I don't clean my guns!

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joey93turbo

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Well, at least not very well, or often. Gotta say, the Sig P226 is FILTHY and still never misses a beat. Anyway, I really need to change my habits. The reason I'm not good at cleaning is because I don't have anything TO clean them with. I go to the cleaning section at the sporting goods store and there's a million choices. I'm sure all are better than not cleaning at all but I'm on a tight budget and don't want to waste my money. What's the best cleaning solution? What rods should I buy? please keep in mind I don't have much money.

This is what I have:

Sig P220 .45
Sig P226 .40
Ruger MKI .22
Colt Anaconda .44 mag

Marlin .22
Ruger .243
SAR1 7.62x39
M4A3 .223
 
Joey-

A good way to get started is to buy one of those all purpose cleaning kits such as sold by Outers. This will include rods, nitro solvent, patches, and some gun oil. The whole package can be had at my local hardware store for $10.

I like to use Q tips dipped in nitro solvent for my pistols.

If I had all the nice guns you do I would certainly clean and (lightly) oil them.
 
Hi Joey-

You've got eight guns but not twenty dollars to spare on keeping them clean and oiled? Even if you were a homeless beggar out on the streets you should have the sense to scrub them with a soft nylon brush dipped in hot water and then coat them with motor oil from the corner garage. Sorry if I sound harsh, but I'm having a difficult time truly understanding your post.

~ Blue Jays ~
 
What happens if you over-oil guns? Would a good coated steel rod be a good investment? I do have alot of money in my guns and I wanna take care of them.
 
joey, considering that with those you're likely to shoot copper jacketed bullets, not the soft lead that I shoot out of my .22 target rifle (I don't clean that regularly, but it does better like it is), I would recomend getting a cleaning kit from somewhere and clean those. At the very least, clean the action and the crown of the muzzle (I ALWAYS clean those, but the bore hardly gets anything).
 
It's not that I don't have the money to spend, it's just that I'm on a limited budget (around $50 to spend). I can't buy $30 carbon fiber cleaning rods for each caliber is what I'm saying. So what should I buy for $50?
 
Walmart has more gun cleaning stuff then you'll ever need and its all cheap.


Get one of their cheap basic kits and it will include rods, a brush, some patches, solvent and lube. Should be under $20 (buy the rifle one because you can use it for the pistols, but not the other way around).

Then buy their bore brushes for each caliber you need ... less then $2 each. (and you can use the same brush for the .44 and .45 ... and the same brush for the .22, .223 and .243, so you're only looking at 4 brushes total, a .22 a .45 a .40 and a .30cal)

Then pick up a bottle of Hoppes #9 (because the little bottle that comes with the kit will run out pretty quick) and a bottle of RemOil, and a little bag of patches (Walmart has some real cheap ones)

Skip the fancy cleaners and aerosol ones if you're on a budget.


If you don't want to spend the money on patches, just save old 100% cotton t-shirts and cut them up (stay away from poly blends 'cause if you leave any threads in the gun they will melt and make a mess ... cotton just burns up harmlessly).


If you're going to splurge on ANY part of this, get a good rod set (the cheap ones break easily). You don't need a set of rods for each caliber, one rod with a bunch of bore brushes will do you fine.



Skip one trip to the range and you'll have saved enough money to get all the cleaning supplies you need for a year. $50 is PLENTY to set you up with the basics and then some :)
 
It's not that I don't have the money to spend, it's just that I'm on a limited budget (around $50 to spend). I can't buy $30 carbon fiber cleaning rods for each caliber is what I'm saying. So what should I buy for $50?
Click to expand...

There are many options available for $50.
I advocate a lay-away deposit on another new gun.



.
 
Get the cheap gun cleaning kit with a few brushes. A can of gun scrubber is a luxury at $10 but worth it for those hard to reach areas. A large bottle of Hoppes, again for about $10, and a couple of bore snakes.
 
I want some good, stiff, coated rods, what do you guys recommend?

If I'm going to buy the rods, a bottle of hoppes, patches, and the brushes seperately what's left in the kit?
 
If you don't want to worry about the bores, except for just getting the worst carbon deposits off try this.

Go outside.

Field strip your guns. Additionally, remove any wood/rubber that is not otherwise normally removed in simple field stripping. Cover the lenses of any optics

Take a can of brake parts cleaner (or carb cleaner) and hose each gun until the liquid runs clear from the gun. Don't be shy or stingy with the cleaner. Use that little red tube to more effectivly direct the spray. Make sure you get all areas that are dirty including slide rails, trigger groups, fire control groups, bore, springs, bolts, etc.

Wipe off excess solvent with a clean rag.

Let dry (should only take a few minutes provided you drain any pooled solvents).

