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Gun Cleaning Input

194K views 1K replies 869 participants last post by  Notrighty 
#1 ·
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.
 
#2 ·
Varies, depending on the gun.

22 Rimfire, clean when accuracy begins to drop, or fails to feed.

CCW weapon, clean after every firing before carrying.

Large bore pistol- about every 500 rounds, or before prolonged storage.

Large bore rifle- about every 200 rounds, before storage

Shotgun- before end of season storage

EXCEPTION- Corrosive MILSURP ammo or muzzleloaders- clean after every shooting session before storing.


Cleaning products- for corosive ammo or BP, Dawn dish detergent, hot water, Bore Butter.

All others, Hoppes, Gunscrubber spray for actions I do not want to take apart, CLP. Kroil for severe metal fouling. Light grease for certain actions.

Glocks- I don't clean. Just melt with hair dryer, pour into mold, make a new one. :p
 
#3 ·
Generally i clean noncorosive ammo guns within a week of shooting. If the get wet or bloody from hunting clean immediately.

Corrosive ammo right away. I use hoppes #9 blackpoweder solvent for corrosives. Then dawn and hotwater then the bore butter. Clean bore with dry patches before firing.

22lr whenever i getaround to it.

Method for cleaning i use clp and hoppes #9. Scrub bore with patch wet with clp to get surface gunk dry patch. Then hoppes and brush then dry patch the wet dry hoppes patch till dry patchcomes clean. Then clp the bore then dry patch.

All other parts clp and rags patches qtips etc
 
#4 · (Edited)
What is your criteria for cleaning your guns?

I clean after every trip to the range, regardless of the number of rounds.

How do you clean your guns?

Here's what I do for handguns:

  • Run a double patch soaked in Hoppe's through the barrel a couple of times first. Let that soak in.
  • Use a brush dipped in #9 on the spring and guide.
  • Use a brush dipped in #9 on the frame and slide.
  • Return to the barrel and run a brass brush through it.
  • Start the process of running dry double patches through the barrel.
  • If it's really dirty repeat soaked patches and brass brush and then return to dry patches.
  • Use patches to clean slide an frame, by hand.
  • Use cleaning cloth to wipe down spring and guide.
  • Lightly oil (Hoppe's) the frame and rails, outside of barrel, ramp, and any metal part that shows wear.
  • Reassemble gun.
  • Work the action several times and remove any excess oil on back of slide.
  • Wipe down frame and slide with cleaning cloth.

If I think it's going to be a while before I shoot the gun again, I'll oil the inside of the barrel.

Shotgun gets only a couple of passes with wet patches and brass brush and/or tornado brush and then I use a bore snake to continue the cleaning and then oil the barrel at the end.
 
#5 · (Edited)
I'm certainly no expert. I'm currently operating my Garand on the theory

that someone installed a copper barrel on it. Weeks of cleaning and yepper,

blue patches...

I clean every gun after each trip to the range.

First a Hoppes patch to clear out the mud.

Then a dry patch to see what dirt or fouling it still has.

Then the proper cleaner-Hoppes Bore gel, copper cleaner etc,

rinse and repeat till clear.

Then Hoppes #9 once, run a dry patch or two,

and lubricate lightly with Cleansoil once clean and dry...

Field strip and wipe down with rags and Q-tips @ every 3 months.

Amsoil spray lube and WD40 are both OK for this.

Obviously, with most semis, you need to lightly grease

the slide.
 
#6 ·
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.
 
#7 ·
For the barrel I use Bore Tech Eliminator, one piece carbon fiber rods and nylon brushes:

- Run five wet patches through in ONE DIRECTION ONLY.
- Run nylon brush through 20 times, saturating brush every five passes.
- Repeat step one and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Run dry patches through until they come out clean.

Repeat process until barrel is clean to your satisfaction.

For slides, bolts, frames, receivers etc. I use Kano Kroil, Q tips, paper towels and a toothbrush to scrub out carbon/debris. Wipe dry with paper towels before reassembly.

For lubrication of moving parts with metal-metal contact points I lightly lube with USGI rifle grease that is applied with a plastic syringe (slide and frame rails, bolts on semi auto rifles etc.)

Reassemble and wipe down with silicone impregnated rag before storing.

I do this after every range trip.
 
#9 · (Edited)
gun cleaning

Im retired military so all my guns are cleaned after firing.And a few times each year just to be sure.Its hard to break old habits a clean and properly lubed gun just works better and lasts longer.Several of mine Ive had for 45-50 years and never have a problem with them not functioning properly every time I pull the trigger.
 
#10 ·
gun cleaning

Im retired military so all my guns are cleaned after firing.And a few times each year just to be sure.Its hard to break old habits a clean and properly lubed gun just works better and lasts longer.Several of mine Ive had for 45-50 years and never have a problem with them not functioning properly every time I pull the trigger. I use Hoppes 9 on all of them and Breakaway to lube them after cleaning .
 
#12 ·
Gun Show Wax

Once having given the gun a final clean and before putting it to rest we always use the smallest amount of our Gun Show Wax which is a white spirit wax based and dries to a clear finish with no cracking. The wax creates a long lasting shield between the metal and salts of your pause and fingers and is ideal for using at Gun Shows when firearms are on display or being handled
by prospective customers or admirers.

You may view the product on our website. Used by the Royal Amouries, World-Wide Firearms Museums Holding large gun collections & or priceless pieces of Art etc.

