How often do you clean your guns. Really!

[mallc]

Bore Snake

Pistols get bore snaked two or threes time at the end of the session and clean thoroughly after 400 or 500 rounds.

Depends on the rifle but usually before each session.

About once a month we clean Kimber, the house gun, and take her to the range for timed practice on a couple of IPSC targets. Then she naps for a month or so.

Scott

 

[nyggis]

I clean my Mauser m/96 and two Tikka M/55 rifles after each session. My Mauser while it´s still warm.. =)

My 10/22, perhaps once a month, and my winchester 1300 perhaps once a year...

 

[HK G3]

I clean my guns after I go shooting every time, and sometimes, if I have not shot/cleaned a gun for a few months, I'll clean/lube it also.

 

[Prophet]

I clean my guns every time I shoot them.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Since I Go to a range only 4 times a year I field strip and clean after each range trip.

 

[rfurtkamp]

The only ones I clean religiously are antiques with corrosive ammo, or with an easily damaged finish.

The rest get cleaned if they're not in regular rotation and it's end of season or I won't be going out for a while.

The only real exception to it is anything I shoot with a can pretty much has to be cleaned afterwards. Roller lock + can: dirtier than hell.

My carry gun, I clean every few weeks at most. It hasn't been pretty in a long, long time, and doesn't care how much I abuse it. I keep waiting for a range failure to retire it.

 

[SrDedosRapidos]

After every Range session.

Im EXTREMELY anal about running a clean Gun. Its part of the reason i hate Glocks; you dont have to clean them!

 

[warnerwh]

I've always cleaned them after every use.

 

[WardenWolf]

I normally at least boresnake my guns after every session. My AK's go a few sessions between gas tube cleanings. However, I'm going hunting on Friday, and did final calibration of my gun today. After that, I put it right back in its case and I'm not touching it until after my hunt. It's dialed in for the state it's in now, and clean it may not shoot quite the same.

 

[rugbyer81]

I clean all of my guns, except for my .22, after every time I shoot them. I have however gone several weeks without cleaning some of my centerfires due to circumstances that prevented me from cleaning them.

 

[halfded]

I clean my guns everytime I shoot with the exception of my 10/22. I shoot it until it starts to gum up, then tear the entire thing down. Good waste of an hour or so.

 

[The_Shootist]

Carry pieces or guns going back into the safe for awhile get cleaned usually the same evening as a range session. I'm picky about the pistols I use for CHL duty (usually my 642 or my G19).

Plinkers like my Beretta Cheetah 87 (ie .22 LR) or my 617 sorta get cleaned "every so often".

 

[bps3040]

I clean my guns every time I shoot them. That is how I was taught...so it is pretty much habit..... to me it is a relaxing way to spend your time.

 

[colorado_handgunner]

After each range session, before I head back out. I too like cleaning them, except my .22 knuckle buster pistol.

 

[Flash!]

if using corrosive ammo, I clean immediately after getting home from the range..... otherwise, I might clean them once a year or if they start jamming..... I have some guns I've never cleaned.....

 

[tasco 74]

i always clean my model 27 after every trip to the range.... i like to keep her clean and the lead out of the rifleing.... my 1022 custom gets only an oil soaked patch when i get done shooting it... too much scrubing isn't good for the .22 rifling i was told so it gets scrubed out only after the accuracy drops to below 1/2 moa...........................

 

[JImbothefiveth]

Every time I shoot them. Carry guns might need to be cleaned more often.

 

[PressCheck]

Glocks - Every 5000 rounds (prox). No problems, I shoot 1,000 to 1,300 per month for over 10 years.

 

[Travis Bickle]

I clean my carry piece every time I shoot it. That way on the off chance I'm ever falsely accused of shooting at someone or other reckless discharge (unlikely but still possible), I can prove my innocence by showing that the gun is clean and hasn't been fired.

As far as how often you clean your other guns, it should be remembered that cleaning itself isn't harmless to your bore and that in this day and age of stainless steels and non-corrosive primers, more bores are ruined by cleaning rods than by rust. I live in a very dry climate, most of my guns are stainless and I shoot only non-corrosive ammo, so I only clean my other guns when they become fouled badly enough to affect their accuracy. However, your situation may differ and you may want to clean more often.

 

[Formula4Fish]

Mine get field stripped and thoroughly cleaned after every firing, usually the same day. They only take 20 or 30 minutes each, so it's no big deal. I spread out in front of the TV and relax while cleaning them.

To me, it just makes sense that autoloaders will be more reliable if kept clean and lubed. That pretty applies to any machine.

I think it's particularly important with revolvers to keep after them regularly. I always clean off all the lead and powder deposits that build up around the holes in the end of the cylinder, around the forcing cone, and on the top strap. I try to leave a gun looking like it's never been fired, and that's very hard to do if it builds up too much.

 

[Clarence]

I give my guns a thorough cleaning every time I shoot them.

 

[DCortez]

I clean them every time I use them. Next day at the latest.

 

[seuss]

I clean mine often enough to keep the crud off. And it is usually very relaxing.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

After every range firing, I swab the bore and action with Hoppes #9. About every 250 rounds or so, I do a field strip and clean on my semi-auto's.

 

[sturmgewehr667]

more than i should...