round count between cleanings

fieldgrade said:
What I wonder is, how much of this cleaning was trained into our forebears due to corrosive ammo, or at least corrosive primers.
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A long standing tradition that everyone just keeps alive, and doesn’t ask why.

Not saying “don’t clean your guns”. But I doubt cleaning every range trip will have any benefit compared to cleaning every second range trip.

If it’s filthy, clean it. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Although keeping your carry gun clean is something I understand.
 
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barf said:
A long standing tradition that everyone just keeps alive, and doesn’t ask why.

Not saying “don’t clean your guns”. But I doubt cleaning every range trip will have any benefit compared to cleaning every second range trip.

If it’s filthy, clean it. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Although keeping your carry gun clean is something I understand.
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I’ve reached the point that I clean BEFORE a match because I want to maximize the likelihood of the gun running perfectly.

And at BUG matches, where we actually shoot the guns we carry, I shoot the lint out of my Glock with the Speer Gold Dots I carry, and clean it after, because I’m more interested in it running perfectly in a defensive scenario, than I am at a match.

But the reality is, it’s a Glock, and unless the mag springs are due to be changed after a few years and no longer feeding well, or spent brass is bouncing off my head due to a worn out extractor, it just runs.
 
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Tim said:
One of our members was RO’ing a Run n Gun Stage and called me out mid stage for how filthy my AR was.

I felt shame.
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I call BS, you felt a weird misplaced pride.

As for me, I have this weird thing about the work guns, I shoot two or three rounds AFTER I clean them (which happens every two-three range sessions). Just to make sure...
 
My benchrest match rifles get cleaned after every match which is 20 to 25 rounds for record plus sighters. My carry guns are clean. AR's not so much but after an extended range session, yes. Glocks not so much.
 
In 2021, I cleaned my carry G-19 for the first time since 2016, and that gun gets shot a lot. Truth is, I only cleaned it because every time I took it out of the holster, my hands got dirty. It started making me dirty, lol. My "main" AR, I cleaned in 2021 the same day as my G-19, and it had not been cleaned since 2013, and that gun had a bunch of rounds through it too. Now my nice guns get cleaned when I shoot them some, but it's more of a wipe down and put away type deal.
 
Sp00ks said:
My father was a marine and served in Korea. Part of range time was cleaning when you returned home. You didn't go to the range without a cleaning session. It seems to have stuck. I don't shoot it if I'm not willing to clean it after the range.
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Sooo...kind of like fishing, then?

Don't keep your catch unless you're willing to clean it?
 
Shooting out at Camp Perry, I shared points with Lones and Deena Wigger. They ran a cleaning rod through the bores of their Anschutz after every single relay, so every 50 rounds or so of .22lr if you include sighters.
 
in my experience, people who shoot the most tend to clean the least, those that shoot the least tend to clean the most. I think obsessive cleaning is bad for the gun. People put harsh chemicals on their guns after a magazine of rounds and scrub the crap out of them. If your gun fails to work because you use it as intended - find a better gun. Most of this comes from the days when guns had pretty bad tolerances. Modern machining has made guns much more reliable.

I have an early Sig P229 Legion and my finish is in great condition..cosnidering the number of draws... I have seen people with fairly low round count Legions early on with the finish coming off. I think a bunch of that is obsessive cleaning with chemicals. Just my two cents. Oh and I now clean with a Sonic cleaner and put my parts in a plastic bag with simple green and water. Put the bag in the basket with water and turn it on for 5 minutes. I do it a few times. It cleans all the nooks and crannies for me. Great for BCG's.
 
Pending visual inspection, I usually clean bolts and actions every trip or every other trip on my rifles. I've had some issues here recently that make it worth while to take the bolt apart religiously on one of my ARs after every trip.
Now when it comes to scrubbing the barrels on my rifles, especially precision rifles I get a lot more wierd... I let them tell me when they need cleaned. When the groups start to open up or crazy POI shifts, barrel gets a scrubbin with Butches. Usually I don't oil rifle barrels unless I know it's gonna sit for a little while in the safe cause getting them fouled back in where groups are tight isn't fun to me.
My CZ457 tends to like being cleaned pretty regularly though, I think 22s are an exception in the rifle category.
My Glocks get neglected because they are Glocks😬
 
Depends on the firearm. Shotguns get cleaned quite a bit since I hunt in a saltwater environment. Simplest way I found is to take them apart and rinse them in the sink with hot water. Hunting rifles at the end of the season. AR's, .22's basically when they need it. EDC about every 100 rounds or so...some ammo is just plain dirty. My LR rifles every time they go out since I'm trying to avoid carbon buildup. If you wait until accuracy falls off it is too late. You will spend hours, days, months, years trying to get that crap out. :rolleyes: I'm still trying to find the ultimate carbon remover. @jimmyjames8
 
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M Pro 7 is supposed to be the best carbon cleaner but does noting for copper thats why they make a companion copper cleaning product but I dont use either anymore. Montana Extreme Solvent is what I use. Best of both worlds without the hassle of using 2 products. I used Shooters Choice for 20 years before my rifle builder turned me on to Montana Extreme. I never used bronze bore brushes either for 20 yrs but I do now. 3 wet patches, wet bore brush, 10 strokes, 3 to 6 wet patches and 3 dry. Thats my regimen.
 
