How often do you clean your guns?

[Smithsrevenge]

So I am sitting here cleaning out black used up lube from my 6906 with some q tips. A event that I do 3-4 times a week usually, then re-lube.

I wonder. How often do others clean their guns? I have a pretty large collection 25+ of pistols , 4 shotguns and 3 rifles. Usually Sunday Is my gun day seeing as I have nothing else to do. I go to the range, blow off a few hundo , then spend 4-5 hours cleaning at least 50% of them , then clean the other half on wednesday usually.

Do I clean them too much? :-D

 

[wbraswell]

Tis better to clean too much, than too little.

 

[duppie]

I clean them after each range session.I look at it as a type of meditation where time is put aside to touch and reacquaint myself with each piece and part, oiling and reassembling back to a whole and reveling in the sight of their cool ,clean and powerful presence.......

Damn I need a cigarette.....and I don't even smoke.

 

[diamonback68]

My feelings are simple. If I've shot them and they are dirty, clean them. If they are lubed and in the safe, leave them alone.
Many times I've left guns that were cleaned and lubed with Break Free Collectors that even after five years show no signs of dried up waxy/gummy lube or any sign of the beginning of rust or anything. After 5 years I clean them and re-lube even thought they show no signs of needing it.

 

[hangnoose]

GUN CLEANING

if you are cleaning guns you just cleaned a week ago and haven't fired, then yes. too much. ideally I would like to clean them the same day they are fired. I look at them like dirty dishes, the longer they sit dirty, the harder they are to clean. a service or cc gun should be looked at daily imo. toothbrush off any sand or lint, oil as needed.if lazy I may just run a wet/solvent patch (not copper solvent) thru the bore followed by a boresnake & toothbrush or bronze brush around rails, frames, cylinders to get the bulk of the cleaning done, then do a thorough job later, certainly no longer than a week or so. but I wash dishes 90% clean by hand before I put them in the dishwasher, as they may be there a few days before the dishwasher is full enough to run.

 

[Cpo1944]

It depends , a blue one gets cleaned after every trip to the range. Stainless not so much, especially if it`s one I like to shoot often.
I am not a very particular person and most of My stuff gets and looks used.They all have a good coat of Ren wax and I`m sure to keep it intact.

 

[Smithsrevenge]

I guess I am anal. I see gunk in my gun whether fired or not, it gets field stripped haha. usually clean every gun at least once a week, except my 308 M40A3. That gets cleaned once a month. haha

 

[shouldazagged]

I clean them after each range session.I look at it as a type of meditation where time is put aside to touch and reacquaint myself with each piece and part, oiling and reassembling back to a whole and reveling in the sight of their cool ,clean and powerful presence.......

Damn I need a cigarette.....and I don't even smoke.

You are seriously depraved and twisted. I appreciate that in a person.

 

[Kinman]

Since I've gotten back into black powder and am retired I clean my pistols and rifles after each use, quite religously. I have always kept any firearm I used clean, I have often just run a couple damp patches of Hoppes #9 down the barrel and chamber or chambers if I planned on going out again shortly. I think its important to keep firearms clean if you depend on them to function in the manner they were designed, especially in the defense of your life or the reliable taking of game. Its also important to keep the wood in a condition where is does not dry out, liberal use of boiled linseed oil is good for that, I use it fine screwdrivers and other tools I have in my rifle/pistol box. I taught my son to clean guns before I taught him how to shoot, he had a good basic knowledge of the working systems and could competently field strip and clean his old .22 rifle long before he was out shooting it on his own, that led to him ending up helping friends that had no idea how their rifles work.

 

[carpriver]

I clean them after every use, those that do not get shot as often will get a wipe with a silicone cloth and a patch with a bit of oil goes down the barrel followed by a dry patch about once a month.

 

[THEWELSHM]

I clean mine every time after range use, but My blue guns I check and finely oil them once every 2 weeks as I live in FL. ( not taking a chance on a dew point messing with them and pitting) To me cleaning after shooting is like the cigarette after sex ( or so I'm told) Maybe I'm just like some others here OCD


thewelshm

 

[feralmerril]

There are variables. Humid weather vs arid desert. Some people seem to have acid or salty sweat the next none. Sure, at least wipe em down after use with a oily rag. Actualy thats about all I do if I handle one. I clean very little and have never had a problem from it.
When I was a guard our guns were passed from shift to shift 24/7 with maybe 80 to a 150 guards involved. I NEVER seen rust on any of them! How do you explain that?

 

[rwsmith]

I clean 'em....

... after I shoot 'em.

 

[THEWELSHM]

There are variables. Humid weather vs arid desert. Some people seem to have acid or salty sweat the next none. Sure, at least wipe em down after use with a oily rag. Actualy thats about all I do if I handle one. I clean very little and have never had a problem from it.
When I was a guard our guns were passed from shift to shift 24/7 with maybe 80 to a 150 guards involved. I NEVER seen rust on any of them! How do you explain that?

