How Often do you Clean your Firearms?

[jmohme]

Probably not often enough, but thank you for the reminder!

Actually, I clean them after ever range trip. Where I need reminders are to take out the seldom used firearms for rust prevention. So off to the gun room I go!

[Ramjet38]

Clean after firing.  May not need to, but I enjoy doing it and I get to smell hopps's 9

[Talon]

Many 1000 round glock torture tests have been run over the years so I tend to clean mine before the 500 mark.

Dedicated carry guns and seldom used are once or twice a year.

 

I recently converted to Ballistol for gun cleaning and really like it.

[Slow Burn]

Many 1000 round glock torture tests have been run over the years so I tend to clean mine before the 500 mark.
Dedicated carry guns and seldom used are once or twice a year.
 
I recently converted to Ballistol for gun cleaning and really like it.

I’m too OCD for that but since using Ballistol I’ve noticed the guns don’t get as dirty for some reason, so I’m ok leaving them for at least a couple range sessions between cleanings.

[Someday]

My .22's I tend to clean more often for the simple fact that .22 is dirty. As far as the others go, I only put a couple hundred rounds through them when I go to the range, so I'll wait a while between cleanings. If its the end of the season (when I have to head back to work after vacation), then I'll do a better cleaning since I know I won't be shooting for a while. Having said that, everything at least gets wiped down before it goes back into the safe. If I carried every day (no CCW in Cali, so just when I'm out of state), then I would probably clean my EDC after every range session.

[DWARREN123]

I clean my carry pistol after each use the others, well when I get a round to it!

[Paper Tiger]

I have a WASR that I have never cleaned ( as an experiment) but generally speaking I clean my firearms after shooting them.  I have 2 pistols and one rifle that I shoot regularly and thus clean regularly after each use but the other firearms that I own, I will wipe them down and lube them each year. 

[Timmay]

Rifles and shotguns I clean every time they're shot. Pistols every once in awhile.

[G26S239]

After every range trip. Every few months for guns that have been in the safe for a while.

[fortyofforty]

I am spoiled like hell by GLOCKs and ARs.

My GLOCKs are virtually rust-proof.  I don't need to oil the inside of the barrel, although sometimes I give it a final, light coating of Hoppe's #9.  Probably no good reason to do so.  After cleaning, I can spray Polymer Safe Degreaser on the entire pistol, let it dry, then apply oil in the recommended spots, reassemble, and reholster.  Good to go.

As for ARs, I have found several Direct Gas Impingement carbines to run reliably with no cleaning, even after hundreds of rounds.  I've seen it, but don't recommend it and don't do it with mine.  Mine DGIs get a cleaning and lubrication after a few hundred rounds, or when I think about it.  My piston ARs can run a lot longer without routine maintenance, as the chamber gets almost no carbon or even brass shavings.

We are truly in a remarkable period for reliable, forgiving firearms.

[willieH]

Cleaning, oil/lube and maintenance are part of shooting. Cleaning after each use doesn't take long and I don't see the downside of keeping your equipment in optimal condition.

[Bucky]

Guns that I rely on for protection, used to always get cleaned after each use. That got to be a lot, so I changed that to every other use, or 400 rounds.

Game guns get 1000s of rounds between cleanings, but are oiled prior to each match or range session.

Glad to see a depends on the gun option on the poll.

[t975don]

On 7/6/2018 at 6:16 AM, fortyofforty said:

Do you clean them every time you shoot them?  Do you clean them when you get around to it?  Do you just shoot them and never worry about it?

There is a theory that says it's better to clean after a lot of shooting, but then fire at least a few rounds again, to verify everything is working properly.  There might be some validity to that idea.

What say you?

 

I shoot 5 or 6 hundred rounds when at the range so to clean it each time I return seems correct.  I guess if I only shot a magazine and got called away I'd wait to clean it until another day.

 

[Glocks4Freedom]

Aim to clean after each range session, but sometimes life gets in the way and I skip a session. Or two.

[Oneshotonepill]

I usually notice how "dirty" the guns are when there are chores around the house that need to be done. 

"Honey, clean guns are a matter of life and death.  The lawn can go a couple more weeks."

"Honey, what do you mean the garage is messy? I know where everything is.  If these guns don't get cleaned i'm gonna have to buy a new one."

 

[Sgt. Schultz]

I clean my carry pistol after each use and the others every two or three trips to the range.

[Mr. Black]

This one got kind of dirty.     Three practice sessions and two competitions.       Just kept her wet and she keeps on running.       

All cleaned up slicker than snot today.  

 

 

[Wishoot]

I'm not anal about much, but firearm maintenance is huge.  I clean after every range trip.  

My Marine buddy cleans his right there at the range after our shooting sessions.  I wait until I'm home.  

[Smokey45]

Depends on the firearm, what it's used for, and rounds fired since last cleaning. 

s45

[geeorge]

I clean them after ever time I think about shooting them, just in case

[fortyofforty]

I used to clean them every time I shot them.  However, with GLOCKs being found in my holsters most days, I don't clean them if I've only shot fifty or a hundred rounds or so.  In fact, there is some comfort in knowing that they functioned perfectly the last time I pulled the trigger, since the last time they were broken down for cleaning.

[james bay area]

I clean mine after every time i shoot (semi auto...) my revolver a little less, like after 3 range trips, just so it wont get too dirty... the semi auto im more worried about dirt and grime caking up or attracting more dirt/dust/contams so im more critical of the cleaning..

i would rather take time to keep em clean and reliable then to have any type of potential fail due to lack of maintenance..

i love my life and want to take care of the tools that keep me and my family safe

[Appalachained]

My EDC and guns that I don’t shoot that often I clean after every shooting. Gaming guns and range guns that I shoot frequently I only clean every couple of months.

[Bucky]

45 minutes ago, Appalachained said:

My EDC and guns that I don’t shoot that often I clean after every shooting. Gaming guns and range guns that I shoot frequently I only clean every couple of months.

This is pretty much the model that I follow, though couple months may be more like several months.

[Borg warner]

On ‎7‎/‎6‎/‎2018 at 2:17 PM, Leigh1964 said:

After 40+ years, l still rely on copper/bronze bore brushes; they are softer than stainless or carbon steel barrels and after 500 rounds of range ammo in a single session, plastic bore brushes require more elbow grease.

As for people "over-cleaning" a firearm?  It only hurts if they are doing it incorrectly.........

Used bore bruhes make the absolute best patch holder known to man. I even recommend buyina a new one to sue as a patch holder for anyone who wants to try it. they only cost about a buck an da half.

I was taught at an early age to never let the sun set on a dirty gun. I actually enjoy both shooting cleaning my guns and ensuring that they are in good working order.