Lots of us EDC one way or another. Because I don't like shirt tails hanging out with long sleeve shirts, don't always have a jacket on, I pocket carry more often than not my Sig P938, a 9mm mini 1911, using a nice leather pocket holster. Even in the summer, when I live in T shirts with tails out, I still pocket carry because with my belly, the weight of the gun + the push of the belly tends to pull a belt holster down far enough to show the tip of the holster below the shirt, even with the hard leather 1-1/2" belts I wear.

I normally get to shoot about every other week, and always clean the gun(s) used within a day of use. Between weather and other distractions, I haven't been to a range in about two months now, so my EDC has been steadily in my pocket without a cleaning for that time.

I settled down to freshen it up today.
Holy cow! It looked like the lint trap on our clothes dryer, even down in the action, inside the holster, the full length of the inside of the barrel, and 4 or 5 cartridges deep into the magazine!

Lesson learned. Clean every two weeks, shot or not.

I have to believe that at some point, that lint buildup could cause a malfunction when the gun is needed.

And I'm going to look into suspenders to keep my pants up to where a belt holster doesn't hang out.

Attached Images

	cruddy P938 after 6 wks pocket carry IMG_0535.jpg (69.0 KB, 421 views)
	grody P938 after 6 wks pocket carry IMG_0542 (2).jpg (68.2 KB, 408 views)
	delinted P938 IMG_0548.jpg (77.3 KB, 383 views)
	delinted P938 & pocket holster IMG_0550.jpg (110.1 KB, 347 views)

Who the heck carries a Chia Pet for a firearm?

I know what you mean. I had been pocket carrying my Glock 43 all winter and when I went to lay it on the desk I noticed that it was a mess with lint everywhere. Had to totally disassemble the gun to get it clean

It's deep concealment.

I try to wipe down my 642 periodically in between cleanings because I carry it in an ankle holster, so it can collect a noticeable amount of crud.

I carry my semi-autos IWB, but I still try to check them every couple of weeks both for lint/dust and proper lubrication. Over time, I've found I can go about a month without having to clean/lube my carry semi-autos, and my HD guns can go about twice that. YMMV.

FYI, I like Perry Suspenders.

The Bodyguard .380 I carry in an ankle holster gets pretty fuzzy.

__________________
SWCA #2817

Keeping your EDC clean is the mark of a professional. You’d be surprised how many bad guys have a FTF’s due to poorly maintained firearms. (During my LE career I cleaned and oiled my service revolver/pistol a minimum of once a week, sometimes more often during inclement weather.)

Turn your pocket inside out and knock the **** off em or use a lint roller EVERY TIME that will help.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED? I USED NO TYPE OF FOUL LANGUAGE, YET ENDED UP WITH ASTERISK. ARE WE BEING CENSORED BY S&W OR IS THIS NORMAL AND I'M JUST STUPID?

The computer running the show doesn't allow words like *** or **** and ***** as well as *******. So if you use any of those words, your post will be corrected with a **** or a *******, and quite possibly a ********.

__________________
John

No need to yell! You were censored, but not by S&W (see the bottom of any page). This forum is privately owned and not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation.

Our software has a language filter that blocks certain words and replaces them with asterisks. The word you used that rhymes with “rap” is blocked.

We typically don’t issue dings when the system blocks a word. We do issue them when someone gets creative and to avoid the filter.

Click and read this link: Creative Spelling Explained

__________________
"I also cook."

IWB will cause the same result. Clean my Shield every week or ten days whether I go to the range or not. That said, there are any number of torture tests on You Tube where guys abuse firearms, Glocks in particular. Immersing them in mud, dragging them behind trucks, burying in snow overnight, and so on, showing how the gun functions even after severe abuse. While anything's possible, (and depending on the gun in question), after watching these vids, I doubt a little lint will cause a malfunction.

I carry my 642 AIWB and also notice lint, so I've gotten into the habit of unloading it, checking the ammo, cleaning/wipe down if necessary and dry firing it before I re-load and re-holster.

My EDC is a Seecamp. When I put it away every day, I blow it clean. I've found that really helps to keep from lint building up.

__________________
John

^^^ This.... cleaned my duty weapon once a week.. I worked in a marine environment so cleaning and inspection was paramount.. I'm retired now and still do it but not quite as much, every other week. We rotated ammo once a year now I do it every other year..

I have noted a lot of what you say and I pocket carry most times in good areas, good times. That is why I carry a small revolver in a pocket holster not a SA.

Going out of my comfort area I then switch to a belt carried XDs 45.

__________________
14 S&W Revs none with locks!

Ameridaddy,

I notice that no one has brought up one issue - do you run your Sig "wet"?

Oil really provides a great surface preparation to allow gunk to adhere to your gun. What type of lubricant do you use? How Much?

