Cleaning your handguns

I used to be anal about cleaning after each trip to the range. Then someone with lots of experience explained to me that, by doing a thorough cleaning I may deprive the gun of needed lubrication, and actually do more harm than good.

I am more concerned about running a dry gun than a dirty gun. My Shadow likes to run wet - hold your silly jokes right there, buster! :D

I just wipe and re-oil after a couple of visits to the range, which is roughly 500 rounds. Using WeaponShield helps, the dirt wipes off easily. Sometimes I re-oil at the range when it is needed. I use grease on the slide and barrel lugs, so it stays put longer.

I never get my gun to the state when crud is forming. It is probably OK, but my OCD won't let me. :p I spray with brake cleaner every 2,000 or so rounds, blow it out with compressed air, then spray G96 foam, then blow it out too. This way I know the lube I've stripped with the brake cleaner is re-applied. I then wipe all parts I'm going to oil, and use WeaponShield. The whole thing takes 30min at the most.

I try to stay away from Carb cleaner, it is too aggressive IMO. It is too much for the painted finish of GSG 1911, even the brake cleaner was taking some of that paint off the slide.

After 20,000 or so rounds with practically zero malfunctions (well, maybe a dozen stovepipes, but that was my fault), I have yet to detail-strip my Shadow.
 
i dont shoot corrosive, so i clean after every 500 rounds. if i was a target shooter or a hunter, than i would clean it after every use.

I plan on taking some shooting courses this summer so i can finally be proactive in becoming a good shot. if that was the case, id clean it after each course.
 
For centerfires firearms, if you are using LRNs on non-jacketed lead rounds, then clean at least the barrel after each and every trip to the range. A full detailed strip between 500-1000 rds depending on how much residue is visible. You don't want to have a major stoppage when you are in the heat of your turn to shoot. But if you are using jacketed ammo, as long as you do not see a major build-up in the muzzle, then clean as needed. This does not apply to smaller calibers as to rimfires. For rimfires, as long as it runs smooth, no cleaning recommended. I believe it might cause more damage to the smaller parts of a rimfire gun when disassembled frequently. I have a rimfire pistol with no cleaning for about 500-750 rounds. Time for me to clean when I started noticing light primer strikes.
 
After every Range Visit. And If I haven't shot them in a while, I'll strip them down and clean then again. Just showing respect for the guns. I also clean my garden tools after every use. As well as wipe down my tools after working on the cars. Just showing respect.
 
i try to clean my shadow about every 500 rounds with brake clean and use a little Mobil 1 engine oil on spots that show any wear.I find my feed ramp gets harder to get nice and shiny clean if I wait longer then 500 rounds.A clean gun is a happy gun.
 
If I'm shooting corrosive mulatto ammo then I clean after every trip, but with regular commercial loads I might wait a while. I have to say though that I do enjoy stripping and cleaning the firearms and being a technology and mechanical freak it's fun to examine the pieces to see how everything works.
 
i really enjoy cleaning my handguns (all 1911's). also, i find its a good way to see if everything is in working order as you go over each part. on average i shoot 200-300 rounds at a time and i will usually field strip and clean after each use. every few thousand rounds, about once a year, i will detail strip my hanguns down to every single individual part and go over it extensively.
 
Cleaning your guns after every time you shoot them is akin changing the oil in your car (or washing your car, take your pick) after every time you drive it. A bit overkill and completely unnecessary.
 
Styrak said:
Cleaning your guns after every time you shoot them is akin changing the oil in your car (or washing your car, take your pick) after every time you drive it. A bit overkill and completely unnecessary.
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I think the difference is IMHO is that I drive my car everyday - I don't shoot my gun everyday. I clean after every use so that when I take the gun out of storage after a week, month, year - I don't say WTF ?!

insert train wreck -> TWK
 
Styrak said:
Cleaning your guns after every time you shoot them is akin changing the oil in your car (or washing your car, take your pick) after every time you drive it. A bit overkill and completely unnecessary.
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Well, the dirt on my car or the oil inside my engine have little ability to effect my health.
I spend a good deal of time dry-firing my guns at home and if they're spewing trace amounts of powder in the air every time I rack the slide.. Also they sit sometimes a month, 2 months, 3 before their next use.
I find it a drag, but still clean em often
 
I completely clean my guns after every shoot ( well maybe a day or two after unless its corrosive) I find it relaxing and I like to maintain my tools. Anyone who has bought a gun off me from EE will agree. My ruger red label ( shotgun I know) was sold with a unknown amount of rounds through it. My guess was a couple hundred thousand target loads but the buyer loved the condition of it as you would never believe the round count.
 
OilBOOM said:
Curious how often everyone here cleans your pistols? I was doing it every time I came home from the range. But I have a 1911 Kimber .45 that I decided to shoot until it fails. I now have 4250 rounds without so much as a single spray or wipe. No failure to feeds and no stove pipes.
How many rounds have you gotten through a pistol without cleaning it? :eek:
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I clean after every range session because I shoot black powder. Takes only a few minutes anyway.
 
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