Cleaning Your Guns - Hobby or Chore

LockedBreech · September 26, 2012, 03:31 AM

A friend of mine is so bad about cleaning his pistol that I usually steal it from him for a day after range trips to get it squeaky clean and well lubed. Got me thinking.

When you clean your guns, do you do it grudgingly or as part of the hobby?

After a 500-round session with my 10/22 last week, I spent two full hours watching a movie and cleaning it at a very close level. I scrubbed and wiped and lubed until every bit of grit was out of the action. Took apart the trigger group. I had a small mountain of dirty cloths and Q-tips. By the time I was fine, my 10/22 action was the smoothest it has ever been.

And that's not even a gun I rely on to save my life. Those guns get a level of care that borders on obsessive. I doubt you could find a smudge of filth on my Beretta or Ruger when I'm done.

Yes, I clean my guns to make sure they work when I need, and because the close cleaning lets me do a close inspection of critical parts to ensure that wear & tear is progressing normally. But I also clean because I see beauty in a well-maintained machine. I treat my car and tools the same.

How about you? Chore or enjoyable? TV or radio? Solitary or with the family?

compdocjoe · September 26, 2012, 05:52 AM

Cleaning guns is just a necessity which must be done, especially if you fire corrosive ammo. A clean gun is a happy gun.

dab102999 · September 26, 2012, 06:19 AM

I enjoy everything about guns so cleaning i treat the same. Have always included the children in it too and that way they know everything about firearms. From a quick wipe down to how to take actions apart and so on. My 7 year old girl can strip and put back together almost every handgun and rifle i own. Really makes it interesting when we go to gun shows and she helps me stirp a used gun for inspection when the seller lets us.

kozak6 · September 26, 2012, 06:25 AM

It's a horrible chore.

I wouldn't mind it so much if malodorous solvents and cleaners didn't cause so much conflict with loved ones.

Pistolgripshotty · September 26, 2012, 07:06 AM

I actually enjoy cleaning my guns.

mukwah · September 26, 2012, 07:06 AM

It's a part of shooting and gun ownership that at first I learned to accept and later learned to really enjoy! Especially after rescuing and reviving a few older and neglected firearms! I now think of it as a protection on my investment!

dfsixstring · September 26, 2012, 07:30 AM

I enjoy cleaning my guns and do so immediately when I return from the range.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Wildthang · September 26, 2012, 08:03 AM

I likw shooting them much more than cleaning them, but I do clean them when necessary. I let my .22's go for a while because they seem to shoot better dirty!

Sparks1957 · September 26, 2012, 08:20 AM

I don't mind cleaning one or two at a time; more than that becomes a chore.

cornbush · September 26, 2012, 08:31 AM

I don't mind cleaning my guns but it is a chore, getting them dirty is the hobby

K_Mac · September 26, 2012, 08:33 AM

Like cleaning and maintaining fishing gear and tackle, cleaning guns is just part of the hobby. Sometimes I enjoy it, other times it is a chore but I always do it.

Willie D · September 26, 2012, 08:53 AM

I say hobby. I like taking them apart an putting them back together.

The exceptions are when I take friends shooting and end up needing to clean half a dozen guns or when I shoot corrosive stuff where cleaning is time sensitive and I absolutely have to clean it then and there. I rarely shoot corrosive because of that.

gunnerk19 · September 26, 2012, 09:03 AM

To me, cleaning guns after a range session (or even if just for the heckuvit) is no more a chore than washing your car before you go out cruising the strip, or any other type of required maintenance...

CajunBass · September 26, 2012, 09:49 AM

It's not a "chore" to me.

It's just plain "work."

wogpotter · September 26, 2012, 10:06 AM

Its just a part of maintenance to me, I shoot it so I clean it because it works better clean than filthy.
TANSTAAFL applies.

warbirdlover · September 26, 2012, 10:14 AM

Quote:

It's a horrible chore.

I wouldn't mind it so much if malodorous solvents and cleaners didn't cause so much conflict with loved ones.

They make a bunch of solvents for gun cleaning now that are completely odorless. My wife used to make me go in the garage when using old #9 but now I clean them inside.

And it's a chore but an enjoyable chore.

Woody55 · September 26, 2012, 10:25 AM

When I first started, or when I get something new, it's fun. I like taking them apart, figuring out how they work and understanding why they were designed that way (advantages and disadvantages). Cleaning is often part of that.

After a while, it's just work. My wife hates the smell. And I have to clean up the mess.

Chuckusaret · September 26, 2012, 10:27 AM

On most shotguns I never need to do more than a patch down the bore(s) and a good wipe down. SD/HD weapons are a different story. I do a complete cleaning after each and every range trip. . The guns that are not fired often I clean at least monthly. Do they need to be cleaned at least monthly? No, but I enjoy cleaning my collection.

g.willikers · September 26, 2012, 11:26 AM

If I were a rich man, I'd hire gun cleaning out.
The need to do it keeps me from taking more than two or three guns out at any one time.
What are these odorless cleaning solvents?
Anything like odorless paint thinner, (which ain't)?

