Semi-auto pistol cleaning

[rayzorloo]

Hey CGN, I've been shooting a couple of years now. Going into my second year of IDPA, and I've heard differing opinions on how often to clean and lube a semi-auto pistol. I've heard jokes like "it's a Glock so doesn't need to be cleaned until 1k rounds..." I don't shoot a Glock myself...but I have also seen ads on the EE saying "cleaned after every range trip". Now most times, even after a match I maybe shoot a couple of hundred rounds. don't typically clean in after that range trip. I understand if I shot 22LR but 9mm or 40SW, or if I was there all day and shot 500 rounds so I wouldn't think a cleaning is needed if I only shot a couple of hundred.

But I also get that some guys love to clean their toys, just like some guys wash their car weekly especially winter time. I figure this has been asked already but thought I'd ask. Like I mentioned I have heard both sides of the spectrum and somewhere in between.

Thoughts

[Down.Range]

I am a detail strip and thoroughly clean every range trip type of guy. Nothing ever sits in my safe uncleaned.

[Opex]

I am a detail strip and thoroughly clean every range trip type of guy. Nothing ever sits in my safe uncleaned.

pretty much same thing here... only if i do not have time to clean it right away (dont happen much) but if i dont have time it still gets cleaned within a day or 2

i didnt always clean my guns a few years back and had a couple issues so i started doing it all the time

[bsand]

if im shooting multiple times a week, I wait until the last day im shooting then clean. However if I shoot more than a box of ammo (50 rounds), I re-oil and clean the feedramp before the next outing.

[v-king]

I do it after each session, mostly cause I enjoy it and not cause I have to.

[Hoakster]

I'm usually an 'Obsessive cleaning' kinda guy, with my firearms.
Recently, I've been trying to go at least 5 range trips between cleanings.
You know the theory; 'Lead' the barrel properly and shoot until the accuracy drops off.

I fackin' hate it! Gawd!
My guns feel like grungy, "dragged behind the pick-em-up truck" pieces of crap! I'm embarrassed to hand them over to anyone at the range.
My Momma raised me better than this.

I'm going back to 'clean'.

[rayzorloo]

if im shooting multiple times a week, I wait until the last day im shooting then clean. However if I shoot more than a box of ammo (50 rounds), I re-oil and clean the feedramp before the next outing.

The re-oiling after a range trip..100-150 rounds is me as well, then clean after about 500. Just before a match I clean her up for sure.

[dirtybarry]

I do a 10 minute operational clean after every session. 1 pass with a wet brush, let it sit while wiping down the slide and frame. wet patch, dry patch, oil and patch. lube barrel and contact surfaces, reassemble, wipe magazines. Done.
I do a more detailed cleaning after a few sessions.

[tjhaile]

Centrefire auto pistols should be able to go several thousand rounds between cleanings if properly lubricated notwithstanding things like heavy lead fouling or foreign debris (e.g. getting dropped in a mud puddle). Clean it more if it makes you feel good, but don't worry too much about it otherwise. This applies to guns used for recreational/training purposes; carry should should be cleaned and inspected regularly.

[bsand]

The re-oiling after a range trip..100-150 rounds is me as well, then clean after about 500. Just before a match I clean her up for sure.

I usually clean before th match and foul the barrel just to make sure everything is working correctly. The second day I took out my new shadow custom. I forgot to remove my dry fire oring. Damn gun wasn't firing anything. I thought it was the reloads, tried factory ammo still barely touching the primer. Went to check if the firing pin was broken, realized that the oring was still in place.

Since that I always make sure my guns work before a match.