Cleaning Question..

[BSkerj]

I am a revolver guy but recently I got a good deal on a 645 auto. I have ran around 300 rounds through it so far and I clean it after every use which includes running brush through, patches, oil moving parts etc. How often should I field strip to clean ? Thanks in advance.

 

[ocjimmy]

It depends on how often you shoot

This is a great question. The answers can vary quite a bit, believe it or not.

If this is a duty/carry gun, I'd take the slide off, and do a thorough cleaning and examination for worn parts such as extractors, etc.

If you shoot it once or twice a month, I wouldn't bother cleaning it until every 4th outing or 500/600 rounds.

If you're going to put it away for a while, I'd do a strip, clean and lube so it's ready to go for next time.

If you just pleasure shoot every now and then, I'd just clean it when you feel like cleaning all of your guns.

Of course other answers will vary, but this is my take.

Jimmy

 

[USAF385]

Well... I'm one of those guys who fully cleans my revolver every time... and field strips my semi autos every time. Just how I am... a bit OCD when it comes to my guns being clean.

 

[Rodrockinoff]

Good question

If I knew when I could be able to go shooting again, I probably would not clean after every firing session. However, since I never know when the next time I will be able to shoot might be, I am into the habit of cleaning, very thoroughly, after every range trip. I get ALL the gunk out of ALL the places... grease the slide area, and CLP the rest... Silicone rub everything and put her to bed. I do this because sometimes it could be a couple of months between shoots and I don't want the gun to stay dirty that long... bad things could happen. I am not paranoid about all this but those guys who are out to get me may disagree with my judgement.

 

[OKFC05]

Since your semi-auto 645 is so easy to field strip, I'd do so every time you want to do a serious cleaning. If you just want to mop out the chamber, that's easy enough to do with it together.

Oh, never just add oil to a dirty gun. If it needs re-lubing, clean it first.

 

[ShootCraps]

I'd do it every 500 or 600 rounds. Modern ammo is non-corrosive so nothing bad will happen to it.

 

[zorro49]

Your automatic will be more sensitive to fouling than the revolver due to the feeding of bullets and ejecting them. Autos have so much more going on to properly operate that they need more care(IMO) than revolvers, so with that said I clean every time after shooting no matter how many rounds. I use Gunzilla which I have found to do a super job of cleaning and lubricating in one step. It is mild on the hands and nose, so its' use is stealth in the house. Link to Gunzilla, which you may have to purchase over the net, since none of the guns stores in my neck of the woods stocks it. The Glock forum has a banner at the top which sends you to their website as well. http://www.topduckproducts.com/
zorro49

 

[HAWKEYE10]

My semi autos I clean about every 300 RD'S or so.
I really pay close attention to the 22's they get
nasty. I use Break Free Pwd. Blast I get at Walmart
and a silicone spray [about $2] at Walmart. I then
blow it off with a air hose and oil the slide. These
guns are so easy to field strip I say why not.
Hope this helps. Don

 

[fredj338]

Unless it's a carry gun or HD gun, I clean about ever 300-400rds, field stripping it. In between, I don't do anything but wipe them off & put them away. That's even w/ lead bullets.

 

[Crazy K38]

I am a revolver guy but recently I got a good deal on a 645 auto. I have ran around 300 rounds through it so far and I clean it after every use which includes running brush through, patches, oil moving parts etc. How often should I field strip to clean ? Thanks in advance.

I have never seen a clean gun jam, I have seen a dirty gun jam often, in my honest opinion a gun can NEVER be too clean, heck I even clean mine even if I don't shoot for good measure, besides i find it relaxing. and I always take it all the way down and clean it all in an ultrasonic cleaner

 

[kbm6893]

I clean after every range trip, regardless of the number of rounds fired. I even clean every other month or so if it hasn't been fired. Some of my guns are over 25 years old, and still look new.

 

[CESwartz]

I do after every time I shoot.

