How often do you clean your guns?

[Alexx1401]

Somebody please tell me why…lol! No really! Should I get this stuff for my pistol? I have seen that specific brand mentioned several times. Must be tried and true. And maybe luxurious?

I have all my life loved the smell of the old Hoppies #9. I bought some Ballistol when I got a couple PCP air guns due to many places suggesting it for them.

 

[Jade Terfin]

I have all my life loved the smell of the old Hoppies #9. I bought some Ballistol when I got a couple PCP air guns due to many places suggesting it for them.

Noted. Thank you. I just looked that up. I'll see what they have available at the gun store on Saturday.

 

[Mikej]

`As far as cleaning even if it hasn't been fired. I'm liberal enough with lube that if the gun, say AR15, hadn't been shot for a year it will be fine.` Wot Mikej said, my higher end bolt rifles I will pull them out every 4 months or so and run some Ballistol over them and run a couple of lubed patches in them Bring on hunting season im getting the shakes already..

Only thing I'd call high-end, for me anyway, are old. Two 100+ YO Swede Mausers and two MI Garands. I make a point to clean the barrels when I get home, or next day. Can't run more than 40 rounds at a sitting, if that, in .30-06. The "workings" of the M-Is would be cleaned every 100 probably. The Swedes get the barrels cleaned soon after shooting. Generally 20-40 rounds.

Somebody please tell me why…lol! No really! Should I get this stuff for my pistol? I have seen that specific brand mentioned several times. Must be tried and true. And maybe luxurious?

I had to get some Balistol, just because of what every one was saying. I have no sense of smell, so can't say about that. But it must have magical powers, and if you have it in the cleaning/preserving substances stable, it will eventually speak to you, I think?

what I got...

Amazon.com

 

[nammac]

I have all my life loved the smell of the old Hoppies #9. I bought some Ballistol when I got a couple PCP air guns due to many places suggesting it for them.

Ole Hoppies #9 should be a men's aftershave/cologne…

 

[PNDub]

I'll clean my AR for fun.

I'll let you know when I finally get around to cleaning my AKs...

Boyoboy do many of us know what you mean.

 

[hongkong2]

No Page no!

 

[awesomezebra]

I take my guns apart and clean them for fun so probably too often

 

[Flopsweat]

Noted. Thank you. I just looked that up. I'll see what they have available at the gun store on Saturday.

Any CLP with work for most applications. Old guys love Ballistol because it reminds them of their dad. On slow moving parts, I use AeroShell Grease 6. A little tube of it came with my first Geissele trigger, and when I tried it on other triggers (the sear face) it made a noticeable difference. It made a huge difference on my Garand, which still has a stock trigger. As it's an Aviation lubricant, the smallest quantity that you can buy is a 14 oz tube made for a grease gun. I've been giving away little bottles of it for years and I still have almost half a tube. Everyone is going to have their favorites, and frankly almost anything you see recommended in this thread will probably work fine for you. Motor oil works fine by the way and is probably by far the cheapest.

 

[Jade Terfin]

Thanks for all your input everybody. I'll see what they have at the store on Saturday. And I will also ask if they think I should clean it before even shooting it. I guess it makes sense that it would have some gunk from the factory in there. I never really thought about cleaning something that's brand new. I do know that people often wash their brand new clothes and I never used to understand that, but it does make sense because you don't know who's touched it or tried it on in that example. They could have been really gross…lol. So I'll see what they say!

 

[Flopsweat]

Thanks for all your input everybody. I'll see what they have at the store on Saturday. And I will also ask if they think I should clean it before even shooting it. I guess it makes sense that it would have some gunk from the factory in there. I never really thought about cleaning something that's brand new. I do know that people often wash their brand new clothes and I never used to understand that, but it does make sense because you don't know who's touched it or tried it on in that example. They could have been really gross…lol. So I'll see what they say!

I once cleaned the barrel on a brand-new rifle and a couple of long strings of metal shaving came out with the brush. If I'd have fired that gun before cleaning it, it would not have gone well.

 

[bad pony]

Boyoboy do many of us know what you mean.

View attachment 1940290

I know for a fact one of my 4 AKs is like this. My AK102 has been shot 99% of the it's life suppressed and I have yet to clean it after 2k+ rounds

The WASR will be the cleanest, even though it's my oldest, and that's only because it's at a Kalashsmith getting chopped lol

My KR103 is too new and only has 600 rounds thru it, my AKV has even less

 

[Capn Jack]

When I can no longer stand the sound of whimpering coming from the safe.

 

[dangerranger60]

Thanks for all your input everybody. I'll see what they have at the store on Saturday. And I will also ask if they think I should clean it before even shooting it. I guess it makes sense that it would have some gunk from the factory in there. I never really thought about cleaning something that's brand new. I do know that people often wash their brand new clothes and I never used to understand that, but it does make sense because you don't know who's touched it or tried it on in that example. They could have been really gross…lol. So I'll see what they say!

I always clean the preservative off the gun before shooting. the preservative is not a lube. it's a rust preventive. it is tacky not slick like an oil or grease. it needs to be removed first, and the gun lubed. DR

 

[TTSX]

Ole Hoppies #9 should be a men's aftershave/cologne…

I admittedly don't understand the appeal. Probably because I wasn't raised in gun culture so I don't have any associated nostalgia from Dad/grandad...

 

[TTSX]

I always clean the preservative off the gun before shooting. the preservative is not a lube. it's a rust preventive. it is tacky not slick like an oil or grease. it needs to be removed first, and the gun lubed. DR

More than once I've hit the range straight from the gun store to shoot a new pistol in "as is" condition and never had a problem. Maybe I don't buy preservative worthy guns

 

[Flopsweat]

More than once I've hit the range straight from the gun store to shoot a new pistol in "as is" condition and never had a problem. Maybe I don't buy preservative worthy guns

Airsoft doesn't count.

 

[nammac]

I admittedly don't understand the appeal. Probably because I wasn't raised in gun culture so I don't have any associated nostalgia from Dad/grandad...

Dad and grandad weren't gun owners. I'm the oddity in my family. There's just something about that scent that does it for me. Might be purely memories of great times outdoors with friends shooting when I was new to it. But it's most likely some sort or primeval trigger that sets my OCD off…

 

[CountryGent]

My only comment on Ballistol is that I wish it came as an aftershave...that is all.

Hmmm now that you mention it.

Somebody please tell me why…lol! No really! Should I get this stuff for my pistol? I have seen that specific brand mentioned several times. Must be tried and true. And maybe luxurious?

Well, there is no magic solution, but I've found the stuff really works well. I use it on firearms, a myriad of tools, fishing equipment, et al., and no complaints.

 

[oremike]

More than once I've hit the range straight from the gun store to shoot a new pistol in "as is" condition and never had a problem. Maybe I don't buy preservative worthy guns

I've gone to pick up a gun with a box or two of my ammo in my truck for that gun just so I could exactly that. I still clean it when I get home though.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Well...
I'm a Hoppe's #9 man myself...unless I can get to my mixture of bear grease and deer tallow...
That works wonders for lots of things.
Andy