4runnerman · September 26, 2012, 11:28 AM

Very much a hobbie. Relaxing to me

Mr Budha · September 26, 2012, 11:48 AM

It is a chore for me, especially when I take my three rifles all the the range. Maybe if I had an area that was comfortable to clean them in and I didn't have to mind the mess so much it would be different.

**Brian Pfleuger** · September 26, 2012, 12:11 PM

Definite chore, to be avoided whenever reasonable and possible.

If I could NEVER do it, I wouldn't. As it is now, they usually get a quick wipe-down with oil and the innards get cleaned if/when accuracy degrades.

The exception is my carry gun, which gets a field strip and cleaning any time it's fired, mainly for inspection purposes.

Scorch · September 26, 2012, 12:17 PM

I don't mind cleaning my guns after shooting. It is a good time to shoot the breeze with my range buddy, or just to think about how the day went if I am alone. Of course, there are the days when there is just time to wipe them, punch the bore, and go do something else more pressing, but they always get cleaned after a trip.

Stressfire · September 26, 2012, 01:24 PM

Depends on the gun.

I love cleaning my pistols - hate cleaning rifles, just a pain to strip and reassemble.

DJK Frank 16 · September 26, 2012, 01:27 PM

I don't get very excited when it comes time to clean my guns, but I do it because it is needed.

I used to be pretty bad about it when I was younger, but I try to keep them clean these days!

September 26, 2012, 03:31 AM	#1
LockedBreech Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2009 Location: Wyoming Posts: 2,293	Cleaning Your Guns - Hobby or Chore A friend of mine is so bad about cleaning his pistol that I usually steal it from him for a day after range trips to get it squeaky clean and well lubed. Got me thinking. When you clean your guns, do you do it grudgingly or as part of the hobby? After a 500-round session with my 10/22 last week, I spent two full hours watching a movie and cleaning it at a very close level. I scrubbed and wiped and lubed until every bit of grit was out of the action. Took apart the trigger group. I had a small mountain of dirty cloths and Q-tips. By the time I was fine, my 10/22 action was the smoothest it has ever been. And that's not even a gun I rely on to save my life. Those guns get a level of care that borders on obsessive. I doubt you could find a smudge of filth on my Beretta or Ruger when I'm done. Yes, I clean my guns to make sure they work when I need, and because the close cleaning lets me do a close inspection of critical parts to ensure that wear & tear is progressing normally. But I also clean because I see beauty in a well-maintained machine. I treat my car and tools the same. How about you? Chore or enjoyable? TV or radio? Solitary or with the family?

September 26, 2012, 05:52 AM	#2
compdocjoe Junior Member Join Date: September 25, 2012 Location: east of Florida Posts: 10	Cleaning guns is just a necessity which must be done, especially if you fire corrosive ammo. A clean gun is a happy gun. __________________ If all else fails, play dead!

September 26, 2012, 07:06 AM	#5
Pistolgripshotty Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2012 Location: Somewhere out there Posts: 184	I actually enjoy cleaning my guns. __________________ *12 Gauge Fury!*

September 26, 2012, 08:31 AM	#10
cornbush Senior Member Join Date: September 29, 2008 Location: The retarded place below Idaho Posts: 1,356	I don't mind cleaning my guns but it is a chore, getting them dirty is the hobby __________________ The best shot I ever made was an accident

September 26, 2012, 08:33 AM	#11
K_Mac Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2010 Posts: 420	Like cleaning and maintaining fishing gear and tackle, cleaning guns is just part of the hobby. Sometimes I enjoy it, other times it is a chore but I always do it. __________________ "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Benjamin Franklin "If you let "need" be a requirement and Government be the arbiter of that "need", then Liberty is as dead as King Tut." Jimbob86

September 26, 2012, 06:19 AM	#3
dab102999 Member Join Date: April 12, 2012 Posts: 82	I enjoy everything about guns so cleaning i treat the same. Have always included the children in it too and that way they know everything about firearms. From a quick wipe down to how to take actions apart and so on. My 7 year old girl can strip and put back together almost every handgun and rifle i own. Really makes it interesting when we go to gun shows and she helps me stirp a used gun for inspection when the seller lets us.

September 26, 2012, 06:25 AM	#4
kozak6 Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2005 Location: AZ Posts: 2,274	It's a horrible chore. I wouldn't mind it so much if malodorous solvents and cleaners didn't cause so much conflict with loved ones.

September 26, 2012, 07:06 AM	#6
mukwah Member Join Date: August 30, 2012 Posts: 62	It's a part of shooting and gun ownership that at first I learned to accept and later learned to really enjoy! Especially after rescuing and reviving a few older and neglected firearms! I now think of it as a protection on my investment!

