Clean After Every Shoot?

[freestoneangler]

I've been doing a complete clean up after every shoot. Dis-assembly, Hoppe's #9 with toothbrush to remove residual, Bore-snakes through barrels and wheels. This followed by a light wiping with Break Free CLP has been my routine.

I'd like to hear from others how frequently you clean... am I over doing it?

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[RetiredLEO]

Probably not NECESSARY but certainly what I do. If you have a weapon that is "borderline" regarding reliability (parts worn, not fitted to perfect tolerances, etc.) the difference between a weapon that is clean and properly lubed and one that is dirty or dry is a smoothly running firearm versus a malfunction. It's a matter of how important 100% reliability is to you. I clean every time for those reasons. Also: because clean and lubed extends the weapon' life, because I enjoy doing it, because I know the day could come when someone's life could depend on my weapon, because I like knowing that my weapon is ready and waiting when/if I NEED it, and because I love the smell of Hoppe's in the morning (fortunately my wife does too!)
Semper Fi

 

[rick benjamin]

You are more fastidious than some...
Marines in my time cleaned their weapons three consecutive days after range time.
Allows 24 hours for bore cleaner to do it's chemistry on fouling.

Now that I'm a sloppy old man, I clean the bore with brush then patch with Hoppe's #9
Leave standing wet with Hoppe"s muzzle down on a rag for a day or so, repeat two more times.
The bore patch comes out scummy green at first, which is the emulsified copper jacket.
Do this enough times, your bore is clean as a whistle.
Why muzzle down on a rag? So scummy green doesn't ooze into the bolt, trigger group.

 

[Don H]

No way, too much work! I clean when the gun looks dirty. Otherwise I shoot the crap out of it!!

 

[RetiredLEO]

No way, too much work! I clean when the gun looks dirty. Otherwise I shoot the crap out of it!!

Like everything else in life what you get out of it is based on what you put into it.

 

[Don H]

Like everything else in life what you get out of it is based on what you put into it.

I must have forgot to put the smiley face.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

I clean my
Carry firearms every time I take them out to shoot. As what RetiredLEO said, it about how reliable you require your firearm to be.

Extra carbon build up on tight tolerance firearms "can" cause issues over time.

I also clean my firearms after using steel cased ammo just in case any flakes of steel or micro bits of steel stick to the inside of the chamber or barrel and start to rust, while Ive never seen it happen to a barrel or chamber, I dont want to lose a barrel due to it.
Ive seen what small bare steel dust and flakes have done over time if left out with various moisute levels, they become rust after a while and dig into the metal they rest on.

Ive been reading more on cleaning the chamber and fcg and other parts as usual but never cleaning the barrel for improved accuracy? (M1As)

 

[xlsbob]

I have a fairly wide array of guns and none of mine require cleaning every time they are fired to function. I don't shoot corrosive ammo and the guns live in a safe with a goldenrod to keep them happy. Outsides get wiped down every time and the bores get cleaned when I think they need it. It's not for everybody but my system has worked fine a lot of years for me.

 

[KalamaMark]

I wash my work van every evening when I come home, polish the chrome, and hang a new tree from the mirror, before I eat dinner.

I get out of life what I put into it.

I clean and lube my firearms as needed. Some folks really enjoy cleaning stuff. I don't.

Critical firearms, such as carry pieces, get dutiful attention, but may not get cleaned each and every time they are fired. It's not a 'trip' or an 'event' or a 'range day' for me to go shoot... It's a nearly daily occurrence with one firearm or the other, hence the vehicle analogy.

 

[erudne]

I clean it's bore, then run my glock through the dishwasher w/ the dishes, I have done the same with stainless S&Ws

 

[jluck]

Bore and action are independent in this conversation. Pistol or rifle also changes regiment. Don't scrub a perfectly accurate rifle barrel until groups open up. Pistol and asset protection firearms are cleaned more often when Itty bitty groups are not paramount.

 

[etrain16]

I used to clean every time I shot, but came to realize over time and by talking to older hands than me, that it isn't necessary in most cases. Now shooting corrosive ammo in an old gun, that's a must do. But I do keep my guns generally fairly clean. If I don't clean after one trip to the range, I'll likely clean after the second trip. As for my carry gun, it pretty much gets cleaned after each trip (save for a time I wanted to test it really dirty over time - got to over 500 rounds without cleaning, not a single hiccup). I even clean that one periodically if I haven't been shooting it - it has a tendency to get some fuzz/lint inside of it, and I don't like that to build up.

 

[RetiredLEO]

It appears that the message is: whatever works for you, and whatever you are comfortable with.
For me when my weapon is clean, it's happy...kind of like how I feel after showering in the evening before climbing into bed...it just feels better. We all have a different take on the original question, pick the reply that suits your needs best and good luck. Part of the fun!

 

[oknow]

Don't know how to clean one so when it gets dirty I just buy another one.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I shoot mostly traditional and original muzzleloaders , so yes I clean after every shoot.
When I shoot my modern guns I also clean after every shoot.
Cleaning my guns and gear is just another part of shooting for me.
Andy

 

[etrain16]

I should also mention that I always clean my guns before I sell them, which now, sadly, is something I won't be doing much of anymore What always surprised me was how dirty some of the guns were that I bought used. I always figured if you're selling something, a gun, a car, a boat, etc., you would want to clean it up before the buyers look at it.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I hear ya etrain 16 .
It always amazes me when I look at a used gun for sale at a show and see old built up fouling and other crud.
I understand about minor fouling from coming and going , or the like.
But some bores I have seen look like 5 miles of bad road.
I always clean my gun before a sale or trade . If nothing else it just makes it look better than someone else's at the show.
Andy

 

[freestoneangler]

Great input all. I am a fuss about cleaning my fly rods and reels, particularly after saltwater use and this just carried forward into my guns.

I use a toothbrush to wet down the wire brushes on the Bore-Snake with Hoppe's #9 and run that down the barrel and wheel chambers a 1/2 dozen times. I follow this up with a swab wetted with Break Free CLP... is that a good recipe regardless of frequency?

 

[jluck]

Great input all. I am a fuss about cleaning my fly rods and reels, particularly after saltwater use and this just carried forward into my guns.

I use a toothbrush to wet down the wire brushes on the Bore-Snake with Hoppe's #9 and run that down the barrel and wheel chambers a 1/2 dozen times. I follow this up with a swab wetted with Break Free CLP... is that a good recipe regardless of frequency?

Not for hunting rifles.

 

[RetiredLEO]

Great input all. I am a fuss about cleaning my fly rods and reels, particularly after saltwater use and this just carried forward into my guns.

I use a toothbrush to wet down the wire brushes on the Bore-Snake with Hoppe's #9 and run that down the barrel and wheel chambers a 1/2 dozen times. I follow this up with a swab wetted with Break Free CLP... is that a good recipe regardless of frequency?

If it satisfies you and it gets your weapon clean it certainly is. My comments related primarily to the semi-auto handguns I shoot...less important if you are shooting a revolver or rifle (except for the bores).
Great question...it stimulated thought and response as well as (hopefully) being a bit educational.
Semper Fi