Lube (CLP, Rem Oil, whatever).

Reassemble.

Pistols will take you about 2 minutes each including disassembly and reassembly (but not including dry time). Rifles about 3 minutes.

The guns (except for the bores) will get surprisingly clean with this method.

If you want to clean the bores, which is especially important for your .243 and .223 rifles you'll need a good cleaning rod, and a boresnake. The boresnake is great for a speeding up cleaning, but you still need a good cleaning rod so you can run a patch down to actually see how clean it really is. And you'll want to use a patch to run the oil/CLP down the bore so you get a good coating, but not too much. I highly recommend a 1 piece cleaning rod. After breaking about 4 of the segmented ones in just a few years I ponied up for a good steel 1-piece. Worth every penny.
 
Go outside.

Field strip your guns. Additionally, remove any wood/rubber that is not otherwise normally removed in simple field stripping. Cover the lenses of any optics

Take a can of brake parts cleaner (or carb cleaner) and hose each gun until the liquid runs clear from the gun. Don't be shy or stingy with the cleaner. Use that little red tube to more effectivly direct the spray. Make sure you get all areas that are dirty including slide rails, trigger groups, fire control groups, bore, springs, bolts, etc.

Wipe off excess solvent with a clean rag.

Let dry (should only take a few minutes provided you drain any pooled solvents).

Lube (CLP, Rem Oil, whatever).

Reassemble.

Pistols will take you about 2 minutes each including disassembly and reassembly (but not including dry time). Rifles about 3 minutes.

The guns (except for the bores) will get surprisingly clean with this method.
Click to expand...

sumpnz, have you been watching me clean my guns???

Cheap cleaning kit, brushes, brake cleaner and Remoil will set you back less then 20 bucks at WallyMart.

You say you don't have money for cleaning supplies. How much are you spending on ammo? Maybe give up a box a week until you have a good cleaning kit.
 
Roy - I was turned on to that method by my CCW instructor. It's great to know that I'll spend more time waiting in line at WM to pay for the stuff than I will actually cleaning the guns. Best part is, no more Q-tips.
 
Wal-Mart has a nice wood chest cleaning kit for about $20. Comes with a rod, and jigs to do about every common caliber. Oil and solvent, too, IIRC.

Also, I like bore snakes. Cost a bit more, but make the job so easy. I picked up a 12 ga, a .22 and a .30 at Wal-Mart one day cheap for $3 each. Wishing I bought more.
 
Hint-Hint

You should always clean your weapons! :)

If you shoot regularly, after each use. :uhoh:

If not used, at least twice per year. :D


Fuel for thought: When cleaning firearms with match grade barrels,
stay away from aluminum rods. Use only rods with protective plastic
coating! As the FRAM oil filter man say's, "You Can Pay Me Now, Or
Pay Me Later! :eek:
 
If I'm going to buy the rods, a bottle of hoppes, patches, and the brushes seperately what's left in the kit?
Click to expand...

Nothing, thats why its a 'kit' its cheaper to buy it as a set.....
 
If I'm going to buy the rods, a bottle of hoppes, patches, and the brushes seperately what's left in the kit?
Click to expand...

The kit is usually cheaper then a good set of rods ... so you get the cheap rods and other cheap stuff.


I recommend you go buy the kit RIGHT NOW and then as you need to, buy patches and more solvent.
 
Save a little

Joey--You can use the jointed Al rod(s) in the kit for starters. The objections to them are that (1) the Al oxidizes, and Al oxide is very hard, much harder than steel, and so can scratch yr. bore (2) the joints in the rod will over time pick up bits of crud, some of which will also be hard enough to do bore damage and (3) The lighter, cheap rods, whim-wham side to side as they slide through the bore, whacking your bore each time they do so.

But cleaning yr. guns is not optional, so have at it.

As yr. budget becomes less tight, get coated steel rods for each set of similar calibers. The coating is soft plastic, does not scratch the bore, the rod is stiff enough it doesn't slap side to side, and there are no joints to pick up crud. You wipe the rod lengthwise a couple of times during the cleaning process. As a testimony, most benchresters (those absolute accuracy fanatics) and most target shooters use this type of rod. Those that don't use a 1-piece non-coated steel rod.
 
I would also recomend some a tube of grease. I have the one that is set up like a needle so you can squirt a little on the rails of the autos to keep the action smooth.
I think I commented in your post wear someone was getting on to you for not cleaning your AK. I wouldn't worry to much about that one, but do you want the first time you have a failure due to poor maintnence to be the last time as well. Every couple of days I take out the guns that get carried and work the actions and every week or so I clean the carry guns whether they have been shot or not. They get pretty nasty, especially the pocket guns.
 
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