Cleanliness is next to Godliness.

[stillquietvoice]

I just inspected my 5904 after my last range trip. Cleaned and oiled internals bot left the bore alone. It does have slight traces of lead from the 125 gr lead rn near Max reloads with hs6, but want to see if that will clean up with 124 fmj before I try brushing it out.
The bore on this is better thany old pt99 Taurus. That bore had to be scrubbed every time I ran lead through it because I couldn't see the rifling.

On my rifles I only deep clean when accuracy falls off they usually get a couple patches to remove carbon and then oiled.

 

[rpenmanparker]

I added some information to my post just as you must have been quoting it. Unfortunately the first link has gone defunct since I found it some years back.

Your qualified statement (limited to clean tools and eliminating aluminum) is more accurate, but still not quite correct.

Clean brass tools are unlikely to damage centerfire steel barrels. There is some potential for clean brass tools to damage rimfire barrels.

Again, this isn't about trying to prove that anyone who cleans their guns assiduously is doomed to ruin them with cleaning rod wear--but it's good information to have. It's much better to understand that good barrel cleaning technique is still important regardless of what kind of cleaning tools one chooses to use than it is to incorrectly assume that there's no possibility for damage.

Okay. True expertise always wins.

 

[mcb]

After shooting practical pistol competition nearly every weekend for years I have given up on cleaning regularly. With modern propellant and primers it's not needed as they do not promote corrosion. I simply add lubrication as needed. They get cleaned only when I think they are dirty enough to potentially cause functional issues or I have some free time and nothing else to do.

 

[CraigC]

The military has reasons for their cleaning doctrine and it is mostly inapplicable to civilian use. This ain't the military and it's probably been 20yrs since I cleaned my guns after every use. It just isn't necessary. Contrary to what some seem to think, a dirty gun that is properly stored will not rust into oblivion. If it is not properly stored, it doesn't matter how clean it is.

 

[shoobe01]

I can tell the story of Filthy 14 will give some of you hives:

http://www.slip2000.com/blog/s-w-a-t-magazine-filthy-14/

 

[FL-NC]

Since he always cleaned his revolver at work, never saw my father clean a gun. My first lesson in gun cleaning came from my drill sgt. in basic training. I distinctly remember him asking if I had the desire to be a farmer because "You could grow potatoes in that barrel, maggot!"
Cleaned my 16 with patches, brushes and pipe cleaners. My boss, the owner of the pawn business for where I work, probably thinks I'm overly OCD about cleaning guns coming out of pawn but my basic training stayed with me regarding my own guns and I don't want to hand a "for sale" gun to someone and have them need to wipe their hands after.
I know I'm overly fastidious about clean firearms but that's the way I am.
All that said, one day the boss was at the range and another shooter seemed to be having difficulty with his Glock not cycling right. Bossman offered to take a look at the guy's firearm and handed it back, directing him to bring it to the store I manage for a good cleaning.
No joke, I was scraping carbon off of his feed ramp as if it was an exhaust valve from a old truck.
Why someone would spend multiple Benjamins on a fine firearm and then neglect it. A Hamilton would buy a cleaning kit and few minutes the night after a range visit would keep that gun running just fine. Beyond me.
The attached picture is the dirty leavings after cleaning that one Glock.

Guns that will screw me over if they don't work (carry guns and hunting rifles) are kept in tip top condition. I have a Glock 17 that hasn't been cleaned in 2,000 rounds or more. I'm going to be installing a new trigger connector soon, so I will give it a deep cleaning then. Maybe I will post pics of the mess. Also, an AR15 that gets fired weekly and is well over 1,000 rounds- all it gets is more lithium grease in the BCG, a chamber swab, and some motor oil on the exterior metal. Maybe that one too.

 

[rpenmanparker]

I have discussed this topic with pros. Instructors at Front Sight and shotgun coaches. Nobody like that is cleaning their guns after every use. In some cases an occasional swab of the barrel is all their guns ever get. Emphasis on occasional. Go figure.

I like a cleaner gun than that, but it is clear to me that the old time gun cleanliness fetish resulted from ineffective surface protection in the past, residues that used to be corrosive and the World and Korean War experiences of our troops. Nowadays an occasional clean and lube is more than sufficient no matter what the purpose of the firearm is.

 

[entropy]

Clean beats neglect, but I would like to add something about excessive cleaning. A lot of military rifles, especially in the m16 family have seen their lifespan cut dramatically short primarily as a result of damage to the rifling from cleaning. Barrels worn far more from rods stuck down them to clean every last spec of dirt than from bullets grinding down the rifling.
This is particularly fast to wear out the muzzle end of the rifling as the rod is pushed in and out and essentially flares out the rifling in the opening.

This holds true with using Military cleaning rods, which are steel, not aluminum or brass. Also militaries are more concerned about soldiers' rifles functioning vs. long term barrel life, as they can be rebarreled, particularly easily with the M16/M4. I rebarreled my issue M16A1 twice, once shortly after becoming Armorer, once just before I ETS'd.

I you have an issue cleaning rod for your milsurp, or the buttstock kit for the Garand, M14, or M16/M4, use a commercial brass cleaning rod instead while cleaning it. By all means, keep the issue one with the rifle, but use the brass or aluminum one.