How often do you folks clean?

[Birdbrain]

I searched but couldn't quite find exactly what I wanted...

I carry my shield 40 daily. Now, I own two beagle/jrt mixes. As much as I love my dogs, the hair is ridiculous and I have honestly no idea how its found its way into the barrel and under the top of the slide... So I find myself every few days breaking the 40 apart, cleaning everything, getting the dang dog hair out and putting her all back together.

So this leads me to my question of, how often do you folks clean your daily carry?

-Matt

 

[gdauth]

I shower with mine.

 

[Birdbrain]

I shower with mine.

Intimate...

 

[ogilvyspecial]

What I use on my every day carry guns (EDC), which are all revolvers
so I don't know how well it would work for semi-auto's, is a can of
the compressed air commonly used to clean / blow out electronics.

As needed, I blow off the dog hairs, lint etc. making sure I try to blow
the crud off of the gun and not into it. It makes quick work when
blowing crud out of the barrel & cylinder charge holes.

For straight up cleaning, I do it as needed, which all
depends on how, or where, the gun has been carried.

I also use the canned air to blow out my holsters, both
belt & pocket types, which also tend to collect "crud."

 

[chief38]

I would clean it as many times as need-be to keep it clean and functioning properly. When I am around salt water more often my carry gun gets cleaned more often. Basically when it needs to be cleaned, but I don't think a cleaning and maintenance schedule is the same for everyone.

Chief38

 

[Mike McLellan]

Like you, anytime I can find an excuse to clean, play, tinker, or tweak one of my guns, I do. Dog hair works well, so does dust, humidity, sub-atomic particles, gamma-ray bursts from other galaxies, or, occasionally, residue from actually shooting the darn things. Admit it! They're toys!

 

[AABEN]

That is over kill. I wipe my gun that I handle with a oil rig once a month only clean after some target shooting.

 

[Chuck Jones]

Cleaning?

Since I started shooting a Glock almost never, before that once in a while.

The truth is newbies clean too often. Which is good because it familiarizes you with the gun, you notice what gets dirty, what doesn't, and where the parts wear against each other, etc.

Knowing this is important, so when you are old or are shooting a hell of a lot you know what to look for and how to clean, lube or fix things.

But the reality is with modern guns shooting modern non-corrosive ammunition there isn't the same need for cleaning there once was. Even modern lubricants have almost no tendency to become gummy like they did in the past.

So do what you're comfortable with, when I was young, didn't have too many guns or shoot and shoot, my guns were spotless.

Now, by my previous standards, they're dirty, but they work just as well, because over the years I've learned what needs cleaning and what doesn't.

/c

 

[Moonman]

Some folks even over clean and detail strip a firearm to the point of wearing it out.

Carry firearms need looked after regularly.

Revolvers for lint, dirt, and many choose an enclosed hammerless DAO model
to help keep trash out of the action.

Semi-Autos need attention, the Magazines also, especially if
a Spare Magizine is pocket carried. Trash accumulates in pocket carried mags.

Carry firearms around the Seasides need care more often than other locations.

 

[gboling]

I guess I learned gun cleaning a little differently. From my first gun at age 12, I cleaned it periodically and it always functioned when called upon. At age 19 the Marine Corps taught a more intense discipline after issuing us our M1 rifles.

At our first rifle inspection the DI became only mildly livid toward the first private, whose rifle he inspected and found lacking. At the second private, the DI took his bayonet, found it unsatisfactory and stuck it into the blacktop parade ground, while emulating a mad dog. When the third private's rifle was found to be unsatisfactory, the DI took the rifle by the barrel, took one step backwards, and threw it about 50 feet, onto the sand adjacent to the parade ground. He then ordered the private to give it a proper burial, which he did and we were dismissed with instructions to properly clean our rifles. As we left the parade ground I was awed by the fact that, after his blood pressure spike and rabid dog portrayal, the DI was capable of leaving the parade ground un-assisted.

By the time I wandered into the LAPD academy I had been afforded several years to study and fully grasp the hazards of falling into the slow learner syndrome. At that institution the instructors were less profane but no less forgiving of those who fell into the slow learner syndrome.

So, I probably fall into Chuck Jones, newbies clean too often, syndrome but failed to progress from there. Does that mean that I have finally fallen into the slow learner syndrome?

This is getting too deep, I'm going to go clean a gun.

 

[GKC]

That is over kill. I wipe my gun that I handle with a oil rig once a month only clean after some target shooting.

Dang, dude....you talk about overkill! Try using a rag, and leave the rig in the oil field.


And, on a serious note, to answer the question...my routine varies. I clean when and as needed.

 

[HCH]

After reading a thread on OFCC, I clean after ever range trip. A guy was open carrying in a park and some mean spirited anti-gunner called the cops and said he was shooting it. Only thing that saved him was a clean gun.

 

[kbm6893]

After I fire them, they get cleaned immediately, 1 shot fired or 500. Pistol, revolver, shotgun, rifle. ALL go back into the safe clean. Guns I don't carry get a quick field strip once a month and a light lube. Carry guns get inspected once a week or so. I have pets but have never seen hair get INTO a gun. For that, I'd blow the gun out with a can of compressed air as often as needed (daily, if necessary). Takes a few seconds.

While a gun MIGHT still work when dirty, I know the odds are better if it is clean. Never understood why someone would invest their hard earned money into an object that they depend on to save their lives and not maintain it. Glocks can (and do. I've owned a couple) fail. Some of my guns are 30 years old. Still look new. I intend to keep them that way.

 

[bmcgilvray]

I mostly carry blued Smith & Wesson revolvers or else a blued Colt Government Model. These are wiped down at the end of the carry day with a rag impregnated with RIG.

When handguns are used each is cleaned after shooting, whether they fired one round or several hundred rounds.

 

[What the]

Chuck Jones pretty much nailed it for me!

 

[Arik]

My cleaning can be described as "Eventually"

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[Birdbrain]

Thanks for the feedback guys!

 

[getontarget]

I shower with mine.

The shower scene from the movie "Psycho" is reason enough to shower with a gun, especially if it in S/S. LOL

 

[getontarget]

Hmm, I like the idea of canned air. I have guns that I don't use, shoot that often but they do get a little dusty from sitting in the safe.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[all357mag]

If it gets wet, wipe it down and put a shot of oil on it. I used to clean after every shooting session. It was like changing your motor oil after every time you drive the car. NOT NECESSARY! This goes for autos and revolvers.