Cleaning after shooting...how soon is it required?

[raindog]

I generally clean my guns the same day I shoot them. But there are times when due to busy life, etc. it slips to the next day or even the day after.

I'm wondering if this delay is doing harm to the firearm?

I'm particularly referring to pistols and rifles.

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[mjbskwim]

It's up to you. Some do it when they get home,I do in when I get around to it.
If the guns are kept dry,there shouldn't be any harm for a couple day,even a week. But if you are worried about it,at least spray 'em down.
Then there won't be any trouble at all

You didn't mention shotguns,but they should be cleaned as soon as possible after a wet trip duck hunting.

 

[revjen45]

If you are using non-corrosive ammo don't worry about it. For a .22 unless you are planning to store it and not shoot it for a while cleaning makes more wear than shooting. For corrosive ammo I run a couple of Windex patches thru the bore at the range and finish when I get home.

If the bore looks like a zucchini that has been in the fridge long enough to look like a fuzzy cylinder you should have cleaned it a while ago. Hope this helps.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

I'll clean them when I get to them (soon), but I wipe finger prints off with a very lightly oiled cloth when I get home.

 

[Tim K]

I clean the 1911 I compete with (Les Baer) right before a match. That translates to about every 2,000 rounds. Sometimes that's two weeks, other times, like right now, it's in excess of a year. I lube it every time I shoot, and it has never once malfunctioned.

Way back I recall a study where it was determined that the obsessive cleaning of guns by the military was leading to premature failure.

Now, my carry gun is a different story. That gets cleaned before I put it back on. In light of my experience, it's probably unnecessary, but it gives me peace of mind that it will be reliable if I need it.

 

[Nwcid]

Depends on the gun and your weather. I have some that HAVE to be cleaned right away like black powder, corrosive ammo and my target rifles (barrels at least). Then I have things like .22 that get cleaned when they start having failures or running sluggish.

in the wet costal climates it is more critical to keep guns cleaner as oils from your body/hands can really react quickly with the higher salt in the water.

 

[mjbskwim]

That's it! I joke about not cleaning my glocks,but I'm going to stop for sure now.

 

[Medic!]

Wait wait, You clean them?

 

[Vendor Hidden]

A friend of the family died and I was asked to liquidate his firearms. Due to a degenerative disease he hadn't been able to properly take care of his guns for quite some time. The shotgun barrel was the only lost cause. Everything else cleaned up just like I had shot them that day.

I clean them when I feel like some alone time in the garage.

 

[DeanfromOregon]

I clean them when I feel like some alone time in the garage.

Me too.

 

[PDXSparky]

I clean them when I feel like some alone time in the garage.

That's how I roll too.