Model 41 Cleanliness?

[KDGJ]

Hello,

I just purchased a mid-80s model 41. I put about 150 rounds through it and it didn't have a hiccup. The outside of the gun is fairly clean but, when I pulled the barrel and slide I was surprised how dirty it is on the inside.

How often do you guys clean these?

Thanks
Ken

 

[505Gibbs]

I cleah mine after every shooting session unless, for some reason, I shot very little.
Since this is a blowback design you'll get the breech face dirty quite soon as well as other parts of the interior from the partially burned powder.
I never found the 41 difficult to clean so its no big deal to me - FWIW.

 

[mcracco]

Seriously, the M41 is a great gun and I still have mine from about 1980...but like any other firearm the best advice is to clean it regularly. I never 'store' a firearm without cleaning it and anything I am shooting weekly is cleaned every couple hundred rounds.

 

[KDGJ]

Thanks for the replies. The gun cleaned up well. It was easy to strip and put back together.

 

[TSQUARED]

Hello,

I just purchased a mid-80s model 41. I put about 150 rounds through it and it didn't have a hiccup. The outside of the gun is fairly clean but, when I pulled the barrel and slide I was surprised how dirty it is on the inside.

How often do you guys clean these?

Thanks
Ken

I only clean a 22 barrel by pulling a patch soaked in Hoppes #9 attached to some 15 lb. test monofilament fishing line. I never use a rod. Many shooters rarely clean their 22's.

 

[Jeff45]

I keep a clean gun after each session with consistant results by using a simple nylon barrel brush dipped in #9 followed up by a bore snake to dry it out, and then a quick powder residue cleaning.

 

[oldRoger]

There is a great difference of opinion about the cleaning of .22 target pistol and rifle barrels. Many people do not clean them unless changing ammunition brand or type. They clean the barrel ramp and chamber but not the rifled portion.
Most .22LR target ammunition is lead with a wax coating. A certain amount of wax remains in the barrel; if you remove it then "fouling" shots are necessary.
I follow this practice with my M41s and target rifles, it works well for me. I have some older barrels still in good shape despite countless rounds fired.

In fact this practice works well for most pistol barrels, again assuming no leading and that you are not switching bad and forth from lead bullets to jacketed or plated ones.

This of course has nothing to do with cleaning and lubing the rest of the gun----it is not an excuse for shooting it hard and putting it away wet.

 

[Extremo]

Somehow my 41 doesn't like to be clean. I just wipe the feed ramp and lube it. Clean it properly maybe once a year tops.