[mainer]

I clean every few hundred rounds or so. Usually basis it on how dirty the firearm is getting, varies by firearm and AMMO quality.


I usually pull all firearms from the save once a year to do a quick cleaning even if they have not been used. Just a quick look to make sure they are still in good shape.
Most of them are stored in a save with multiple packets of silica, just to be save.

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.

[bigedp51]

I just received an email inviting me to comment here, and we have comments running from Marine clean to cleaning only when its too dirty to function. I was in the Air Force but Chesty Puller always impressed me on cleaning firearms........

"This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life."

I believe in Marine clean firearms but I want to pass on a little information.

Therefore I'm going to talk about "over cleaning" your rifles because I collect milsurp rifles with the majority being the British Enfield rifles.

After shooting the Enfield rifle all the British troops did was poor boiling water down the bore to flush out the corrosive salts and carbon buildup in the bore. (NO copper bore brushing)



After the boiling water had dried, the bore was oiled with a piece of cloth on a "pull through" or bore snake in American English. The Enfield rifle was inspected four times per year by the British Armoures, three mini inspections and one complete tear down inspection. If a copper buildup was found the Armoures mix together a copper cleaning solvent at these quarterly inspections and the bore was cleaned of copper.

One of the inspections the Armourers used to inspect the bore for cleaning was a bore gage.

If this bore gauge did not pass end to end of the barrel it was time to remove the copper from the bore.



I keep my cleaning rod time in the bores of my rifles to a minimum, I use foam bore cleaner and let it soak overnight and let the "foam" remove "all" the copper.



Spare the rod and spoil your bore, more damage is done cleaning rifles than any other cause.

[devildog24]

use a bore snake on the bore. lube the slide. clean the breech face if it needs it. check anything in regards to FEED and FUNCTION. if dirty, clean. My glocks are not sensitive to a little fouling but I want a clean chamber and breech.....going back to feed and function. I treat my BHP the same. Some ammo shoots cleaner than others and I keep this in mind too.

[topgun007]

I'm anal about my guns,and keeping them clean. I'd say what c3shooter had said would get R done nicely. Any time I show a gun, fire a gun or take a gun afield and the gun has metal.Before its put away the metal is cleaned and oiled. Days to nasty to hunt,and days with nothing to do,I like to clean guns for no reason. Like the shotgun your going to clean at the end of season would get cleaned mid season. Anytime I shoot my muzzle loader it gets cleaned that day! If sighting in every 2-3 shots

[slickab]

I shoot .22lr's 99% of the time, so it's Hoppe's #9 for lead removal and

Breakfree CLP for cleaning and anti-rust.

[crustydownunder]

Generally i use a wire brush run it through 5 or 6 times then patches with solvent till they come out clean then some rem oil on the patches 2 or 3 times using a mop i clean the action in a similar way and a tooth brush and wipes on the bolt

[HAGEN442]

Smokeless:
Clean with Gun Scrubber Long and Short Guns
De Lead Short Guns with Peroxide and White Vinegar every 1000 Rounds.
Lub with Miltec Wet Slides on Automatics / Light Application on Revolvers.
Shotguns get Hoppes on the Bores / Actions Wiped Down with Miltec
O/U and Pumps get Miltec Grease on Critical Areas
All Bores are Swabbed with Miltec after Cleaning

Black Powder :
Lever Rifles - Single Action Revolvers - Pump & SxS Shotguns
Clean with Windex With Vinegar / Lube With Barristol
All Bores are Swabbed with Barristol after Cleaning

My Old 2 Cents
Hagen

[BikerRN]

Depends on the weapon.

AR: I clean with CLP and then wipe it down and use Wilson's Grease on the Bolt. I do this every extended firing session, but if I just shoot two or three rounds to confirm zero I don't clean it until the annual cleaning. (Average 4x/year cleaning)

Revolver: When they need it or 500 Rounds as I run them dry. (I brush chambers and extractor star frequently however)

Glock: Every 500 Rounds or yearly. ( I average about 3x/year per Glock.) Simple Green, then hot water, followed by Wilson's Grease on the Connector and CLP on the Rails.

Hunting Rifle: (Every Range Session) Then three rounds to confirm zero and leave it all season. I clean using Copper Solvent and never let a brass brush touch those rifles. I follow that up with CLP.

Shotgun: Once before Hunting season and then at the end. Like the Revolver the pump action shotgun is run very dry. I clean with CLP.

1911: Monthly. I shoot it frequently too, so I tend to always be inside it. I use CLP to clean and Wilson's Grease to lubricate it.

I've seen a few guns get ruined by overcleaning. I use a Bore Guide where applicable.

Biker

[Hillbillyjim]

My 22's are cleaned at least every 500 rounds, today was an exception as I was shot a lot of subsonic ammo and some brands were very dirty. About 350 rounds total through 4 rifles. All got bore brushed and bore snake pulled through.
Deer rifles cleaned after season, shotguns maybe every 50 rounds or after a hunting trip.
Pistols maybe every 500 rounds.
Cleaning and rust preventive is by Ezox, lube by Mobil 1 -works for everthing except black powder which gets Balistol and water clean.
My schedule and methods have evolved over the past 60 years of shooting. Shooting being hunting, compitition, target shooting, plinking and self defense training.
A different enviroment could result in modifying methods.

[oneshot]

Try to clean when I get home from the range. They are to expensive not to clean. Hoppes #9 and patches.