gets a wet patch to get loose fouling out, few dry patches then a oil patch for rust prevention.
Cleaning— when groups open up
Each rifle is a bit different. My 22s can go thousands of rounds between cleanings
This could be one summer it years.
My cmp rifles get a good clean and check over each winter
Lol I still get a charge out of people who fastidiously clean everything all the time. ![[rofl]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/013.gif "ROFL [rofl]")
eventually if you buy enough guns this becomes absurd.
I have some stuff I take good care of. Then there is shit like 22s where basically I shoot them until they stop working.
Defensive guns take priority over everything. Stuff that I just play with? whenever I get around to it. Sometimes that whenever is once a year, lol.
I have some guns like my bird gun (CZ 1012) that I literally have done nothing to other than sprayed some oil in and used a boresnake on. Yeah the action is disgusting inside but I dont care, because the gun still works, and it has no signs of slowing down. If it was a beretta gas gun id clean it more often.
eventually if you buy enough guns this becomes absurd. I have some stuff I take good care of. Then there is shit like 22s where basically I shoot them until they stop working.
Defensive guns take priority over everything. Stuff that I just play with? whenever I get around to it. Sometimes that whenever is once a year, lol.
I have some guns like my bird gun (CZ 1012) that I literally have done nothing to other than sprayed some oil in and used a boresnake on. Yeah the action is disgusting inside but I dont care, because the gun still works, and it has no signs of slowing down. If it was a beretta gas gun id clean it more often.
I've come to realize over the years that I can shoot many 100's of rounds through my guns and they still keep functioning fine.
I've gone over a year between cleanings of my primary 1911 .45 and I shoot that a lot.
Of course there were large chunks of greasy black goo that came out of it that made me just a little embarrassed, but it was still running.
I've gone over a year between cleanings of my primary 1911 .45 and I shoot that a lot.
Of course there were large chunks of greasy black goo that came out of it that made me just a little embarrassed, but it was still running.
We undisciplined savages need not an excuse, its a way of life.
Tallahassee
NES Member
Right on. Clean the rifle when groups start opening up.
Handguns, I have no idea. I guess once a year. They get wiped down after a few trips, that's about it.
Muzzle loaders - before and after the season. (Swab between each shot)
all center fires. - when they need it. - Min once per year
.22 rim fire. - is it malfunctioning? If so clean it. If not…..
( if I’m heading to a competition the .22 may get cleaned)
all center fires. - when they need it. - Min once per year
.22 rim fire. - is it malfunctioning? If so clean it. If not…..
( if I’m heading to a competition the .22 may get cleaned)
Caveman
NES Member
I clean my 22’s the most. Pistols when they are getting my hands or clothes dirty. When I was working on my precision rifles. I was taught to only clean the bore once accuracy starts to drop off. Because you need to run fouling shots to get the accuracy back after cleaning you leave it as is unless there is a reason to clean the bore.
I haven't cleaned my AK since the Jeep shoot and I put another 2K or so rounds through it since then.
Still more reliable than an AR.
My Sharps, because I shoot BP, gets cleaned at the range before leaving.
Still more reliable than an AR.
My Sharps, because I shoot BP, gets cleaned at the range before leaving.
Buck F
NES Member
Carry/homepro gun are always clean, that's why I have identical EDCs so I can go to the range a few times between cleanings while still having a clean one to carry. The rest I usually clean after a couple/few range trips although if I know I'm not going to shoot a gun again anytime soon I clean it.
Didn't vote because I didn't find an accurate selection. I have among many, an AK and an AR, that hasn't been as much as wiped down in years and thousands of rounds, just out of curiosity. They look like shit, leave stains everywhere they go, but they work, and work well. Other guns are dedicated bench guns for accuracy and get a calculated and specific cleaning regimen for that specific rifle, others will get.cleaned according to use. If I know I'm gonna shoot a specific G19 or 1911 regularly all summer, it'll get a wipedown and a bore snake. Other firearms get a thorough cleaning if I even look at it and ill wear gloves to handle a few others, just depends. I will say though, that I think firearms get more wear and tear from overzealous cleaning than they do being shot.
ETA: when I duck hunted saltwater, I used a Mossberg 835. I would get home and orange would already be setting in. I'd scrub that turd with a green scouring pad, hold it up by the sling and hose it down in liquid wrench. Otherwise it'd start rusting in the safe a day or two later.
ETA: when I duck hunted saltwater, I used a Mossberg 835. I would get home and orange would already be setting in. I'd scrub that turd with a green scouring pad, hold it up by the sling and hose it down in liquid wrench. Otherwise it'd start rusting in the safe a day or two later.
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I only clean when shit starts feeling sticky. Over cleaning is just as bad as under cleaning.
22’s are probably the only guns I clean after every range trip.
I remember when I was a new gun owner I would go crazy using bore foaming cleaners to remove all copper fouling etc. Then years later I realized it didn’t matter. Bore snake for the barrel now lol
I remember when I was a new gun owner I would go crazy using bore foaming cleaners to remove all copper fouling etc. Then years later I realized it didn’t matter. Bore snake for the barrel now lol
I was the same way. But my Ruger 22 gets cleaned every time.
Yeah it's annoying to clean the bolt of a Marlin 60 but after a range trip which is usually a full 550 round brick, towards the last 100 or so rounds it gums up so much the next trip would be a jam-o-matic if you don't take apart the action and give it a good toothbrushing. Wished they made the action less annoying to clean and assemble.Lol I still get a charge out of people who fastidiously clean everything all the time.
I have some stuff I take good care of. Then there is shit like 22s where basically I shoot them until they stop working.
Defensive guns take priority over everything. Stuff that I just play with? whenever I get around to it. Sometimes that whenever is once a year, lol.
I have some guns like my bird gun (CZ 1012) that I literally have done nothing to other than sprayed some oil in and used a boresnake on. Yeah the action is disgusting inside but I dont care, because the gun still works, and it has no signs of slowing down. If it was a beretta gas gun id clean it more often.
Coming from someone who taught at a federal academy, no real reason to unless you are shooting corrosive ammo.
I've seen guns that only .mil guys can compare to, God only knows when they were last cleaned. Keep them lubed and they generally run.
I once was almost kicked off a IDPA shoot for having a 'dirty' gun. I looked the woman (she was running the show) in the eye and said, "This is a working gun, it almost was used yesterday, I bet my life it'll fire". They let me do the shoot, no misfeeds or malfunctions. The pistol, was in deed, a dirty girl.
It varies widely with application and frequency of usage. I own 28 firearms. All my smokeless centerfire guns get cleaned once a year over the winter. Rimfire gets cleaned much more frequently . my BP guns need to be cleaned after every range trip.
I clean after every range trip. i know it’s not needed, but it‘s an old habit from military days. There’s a passage in the code of honor that says “tu entretiens ton arme comme ton bien le plus precieux “, which translated means “you will maintain your weapon as your most precious possession.“
Cant teach new tricks to an old dog.
Cant teach new tricks to an old dog.
allen-1
NES Member
I've found in IDPA/USPSA that a really easy way to back off overzealous SO's is to ask to see the rule they're referencing. You can't show me the rule? Oh well. You don't just get to make shit up.
Rockrivr1
NES Member
Gosh, you really are a glutton for punishment, ain't you.
Yeah I was just ignoring the troll. Seems he’s missing what forums are all about.
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