By comparison, revolver and plastic fantastics like the G guns require very little lubrication; yes they need some, but too much (no pun intended) is a magnet for trouble.

__________________
Tony

You're right. Pockets are dirty, not only with lint but other abrasive crud as well. I carry and run it fairly dry for that reason.
With the gun field stripped, I can see 4 little spots on the slide rails where the black coating is worn - they get a dab of grease with a toothpick. I have a needle oiler, and the firing pin contact with it's bore, the firing pin block plunger, and the hammer, safety and extractor pivots get a drop of oil from the needle each. The barrel shows four little wear marks from recoil in and out of battery - each of those gets the toothpick grease.
The rest of the gun gets scrubbed with brushes and bore swabs, wiped down with Hoppes and then a degreaser, and that's it.

FWIW, there's no oil in the magazine, yet there was lint in all the cartridge extractor grooves down to the fifth round.

Wintering in Florida I check my carry guns daily. A quick wipe down with Ballistol usually takes care of everything. Detailed cleaning as needed.

__________________
Two Handguns every day

My EDC, a model 60, is pocket carry or OWB with particular shirts. I check it, blow it out with canned air and wipe it down every Sunday night with a piece of sheep lightly sprayed with Ballistol. It gets cleaned the first Sunday of the month. The ammo in the cylinders is the first I fire at the range.

This is probably huge overkill but it has become a decades old habit. I was laid up from March to July 2020 following surgery, no weight bearing, bed to wheelchair to bed with detours for toilet sitting and a bench in the shower. I continued the habit, even looked forward to it as a change to the daily routine.

As is hopefully the case with everyone here the absolute worst would be a need come up to use the revolver defensively.

Don

__________________
U.S. Coast Guard, retired CPO

It's worthwhile to shoot the gun, if you have an opportunity, before the regular cleaning. Kind of handy to know if it's going to cycle properly with 1 or 2 weeks' worth of lint.

I've done this with my P10C and will do the same with the Shield and the M&P Compact when they are ready for their regular cleaning.

THIS. ^^^ Clean those pockets.

__________________
SWCA #3356, SWHF#611

Pulled the trigger on my edc at the range and the link/deodorant cloud is substantial. Still goes bang though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Picked up my latest purchase last week: a Chiefs Special Airweight 3" that looks like new, with diamond grips and flat latch.

Tried, as I always do, to remove the latch, and it was bound up with a knot of lint so I took it outside and sprayed it with my usual cleaner.

After a few-hour drip dry the latch screw came right out, along with a huge wad of lint. Yuk. Never seen that before.

No EDC, semi-auto or revolver is immune. Great post -- keep 'em clean.

__________________
Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

One of the reasons I love Eezox so much is, that it completely dries to the touch. Even on the can it tells you that if it is not totally dry in a couple of hours you've applied too much and to wipe it down again.

For inside, I do like Ameridaddy with the toothpick for grease and a needle applicator for a drop of oil. Amazing just how little lubricant is actually needed.

Rob

__________________
Strange days have found us

a year ago, was shooting at an outdoor range with some buddies, one offered me hjis carry small pistol, can't recall which semi it was. It wouldn't function, as it had too much pocket lint mucking it up. He was surprised, and made plans to clean it more often. I don'a pocket carry any handguns. NV

I also use a needle applicator. It's a great way to apply a controlled amount of lube. I use Lubriplate oil and ordered a needle applicator off Amazon. Works great.

I use Mil-I- tech. It dries to the touch and is completely functional

Regards, Porkie

__________________
Least expected, you’re elected

I pocket carry my bodyguard 380. I clean it more than I shoot it.

Having Pocket Carried for years now, I learned the hard way just how quickly lint can accumulate in all the nooks and crannies of a firearm with a blast of lint to the face while firing my carry gun at the range.

That being said, I'm unsure whether lint could ever offer enough resistance to cause a malfunction, or at least not one which could render the firearm inoperable beyond a quick remedial action such as the old tap & rack. Furthermore, I suspect that even if lint could cause a malfunction, then it would need to be caked on to the point that the firearm was not being adequately cleaned/maintained on a regular schedule, otherwise any small deposits of lint would simply be blown out of the firearm at the first pull of the trigger.

__________________
Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

I’ve pocket carried a 340PD or LCP for years and made it a habit to clean both every month regardless if they’ve been shot or not. For whatever reason lint has never been much of a problem.

__________________
Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Compressed air every couple days, may be your best friend

__________________
Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

Don't neglect your pocket knives, either. I've gotten lazy with that before, and actually had enough lint build up in my Delicas that it kept the blade from locking open. I now check the folding knives I carry regularly to make sure they lock up and I'll use either canned air or a Q-tip to clean it out.