Any reasons NOT to clean a 1911?

[mr bolo]

the M1911 is so easy to field strip , I enjoy keeping it clean and well lubed before it goes back in the safe


I think shooting a dirty or bone dry gun causes more wear, it's better to keep it cleaned and lubed.

[laytonj1]

Any reasons NOT to clean a 1911?

Laziness would be the only reason I can think of.

I clean every gun after I shoot it. I do not like a dirty gun. That, and I actually enjoy cleaning afterwords…. Sort of a zen thing.

Jim

[sevt_chevelle]

Any reasons why I shouldn't wipe after I take a dump?

[balin]

My time is used for everything I do. I never need a reason to NOT do anything. Things need a reason to do them. What is beneficial to me is what drives me to do things. In my decades of shooting not over cleaning has never caused a problem.

[JustJake]

Any reasons NOT to clean a 1911?

Ah yeah, .... 'cause it's guaranteed to be a jammomatic if ya don't, or become one in short order.

A lucky dude might get 400-rds thru one before the hiccups and malfs start in.

Then hoo-boy!, ... all the guys on either side of the firing line shooting Sigs, M&Ps, XDs, and Glocks start giggling and gawffing, snickering and pointing.

Don't be "that dude" they're laughing at. Nope, if you're going to run a 1911, expect to clean that roscoe after every range session, maybe 50-rds max just to be safe.

After all, it ain't a Glock.

[Shane Tuttle]

Originally Posted by JustJake

Ah yeah, .... 'cause it's guaranteed to be a jammomatic if ya don't, or become one in short order.

A lucky dude might get 400-rds thru one before the hiccups and malfs start in.

Then hoo-boy!, ... all the guys on either side of the firing line shooting Sig, M&P, XD, and Glock start giggling and gawffing, snickering and pointing.

Don't be "that dude" they're laughing at. Nope, if you're going to run a 1911, expect to clean that roscoe after every range session, maybe 50-rds max just to be safe.

After all, it ain't a Glock.

I agree to that.....if you're talking about an improperly manufactured 1911 variant.

Throughout my years of taking courses which we fired over 1000rds within 2-3 days of each one, the number of malfunctions are largely the same frequency no matter the firearm. That includes, 1911 variants, Glocks, Springers, CZ variants, etc.

Les Baer 1911s are well known to arguably have the tightest tolerances out there. My Monolith Commanche has several thousand rounds through it. It was never field stripped and cleaned until after the first 500 rounds. That was one of the few occasions I had not cleaned my firearm after a range session until I reached that count. Subsequent range sessions were in the several hundred as well. Not one, single malfunction.

I'll have to check my records. But I believe I have 2 malfunctions on my Springer Loaded. Round count is in the 5 figure range.

My former Kimber Ultra Carry II had malfunction after malfunction. I begrudgingly followed Kimber's advice on their so-called "break-in" procedures. It still had issues afterwards. Back and forth warranty claims and I gave up on that boat anchor. Before I sold it, I had a competent gunsmith inspect it. Chamber dimensions were too tight, slide/frame/barrel fitment was off-kilter, feed ramp was machined at a poor angle, etc.

For disclosure: My Springer EMP9 and Range Officer Elite Operator 10mm both suffered malfunctions out of the box. Again, I have to check my records. I dropped off my EMP in the morning and was fixed by the time I finished lunch that day. Something about the feed ramp on it. I've personally had zero malfunctions since. That was about 10 years ago. When my wife shoots it with my reloads, it malfunctions on her probably every 100 rounds. She doesn't limp wrist and knows how to shoot properly. Every other firearm we have doesn't malfunction on her. To this day, we don't know why my reloads and her shooting it causes problems. It gobbles up my reloads and good quality factory ammo when I shoot it. Is it the 1911? Is it my reloads? Is it her? Is it the magazine? Dunno.
I sent in the 10mm and it came back fixed, so far. I can't vouch for its reliability, yet. I only shot about 100 rounds through it since it came back. No malfunctions at this time.

