Auto Cleaning?

Bella · September 27, 2009, 06:55 AM

I have a question for those of you that shoot semi-auto shotguns. How often do you clean it? Asking auto owners around here I have gotten answers that range from every time the guns is used to once a year. The once a year guy shoots every weekend at our trap club. He says that his gun works as well as the ones that are cleaned all the time.

How often do you guys clean your self-loaders?

hogdogs · September 27, 2009, 08:46 AM

You will be asked what model by those that use auto as gas and inertia guns are totally different.
And you will still get a wide variety of answers...
Brent

RNB65 · September 27, 2009, 12:22 PM

I clay shoot with a Beretta 391. I wipe down the gas cylinder and inside of the receiver with BF CLP after each range trip to clean off the worst of the residue and keep it lightly lubed. Then wipe down the outside. 3 minutes max and I'm done. I only clean the barrel about once a year. Never have any problems.

bentley998 · September 27, 2009, 12:23 PM

My Rem 1100 - gas operated 2 boxes/week & known to be sensitive to cleaning - brush the barrel, cleaning magazine tube, check the gas port, condition of the o-ring - after firing -have had one failure to eject in more than 500 rounds with reloads - probably a problem with the reload rather than the gun

Browning A-5 -long recoil operated -between seldom and rarely although this gun is not much used at present

squeak003 · September 27, 2009, 02:56 PM

sagia-20. when i first got it to get all off the grease off of it......since then.....never.....

oneounceload · September 28, 2009, 06:47 AM

I own an 1100 - if it is not cleaned regularly, it will start to get gunked up and slow down to the point the action does not cycle properly

BigJimP · September 28, 2009, 12:00 PM

I shoot a Benelli - so its an inertia gun.....and it would probably continue to cycle for many thousands of shells ...but my answer is the same so the type of gun doesn't matter. I clean it every time I shoot it.

Grime and gunk inside a shotgun that builds up is not going to do anything except increase wear. What's the point of shooting it until it quits cycling ...unless you just want to wear out a gun prematurely ???

shortwave · October 2, 2009, 06:18 PM

I`m with BigJimP. I clean mine after every outing.

dondavis3 · October 2, 2009, 06:19 PM

I should and try to clean after every visit to the range or hunting, but I don't always do it.

If hunting and it's wet at all - I always clean & oil well.

JWT · October 2, 2009, 06:30 PM

All my guns get cleaned after every use. Cleaning them won't hurt them, not cleaning them could have negative affects over time.

pinetree · October 2, 2009, 07:03 PM

Beretta 390 here. 12 years old. I will wipe it down doing a field break down about every outing - more for rust than anything else. I do a deep clean once a year or so. A tip a learned re: AR's with mineral spirits and clp is awesome for getting off caked on carbon from my ported choke tube.

I shoot about a case in the dove field and a case upland and a case waterfowling and 2 cases with trap charity shoots and sporting clays a year in my auto.

I clean it as much at I would a pump. My OU is simpler but that third shot is important in the goose field or duck pond. Nothing like a triple of mallards.

I have only dropped my trigger group out once and even then only a wipe down and a blow out. I've only taken the bolt apart once.

My rib is bent and much of the bluing gone - duck and goose hunting is tough on a gun. But, it is 100%.

I love my gun proven in the field and on the course.

oneounceload · October 2, 2009, 07:35 PM

Not cleaning it can result in residues left inside that could have some consequences if left unchecked. Secondly, you need to clean your choke tube, otherwise the plastic residue will build up enough to alter your choke constrictions. Also, your choke tube needs to have the threads cleaned and regreased regularly, or the choke can seize inside

DWARREN123 · October 2, 2009, 09:47 PM

Depends on your gun. Some needs lots of cleaning while some don't. Experiment and see how long yours will go without cleaning. Might surprise you.

LanceOregon · October 3, 2009, 03:06 PM

Slip 2000 Gas Piston Parts and Choke Tube Cleaner is wonderful for cleaning both choke tubes and Gas Pistons, typically the two things that get super dirty. Just put them in the jar, wait a few minutes, and they come our sparking clean.

For everything else on my shotgun, I use Shooter's Choice Shotgun and Choke Tube Cleaner. This just eats Carbon build-up alive:

Finally, I use a few sparing drops for Slip 2000 gun lubricant for lubrication.

krimmie · October 3, 2009, 08:07 PM

That was like a mini infomercial! Where do I buy?

LanceOregon · October 5, 2009, 07:38 AM

A lot of leading firearms products websites carry these products, if your local gun stores don't have them.

Places like:

midwayusa.com

dillionprecision.com

brownells.com

natchezss.com

--

September 27, 2009, 06:55 AM	#1
Bella Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2009 Posts: 341	Auto Cleaning? I have a question for those of you that shoot semi-auto shotguns. How often do you clean it? Asking auto owners around here I have gotten answers that range from every time the guns is used to once a year. The once a year guy shoots every weekend at our trap club. He says that his gun works as well as the ones that are cleaned all the time. How often do you guys clean your self-loaders?

