How often to clean?

[Diddle]

every time I come from the range, A clean gun is a happy gun

I love seeing the answers to this question everytime it comes up. Firstly I admit, I am anal about cleaning so my position is unque if not perhaps questionable.

Yesterday I went to my little spot of peace and fired 50 round through my S& 22A and about the same through a Heritage 22 Rough Rider.
After packing everything up I headed to the my favorite house of adult beverages and procured a bottle of fine whiskey.

This afternoon I stripped both guns and cleaned them thourghly whle eyeing the paper targets I brought home and put on the refrigerator.

Now with both guns cleaned and looking new, respectable targets hanging on the fridge, a good hand washing and now I am admiring my acomplishements and enjoying some Makers Mark.

Seriously, I clean within 24 hours of shootng; even if only a few rounds. Everytime I field strip any of my guns I get a better feel for their workings and a better understanding of remnants of each type of ammo.

The more I practice and clean my guns the more confident I feel in them.

Due to a botched gallbladder surgery (leaving a 14" scar across my upper tummy) I am a limited to 22s and a bit of 9mm shooting so I am limited in duty. But I sure like a clean gun.. You just never know what is around the corner.

Best to you in the comming year.

Craig

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[C Paul Lincoln]

Well, my practice differs quite a bit from what others have said. It's not unusual to go to the range and put 200 rounds through my 1911, or 100 rounds through my .44 mag. After this many rounds, certainly I clean my guns. But I frequently pop off 20 or so rounds on odd weekends, and never worry about cleaning afterwards.

If I was concerned about reliability from residue after less than 50 rounds, I'd be looking for a new gun! Look at then number of rounds competitive shooters go through in a day, and the field conditions that military guns suffer through. Daily carry and a few rounds on the weekend should come nowhere close to the amount of dirt and grime to cause misfuntions. All I do is wipe it down once a week, and disassemble about once a month.

I carried my stainless 1911 for three years in northwest winter weather while doing field work in the woods. It got wet. It got muddy. It collected lint. But it never failed to fire when taken to the range, and never had a misfeed. Usually I cleaned and lubed every two or three weeks (unless it got muddy) right after a trip to the range. Never had any problems, never had any concerns. The 1911 was designed to be a field gun, and is very reliable even when somewhat dirty.

YMMV

Charles

[aimhigh]

the CCW I will look at it every time before taking it out.
The others every 500 or so!!!its fun nothing like the smell of oil and powder in you to drive women crazy!!!!!!

[hondaman]

Every time I shoot it.

[smotta]

I treat my guns like my babies. Granted I'm a college student with 20K+ in guns (I work VERY hard for my money) so I try to take good care of them.

Every time...

[jowgafist]

everytime after a trip to the range. if i don't make it to the range my carry weapon gets cleaned once a month.

[TapRackBang]

Have you checked your user manual for a recommendation?

With me it kinda depends on what I have been doing and time. Some times I teach a class and only put 5 or 10 rounds through my 1911. So I clean it when I get time.

With my service firearm and my CCW weapon (1911 & S&W revolver) they get cleaned every time I use them and any part goes to ground (magazine) or near and or a windy dusty day. I'm more concerned with grit/sand than carbon fouling.

[JimH58]

I carry mine all the time and I clean the weapon after every shoot and once a month if I have not been to the range in awhile. A clean gun is a happy gun.

[Rugergirl]

I was raised with the theory if you fire the gun you clean the gun afterward, doesn't matter if you fire one round or 500.
After every trip to the range I clean it, semi auto or revolver.
My carry gun gets a cleaning after a week of carrying, dust, lint and perspiration are all bad for the gun and the finish.

[budokaitd]

After every trip to the range. My CCW gets cleaned every week or two and my guns that sit in the safe most of the time get cleaned 3-4 times a year. I always clean a new gun before I shoot it. Growing up, my Dad wouldn't let me shoot a gun until I cleaned it and knew how it worked. I guess it's stuck in my head. My son is getting the same treatment. Keep 'em clean and they'll keep you safe.

[Pitmaster]

I rarely clean mine. Probably every couple thousand rounds or 2-3 x per year at most. I want mine to learn to run dirty and I treat them like that.

[lockdnloaded]

I believe in field stripping and cleaning my semi autos after any trip to the range. I rather enjoy the task so it's no inconvenience to me.

+1, I like to clean and inspect after every trip to the range.

[ouch]

I try to do everother time I go shoot. maybe 100-200 rds.. The guys to shoot with clean it everytime, sometime they put 10 rds in and clean it. i think its a waste of time, but it doesn't effect me..

[sigmanluke]

I clean my guns every time I fire them, so at least once a month. My EDC I clean every two weeks, fired or not. I don't mind the job...I'm worth it!

[retsupt99]

I clean after each trip to the range...sometimes after sitting in the safe for months, but I'm already cleaning something else that went to the range, so I add a few to the cleaning schedule.

Stay armed...keep 'em clean...stay safe!