Cleaning? How often?

[russp1]

How often do you clean the guns you don't fire regularly? With our small collection, the wife and I fire the snubbies and Sigma every other month and then the M22a one the alternate months. They all get cleaned after being fired. Is that often enough or should they be cleaned more, especially the snubbies since they are also our carry guns. The model 1905 only gets fired a couple of times a year and is also cleaned after firing, is that enough?

 

[Dragon88]

Sure, I think that's enough. Guns that are kept well can go far longer than that with no maintenance required. Typically if I notice that I haven't fired a gun in several months, I'll take it to the range for an excuse to clean it afterward. Shooting a gun is way more fun than cleaning a clean gun.

 

[Steve in Vermont]

I have several rifles and shotguns that I haven't shot in years. After a good cleaning and a light coating of Break Free I store them in Bore Stores, in a dry location. One pistol I had was kept like this for many years without additional cleaning.

 

[chief38]

My guns get cleaned right after they get shot. By keeping up with it, I never get any real build-up and they are a sinch to clean. Even if I only shoot a few dozen rounds, it still gets cleaned.

If my carry gun does not get shot, I'll still run a patch through it every once in a while just to get out the dust devils. I do try and practice with it as often as possible, but sometimes it does get dirty before I get to shoot it.

Guns that are in my safe for any length of time without being shot (6 - 8 months) get wiped down with an oil rag........just to be safe.

Chief38

 

[geneboy]

Over cleaning guns is a sign of mental instability People seem to take pleasure in cleaning there guns constantly. I clean very very Little and have been doing so for over 35 years, Guns look an shoot fine. If you know what your doing. You don't have to wast your time (unless your using corrosive primers) cleaning lightly soiled guns

 

[G.T. Smith]

Call me bat guano crazy

Over cleaning guns is a sign of mental instability People seem to take pleasure in cleaning there guns constantly. I clean very very Little and have been doing so for over 35 years, Guns look an shoot fine. If you know what your doing. You don't have to wast your time (unless your using corrosive primers) cleaning lightly soiled guns

Then I need to be committed now I don't over do it while cleaning, but I don't let them sit and corrode, or leave powder residue anywhere on the gun. If I have a gun that is stored for very long I at least wipe it down every now and then. Maybe I just miss seeing it and fondling such a fine piece of machinery. I carry a little 37 airweight around constantly. It gets wiped down in the evenings before it goes on the night stand. If it is shot I remove any powder or lead from the weapon. I have always done so and have never had a lick of trouble with my Smiths. No cracked or eroded forcing cones on the K frame .357's or cracks under the barrel of my Jframes either. I guess everybody is different. I don't remove the side plate unless the gun goes in the creek or something like that. Just a little lube now and then.
Peace,
GordXX

 

[chief38]

Not suggesting that anybody OVER CLEAN their guns. To spend 20 minutes or so cleaning a gun after it has been shot is good practice and not mental instability in my book. To run a patch through a gun that has been carried for a while (and not shot) on a daily basis (takes 2 minutes) or to wipe down a rifle with an oil rag (takes 45 seconds) that has not been used in 8 months is good practice as well.

Chief38
mentally instable

 

[Retired W4]

I don't really like cleaning my guns, but I do really like a clean gun, therefore I clean them every time they get shot. The one thing that I do on a regular basis for my revolvers that most people I know do not do is use a stainless steel chamber brush on the charging holes. I'm sure most of you know, but for those who do not, the chamber brush is slightly larger than the barrel bore and gets out the carbon and lead, etc. from that ring inside the chamber. A regular bore brush will not get that area clean. Do not use the chamber brush on the bore! That's bad. The safe queens do get wiped down every now and then, but if it's not dirty (shot) I don't clean it. No mental instability here, I just like my guns clean.

 

[kbm6893]

One shot or a thousand, I clean if the gun has been fired. And I clean them until they are spotless. I take pride in their appearance. I also run a solvent patch through the bore and cylinder holes (if it's a revolver) once a month or so. And I wipe the gun dry and re-oil a carry or HD gun once a month. Takes 2 minutes.