Should you fully disassemble semi-auto handgun?

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KanadianShooter

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Hey Guys noob question here,

Recently a friendly stranger at the range told me I should fully disassemble my semi-auto beretta 92FS every 2-5 thousand rounds (not the usual field stripping and cleaning I do every range trip). Would you recommended this procedure, and if yes should I bring my gun to the gunsmith as recommend by Beretta? Also how much approximately do gunsmiths charge for fully stripping and cleaning a handgun?

Thanks
 
onetwentyish said:
No benefit unless you are the anal retentive type that needs his guns showroom fresh. Your more likely to damage or lose parts. Same reason you dont fully disassemble your vehicle everytime you need the tires changed.
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This is exactly how I feel about this. I have done more harm then good completely breaking down my guns for a super cleaning. Loosing parts can sometimes leave you months without a working firearm.
 
Think of the 2 - 5 k rounds part of his advice

Is it 2 or 5 k?

If its necessary to gut a gun completely every X amount of rounds, shouldnt X amount of rounds be better described than 2-5 k or somewhere in between.

Even the whole cleaning after every range trip isnt good. If your gun need stripping and cleaning after every range trip, your pretty hard on your gear.

If you get mud, rocks, sand , grass ect in your gun then yes it merits a quick stip and cleaning.

But cleaning it everytime you shoot it overkill and harder on the gun than shooting it will ever be.
 
Eehhhh.. take what you hear from strangers at a range with a grain of salt. I've heard everything from submerging your guns in vinegar to using A535 cream as a lubricant.
 
Never heard of that before. Only ever field strip/clean my Berettas (92FS & M9A3) and have never had a failure on either.... Have about 3k rounds through the 92FS, less on the M9A3.
 
Thanks for the honest responses, definitely a relief. I'm a bolt action and shotgun guy getting into handguns so the advice is always great.
 
People that do that keep the licenced gunsmith in food, LOL.
If you know what you are doing , O.K. if something is broke, if it a'nt broke don't fix it.
Buy a big can of G96 .
 
Even normal cleaning after each range trip is unnecessary (unless you find it soothing?). I can/have/do completely strip all my firearms when required (usually a repair) and would never think of paying a gunsmith to do so. I find it weird that some people are scared of disassembling a simple mechanical device. To each his own I guess.
 
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I used to do that all the time with my Colt 1911s when I shot IPSC, but then I was really familiar with them and knew what I was doing, plus I was shooting them a lot. I could have got away with just field stripping, but in those days I was pretty anal when it came to cleaning.

If it's just casual use and you're not really confident you know what you're doing then as other posters have said - Leave it alone. A field strip will get 95 percent of the crud and keep it shooting just fine. Hose out the other more intricate parts with gun oil and light air pressure to blow it out and dry it and you will be just fine.

If you insist on detail stripping it, then at least download off the web an exploded diagram and instructions, take plenty of pictures at various stages of stripping and keep very close track of all parts - particularly small springs. Some people advocate doing your first detail strip in the bathtub (drain plug in) and shower doors closed (small springs and parts have amazing mobility).

There are guns I just refuse to attempt to detail strip because of their complexity and the fact I don't use them very often.

Having the right tools such as properly sized screw drivers, brushes and drift punches helps a lot.
 
Most people (99%) should not disassemble firearms to that extent.

1. You need to know why you are doing (having a Dremmell tool or a soldering iron in your house does not qualify you as a gunsmith)
2. There needs to be a valid reason to do so.

Casualy shooting of a few thousand rounds a year is not a valid reason.

If you shoot a lot, and I mean a lot! You do need to strip your guns, inspect and keep on top of it. But if you shoot this much, you have practice guns and match guns...
 
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