September 27, 2009, 12:22 PM	#3
RNB65 Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2006 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 167	I clay shoot with a Beretta 391. I wipe down the gas cylinder and inside of the receiver with BF CLP after each range trip to clean off the worst of the residue and keep it lightly lubed. Then wipe down the outside. 3 minutes max and I'm done. I only clean the barrel about once a year. Never have any problems. __________________ THR refugee.

September 27, 2009, 12:23 PM	#4
bentley998 Junior Member Join Date: April 30, 2009 Posts: 12	Cleaning auto shotguns My Rem 1100 - gas operated 2 boxes/week & known to be sensitive to cleaning - brush the barrel, cleaning magazine tube, check the gas port, condition of the o-ring - after firing -have had one failure to eject in more than 500 rounds with reloads - probably a problem with the reload rather than the gun Browning A-5 -long recoil operated -between seldom and rarely although this gun is not much used at present

September 27, 2009, 02:56 PM	#5
squeak003 Member Join Date: August 20, 2008 Location: michigan Posts: 98	sagia-20. when i first got it to get all off the grease off of it......since then.....never..... __________________ Mosin Nagant M91, Mosberg 500 12g, ruger 10/22 with a few mods, saiga 20 with a red dot (soon to be converted) will be looking to add to my collection soon (most likely a sig p232)

October 2, 2009, 06:19 PM	#9
dondavis3 Senior Member Join Date: August 20, 2009 Location: Dallas / Fort Worth Area Posts: 678	I should and try to clean after every visit to the range or hunting, but I don't always do it. If hunting and it's wet at all - I always clean & oil well. __________________ Don Davis Last edited by dondavis3; October 2, 2009 at 06:26 PM.

September 27, 2009, 08:46 AM	#2
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	You will be asked what model by those that use auto as gas and inertia guns are totally different. And you will still get a wide variety of answers... Brent

September 28, 2009, 06:47 AM	#6
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	I own an 1100 - if it is not cleaned regularly, it will start to get gunked up and slow down to the point the action does not cycle properly

September 28, 2009, 12:00 PM	#7
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	I shoot a Benelli - so its an inertia gun.....and it would probably continue to cycle for many thousands of shells ...but my answer is the same so the type of gun doesn't matter. I clean it every time I shoot it. Grime and gunk inside a shotgun that builds up is not going to do anything except increase wear. What's the point of shooting it until it quits cycling ...unless you just want to wear out a gun prematurely ???

October 2, 2009, 06:18 PM	#8
shortwave Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2007 Location: SOUTHEAST, OHIO Posts: 5,970	I`m with BigJimP. I clean mine after every outing.

October 2, 2009, 06:30 PM	#10
JWT Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2007 Location: Southern Arizona Posts: 3,888	All my guns get cleaned after every use. Cleaning them won't hurt them, not cleaning them could have negative affects over time.

October 2, 2009, 07:03 PM	#11
pinetree Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2001 Location: Cumming GA Posts: 626	Beretta 390 here. 12 years old. I will wipe it down doing a field break down about every outing - more for rust than anything else. I do a deep clean once a year or so. A tip a learned re: AR's with mineral spirits and clp is awesome for getting off caked on carbon from my ported choke tube. I shoot about a case in the dove field and a case upland and a case waterfowling and 2 cases with trap charity shoots and sporting clays a year in my auto. I clean it as much at I would a pump. My OU is simpler but that third shot is important in the goose field or duck pond. Nothing like a triple of mallards. I have only dropped my trigger group out once and even then only a wipe down and a blow out. I've only taken the bolt apart once. My rib is bent and much of the bluing gone - duck and goose hunting is tough on a gun. But, it is 100%. I love my gun proven in the field and on the course.

October 2, 2009, 07:35 PM	#12
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	Not cleaning it can result in residues left inside that could have some consequences if left unchecked. Secondly, you need to clean your choke tube, otherwise the plastic residue will build up enough to alter your choke constrictions. Also, your choke tube needs to have the threads cleaned and regreased regularly, or the choke can seize inside

October 2, 2009, 09:47 PM	#13
DWARREN123 Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2006 Location: BETWEEN TN & KY Posts: 1,758	Depends on your gun. Some needs lots of cleaning while some don't. Experiment and see how long yours will go without cleaning. Might surprise you. __________________ Have a nice day!

October 3, 2009, 03:06 PM	#14
LanceOregon Junior member Join Date: May 10, 2008 Location: Oregon Posts: 2,774	Slip 2000 Gas Piston Parts and Choke Tube Cleaner is wonderful for cleaning both choke tubes and Gas Pistons, typically the two things that get super dirty. Just put them in the jar, wait a few minutes, and they come our sparking clean. For everything else on my shotgun, I use Shooter's Choice Shotgun and Choke Tube Cleaner. This just eats Carbon build-up alive: Finally, I use a few sparing drops for Slip 2000 gun lubricant for lubrication.

October 3, 2009, 08:07 PM	#15
krimmie Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2007 Location: S. Florida Posts: 280	That was like a mini infomercial! Where do I buy?

October 5, 2009, 07:38 AM	#16
LanceOregon Junior member Join Date: May 10, 2008 Location: Oregon Posts: 2,774	A lot of leading firearms products websites carry these products, if your local gun stores don't have them. Places like: midwayusa.com dillionprecision.com brownells.com natchezss.com --

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