Post your least favorite gun(s) to clean

[MattNH]

Just because someone has an engineering degree, doesn't make them a good engineer

Ruger 22/45

I love the pistol and wouldn't give it up, but what a pain to reassemble

 

[mrrick]

Did it once, and it hasn't been cleaned in decades. Spray carb cleaner, drain, spray break-free. Done.

If it doesn't like it, it gets sold.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

The arthritis in my hands has really affected the strength and dexterity of my hands. I was recently surprised, and embarrassed to find I could not field strip my H&K P-7, Browning Hi-Power, or CZ-75. Thankfully, none of them needed cleaning, it was just the semiannual wax job. I am undergoing prolotherapy injections on my right hand now, and if that doesn't work, I'm going to have to bite the bullet and undergo surgery.

Thank God for revolvers.

Regards,

Dave

 

[finesse_r]

Pretty much all of them. But the Ruger Mark III is my least favorite. Oh wait. My old Browning M5 shotgun is not an easy clean either.

 

[Dennis The B]

My least favorite is my National Match M1A, built in 1989. I bought it used several years ago, and have yet to separate the stock from the receiver group. It has such a tight fit, that I have to disassemble "around" everything. It shoots 1/2 MOA, and I don't want to jinx the accuracy.

 

[DR505]

Model 1928 Thompson SMG. It is a bear to clean.

 

[arjay]

Colt Saa,hate trying to get lead off of that shiny cylinder !

 

[yashua-p]

I love cleaning guns. It is soothing and therapeutic. I become reacquainted with each one. As I disassemble them, I marvel, all over again, at the engineering brilliance behind each part, asking myself, "how did someone think of this"?

After gently cleaning and/or lubeing each piece, inhaling the intoxicating aphrodisiac that is Hoppe's, I reassemble them while thinking, "wow, how fortunate am I that I get to shoot these again". As I tuck them back in their little beds, I look upon them and muse, "soon.....soon".

Man, you need a dog!

regards

yashua

 

[LVSteve]

Marlin Model 60. You cannot clean the bore from the breech using a rod and the trigger group picks up all kinds of crud and is hard to clean.

Second place goes to the Hi Point 995 because you cannot clean the bore from the breech using a rod.

I prefer cleaning centerfire semi-autos to revolvers for the same reason.

 

[petepeterson]

Ruger Mini-14, followed by the Marlin Camp 9.

 

[Lt JL]

That doggone Ruger Govmnt Mark III .22. It ain't the cleanin' it's the virtually impossible, for me, reassembly. So, like others have said, it gets sprayed, bore brushed, chamber and port swabbed out, and sprayed some more. If I didn't love how it shoots, I toss it in the river!!

 

[Stephanie B]

When I read the title of this thread I figured the Ruger .22's would make the list pretty quick. I have half a dozen MKII's and a MKIII and I've never found them difficult. Different, yes, but not difficult.

I have a Mk.III 22/45. I agree: Different, not difficult. Putting in a Mk.II hammer bushing and yanking out that infernal magazine disconnect helped a lot.

So does RTFM.

 

[ErnieDeBord]

Ruger Mark 111 owners

You can order a LCI filler & Bushing for about 30 bucks from Tandemkross, they also have some nice videos, make the Ruger SOOOOO much nicer, Very good ppl to deal with,regards Ernie

 

[therewolf]

Any Garand-style bolt. Very difficult to clean from the

chamber end. Mini 14s, M1As, etc.

Here's a method for cleaning the Ruger MK IIs, and similar designs,

without removing/disassembling the slide:

1. Remove the mag. Unload the chamber. Inspect the gun to be
sure it is unloaded. Set up over a large tray, or cleaning station.

2. Lock the slide back.

3. Feed a pipe cleaner through the chamber, and towards the muzzle.

4. Attach a string to the pipe cleaner, and fish it through.

5. Tie the cleaning patches in an overhand knot, 3 to 6 inches apart.

6. Chose your personal solvent ordering, with dry patches in between.

My personal choices are Janitor's Ammonia & water, followed by a couple dry patches,

then Vinegar, a couple dry patches, Dawn & water, a couple dry patches, then Dexron

ATF. (Unless there's long-term storage involved, in which case, use Mobil1)

Any solvents you prefer work with this method, however. Spend as much as you like.


7. Lather, rinse, repeat.

 

[shawn mccarver]

My least favorite gun to clean is any gun that requires tools to disassemble. Since I do not clean such guns, it is hard to think of more than one, but the one that always comes to mind is any Ruger Standard 22 Auto, or any Mk variation (I, II, III). As a result of the ridiculous nature of the cleaning procedure, I simply do not. To its credit, I have one that has not been cleaned since the mid 80s, apart from a Q tip moistened in solvent being rubbed on the breech face, the feed ramp, and in the chamber. It gets fired every time I go shooting, and I am still waiting on the first malfunction.

 

[Rick_A]

My PSL. I shoot corrosive and it is nasty!

 

[Backlighting]

Ruger Mark/Standard .22 pistol. I love 'em and have always owned ( in over 50 years) at least two. But when it comes to cleaning time I need to get in the right frame of mind to tackle the project Usually takes a few days to prepare

I agree, when I had mine.
Replaced it with a Browning Buckmark Camper.
Much easier to disassemble & clean & it's a real tack driver.

 

[e3mrk]

When cleaning the Ruger Mark 111 You should be in a relaxed mood and it may help if You have a drink handy to sooth Your nerves while working on this Pistol from Hell.
The Person that designed this work of Art should be taken out and shot.

 

[RobertJ.]

Anything fired with blackpowder!

Same here. I have a .70 caliber flintlock pistol that I've never fired. Why? Because I know it would have to be cleaned immediately!

I had a .50 T/C Hawken years ago. I was extremely diligent about its cleaning, with the bucket of hot soapy water and all that. Nowadays, if I don't feel like cleaning anything upon return from the range, I don't.

After that, I'd have to concur with the Ruger .22 auto!

 

[Bkreutz]

If I have to take the barrel out of the slide, then my open gun is my least favorite because to take the barrel out, I have to heat up the compensator with a torch (to release the red Loctite) and then twist it off hot. Then for reassembly I get to clean all the old Loctite out of the threads in the compensator and the barrel, put on a new layer of Loctite, twist it quickly into place (hoping I get it into place on the first try) and then let it cure for 24 hours. I just did this last week for only the second time since I built the gun in January. I shoot it multiple times a week but don't do a complete clean all that often. I can clean the bore and the trigger control group without the compensator having to come off.