Using soap and water to clean your shield?

[scorbing]

Like I said before, if you get into the habit of cleaning your gun every time you use it at the range or wherever, it will never give you any problems. Also, if you don't use your gun for a long time, get into the habit of opening it up and lubricating it every couple of months, maybe every 3 months, rack the slide, just to keep it "in shape", if you know what I mean. Keep it clean and it will save you a lot of headaches in the future.

 

[uechikid]

The problem, as I see it is, S&W uses a type of stainless that will rust. If you wash an M&P pistol with soap and water you will need to completely disassemble it to make sure all the water has been dried off. Including the rear sight to make sure there is no water on top of the strike safety plunger.
Many of you remember the video that was posted here of the Armorer that remover the rear sight of a shield and the striker safety plunger and spring where very rusty.

 

[fbcmrjrtykr]

Gee. Wonder why posts 18-20 aren't visible

**Nevermind. It appears that they were only missing on my phone.

 

[Marie13]

I know these "plastic" guns are called "Tupperware," but this is just a little ridiculous...

 

[ScrapmasterFlex]

*IF* you subscribe to the belief that the Smith and Wesson-made M&P is a least as good as a Glock, you then therefore should be able to believe that this is absolutely fine for cleaning your gun and no problems and in fact a good way for thorough, thorough cleaning.

Glock people have been doing this for YEARS and even dishwasher'ing their Glocks. For years, for minimal problems really.

I myself thought, "Oh my I'd NEVER DO THAT!!" when I was a new Glock owner and shooter, 4 or so years later, my gun was filthy and i was tired, and I thought... hmm... why not... and I nice bucketfull (not really a bucket so much as a container, gallon or two size) of warm water, Simple Green, and a squirt of dish soap liquid... all my Glock parts in there, a nice washing and scrubbing with a toothbrush... then a good warm water rinse, it was totally clean and degreased. Purely. Cleaner any time I owned it since it was box-new. I bought a can or two of canned air to spray it out just for thoroughness, I lubed up properly according to Glock specs, and I was good to go. And someday I'll do it again when it's necessary.


I am a Glock guy first and foremost but love my Shield and carry it more than my Glocks. I believe my Shield could handle this any bit as much as the GLock, and someday when my Shield is older and dirtier, I will do the same thing and surely be satisfied with the results.


I wouldn't use toooo hot water, wouldn't use toooo harsh cleaners, and wouldn't do it often or more than it was really needed, but surely will continue doing it.

 

[arjay]

I use hot water on a $1500 colt whenever I shoot my bp loads in it as do a lot of shooters.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I've never used soap and water to clean my guns. Don't see the need.

If you choose to do so, you are just creating more work for yourself.

What often gets missed using this method are the firing pin chamber and the plunger chamber. If you don't COMPLETELY strip the gun and remove the water from these areas you WILL have rust issues. Compressed air will not remove all of the water from these areas.

The same for non polymer guns such as the 1911. The main spring housing should be removed as well.

As mentioned above compressed air could contain oil. But more likely to contain moisture from the air tank due to condensation.

My LGS cleans guns. I take mine there occasionally if I'm lazy. They put the gun in an ultra sonic cleaner with some kind of water based cleaning solution. Then they completely immerse the gun in a light oil. Then hang dry. Then lube.

 

[Arik]

There's no need to but you can if you want. A lot of guys do this if shooting a semi auto rifle with corrosive ammo. Instead of stripping every single part down and doing it by hand they just use warm soapy water

 

[murphydog]

If you drop it in a big mud puddle (or worse ) and the insides are coated with crud, I don't see the downside if you get all the water out. If you just put 100 FMJs down the barrel at your climate-controlled indoor range and need to clean it, I don't see the upside.

 

[ScrapmasterFlex]

I'm never one to look for a fight nor post something with the sole intention of rudely disagreeing with someone; however, in this case, I would like to point out, if you say "I've never done something, but I know you can't do it and it's bad" , to someone who has just said, 'I've done it and nothing bad at all has happened or happened at the time nor 1-2 years post - and -currently etc doing it,"

you're either questioning that person's integrity and credibility or you don't realize what you're discussing - I am here to tell you, I did it, I have no corrosion problems, and it was very effective. People may not LIKE that, or think it's a bad idea and that is absolutely fine with me... some things others do I personally think it's a bad idea.

But it's hard for me to accept "it's going to rust and cause problems" when factually and practically that is not the case with the 2-3 guns I have done it to (having failed to mention I have also done this with my father's Kahr K40 and a Gen 2 Glock 19).

As long as you are dilligent with the drying and lubricating you are pretty much fine, as any of the 1000s of stories of people who also do this will tell you with a Google search.

 

[John R]

It sure was clean, don't think I'd do it to mine.

 

[worm5932]

ready for it........... I use simple green, rinse with how water and blow dry mine with compressed air, then use rem oil. never had any issues.

its stainless steel and plastic. as long as its clean, dry and lubricated in all the proper places when your done whats the difference??

 

[Kanewpadle]

Some people just have to learn the hard way.

I said I never used soap AND water.

I used an ultrasonic cleaner with plain tap water.

Dried the gun off and used compressed air. Then lubed.

My mistake? Not getting the water out of the firing pin chamber and mainspring housing.

Stainless steel 1911 with a STEEL firing pin spring and STEEL main spring. Yes the springs rusted.

You folks do as you please.