I guess it's time to clean it...

InigoMontoya · October 23, 2011, 12:46 PM

Yeah, I just thought I'd pop in to horrify some of you.

I live in a rather arid environment. Over the years, I have realized that the whole "clean the gun to prevent rust" thing is way overblown for us desert dwellers. As a result... Well, I generally don't clean/oil a gun until it starts to malfunction ('cause rust simply doesn't happen...ever!).

So yesterday I was plinking with my 10/22 and it was having occasional feed issues. OK, so it's time to clean it.

I got thinking about it and I realized that the LAST time I cleaned that particular gun I was a senior in high school.

My son is a freshman.

C0untZer0 · October 23, 2011, 01:01 PM

Well laugh all you want but in the final analysis - you don't have any alligators.

So there...

JerryM · October 23, 2011, 04:24 PM

Good idea to clean only when you get malfunctions. Hope you don't do your SD gun that way. Maybe you can tell the BG "KingsX" wait until I clean the gun.

I also live in the desert, but clean my guns each time I fire them, including my .22s.

To each his own.

Jerry

**Mike Irwin** · October 23, 2011, 04:56 PM

I wish I could get away with that.

Here on the east coast humidity can, and often does, get above 80% for days on end.

Ditto_95 · October 23, 2011, 05:01 PM

Sounds about right for a 10/22.
They are running machines.

LockedBreech · October 23, 2011, 05:03 PM

Wyoming is the same. I maintain my guns meticulously because I'm type-A, not because it's necessary.

Mobuck · October 23, 2011, 07:42 PM

My carry gun is a Ruger KP95 stainless/synthetic and I don't normally clean it more than once or twice per year. Since a 10/22 isn't usually considered a SD gun, I can see not cleaning it until it malfunctions but 10-15 years might be a little over the top. My on the farm chore gun is a Ruger stainless 22/45 that gets carried in all types of weather and dragged through whatever I'm messing with. It doesn't get or need much cleaning and is virtually foolproof.

hardworker · October 23, 2011, 08:21 PM

I'm not very particular about cleaning guns either. My 10/22 had a case blow up in the chamber last winter. It's been in the closet ever since. I clean my shotgun once ever 5 years maybe. I have never cleaned my marlin 22 mag. Or my slug gun. Pistols get cleaned more out of boredom than out of necessity.

jhenry · October 23, 2011, 09:28 PM

I have several that do not get cleaned each and every time I shoot them, but I do maintain all of my guns properly. The serious ones are clean and ready to go at all times. It would never even occur to me to let one go to the point of malfunction.

cornbush · October 23, 2011, 11:49 PM

It happens, I try to get all my guns to that point atleast once, I want to know what they can take................

medalguy · October 23, 2011, 11:54 PM

Yeah living in the desert does have its advantages. After shooting corrosive in my AK, I can wait a day or two to clean the rifle if necessary. No rust in 5% humidity.

InigoMontoya · October 24, 2011, 12:31 AM

@Mobuck: Actually we're talking about closer to 25 years since last cleaning.

Stressfire · October 24, 2011, 03:20 PM

Wow, makes me feel OCD, I clean after every time any are shot.

Granted, all I end up scrubbing off is carbon, bit still...

October 23, 2011, 12:46 PM	#1
InigoMontoya Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2007 Location: Ridgecrest, CA Posts: 229	I guess it's time to clean it... Yeah, I just thought I'd pop in to horrify some of you. I live in a rather arid environment. Over the years, I have realized that the whole "clean the gun to prevent rust" thing is way overblown for us desert dwellers. As a result... Well, I generally don't clean/oil a gun until it starts to malfunction ('cause rust simply doesn't happen...ever!). So yesterday I was plinking with my 10/22 and it was having occasional feed issues. OK, so it's time to clean it. I got thinking about it and I realized that the LAST time I cleaned that particular gun I was a senior in high school. My son is a freshman.

October 23, 2011, 04:24 PM	#3
JerryM Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 1999 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,889	Good idea to clean only when you get malfunctions. Hope you don't do your SD gun that way. Maybe you can tell the BG "KingsX" wait until I clean the gun. I also live in the desert, but clean my guns each time I fire them, including my .22s. To each his own. Jerry __________________ Ecclesiastes 12:13 ¶Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

October 23, 2011, 04:56 PM	#4
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	I wish I could get away with that. Here on the east coast humidity can, and often does, get above 80% for days on end. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

October 23, 2011, 05:01 PM	#5
Ditto_95 Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2007 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 154	Sounds about right for a 10/22. They are running machines. __________________ Finem Respice Consider the end Principils Obsta Resist the beginings

October 23, 2011, 05:03 PM	#6
LockedBreech Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2009 Location: Rocky Mountain West Posts: 3,395	Wyoming is the same. I maintain my guns meticulously because I'm type-A, not because it's necessary. __________________ 16 Pistols, 5 Rifles, 1 Shotgun, no time to shoot them

October 23, 2011, 01:01 PM	#2
C0untZer0 Junior member Join Date: April 21, 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,555	Well laugh all you want but in the final analysis - you don't have any alligators. So there...

October 23, 2011, 07:42 PM	#7
Mobuck Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2010 Posts: 6,846	My carry gun is a Ruger KP95 stainless/synthetic and I don't normally clean it more than once or twice per year. Since a 10/22 isn't usually considered a SD gun, I can see not cleaning it until it malfunctions but 10-15 years might be a little over the top. My on the farm chore gun is a Ruger stainless 22/45 that gets carried in all types of weather and dragged through whatever I'm messing with. It doesn't get or need much cleaning and is virtually foolproof.

October 23, 2011, 08:21 PM	#8
hardworker Senior Member Join Date: August 4, 2010 Posts: 820	I'm not very particular about cleaning guns either. My 10/22 had a case blow up in the chamber last winter. It's been in the closet ever since. I clean my shotgun once ever 5 years maybe. I have never cleaned my marlin 22 mag. Or my slug gun. Pistols get cleaned more out of boredom than out of necessity.

October 23, 2011, 09:28 PM	#9
jhenry Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2006 Location: Ozarks Posts: 1,840	I have several that do not get cleaned each and every time I shoot them, but I do maintain all of my guns properly. The serious ones are clean and ready to go at all times. It would never even occur to me to let one go to the point of malfunction. __________________ "A Liberal is someone who doesn't care what you do, as long as it's mandatory". - Charles Krauthammer

October 23, 2011, 11:49 PM	#10
cornbush Senior Member Join Date: September 29, 2008 Location: The retarded place below Idaho Posts: 1,408	It happens, I try to get all my guns to that point atleast once, I want to know what they can take................ __________________ The best shot I ever made was an accident

October 23, 2011, 11:54 PM	#11
medalguy Senior Member Join Date: August 31, 2009 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,033	Yeah living in the desert does have its advantages. After shooting corrosive in my AK, I can wait a day or two to clean the rifle if necessary. No rust in 5% humidity.

October 24, 2011, 12:31 AM	#12
InigoMontoya Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2007 Location: Ridgecrest, CA Posts: 229	@Mobuck: Actually we're talking about closer to 25 years since last cleaning.

October 24, 2011, 03:20 PM	#13
Stressfire Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2011 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,497	Wow, makes me feel OCD, I clean after every time any are shot. Granted, all I end up scrubbing off is carbon, bit still... __________________ "The best diplomat I know is a fully charged phaser bank" - Montgomery Scott