Gun Cleaning Schedule. . . What should a person do?

N

Nathan

New member
How often should I clean my guns? Let me be clear, I'm an experienced shooter, but I really only shoot like 2 times a month for about 100-200 rounds per outing. Finances, marriage and other issues sort of dictate this!

I used to clean every range trip, but I often shoot less than 50 rounds per trip, especially indoor. I do this because it is more of a priority to be operationally competent on 4-8 weapons than to blast away on one gun for 300 rounds.

So, I'm thinking I want to:
clean my barrels every 250,
field strip clean every 500,
detail strip/clean every 1000, and
maintenance inspect/replace every 2000.

Every outing I will field strip and add lube at lock up points.

This is for semi auto rifles, pistols and revolvers.

For bolt guns, bore clean every outing. Full clean/oil annually. Maint as required. 22 kids bolt gun will get bore cleaned every 6 mo.

So is this realistic? I think military guns get cleaned more, but may have high round counts in a single outing.

I've never seen corrosion, even letting them sit a year in my Dad's basement.
 
If it works for you and you're comfortable with it, why not? I personally stick with cleaning after every shooting session. I find that when I stay on top of it like that, the whole process goes much quicker than it would if I were to do it as you describe. I actually enjoy cleaning my firearms; I find it very relaxing...and besides, who DOESN'T like the aroma of Hoppe's #9?
 
P.S.: Now that I think about it, to answer my own rhetorical question: My wife, which is why she makes me clean them outside. :o
 
Whatever works for you.

I simply clean mine every time I shoot them. Cleaning them after each range session might save you time in the long run since they won't be as dirty as cleaning them after every other range session.
 
Most of the people on this board seem to have military training. I think they were trained to significantly overclean their weapons as part of discipline.
I train my 22s whenever I start to have problems.
My EDC Glock gets cleaned every couple hundred rounds unless I go through a period where I don't shoot it. I try not to let it be fouled for more than a few weeks.
SOme guns I may shoot only once every couple years. THey get cleaned immediately*
Immediately meaning within a few days.
 
Your schedule seems fine but involves a lot of record keeping. If there's much time in between outings, you might loose track. Every time is the easiest schedule to remember and not a bad habit to get into.
 
Good point Hack. Truthfully, I'm going to do it like you get a tetnis shot. . .When I think it has been 500 rounds, etc.

I only have one gun which might require more cleaning. My Browning Buckmark target likes to rip the rims off when the chamber gets dirty!
 
I, like you, don't put many rounds through my guns when I take them out. Because of that I only give them a good cleaning every other range trip, and a quick wipe and oil every other time.
 
I clean things when they are dirty.

If my guns have been shot, they are dirty. So I clean them.

I detail inspect them every other month for any problems I might've missed in various cleanings.

All too often, gun owners are fixated on a particular "round count" for cleaning and general maintenance.

Do you vaccuum your floors after 500 footsteps? Or do you vaccuum it when it's dirty?
 
I clean after shooting, whether it's 50 rounds or 200. There is one aspect to the importance of this that is many times overlooked.....when I clean, I also inspect for damage. It's more practical to find cracks and other wear on a clean metal surface, rather than one coated with products of gunfire.

Cleaning is just one part of the overall preventative maintenance that "should" be performed on a machine expected to reliably handle the pressures and stresses range use puts on them.

Good on Nathan and JG for mentioning the word "inspect."

Johnwilliams.....how do you "over clean" a gun?
 
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The guns get cleaned before I leave the range (private club..so probably easier than public range)..this is best time anyway as brl. is still warm..I'll run a solvent soaked patch thru & leave rod in bore, while I retrieve targets & backer, windflags, etc....gives it some time to work.
If black powder has been used, bores get re-swabbed with Ed's Red, or Dago Red next two days.
 
Me guns are on the same cleaning schedule as me baths, once a month whether cleaning or bathing is needed or not:eek: Can't have no stinkin guns.:eek: A bit of campin dupa is OK
 
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