[rachilders]

Originally Posted by trip286

As far as when to clean... I do a thorough cleaning every single time my guns are fired immediately after I get them inside from the range. I also shoot corrosive ammo through my rifle too, so that's part of the reason.

They get cleaned once a month or so, or when they go outside, with just a quick wipe down with a lightly oiled rag, and lightly oiled patch then a dry patch through the bore.

Nowadays I use only Hoppes 9 for cleaning solvent, and remoil for oiling. In conjunction with an old stiff toothbrush, assorted bore brushes and jags, and q-tips.

Not because I have anything against brake or carb cleaner, but because they arent necessary when I'm no longer shooting multiple thousands of rounds at the range.

Pretty much the same for me, though I don't clean every gun I own (several dozen) on a regular schedule unless it's one I shoot on a regular basis. I have a number of safe queens and they may get wiped down once or twice a year. OTOH, if a gun I own hasn't been fired in over six months I'll give it a quick going over before I shoot it again. FWIW, some of my guns I've had more than 40 years and haven't had a problem with rust or pitting yet so something I'm doing is working the way it should.

[Minionsram]

I always clean after every shooting. At minimal just the bore if I am pressed for time. The reason being is even though we do shoot corrosive ammo everyday with the modern ammo, copper, lead and powder fowling WILL attract small amounts of moisture. If you have ever cleaned your rifle and noticed that green junk on a patch, that is the copper tarnishing, or in some ways corrosion. I have seen that not cleaning a bore to get all that out will cause pitts in it. If you hate cleaning get you 2 bore snakes one soaked with hoppes or something like that, run through, then let sit and run a fresh snake. check with a clean patch. Butches bore shine will help if you hit it with that and let sit a while while you do other things.
If you shoot every day you can get away from cleaning everyday but most of us will use the firearm once then let it sit a week untill the next weekend. All it takes is a little moisture to start the pitting from the copper and lead, so dont chance it.

[benich]

I've done it both ways: clean, clean, clean - & clean once in a while. Some gun owners shoot less than a box of ammo a year. Some shoot 500 rounds of pistol ammo or @ skeet shoots in a day.
Take the time ot look the gun over, not just run some cleaner & patches through it. You would be surprised what came loose since the last time you had it out. I'd hate for you to go on a long drive to hunt or to the range only to find out you have an issue.

[carbinero]

I am in the "less cleaning" category. I don't use soapy stuff anymore, like M-Pro7. Nor do I use anything which doesn't also lube, unless it is easily field-strippable, like an AR-15 BCG.

I don't use carbon/copper killer stuff on my barrels. They break-in naturally and shoot superbly.

I do use and love Weaponshield. I am also happy to look at any other new-fangled non-toxic CLP-types.

That's all I have time for today, and is a good reflection of how I treat cleaning: fast and effective, no B.S.

[hkusp45]

I clean all of mine first thing when I get back from the range. My process is pretty much the same for everything.

1. copper bore brush the barrel/ dry
2. run a dry patch through
3. alternate wet and dry patch with Hoppe's 9 until clean
4. lube barrel and parts lightly with CLP

The only difference is that I use Militec as a lube for my machine guns when I'm finished and that is just due to the fact it just seems to hold up better.

I do have a whole host of copper and lead solvents but I've rarely had to use most of that stuff if I just clean everything as soon as I get home.

Suppressors I just use a good brush, elbow grease, and CLP. Blow everything out afterwards with an air compressor.

[Bigcat_hunter]

Originally Posted by notdku

The data, statistics and information from this thread will be compiled into an FAQ article. Please be as detailed but concise as you can in your response.

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What is your criteria for cleaning your guns?

Do you clean based on rounds fired, time since last cleaning, condition of gun, etc.

How do you clean your guns?

What products do you use and what methods to thorough cleaning.

1. I clean my firearms after every range session (except the 22's). I clean & lube my carry gun every couple of weeks if I have shot it or not. I clean the 22's when they get reaalllly dirty.

2. I just use Hoppes #9 for most guns. I use Butches Bore Shine and copper solvent for my long range rig. I use rem oil to lube.

[Snakedriver]

Yep, my Dad always taught me to clean your tools when you use them and then put them away. I wouldn't be able to sleep if I put my guns away after a shooting session without cleaning them first. It's just an old habit that I'll never change.

That said, even some of my very old guns are in factory new shape as a result of this practice.

[billt]

I always clean every firearm I own after shooting it. I generally like to give handguns, especially semi autos a "wet cleaning". I've found this works the best, is the fastest because it avoids disassembly, and is by far the easiest.

I take a clean coffee can and fill it about half full of clean Kerosene, or WD-40. Both are avaliable in gallon size cans at Home Depot or Lowe's. WD-40 smells better if you have a sensitive nose. Also pick up several of those cheap, fake Camel hair paint brushes from the paint department. I cut about half the bristles off which helps to make them slightly stiffer.

Field strip the gun down, and using the cut down paint brush liberally flood and flush the clean WD-40 or kerosene over all the parts. Barrel, slide, frame, etc. I just toss the entire magazine right into the can. Don't worry, the WD-40 or Kerosene won't hurt a thing, or damage the finish on your wood grips. You won't believe what comes out, and how dirty the WD-40 will get.

After I thoroughly clean each part I let it drain, then set it on a clean sheet of paper towel. When I'm finished I then give everything a good blast of compressed air. The compressed air will leave everything spotlessly clean and dry. If you don't have a air compressor, you can get a small, portable one from places like Harbor Freight very reasonably. They are invaluable for cleaning guns and gun parts.

