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Old March 6, 2013, 07:43 PM   #1
justplainpossum
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Cleaning question

How often do ya'll clean your guns? Do you clean every time you use it, or only after you've fired a certain number of rounds? I have a new XDM .45 that I want to take good care of, but I must admit that field stripping it (for me) takes some doing (those springs are strong!!) I'm getting better at it, but if I don't need to clean it after I shoot ten or twenty rounds, that would be nice! But I will if I should. Thanks, guys.
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Old March 6, 2013, 08:52 PM   #2
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you are gonna' get a lot of different answers...

I have always cleaned my guns after firing them...always.
Just believe that letting one sit after firing just cannot be a good thing.
IMHO....
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Old March 6, 2013, 09:18 PM   #3
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I clean mine after every trip to the range. I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing I left my gun sitting dirty overnight. It's just what I do.
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Old March 6, 2013, 09:45 PM   #4
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When you fire the gun the hot gases burn up all the oil in the barrel. So at least you have to replace the oil. Otherwise the barrel may rust.Dirt and sweat may remove oil from the outside .So clean it after every use ,at least a light cleaning and oiling !
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Old March 6, 2013, 09:47 PM   #5
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Pretty sure we just recently had a long thread about this.
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Old March 6, 2013, 09:52 PM   #6
drail
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With an XD you don't have to clean it for a very long time. (just kidding) Clean it every time you shoot it if there is any possibility that it is going to sit around dirty for more than a few days. Is this a defensive gun or a range toy?
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Old March 6, 2013, 09:53 PM   #7
justplainpossum
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What is the 'oiling' you mention? I got the KleenBore handgun cleaning kit. Am I supposed to be oiling my gun, too?
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Old March 6, 2013, 09:55 PM   #8
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I clean/lube mine after about every three range trips for my regularly used pistols. If there is one I use infrequently then I clean/lube it after each range trip. I try to go to the range at least once a month. I use quality American made ammo.

I use grease to lube slide rails and exterior of the barrel on my SIGs so it does not run off or dry out after a single range trip.

My poly pistols such as my Walther PPQ, Glock 19, or SIG SP2022 I use a quality lube and that lasts quite a while - easily three range sessions.

I do however wipe the exterior metal of my pistols with a light coat of Breakfree CLP even if I am not doing a field strip cleaning before putting it away.

Before a trip to the range I do a quick check on lube conditions of my pistols whether they were cleaned last time or not.

Last edited by sigarms228; March 6, 2013 at 10:00 PM.
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Old March 6, 2013, 09:59 PM   #9
justplainpossum
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The KleenBore says that it cleans, lubricates, and prevents rust. Do I have to do something else?
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Old March 6, 2013, 10:03 PM   #10
Walt Sherrill
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Quote:
When you fire the gun the hot gases burn up all the oil in the barrel. So at least you have to replace the oil. Otherwise the barrel may rust.Dirt and sweat may remove oil from the outside .So clean it after every use ,at least a light cleaning and oiling !
Light cleaning and oiling won't hurt -- but there are too darned many guns that go hundreds or even thousands of rounds without problems or rust to make a sweeping claim.

Many of us learned about cleaning firearms from our Dads or Granddads -- and they learned from the US military, during WWII. Back then, the powder used was corrosive, and if you didn't clean the weapon rigorously (at least in some climates), the action could rust shut pretty quickly. That is no longer the case.

Nowadays, if one of my guns seems extra dirty, I'll wipe out the chamber with a bore-cleaning pad after a range session, and then run a bore snake down the barrel a time or two, using CLP. Then I'll put the gun away. My guns won't look all that different from one that's been detail-stripped and given given a bath...

Clean if you want to, but I've heard more than one gunsmith say that he's seen more damage from too-intense and too-frequent cleaning than from a lack of it.
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Old March 6, 2013, 10:05 PM   #11
Sport45
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I clean mine as often as I want to.

