How do you do it? Do you soak them in a parts cleaner, or take them apart, and do by hand.
What is your preferred method?
What is your preferred method?
Cleaning Your Mags
- Thread starter Narragansett
- Start date
Take apart and clean with gun cleaner, brush the insides and spring
Argee
Member
I take mine apart and run a cloth (old t-shirt) dampened with Hoppes thru them to remove any dust accumulation. I then wipe them dry with a clean cloth and reassemble. That's all ther is to it.
I never have dirty magazines.
There's the internet for that.
There's the internet for that.
I leave them alone unless I’ve dropped one in the sand at the range. That’s happened twice. Then I disassembled and rinsed them in basin of water, dried the parts in the sun then reassembled them and wiped the reassembled magazines with a soft cloth that had a few drops of oil on it. Never had a problem with dirty magazines.
OP
I was looking for a lazy man's way
gwpercle
Member
If they come apart easily ... Take apart and clean .
If they are hard to get apart ...
Leave them together ... Spray cleaner / Soaking in mineral spirits , spray Lube .
If things are working ... I don't like to take them apart ... unless I have too !
Gary
If they are hard to get apart ...
Leave them together ... Spray cleaner / Soaking in mineral spirits , spray Lube .
If things are working ... I don't like to take them apart ... unless I have too !
Gary
I just wipe them down with a dry rag, and blow them out with compressed air. .22 mags will get some lube buildup, mineral spirits and compressed air for them.
kev74
Member
I take mine apart once in a while, clean all the parts in mineral spirits, and then I will very lightly oil.
Easy way would be a trip through an ultrasonic cleaner.
Easy way would be a trip through an ultrasonic cleaner.
Argee
Member
You can't get any lazier than that! I guess you could clean them of lint, etc. with compressed air. What I like about cleaning with a Hoppes dampened cloth is that it cleans well and aids in inhibiting rust in metal mags. A small investment of time that gives one some assurance that the magazine will operate smoothly when called upon to saves ones bacon.
mckenney99
Member
I drop them into my 50 Cal can of 50/50 mix Kerosene/gasoline to soak while I do other cleaning.
I remove them, disassemble and scrub out the interiors using the Kleaenbore magazine brushes that fit.
I scrub down the followers with an old toothbrush, wipe down the springs and baseplates. Spray all parts down with GunScrubber or dip into a paint can full of TCE to remove the 50/50 solution and crud.
I reintall the follower & spring and just before compressing the spring and installing the baseplates, I spray the interior down with Hornady One Shot Cleaner/Dry Lube.
I have done this for over 30+ years and it works for me.
It takes longer to type this out, than to actually do it once I get everything arranged.
I remove them, disassemble and scrub out the interiors using the Kleaenbore magazine brushes that fit.
I scrub down the followers with an old toothbrush, wipe down the springs and baseplates. Spray all parts down with GunScrubber or dip into a paint can full of TCE to remove the 50/50 solution and crud.
I reintall the follower & spring and just before compressing the spring and installing the baseplates, I spray the interior down with Hornady One Shot Cleaner/Dry Lube.
I have done this for over 30+ years and it works for me.
It takes longer to type this out, than to actually do it once I get everything arranged.
In spite of having run several thousands of rounds through my Glock mags I've never actually cleaned them to date and have had no problems .
After reading this post perhaps I will .
My Ruger MK II/III and IV magazines tend to get dirty as .22 rimfire tends to produce more fouling than a typical centerfire ...plus they get used quite a bit more.
To clean I place them in a container of thinner for a day or two and simply blow them out with a blow gun and compressed air . I typically do this once or twice a year and this method has worked well for me.
My 1911 and Sig P210 mags have never been cleaned either ....other than a general wipe down after use .
After reading this post perhaps I will .
My Ruger MK II/III and IV magazines tend to get dirty as .22 rimfire tends to produce more fouling than a typical centerfire ...plus they get used quite a bit more.
To clean I place them in a container of thinner for a day or two and simply blow them out with a blow gun and compressed air . I typically do this once or twice a year and this method has worked well for me.
My 1911 and Sig P210 mags have never been cleaned either ....other than a general wipe down after use .
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2021
- Messages
- 7,196
- Reaction score
- 13,809
Cheap wally world brake cleaner works well. Depress follower insert pin through hole to hold it down, hold upside down and spray brake cleaner up into mag washing it out. Do it Outside wearing rubber gloves.
Never cleaned one.
Only had issues with brand new Kimber mags, those went in the trash and were replaced by Wilson Combat mags.
Only had issues with brand new Kimber mags, those went in the trash and were replaced by Wilson Combat mags.
For a lazy man's way, step into my office!! Hook the air blower nozzle up and blast it with air, then blast it with quick drying circuit board cleaner. Then more air, and maybe a shot of Ballistol.
