How often do you clean your semi-auto?

A lot of people have mentioned not having to clean them because they're getting thousands of rounds with no stoppages.

To me it's not about reliability so much as it is just liking to take care of my stuff. I'm not a clean freak (wife-verified), but I like the feeling of taking care of things that are important to me. I wax my car, I pick weeds from my lawn, and I clean my firearms after I shoot them.
 
I like to clean every time but its just because i like to. I go without cleaning sometimes except for precision rifles where I dont want to leave anything for moisture to stick on and to oil. But i never worried about pistols
 
Petamocto said:
A lot of people have mentioned not having to clean them because they're getting thousands of rounds with no stoppages.

To me it's not about reliability so much as it is just liking to take care of my stuff. I'm not a clean freak (wife-verified), but I like the feeling of taking care of things that are important to me. I wax my car, I pick weeds from my lawn, and I clean my firearms after I shoot them.
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I agree stoppages are not the only reason but I think cleaning can be overdone.. but sometimes it's just fun
 
I clean my pistols when Ihave time. Usually every 4-5 range trip. I clean shotguns at the beginning of the winter. I do a detail strip on every AR15's and pistols once a year. I have a few guns so winter cleaning can take months because I tend to clean 2-3 guns a week. For firearms that I didn't shoot, I just add oil for rust protection twice a year.
 
After every use. My carry guns get cleaned about once a month. Depending on how much lint they collect from being holstered and carried on a daily basis. But always after use.
 
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shikano53 said:
New pistol shooter again. I recently picked up a new MP9. I am used to cleaning my long guns after every trip to the range or out hunting. I asked this question when I bought my MP and was told it was not necessary to clean after each use.
This doesn't make sense to me but maybe there is a reason.

Any comments or suggestions appreciated.

Chris in RD AB
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I was taught you clean your firearms 3 times, befor you shoot, after you shoot, and monthly.
 
I clean my carry/duty gun every month if it needs it or not...

I rarely clean guns - as I run FIREClean and regardless of round count I can just wipe the carbon off...
 
I am very meticulous so gun cleaning sessions often spiralled outta control. I've started using froglube and now give them a field strip and wipe down after every trip. Detail strip and clean every few trips or if accuracy or function are affected.
 
I don't have OCD so my semi-autos get a full cleaning every couple hundred rounds or so, when I start to get failures, or when I get bored waiting for my shooting buddies to show up at the range. Revolvers are a bit of a different story, especially when shooting cast/unjacketed rounds, just because carbon gets everywhere. I'll go over them every second or third range session or every two hundred rounds. You can ignore the buildup of carbon on a 'black' semi-auto handgun a lot easier than on a stainless revolver.
 
'Long time ago I had the opportunity to try some WEAPONSHIELD - since then I swear by it.

I use M-Pro 7 as the cleaner, and Weaponshield as lubricant - the combination is absolutely unbelievable. My barrels shine like chrome afterwards ....

'Something about the M-Pro 7 surrounding any fouling with a negative charge, and the Weaponshield (a creeping oil) penetrates (conditions) the metal preventing the carbon / copper / lead from adhering.

Regardless, after a few applications of these products - carbon, copper, and all the rest of the fouling virtually wipe off!

Abby
 
I clean up after every outing...I even run a pipe cleaner down the gas tube on my AR, which is total overkill but force of habit, and I put it off last week and went away for the long weekend. I was completely OCD about it until I got home this morning and did it... I feel much better now... 1 2 3 4... 1 2 3 4
 
I clean after every range trip. I don't think firearms necessarily have to be cleaned that much, but it's a pretty deeply ingrained habit at this point.

My usual M.O is to field strip whatever I used, do a quick wipe down, couple pull throughs, and then oil it up and reassemble it to chill in the safe. A day or two later I'll take them out to do a more detailed cleaning while watching cheesy action movies on Netflix.
 
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