I haven't had one file a neglect claim on me yet.
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Old March 6, 2013, 10:56 PM   #12
justplainpossum
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Now I'm really confused.
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Old March 7, 2013, 12:48 AM   #13
Sport45
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What you're going to get is a split between the folk who believe a firearm should "never be put away dirty" and those who don't.

Personally, I'm firmly in the camp that believes a gun can go a long time between cleanings without harm to the gun's function, accuracy, or value.

My XD45 is cleaned whenever I want to clean it. That's generally about twice a year and several hundred to a thousand rounds between cleanings. Sometimes it's closer to once a year.

I clean with Ed's Red and use Breakfree LP to lube it.
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Old March 7, 2013, 01:07 AM   #14
justplainpossum
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I guess there's no one right answer, but I appreciate all the responses!

I think it's good for me to practice field-stripping the gun so I feel comfortable with it, so when I do I'll take a peek in and see if I could write "clean me" in the barrel...
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Old March 7, 2013, 01:19 AM   #15
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One manufacturer recommends cleaning their guns:

When new.
After shooting.
Monthly.
As needed.

The recommendation probably relates primarily to guns that are actually being carried.

My carry guns get cleaned every time they are shot and periodically even when not shot based on my assessment of their need for it.

My "range toys' may not get cleaned after shooting if they've only had a few rounds through them--especially if I intend to have them back to the range for another relatively light session in the very near future.

Blued steel guns would get more frequent attention. Stainless guns and guns with very sturdy finishes can tolerate a good deal more inattention without any fear of damage.
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Old March 7, 2013, 01:38 AM   #16
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I clean before and after I fire. During barrel break in, I clean every few shots. After break in, a cleaning for every box of ammo fired will suffice (I still clean before AND after firing no matter what)
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Old March 7, 2013, 04:02 AM   #17
christian812
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BHP > every range trip
P226 and P2000, every 500 rounds or so.
But I use very clean ammo > Geco 124 gr
I woudn't dare with Win WB !
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Old March 7, 2013, 04:58 AM   #18
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I'm one of those guys that can't put a gun away that's dirty. I clean it every time even though it probably doesn't need it. Big difference between a defensive firearm and one that you keep in a safe and take to the range. It would also depend on how much you shoot during the range trip and the type of firearm. The XD is probably similar to a Glock in that it doesn't require as much attention in the lube department, (biggest complaint from Glock is too much lubrication, whereas a Sig is the opposite.) 1911s are higher maintenance firearms and the 10-8 site only list cleaning every 250-500 rounds.
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Old March 7, 2013, 05:12 AM   #19
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I clean my gun after each use, but i'm not as neurotic as some. It may be a few days before I get to clean it, especially if its a safe gun as opposed to an EDC gun.
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Old March 7, 2013, 10:43 AM   #20
ClydeFrog
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Brownells.com gun care...

I would read over the S-A owners manual, use any gun oil or CLP in small amounts. Lots of gun oil or grease will cause problems in any semi auto.
It's a common problem for pistolsmiths & law enforcement armorers who see 100s of pistols each year.
Get some CLP like Gunzilla, LPX, Slip2000 or Weaponshield.
Ballistol is non toxic & CFC free. It has a light pine scent too.
Hoppes #9 & Birchwood Casey Synthetic Gun Cleaner are worth checking too.

Check & clean your firearms often. BoreSnake Vipers are handy for quick barrel cleaning.
See: www.brownells.com www.mpro7.com www.gunzilla.us www.slip2000.com www.gunvideo.com www.nra.org www.midwayusa.com
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Old March 7, 2013, 11:07 AM   #21
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Quote:
Many of us learned about cleaning firearms from our Dads or Granddads -- and they learned from the US military, during WWII.
Much truth in that. I clean after every outing for precisely that reason.

Quote:
I'm getting better at it, but if I don't need to clean it after I shoot ten or twenty rounds, that would be nice!
Also consider how long it is going to be stored before your next shooting and cleaning. The stuff that gums up guns sometimes has a tendency to get thicker and stickier with time. If you put a few rounds through this weekend and are going shooting again next weekend, I might give you a different answer than if you put the same number of rounds through now and are going to put the pistol away for 6 months.
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