As for me I always clean my pistols after a range session…rifles would be clean when accuracy starts dropping, my stuff seems to like dirty and will not shoot clean. Always need a “fouling shot” on a clean gun before grouping settles down..
 
Don't matter how many rounds are fired. If I shoot it it gets cleaned. I'm not talking full tear down and deep clean but basic field strip and clean after every shooting. And once a month I do a complete tear down and deep clean on my regular shooters. Even the ones in safe that rarely get shot get pulled out inspected and good cleaning atleast every couple months of them not being used. It's how my great grandpa did it its how my grandpa did it. It must have skipped my dad cause he always brings his shooters for me to clean when they quit working right lol. I enjoy it and find it to be therapeutic. Could just be the buzz from the chemicals 🤣
 
1x per year. Some guns may only get 200 or 300 rd. Some 1k or more. I do spray some clp on things occasionally if they are dry.
 
I clean my precision long range guns when accuracy begins to fade. On my 338s burning a lot of powder pushing long projectiles, this may be 50 rounds, on the short/medium actions it’s usually 150-200 rounds. After cleaning it takes a couple rounds to get them settled back in.
 
Sooooo...

For all you "gotta cycle eleventy ninety dozen rounds flawlessly before I will accept any gun as a carry gun"...

When you disassemble, clean, and reassemble your gun, how do you know the gun will actually work without first shooting it again?
 
I ran my 14.5 AR several years with no cleanings. A few thousand rounds or so. I was wanting to see what would fail to get me to clean it.

Nothing failed. Still dirty and added another couple thousand rounds suppressed to the clock. Still no failure. I’m starting to feel bad for it.
 
I don' get it. What's so hard about cleaning a gun? Really only takes a few minutes. Most trips to the range I take a multiple guns. It may take me a couple or 3 days. But, they are going to get cleaned and oiled. No big deal.
 
tws3b2 said:
I don' get it. What's so hard about cleaning a gun? Really only takes a few minutes. Most trips to the range I take a multiple guns. It may take me a couple or 3 days. But, they are going to get cleaned and oiled. No big deal.
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I don’t recall anybody say it was hard.

Most of us just think it’s unnecessary at the intervals some of the rest of you adhere to. 😝
 
tws3b2 said:
I don' get it. What's so hard about cleaning a gun? Really only takes a few minutes. Most trips to the range I take a multiple guns. It may take me a couple or 3 days. But, they are going to get cleaned and oiled. No big deal.
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BigWaylon said:
I don’t recall anybody say it was hard.

Most of us just think it’s unnecessary at the intervals some of the rest of you adhere to. 😝
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That's it. Why clean it after 40 rounds?
 
tws3b2 said:
Because, First there is nothing wrong with cleaning. It enhances reliability. Two, It helps to get to know your gun. Handling, disassemble, reassemble, and cleaning often does that. Third, Someday I may have to call on it to help me out, I want to know it can.
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There's a difference between keeping your EDC clean and cleaning guns after 40 rounds. I agree with the first but I don't have the time for the latter. If somebody does and wants to do it it's fine with me but I would consider it a waste of time for myself.
 
Unless it's corrosive ammo I clean after 300 rounds for pistols and 500ish for rifles. Hunting rifles that don't get shot as much maybe after 60-100 rounds.
 
Cricket said:
You know sometimes I even wash my hands after taking a piss
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What for? Did you learn to go without peeing all over yourself?


tws3b2 said:
there is nothing wrong with cleaning. It enhances reliability.
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Taking a gun apart and reassembling it does not enhance reliability.
 
I think a lot of us were raised with a respect for tools, beaten into us by our dads. We all got our butts kicked for leaving tools out in the rain and whatnot.

I think of the kind of guns my dad and his dad were raised with. Finely crafted tools that could have a real effect on your well being. They were to be lifetime purchases. The finishes were generally finer as was a lot of the fitting and handwork. Your belly might go empty if it fails to perform. You took care of it just like you did your truck or tractor.
Plus later the military influence. No rust allowed there from what I understand.

Nothing wrong with cleaning your stuff.

But I do think personal rules can get blurry if you start shooting a lot. Cleaning guns once a month or year is one thing. A couple times a week is.....a lot more.
Start shooting something like 3gun, and that's a rifle, a gas gun, and a auto shotgun a couple times a week. It's turns from fun and relaxing into a slog. At least it did for me somewhat.
 
RetiredUSNChief said:
Sooooo...

For all you "gotta cycle eleventy ninety dozen rounds flawlessly before I will accept any gun as a carry gun"...

When you disassemble, clean, and reassemble your gun, how do you know the gun will actually work without first shooting it again?
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You dont 100% know it will work...



Thats why you should "foul" the gun and 100% confirm operation prior to using in a defensive application.

( or before shooting a match )
 
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