 

[shovelwrench]

First, if you're cleaning your auto, it should be feild stripped every time you clean it(remove slide, remove barrel from slide, and clean). You should detail strip (complete teardown), and clean thoroughly every range trip.
That being said, my "shooting guns" hardly (hardly, like four times a year detail strip) ever get cleaned, BUT, I shoot em a couple times a month. My carry guns, only get ammo thats been carried for a while run through em, then a detail strip. It might be a couple of months in between.

If your a casual shooter, and don't get out much. You should probably be cleaning every range trip(your really supposed to do this anyway).

If you carry, every time that weapon is fired, it should be detail stripped, examined, and cleaned...ALL OF IT. Then test for function.

22's, I don't clean till they don't function...

 

[kbm6893]

First, if you're cleaning your auto, it should be feild stripped every time you clean it(remove slide, remove barrel from slide, and clean). You should detail strip (complete teardown), and clean thoroughly every range trip.
That being said, my "shooting guns" hardly (hardly, like four times a year detail strip) ever get cleaned, BUT, I shoot em a couple times a month. My carry guns, only get ammo thats been carried for a while run through em, then a detail strip. It might be a couple of months in between.

If your a casual shooter, and don't get out much. You should probably be cleaning every range trip(your really supposed to do this anyway).

If you carry, every time that weapon is fired, it should be detail stripped, examined, and cleaned...ALL OF IT. Then test for function.

22's, I don't clean till they don't function...

So you are advocating a complete teardown of the whole gun (beyond a basic fieldstrip) everytime you shoot it? That is WAY too much. Seems like you're inviting problems, particularly with S&W autos. They aren't as easy to tear down as others. hell, I would like to take the extractor out of my 3913 like I do with my Beretta's, but S&W advises you to send the gun to them for ANY work beyond a filedstripping. I am super anal about my guns, and the crevices get blasted with degreaser, but I stop at a fieldstrip.

 

[Ed333]

too m uch cleaning going on....

I really do believe that more wear is caused by excessive tear-down and cleaning than from shooting...the majority of posts favor frequent cleaning, i have to doubt the absolute wisdom of this.
I use a boresnake after every shooting experience, but field strip only when I think it really needs it, when it is looking too gunky in there.
Full detail stripping, I am not a gunsmith , nor do I play one on TV....

 

[jerseyshoreshot]

I clean my pistols, standard breakdown, every range trip or every six months.

 

[oldRoger]

I learned to shoot during the corrosive primer era. My Army experience was also during the corrosive primer era. Thus cleaning after every shot was STRONLY emphasized.
It has taken a long time to overcome this early training.
It should be said that Duty Weapons need to be cleaned even if not shot because they get environmentally exposed to sand, etc. Hence the military and LEO trainning.
Trips to the range, dependent upon the environmental conditions, do not IMO require extensive cleaning. If you shoot lead reloads you will get bullet lube all over; I clean that off. You will probably need to field-strip, clean and re-lubricate the action after every range session. This is mostly a lubrication event.
I know people who field strip their carry auto-loaders, clean, re-lubricate, and then fire a magazine at the range, very cautious these guys, they will probably live forever.
Following the advise of the barrel makers, I clean barrels no more than every 500 rounds except .22lr, those almost never.

 

[stevieboy]

My rule is to clean after every trip to the range. With a semiauto that includes field stripping, cleaning out the barrel, and removing every last bit of surface dirt I can get to. While I do that I closely inspect everything that's visible for wear or damage. It's easy, and it gives me confidence about the gun's performance next time out. Takes me about 30 minutes to clean a semiauto. Revolvers take longer because each chamber must be cleaned in addition to the bore.

 

[DiggerDog]

Well... I'm one of those guys who fully cleans my revolver every time... and field strips my semi autos every time. Just how I am... a bit OCD when it comes to my guns being clean.

You're not alone as I do the same with my pistols, rifles, shotguns, and muzzleloaders.

 

[USAF385]

You should detail strip (complete teardown), and clean thoroughly every range trip.

I've got to disagree. A complete tear down should only be done by someone with proper training.. or a LOT of experience. A field strip cleaning will keep a semi auto clean and operating fine. I do recommend taking it to a professional for an annual cleaning if you shoot it often.