My Ruger SR1911: Approx 3000 rounds or so. No malfunctions

My Cylinder & Slide 100th Anniversary 1911A1, Army Designation, one of 100 made. Approx 400-500 rounds. No malfunctions.

Again, my prior post discloses I clean my firearms after every use. However, my typical range sessions aren't just a box of ammo and then go home. Depending on who goes with, I usually have several hundred rounds spent through each firearm in one session. So, my school of thought is it isn't the design of 1911 variants that warrant them to be a "jammomatic". It's the proper build that determines reliability.

[corneileous]

I guess I just don’t know enough about 1911s to know whether or not they needed to be treated any differently than any other handgun but at least when it comes to my own handguns, I don’t like dirty guns so I clean mine after every time I take them out to the range. I even clean my carry pistol about every six months even if I don’t shoot it, just to clean the lint out of it and just give it a fresh wipe down with a little oil since it rides in my pocket every day.

I’ve seen a couple comments now about how cleaning too much constitutes as over-cleaning… how does one over-clean??


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[SSGN-Doc]

Just my take on “over cleaning”.

It isn’t so much the cleaning, (though if one uses abrasive brushes, it could be argued somewhat), as it is the risk to fitted parts during repeated disassembly and assembly.

This would not apply to service grade, duty grade, pistols. But this idea likely comes from 1911s being used in marksmanship competition, and having had most parts, painstakingly fitted by hand filing and stoning oversized parts, to get match grade precision and accuracy. A hand fitted, frame, slide, barrel, and bushing, may represent hours or even days of fitting parts by hand, until they are just right. Get a little rough on disassembly or assembly and ding a part and have to polish it out, and you have lost some of that tightness that was worked for.

With my Service Match 1911, it would get lubed frequently, but cleaned on a 500-1,000 round schedule, involving stripping at field strip level and then detail strip level only maybe every 2,000-3,000 rounds.

Maybe just superstition or overly cautious like some competitors get in other sports. Reliability, never became an issue as long as light cleanings of the bore, breech, hammer were done with an oily rag and toothbrush. Lube got applied to, the rails and barrel hood, and things got wiped down, after every practice or match.

But my other 1911s. Field stripped after every range session. Detail stripped a few times per year.

So, for most 1911s just clean them every time unless you are chasing 1/32 inch increments on bullseyes.

[wild cat mccane]

I don't think you are asking, do you personally x, y, z. You asked, are there mechanical reason for not cleaning your 1911. The reason to clean is for function due to carbon build up and gunk from prior oiling.

I would argue with high end models that DO NOT recommend cleaning, how does carbon build up in key components of a firearm calculate in your equation of function over precision?

I don't think you have gotten your answer yet...I don't think high end model makers have given a good reason not to. I would wager it has to do with the hand "fitting" process being POTENTIALLY ruined by the end user.

[4V50 Gary]

Want reliability? Clean it. 90% of firearms malfunctions are because of improper care by the user.

[Nick_C_S]

. . . I can't stand knowing I have a dirty firearm whether it being stored in my vault or on my person.

I could have written that ^^

I remember coming home with the first gun I ever bought (1983; a Colt Python) and I was cleaning it after shooting it for the first time. And I asked my father: "how often should I clean my gun?" My father, who never owned a gun, but was an Army (Korea) veteran, replied with a completely straight voice: "You shoot a gun, you clean a gun." No doubt, something he pulled from his Army days.

I can still hear him telling me that.

[corneileous]

Originally Posted by 4V50 Gary

Want reliability? Clean it. 90% of firearms malfunctions are because of improper care by the user.

….and don’t put oil where it’s not supposed to go. I’ve had to learn that there’s a lot of places where you would think you need to put oil, but you don’t put oil there.


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[44 AMP]

The problem, such as it is, is not cleaning, it is improper/incorrect disassembly/reassembly, and over frequent application of the same.

90%+ of what you need to do to keep your gun running properly can be done without even field stripping it. 99% of the rest can be done with JUST field stripping.

