Do you guys clean after one mag through?

[JTQ]

I have been cleaning guns after each range trip, (and dreading it) but after reading this thread, I'm going to re-evaluate.

You should see if you can find the Schuemann barrel cleaning article.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?resources/schuemann-barrel-cleaning-guide.19/reviews

the last paragraph

My Personal Practice has become to never clean the bore of my barrels. I do use a brass rod to scrape the deposits out of the chamber. But, I've learned to leave the bore alone and it very slowly becomes shinier and cleaner all by itself. Years ago I occasionally scrubbed the bore with a brass bore brush. But, doing so always seemed to cause the bore to revert to a dirtier look with more shooting, so I eventually stopped ever putting anything down the bore except bullets...

He runs a patch with oil through the barrel and then a dry patch. No harsh chemicals, no brushes, etc.

Shooting un-jacketed bullets may require a different technique.

 

[JTQ]

.... just a TINY bit of CLR on the outside of the bolt.

You guys were pretty serious.

CLR https://clrbrands.com/

BreakFree CLP https://safariland.com/pages/break-free

 

[Smaug]

You should see if you can find the Schuemann barrel cleaning article.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?resources/schuemann-barrel-cleaning-guide.19/reviews

the last paragraph



He runs a patch with oil through the barrel and then a dry patch. No harsh chemicals, no brushes, etc.

Shooting un-jacketed bullets may require a different technique.

That is a great article, obviously by a benchrest rifle shooter, but could still be applicable to pistols.

He mentions that the barrel gradually becomes cleaner and shinier all on its own. I do wonder if some of that cleanliness and shine are polished copper deposits? Probably not, as he would notice that the rifling profile looks different.

I shoot mostly HiTek coated pistol bullets, these days. Occasionally plated or jacketed.

I had no idea that the brass or bronze brush bristles could be harder than barrel steel. It doesn't compute.

Anyway, I'm going to try his method next. A wet patch and a dry patch sound better than what I'm doing now.

 

[JTQ]

That is a great article, obviously by a benchrest rifle shooter, but could still be applicable to pistols.

Will Schuemann manufactured 1911 pistol barrels. He got his technique from bench rest rifle shooters, but he used it on pistol barrels.

 

[Smaug]

Will Schuemann manufactured 1911 pistol barrels. He got his technique from benchers rifle shooters, but he used it on pistol barrels.

Thanks for the info, JTQ. Here we are, saying what we do with only "I believe...." to back it up. Meanwhile, a barrel manufacturer has a ton of related experience and research and precious few seem to even know about it. I just got a T-shirt in the mail yesterday that says: "Sciences doesn't care what you believe."

 

[hawg]

I do a wipe down after firing. Actually cleaning nah. I've got guns that have three hundred rounds through them and haven't been cleaned yet.

 

[JTQ]

In fairness, it still is just Will Schuemann's opinion, though based on some research, but his opinion may carry a little more weight than some others.

 

[JTQ]

Thanks for the info, JTQ. Here we are, saying what we do with only "I believe...." to back it up. Meanwhile, a barrel manufacturer has a ton of related experience and research and precious few seem to even know about it. I just got a T-shirt in the mail yesterday that says: "Sciences doesn't care what you believe."

In the end, though, these are our own personal possessions and we can do with them as we please.

I can make logical arguments, and give links (and I have) to competition shooters, the actual SIG Academy, and a barrel maker, that details their procedures, but if somebody still wants to degrease their gun, for whatever reason, it's their gun and they can do with it what they want.

 

[The_Quartermaster]

I have been cleaning guns after each range trip, (and dreading it) but after reading this thread, I'm going to re-evaluate.

I can't bear to leave a gun dirty, but I can certainly reduce cleaning a bit. General wipe-down and a couple of bore snake runs maybe?

I now wipe them down and run a bore snake through. I do detailed cleanings four times a year so I can inspect each part and actually see what's there or not and replace/correct if need be. If the barrel's accuracy degrades, only then do I give it more than just a bore snake. Plus I change batteries once a year too.

 

[Zendude]

I’m more particular about cleaning carry and nightstand guns than range guns. But even with carry gun, I don’t automatically clean it after just running a mag or two through it, unless it clearly looks like it’s dirty around the extractor and breech.

 

[Spats McGee]

I clean them after a couple of hundred rounds.