CMR Classic Firearms :: Pistol (Firearms) Preservation Wax. Ref. #H4

I hope this helps & answers some questions about firearms preservation.
 
#13 ·
Well, this is the very first time I've been invited to provide input.

I'm anal about cleaning. It's the result of Marine Corps training.


I clean, or at least "wipe down" my guns on a regular basis. My carry gun is wiped down, a damp, then dry patch run through the bore, then function-checked several times a week.

If I pull the trigger on a live round, that gun gets cleaned within 24 hours. Rimfires get a lightweight oil-dampened patch thru the bore, the action inspected, and cleaned/oiled if needed. My rimfire ammo has a "lube" on it, that allows for more time between cleanings. I periodically remove rifle stocks and apply a light coat of oil to the metal underneath the wood. On barrels that I can remove I'll use a nylon brush w/solvent, then dry patches, then a lightly oiled patch, on a cleaning rod, from the breech end. On barrels I dont' remove, I use only pull-thru cleaning devices, from the breech end.

Cleaning solvents are highly subjective, but I always have Hoppes #9, Corrosion X, and Gunzilla on hand. Actions are cleaned in a commercial ultra-sonic cleaner, then lightly oiled, or disassembled, then cleaned. I've insulted more than one person by letting them handle a forearm, then wiping it down before I put it back in the safe. I'm quite certain it will happen again. I have a goldenrod in my safe, and an extra on hand, just in case.

I don't think I've left anything out, but I'm old. Thanks again for the invite.
 
#14 ·
My rimfire rifles are detail cleaned every year or two.

Centerfire rifles that are fired often are cleaned about once per month unless corrosive ammo is used. i use Hoppe's Bench Rest to clean the bores of my rifles. Some guns don't group well when all the copper fouling is removed from the bore. The lead free copper bullets leave a lot of copper fouling in the bore and accuracy can go away fast.

If corrosive ammo is used the bore is cleaned immediately after use using US Army WWII bore cleaner.

My muzzleloaders are cleaned using Windex Multi Task. It was formerly called Windex with vinegar. It eats up fouling very fast. After cleaning the bore, breechplug and action the gun gets a light coat of Militec 1 on the exposed surfaces.

If any gun get rained on while shooting or hunting it is detailed cleaned and lubed ASAP.

The bores of my guns get a light coat of Rem Oil. If the gun is put away for a prolonged period the bore gets swabbed using a patch saturated with Militec 1.
 
#15 ·
I clean every gun thoroughly after I shoot. Even if it's only a few rounds. Use everything from Bore Butter to gun oil. If I am at the range, depending on how much I shoot, usually every three magazines I'll run a bore snake through the barrel. More than 200 rounds I'll run some bore butter and patches through it.
 
#16 ·
I also clean after every trip to the range, regardless of the number of rounds.
Hoppe's 9/CLP and a boresnake. Periodically a rod and brass brush

In addition, all of my guns have been previously treated with the following products by Sentry Solutions:
Tuf Cloth for wipe down
Hi-Slip Grease for rails and other moving parts
Smooth Kote for the bore
Tuf Glide for general lube
Sentry Solutions: Firearms Applications - Gun Cleaning, Gun Care
 
#17 ·
I clean all my guns after firing, regardless.
Method:
1. Completely disassemble to the basic components.
2. Blast out with brake clean (don’t get it on plastic or wood so remove before hand)
3. Scrub out with brake clean on brush and ram rod with brass brush
4. Blast one last time to clean particles
5. Let dry, because it will condensate
6. Oil hunting guns with Remington oil.
7. Oil tactical guns with Remington oil but, grease internals bolt slides with high temp bearing grease (it does not burn up during high rate of fire like oil will)
8. Reassemble, and function check
9. Wipe down for any excess oil one last time.

I do this because it thoroughly cleans them, keeps me 100% fresh on assembly and disassembly for troubleshooting and provides quality time with friends as we clean our firearms.
 
#18 ·
gun cleaning

I clean all my firearms after firing....since I spend the majority of my time overseas....when I'm home and go shooting,I clean them after I get back from the range....before they go back in the safe....I use gun blast,clp...rem oil...dependent on type of weapon....all get a good wipe down before long term storage..there's a blueish gel product from Soorts Care Products, Inc. - Your go-to brand for firearm maintainence that seems to work very well...I just squirt some in the bore and use a bore brush to scrub it a bit....let it set for a few minutes...then swab it out and use some clp on a patch to swab the bore again to put a lite coat of lube in the bore for storage....of course most of my long guns have chrome lined bores...and the ones that don't are either stainless steel or are polygonal rifled with a tenifer finish.
 
#20 ·
The Henry gets cleaned every time I shoot it. I just run a boresnake through it four or five times then a couple of dry patches. The action gets sprayed with Hoppes and then it gets a Q-Tip clean out.

All the other centerfires get boresnaked, and if I've shot them for quite a few rounds, I'll use a brass rod with brushes then patches.

The pistols get the same treatment. The shotgun gets a couple of passes with a mop, then it's done.

Each weapon will receive a final pass with a Remoil soaked patch and the outsides will be rubbed down with a graphite infused cloth, then put away until next time.
 
#21 ·
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.
 
#22 ·
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.
 
#23 ·
Gun Cleaning

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.
 
#24 ·
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.
 
#25 ·
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.
 
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