Jay

Last night i was board and decided to clean my pocket gun. This was my P3at that i got a few weeks ago after breaking it in I've been carrying it every day for about two now. I'm not sure why i thought i needed to clean it it hasn't been fired since the last time i was at the range but I'm glad i did now. Believe it or not i had wood chips under the slide and all told it was just filthy. Apparently my daily routine is hard on my carry piece, so lesson learned clean and check them often. I'm sure most of you already know this but i figured i would throw it up anyways if not as new information at least a reminder for all of us.

Eric Larsen

Yep.....great post! Most people dont think of this kinda stuff until they run into a situation like you just did.

In regards to how often you need to clean your carry pc....well, its up to you and how quickly your gun gets dirty..or wood chipped! :D :D
S-autos are needing a good scrub more often than pocket carried snubbies.

But my pocket guns get filthy.....cleaned weekly..even if they dont get shot.
Next on the need to clean scale is IWB carry....still weekly but arent nearly as bad.
Then from there is OWB carry.....every couple of weeks is plenty for the std. OWB carry setup...but to each there own.

On pocket carry and IWB guns.....make sure you get a dental pick to get the lint/crap out of those hard to reach areas...it will be there.
If you can and if the gun design warrants it...clean out the firing pin/channel at least monthly.....especially on a Mak or Keltec!

Shoot well and god bless

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artz

I have gotten into the cleaning habit when carrying my lil' mustang in the back pocket holster. The other day I came in to clean up after cutting grass and my piece was scary dirty, that means really dirty grime, sweat, and dirt on a cleaned deep blued mustang.
It spooked me that it got that way ! eek !

ron8903

Yes, pocket carry is dirty carry.
Check once a week, clean as needed.

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MNBurl

I check my pocket gun weekly and clean it monthly.

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MNBurl

Side Guard Holsters

"If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking" - George S. Patton.

Sonic Misfit

I pocket carry a P3AT as well. I do a visual inspection every morning and clean weekly, and sometimes more often if I sweat a lot. To help out, I have two P3ATs and rotate them so that there is always a clean one in the closet.

Good tip on cleaning the firing pin channel. I don't always do this unless the gun has been exposed to moisture.

I also remove all the ammo and wipe it down before reloading the mag.

I like to range test my pocket carry at least once a month with my carry rounds.

SIXTO

you know you let it go to long when shooting it, you can see your pocket lint burning off

ccw9mm

Good tips. A lint bucket is a rough place, for a firearm. At least it's not down "in the dirt" like an ankle holster is. When actively carrying in hot/dusty weather, I find that cleaning the (pocket) weapon weekly helps to keep things running smoothly. Lint and dirt can get shoved into the most surprising crevices, in a pocket-carried gun.

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purple88yj

The way that my pocket gun is designed, it is a PIA to take apart for cleaning. I just blow it out with compressed air and re-oil every once in a while. Has gone bang every time I have wanted it to.

Actually, I did a bit of an experiment a while back with it. I carried and made a point to not clean it (I have been trying to make it stop since I bought it earlier this year).

On a recent trip to the range, I walked to the line hung a target and shot it. There was an impressive fireball on the first round as it pushed and burned the pocket lint and what nots in the barrel out. After that it was just the same old ho-hum .380 fireball.

I don't have the luxury of a pocket holster for this one yet, so I just drop it in the pocket and go about my day. It resides in my front pocket from about 0630 to roughly 2100 every day.

gimpy

I assume you are all referring to holstered pocket guns--not just carried loose in the pocket. I sometimes carry a Walther PPK in a pocket holster for several days in a row. For whatever reason I have not had the same experience regarding pocket carry being dirty carry. My usual routine is to field strip, clean, and lube every two weeks, and immediately after a range session. Even if the weapon has not been fired during the two week period, I have always found it to be clean and free of any debris that one usually finds in pockets. It might be due to the fact that my holster provides a very snug fit.

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