September 26, 2012, 07:30 AM	#7
dfsixstring Member Join Date: August 3, 2012 Location: Fayetteville, TN Posts: 56	I enjoy cleaning my guns and do so immediately when I return from the range. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

September 26, 2012, 08:03 AM	#8
Wildthang Member Join Date: September 26, 2012 Location: Northern Ohio Posts: 16	I likw shooting them much more than cleaning them, but I do clean them when necessary. I let my .22's go for a while because they seem to shoot better dirty!

September 26, 2012, 08:20 AM	#9
Sparks1957 Senior Member Join Date: September 4, 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,396	I don't mind cleaning one or two at a time; more than that becomes a chore.

September 26, 2012, 08:53 AM	#12
Willie D Senior Member Join Date: June 24, 2007 Posts: 1,090	I say hobby. I like taking them apart an putting them back together. The exceptions are when I take friends shooting and end up needing to clean half a dozen guns or when I shoot corrosive stuff where cleaning is time sensitive and I absolutely have to clean it then and there. I rarely shoot corrosive because of that.

September 26, 2012, 09:03 AM	#13
gunnerk19 Junior Member Join Date: September 15, 2012 Posts: 11	To me, cleaning guns after a range session (or even if just for the heckuvit) is no more a chore than washing your car before you go out cruising the strip, or any other type of required maintenance...

September 26, 2012, 09:49 AM	#14
CajunBass Senior Member Join Date: May 6, 2005 Location: Chancellorsville, Virginia Posts: 3,096	It's not a "chore" to me. It's just plain "work." __________________ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)

September 26, 2012, 10:06 AM	#15
wogpotter Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2004 Posts: 2,059	Its just a part of maintenance to me, I shoot it so I clean it because it works better clean than filthy. TANSTAAFL applies. __________________ Allan Quartermain: “Automatic rifles. Who in God's name has automatic rifles”? Elderly Hunter: “That's dashed unsporting. Probably Belgium.”

September 26, 2012, 10:25 AM	#17
Woody55 Senior Member Join Date: June 19, 2012 Location: East Texas Posts: 407	When I first started, or when I get something new, it's fun. I like taking them apart, figuring out how they work and understanding why they were designed that way (advantages and disadvantages). Cleaning is often part of that. After a while, it's just work. My wife hates the smell. And I have to clean up the mess.

September 26, 2012, 10:27 AM	#18
Chuckusaret Junior member Join Date: December 5, 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 708	On most shotguns I never need to do more than a patch down the bore(s) and a good wipe down. SD/HD weapons are a different story. I do a complete cleaning after each and every range trip. . The guns that are not fired often I clean at least monthly. Do they need to be cleaned at least monthly? No, but I enjoy cleaning my collection.

September 26, 2012, 11:26 AM	#19
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 2,514	If I were a rich man, I'd hire gun cleaning out. The need to do it keeps me from taking more than two or three guns out at any one time. What are these odorless cleaning solvents? Anything like odorless paint thinner, (which ain't)? __________________ Lock the doors, they're coming in the windows.

September 26, 2012, 11:28 AM	#20
4runnerman Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: Minnsota Posts: 1,840	Very much a hobbie. Relaxing to me __________________ NRA Certified RSO NwCP- Performance Isn't Optional

September 26, 2012, 11:48 AM	#21
Mr Budha Senior Member Join Date: May 8, 2012 Location: South Florida Posts: 113	It is a chore for me, especially when I take my three rifles all the the range. Maybe if I had an area that was comfortable to clean them in and I didn't have to mind the mess so much it would be different.

September 26, 2012, 12:11 PM	#22
Brian Pfleuger Staff Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Central, Southern NY, USA Posts: 14,458	Definite chore, to be avoided whenever reasonable and possible. If I could NEVER do it, I wouldn't. As it is now, they usually get a quick wipe-down with oil and the innards get cleaned if/when accuracy degrades. The exception is my carry gun, which gets a field strip and cleaning any time it's fired, mainly for inspection purposes. __________________ Still happily answering to the call-sign Peetza. --- You do not HAVE a soul. You ARE a soul. You HAVE a body. -C.S. Lewis He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain what he can not lose. -Jim Eliott, paraphrasing Philip Henry.

September 26, 2012, 12:17 PM	#23
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 11,029	I don't mind cleaning my guns after shooting. It is a good time to shoot the breeze with my range buddy, or just to think about how the day went if I am alone. Of course, there are the days when there is just time to wipe them, punch the bore, and go do something else more pressing, but they always get cleaned after a trip. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Taylor Machine

September 26, 2012, 01:24 PM	#24
Stressfire Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2011 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,497	Depends on the gun. I love cleaning my pistols - hate cleaning rifles, just a pain to strip and reassemble. __________________ "The best diplomat I know is a fully charged phaser bank" - Montgomery Scott

September 26, 2012, 01:27 PM	#25
DJK Frank 16 Member Join Date: August 23, 2012 Posts: 17	I don't get very excited when it comes time to clean my guns, but I do it because it is needed. I used to be pretty bad about it when I was younger, but I try to keep them clean these days!