After everything is clean and dry, I then oil everything with with Mobil 1 motor oil, and grease hard contact areas like bolt lugs, and slide rails with some Mobil 1 Synthetic Grease. After that I reassemble, wipe down with an oily cloth, and I'm done. Don't be afraid to but an entire slide or bolt from a bolt action rifle into a can of clean WD-40 either. It will clean it every bit as clean as if you took it apart without going through all of the hassle. This method works especially well on Ruger Mark II and Mark III .22 pistols. They can be a royal pain to disassemble and reassemble.

For cleaning barrels I use nothing but Bore Tech Eliminator.

Bore Tech Eliminator Bore Cleaning Solvent 4 oz Liquid - MidwayUSA

This stuff works much better than any other type of copper cleaner I've ever tried. It contains zero Ammonia, is completely odorless and bio degradable, and it will not hurt your weapon. It is perfect for cleaning semi autos like Springfield M1-A's, AR-15's, and Ruger Mini 14's because if any gets into the gas system it won't hurt a thing. It even has rust preventatives in it.

I go with a wet patch, a NYLON BRUSH, then a dry patch until they come out clean with no green color on them. After that I run an oily patch through, and the barrel will be spotless.

All I have ever used to lubricate my firearms is Mobil 1 Motor Oil, ATF, (Automatic Transmission Fluid), and for very high pressure friction points like bolt lugs on bolt action rifles and hinge pins on O/U shotguns I will use a small amount of STP. I have never had a a gun rust or fail because of a lubrication issue in over 45 years.

Gun oils and greases are overpriced "snake oils" in fancy packaging, nothing more. Know what a Castrol Rep told me your getting when you spend $8.00 for a bottle of "Castrol / Hoppes Synthetic Gun Oil"? Castrol Syntec Motor Oil with an emulsifier added to it. You can buy it all day for around $4.50 @ quart, or pay $8.00 for 4 ounces of it in a fancy brushed Aluminum pump bottle. Same with a lot of these "Gun Greases".

Go into any auto parts store and you can buy a large tube of Moly Grease that will last the average shooter a lifetime for a couple of bucks. It's as good, or better than these miracle gun greases they sell for over $10.00 for a 1/4 ounce! An even better product is the Mobil 1 Synthetic Grease. It comes in a 1 pound tub for around $6.00. If you like the fancy hypo type applicator, you can get one at Walgreen's, Osco, CVS, Rite Aid, or most any other drug store for around .25 to .50 cents, and it's refillable too boot. Just ask the Pharmacist for one. Sometimes they have them hanging on "J-Hooks" in the aisle.

Mobil 1 can be tailored to your climate just as you would if you used it in your car. If you shoot or hunt in very frigid climate it comes in a 0W-20 grade that won't stiffen up in cold weather. Here in Arizona we don't get much cold weather, but in the Summer it can get blistering hot so I use the 10W-40 or the 20W-50 grade. It has a nice viscosity that won't run off metal and dry up in a few days like some of these water thin gun oils like "Rem-Oil" will. Mobil 1 Synthetic Gear Lube has an even higher viscosity that works well on guns that tend to be run at higher temperatures like AR-15's and AK-47's. It comes in a 75W-140 Grade. ATF is a very clean non gumming lubricant that works well for lubricating semi autos and fast moving parts like slides and even trigger mechanisms. I'm not a believer of these so called "dry lubes". 47 years of shooting has taught me one very simple fact. If I can see oil on my firearms, I know I won't be seeing any rust.

All 3 of these products can be purchased at any auto parts store for around $20.00, and will last the average shooter for years, if not a lifetime. I won't overpay for these gun lubes that do nothing better except make you poorer. Bill T.

[Oohrah]

I also clean each time I use a firearm. I have used several methods of preserve coatings after my favorite became unobtainable. I found that Break Free was only so so, and Break Free for Collectors a bit better. Also good Milltec 1, Froglube where the metal is treated for protection and the lubes are very good for lubrication and protection. CCW and duty weapon are cleaned after each use.
Glocks don't need a bunch of care. Where most just use a couple of drops of oil, and call it good, I put just a very slight amount of Miltec 1 grease on the receiver metal tabs that ride on the slide groove. It stays put and the slide is slicker operating with both 27, 22, generation 3 and 4. All other handguns are strickley for fun and hunting, so they don't get any special treatment that rifles and shotguns get.
My two ARs I simply don't trust for sustained fire power. Kept for fun guns, I just keep them as clean as possible. They do not like an environment of wet no matter what the lube may be. Powders build up get damp, and they stop when they have had enough. Either by failure to feed or eject. I have a single AK 47 (WARSP 10?) that seems like it runs forever straight out of the box. Garands, and 30 Carbines a little dap of Miltec 1 grease in the cam area and bolt recesses, they also seem to run trouble free in all conditions. Bolt runs and all others seem to do well cleaned and oil preserved. Some have been owned for over 60 years with a couple being in the family for longer.

[Couch_Warrior]

I hesitate to clean the bore of my guns (as long as I haven't fired corrosive ammo) because the point of aim tends to change as the bore silts up again.

My big concerns in cleaning are preventing rust and keeping the action functioning reliably.

For the rust issue, I do a scrubbing with a solvent like Hoppes or WD-40 and a coarse rag, then a rub-down with a light oil and an old (but clean) diaper (because its soft).

The action I field-strip, brush with a toothbrush and a solvent, then spritz off with WD-40 ( catching the drips in a trash can), then add a few drops of machine oil and re-assemble.