Who knows but for a wipe with an oiled cloth Im not taking a chance on blued guns

thewelshm

 

[old bear]

I clean them, well, after I shoot them and not before. There is no reason to waste time cleaning anything that is not dirty, life is just to short for that.

 

[edge357]

I usually clean mine after each time I shoot them.

 

[Cyrano]

I clean them every time I shoot them. Some of mine haven't been shot in 5 or 6 years. I put an oily patch down the bore of all of them and wipe off the exterior metal with an oily rag every couple of years. Does fine, out here in the desert.

 

[jkc]

So I am sitting here cleaning out black used up lube from my 6906 with some q tips. A event that I do 3-4 times a week usually, then re-lube.

I wonder. How often do others clean their guns? I have a pretty large collection 25+ of pistols , 4 shotguns and 3 rifles. Usually Sunday Is my gun day seeing as I have nothing else to do. I go to the range, blow off a few hundo , then spend 4-5 hours cleaning at least 50% of them , then clean the other half on wednesday usually.

Do I clean them too much? :-D[/QUOTE

Way too much, I think --- To my way of thinking, there are only two or three reasons to "clean" guns --- First and foremost, to ensure accuracy, as with rifles that might suffer accuracy degradation from fouled bores. Secondly, to ensure functionality, as with semi-autos that may fail to operate, for various reasons, if they get too dirty. And thirdly, to preserve sensitive finishes, such as blued finishes, from rust and corrosion. I've eliminated most worries by weaning my inventory of most rust-susceptible guns, and clean actions and bores only when it seems necessary for reliability or accuracy.

 

[Engieman]

I do all the above, every time their shot, and sometimes in-between (like yesterday). Dad taught me to never go to bed without cleaning my gun if it was shot that day, and make sure the dog is fed. The truth is they both depend on you to take care of them. They are mechanical marvels and a thing of beauty. And you're not anal, you're a MARINE. Semper Fi

 

[hangnoose]

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT?

probably a good coat of some long lasting type oil/lube on them and a durable tough finish. some people have very acidic sweat and can create rust on a blued gun from just a fingerprint in a very short time. if you watch dealers handling expensive/old guns they often wear white cotton gloves. some bluing or finishes hold up better than others to handling. don't expect ALL guns to stay as rust free as the ones you spoke of.

 

[Arik]

Every so often. Usually after about 2k rounds, sometimes more.

Only 2 exceptions are ...i try to keep my carry gun as fuzz free as possible and surplus rifles that i shoot corrosive ammo through. Otherwise i despise it. I do not find it relaxing and would rather do something else


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[Stevie]

I shoot it I clean it. If a firearm sets too long without use I clean it up too.

 

[pownal55]

Every time I shoot, including 22's.

 

[BaaBaa]

Every time I go shooting, felt really bad when I didn't clean mine after shooting for a day, felt Like I neglected it! I'll also clean if I haven't shot much but it just looks dirty. Then again I'd rather clean my gun than clean the house And yes, I like the smell of Hoppes.

 

[Bkreutz]

I clean my range/competition pistol once a week, that's about 1000 rounds or so. If I shoot something else I usually clean it after I shoot it if I don't plan to shoot it within a week. The reason I've picked a week as a time frame is that if I let it go longer I'll probably forget it and it might be 6 months before I shoot(or clean) it again.

 

[H Richard]

I clean after using any gun. For those that sit in my vault and seldom if ever get used I try and wipe down and run a patch through the barrel with a little break free about once a year. That hasn't always gotten done but all my guns when I take them out of the rack are clean and ready to use. I found the easiest way to clean my trap and skeet guns, (single barrel or O/U) is run one of the boresnake's through the barrel at the range before even putting it in the case as while the barrel is still warm it cleans easily. Being these are break open guns they need little action cleaning. When I get home I will wipe down before putting back in the vault.

 

[Rpg]

Tis better to clean too much, than too little.

When I was on the high school rifle team (mid 1960's) I got in trouble for cleaning my rifle (Winghester 52c 22). The coach was furious: yelled at me that it would take weeks to get it back in shooting shape. Made me run laps till I threw up!

 

[feralmerril]

Unless you are shooting old corrosive ammo (primers) or black powder and not in a humid area, you can get away with just wipeing down with a slightly oily cloth. I have owned many guns for over 60 years and still have one yet to rust. I clean them when they need it, period. Yeah, if I go work one out at the range to sight it in I clean the bore etc if I am going to put it away but what I am trying to say here the gun isnt going to rust away or be hurt in any way as long as you give it just that quick wipe down if you want to wait until you have two or three to do all at the same time. I do ALWAYS wipe em down if I handle them.

 

[drinva]

Every time it's shot, no matter if it's one round or 500.

DR

 

[Brian41]

Being a big time bird hunter it was tend to your dog first, game second and gun last. Then I got some food and rest for myself.
But in recent years and rimfire I wipe them down and run a bore snake through them when I think they may be getting dirty. I don't tear them down and clean them aggressively like I used to.