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2024
- Messages
- 705
- Reaction score
- 774
Take them apart and clean by hand
686 shooter
Member
I bought a set of Kleenbore mag brushes many years ago and still use them. https://www.kleenbore.com/mag-brushes. I used them on Glock mags and 1911 mags a lot when I was shooting competition. My Ruger .22 mags get the dirtiest and are the most aggravating to take apart and reassemble compared to the others. An ultrasonic cleaner helps a lot.
I rarely need to clean centerfire magazines, but 22LR mags get pretty gunked up. I'd rather disassemble a gunky mag and clean the parts instead of soaking the whole thing. It's easier to clean effectively and eliminate solvent from the dark recesses of the mag.
However . . . Woodsman magazines drive me nuts. They are real problem children. Getting the spring and associated parts compressed while engaging the floorplate takes at least three hands. I'm truly adept at launching the parts into orbit. Not long ago, I did this and spent quite a while with a big magnet retrieving the parts. I know I can reassemble the mags inside of a clear plastic bag so things don't get away from me. But, for some reason that usually occurs to me after the fact.
However . . . Woodsman magazines drive me nuts. They are real problem children. Getting the spring and associated parts compressed while engaging the floorplate takes at least three hands. I'm truly adept at launching the parts into orbit. Not long ago, I did this and spent quite a while with a big magnet retrieving the parts. I know I can reassemble the mags inside of a clear plastic bag so things don't get away from me. But, for some reason that usually occurs to me after the fact.
javbike
Member
I leave them alone after a range day I wipe them down with ballistol spray inside s little wipe down never had a problem
LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
Most handgun magazines are easily disassembled for cleaning. Typically a spring-loaded base plate that can be removed easily while capturing the spring and follower by hand and easing them out.
1911-type mags are usually produced with fixed base plate. Simply depress the follower about halfway down, insert a pin (paper clip works) through the witness holes to hold the spring under tension, allowing the follower to drop free, rotate the follower to slip it out the upper opening, then release the spring and remove.
Toothbrush, dab of solvent, bits of rag to wipe interior surfaces, check spring and follower for damage or corrosion, then reverse the process to reassemble.
For me this is part of my annual maintenance routine for semi-auto pistols. I can do one about as fast as I can enter this reply.
1911-type mags are usually produced with fixed base plate. Simply depress the follower about halfway down, insert a pin (paper clip works) through the witness holes to hold the spring under tension, allowing the follower to drop free, rotate the follower to slip it out the upper opening, then release the spring and remove.
Toothbrush, dab of solvent, bits of rag to wipe interior surfaces, check spring and follower for damage or corrosion, then reverse the process to reassemble.
For me this is part of my annual maintenance routine for semi-auto pistols. I can do one about as fast as I can enter this reply.
Since I no longer participate in "games" where I used to drop mags on the sand and dirt, I rarely find a reason to clean any mags other than an occasional .22 mag. I used to soak them in C&S's Dunk-It, and had a little wire rack to hold them vertically and drip and dry, leaving a little "oil" on their innards. I don't carry any more, so if I have any firearm malfunctions, I just bring it all home and do what is necessary at one of my gun benches.
Having once had a gasoline related garage fire, nearly killing me, I never, ever use any gasoline to clean anything. There are safer concoctions for that purpose.
Here, cleaning firearms at a two man Advisory Post deep in the Delta. They were over-run several weeks later, and the M60 saved their lives with one long 4000 round belt. Leaving them pretty deaf, though.
SF VET
Having once had a gasoline related garage fire, nearly killing me, I never, ever use any gasoline to clean anything. There are safer concoctions for that purpose.
Here, cleaning firearms at a two man Advisory Post deep in the Delta. They were over-run several weeks later, and the M60 saved their lives with one long 4000 round belt. Leaving them pretty deaf, though.
SF VET
stansdds
Member
The magazine is the heart of a magazine fed firearm, so I do clean mine after use. There is no real easy or lazy way to clean them, I take them apart, clean with powder solvent, then reassemble.
Gee I thought I was lazy?? How many mags do you have and how often do you think they need cleaning??
Just spray them out with polymer safe gun scrubber or put them in the dishwasher
.
eagle eyez
Member
Take apart clean with Balistol wipe dry, then apply a product called " White Lighting easy lube" it's a wax based bicycle chain lube non petroleum, I use it on metal and poly mag's, been using it for ten years with no ill effects. use sparingly because the wax will build up. Helps smoothing sticky mag's.
I get mine at Walmart in the bicycle department.
Attachments
sigp220.45
US Veteran
I never take apart mags. When I clean a gun I wipe ‘em down. Thats it.
MN Rifleman
Member
Take the base pads off and spring/follower out then run a mag brush through them. If really dirty, put some Good gun solvent on a rag and run through the tube. Reassemble. NEVER EVER any oil…..horrible mess the first time they’re dropped outside (I always shoot outside). I’ve shot ISPSA steadily for almost 20 years and this has always worked for me.
OP
I'm exhausted.