 

[Ethan Verity]

I never go to the range to fire a single magazine... but if I did, I would still clean it. Even if I had only fired a single shot that day, I would clean it before putting it away. The exception to that is if I plan to shoot the gun again in the near future.

Well, to follow up on my past self... I went to the range today and only fired 3 shots! There was a shooting competition at the indoor range today; if you can land a 1/2" bullseye at 30 feet with only 3 shots, you get a free box of 9mm ammo. I went there just for that with my S&W M&P 9mm Compact, fired my three rounds, won some ammo , and left. After getting home, I still cleaned my gun. Even with just 3 shots through it, that first patch came out jet black.. I feel better cleaning it up, especially since this is my CCW.

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

I only clean when I get bored or when something needs special attention. Guns don't need to be cleaned near as often as many people think. You do need to keep it lubed though.

 

[Ignition Override]

If one magazine (ie 12 rds.) is used in a very clean gun, versus 48-60 rds during one visit, a quality gun won't become unreliable.

Why so much concern ?

Even if somebody expects to be in another "FBI Miami" type of street battle, a decent handgun can be relied on, even after 100 rds. of recent use.

Their problem wasn't the FBI's handguns (iirc) as much as the fact that they ignored how their opponent was Known to carry a Mini 14 (.223) semi-auto rifle, and knew how to use tactics.

 

[d'zaster]

Depends. If I'm busy, could go a year. If I'm looking over a gun and notice it's lightly dirty, it's easy to give it a quick wipe, run a bore snake through and apply a light bit of lube. If I am testing a hand load (typically, i'll do this at the end of my range session), I might just run 1 mag.

 

[balin]

I am more of a stickler for making sure I eat all my veggies, eat healthy and exercise most everyday ax that will most likely add more years to my life then I clean gun. But we all make our own choices

 

[Bedfordtec]

The amount of cleaning depends upon how many rounds I shoot.even if I shoot my carry ammo as part of ammo rotation.


As a minimum I will use a rag with CLP to wipe it down, clean feed ramp, inside chamber area. With particular attention to breach face, extractor and magazine feed lips. Finally I will clean the bore with a CLP patch.

I use a military toothbrush too. Takes maybe 5 minutes. After a session of at least a box, I will field strip and detail clean.

 

[aslondon]

As dirty as alot of ammunition is these days, I clean after 1 mag and do a quick cleaning after 1 round.

 

[Ethan Verity]

But something else to consider, is that a cleaned gun is an "unfired" gun, at a crime scene. So if you do happen to find yourself mixed up in something, but your gun has no gun powder residue coating the inside of the barrel and chamber, it's a pretty reasonable assumption that it was NOT shot at the scene. That's not really a big deal, but still noteworthy.

That reminds me of a scene from the 1939 film "The Roaring Twenties" in which the main character played by James Cagney was at the scene of a gunfight, but didn't fire his own gun.. the police showed up, and smelled his gun to confirm his claim. Good thing he carried a clean gun! Lol

 

[deadeye dick]

I have been cleaning guns after each range trip, (and dreading it) but after reading this thread, I'm going to re-evaluate.

I can't bear to leave a gun dirty, but I can certainly reduce cleaning a bit. General wipe-down and a couple of bore snake runs maybe?

Bush-Master15 how do you think bore-scrubbing your 22 rimfire ruined its accuracy?

I shot my wife's S&W 22 Compact for the first time a couple days ago. I got home, went to clean it (too much oil from the factory, and that attracted all the soot and stuff.) To my surprise, I kept getting lead and copper out of the barrel, just with Hoppe's #9 powder solvent. It was relatively good ammo too, CCI from the 300-round bulk box. I guess the copper plating was scraping off, maybe when it was being chambered?

Re. military-style cleaning, when we were cleaning our M16s in Army basic, it was done dry. We were to scrub and pick all the nooks and crannies and as a last step, just a TINY bit of CLR on the outside of the bolt. It was quite labor-intensive, as we shot blanks a lot. Cleaning after an actual range trip was much easier.

Back in 61 at Fort Dix N.J. in Dec. after a hard day we took our M1 into the shower and hosed it down with HOT water and a light oiling after.

 

[SP5]

ONe mag? lol no way. I try to clean after each range trip, but don't always get to it & never had a problem because of it