This is, perhaps a slight over generalization, but only slightly...

Specific to the 1911, it was designed knowing that the Army would require soldiers to abuse it. The Govt Model and the 1911A1 share that same design.

Consider this, by army regulations, field stripping and cleaning is a USER function. ALL further disassembly is PROHIBITED to the USER. The user (individual soldier) is not even authorized to remove the grips. Detailed stripping is not authorized at the user level.

But, Browning knew GIs were going to do it, and do it alot, despite the regulations against it, and so he included features in the design to allow for that without damage, or to minimize the potential for damage.
Grip screw bushings are one of those features. The so called "loose" fit is another.

Its your gun, clean it as often or as seldom as you see fit. Its your gun, take it apart as much or as little as you think necessary. Just remember the difference between "need" and "want".

[Hawg]

Originally Posted by JustJake

Ah yeah, .... 'cause it's guaranteed to be a jammomatic if ya don't, or become one in short order.

A lucky dude might get 400-rds thru one before the hiccups and malfs start in.

Now that's funny right there. I don't care who ya are.

[Chui]

Every 500 rounds when I was shooting them. Sometimes I would clean/snake the barrel and clean the barrel throat and drop a little grease on the barrel (slide locked back) and smear it on then carry on.

I used a thick oil/grease so it would not evaporate or run out of the pistol. Your mileage may vary with lube use and your climate.


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[wild cat mccane]

I know I want to learn why high end guns may say not to clean.

[Kevin Rohrer]

I clean after each firing session, especially the extractor, which gets cakes-up w/ carbon.

[eflyguy]

Wow. What ammo and specific 1911?

Like an AR, they're pretty forgiving.

[Reloadron]

Any reasons NOT to clean a 1911?

I figure if I made the time to shoot it I can make the time to clean it. My average session is 100 rounds or so and yes, I clean them. The take down of a 1911 is quick and simple enough (field strip).

That said the clean or not clean of all guns can get specific and has always had two camps. Do whatever seems to work for you.

Ron

[totaldla]

When I used to shoot a lot, I would only clean my 1911 when it started slopping black gunk on me. I had a dunk bucket filled with Ed's Red (without lanolin) that I would toss my 1911 in, sans grips. Soak, brush, drain, Qtip down the extractor hole. I never detail stripped that pistol.

[kenny53]

With in a day or two of a range trip I will field strip, bore snake, spray stuff, put a toothbrush to it, and blow excess off with the air compressor. Seems to work well.

[Willie Lowman]

….and don’t put oil where it’s not supposed to go. I’ve had to learn that there’s a lot of places where you would think you need to put oil, but you don’t put oil there.

Too much oil can definitely be a bad thing. A friend of mine bought a HK USP .45. He complained that it wasn't reliable. I told him I could take a look at it. When he brought it to me there was literally Hoppe's 9 oil running out of it. I stripped it, wiped it dry with paper towels, put it back together and fired 200 rounds through it without malfunction. (oh I miss the days when I could find/afford to shoot 200 rounds of .45 ACP to simply function test a gun that wasn't even mine)

I took it back to him and told him what I did. I asked why he had put so much oil into it. He told me that his brother's cousin's boyfriend's nephew had been in the Army and told him that "guns should be run wet." Well he had certainly got that thing wet.

Over lubrication can cause problems just like a lack of lubrication. It only takes a few drops of oil in the right places.

[DaleA]

oh I miss the days when I could find/afford to shoot 200 rounds of .45 ACP to simply function test a gun that wasn't even mine

Got that right. I'm pretty sure we all share your sentiments.

He told me that his brother's cousin's boyfriend's nephew had been in the Army and told him that "guns should be run wet."

There's just something insanely human about the way we assign credibility.

[jrothWA]

Revolvers get bore cleaned with the cylinder, semi's get barrel and breech face cleaned and a swipe of "super-lube" on the rails.

Once a year total detailing and lubing.