Gun Cleaning

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How often do you guys recommend using a bore cleaner to clean the barrel of your pistol? Are they hard on your gun if you use them often?

Also, is it OK to push through the barrel and pull back through regularly?

I've heard mixed reviews about how ofter to clean and what to use to clean, that's why I'm asking. A couple people say to clean everytime you fire a round through your pistol, others say every thousand rounds or so.
 
You can use the search function and find numerous posts and threads on this subject. Largely a matter of choice. Some clean after each use, some don't.

Pulling a brush back and forth through the bore is fine as long as it goes all the way through before it's reversed (don't change directions when the brush is in the bore). Clean through the chamber not the muzzle end if at all possible.
 
I tend to clean after every range use but not after every shot. That's just weird in a handgun. Depending upon number of rounds, I may just run patches soaked in solvent through, followed with dry patches, a lightly oiled (or CLP) patch and then a dry patch. I essentially use a heavy twine or string with a loop to do this. I learned to do this as a kid and the boresnake concept does the same thing but supersized. I'll use the brass or nylon brush once through and back again if I shoot more than 100 to 200 rounds in a handgun. Make sure the brush goes all the way through before reversing. It won't hurt the barrel but will damage the brush. Don't use a steel brush for normal cleaning.

If I shoot .38s from a .357 magnum revolver, I do use brushes to clean the barrel and chamber out before shooting .357s. This is to keep a ring from forming and causing excessive pressure.
 
I always take my cleaning kit to the range. after every shot, I stop what I am doing and clean my gun. then I shoot one more shot, clean the gun afterwards and I repeat this until I shoot 100 rounds. with the price of ammo being a concern the good thing about this method is it takes me 9 hours of range time to fire 100 rounds. even in these tough economic times I can shoot all day. :D
 
Bore cleaners aren't hard on the barrel as long as you follow the printed directions. Some copper solvents shouldn't be left in the bore for more than 5 minutes or so.

I use Ed's Red every time I clean. I use Montana Extreme on occasion when I think there may be copper fouling. I also have some dedicated copper solvent, but can't remember the brand off hand.
 
I do a thorough (the whole she-bang) cleaning every 500-700 or so rounds; this includes complete bore/chamber cleaning (especially copper fouling). After range sessions I field strip and clean everything with Kroil and Rem-Oil and run a bore-snake through several times. As long as you get on a regimen and stick to it your gun will like you :) I personally think that completely scrubbing out the bore with solvents and bore cleaners frequently is not really needed
 
I run a patch saturated with J & B bore compound through my bores (and the cylinders on my revolvers) after every trip to the range, whether I fire 50 or 200 rounds on that day. That's followed with a good brushing and then, patches saturated with a good solvent (I like Birchfield Casey Gun Scrubber). Finally, dry patches until they come out clean. A good bore cleaner will not hurt the gun. Although it contains a mild abrasive the abrasive is not hard enough to scratch steel. Nor will a bronze bore brush hurt a gun because the bristles are softer than the gun's steel.
 
I clean after every trip to the range. It is very zen to be honest. The first time I cleaned my piece was the first time I realized that depending on how well I take care of the gun, will result in how the gun takes care of me. I take about 30m to an hour for a cleaning session, maybe more if I feel anal about tiny areas with toothpicks/cotton swabs. But yea, clean all the time, it does no harm to do so, and it really is relaxing
 
I clean every time there is a round down the pipe. I clean my carry gun at least once a week even if it has not been fired. In the case that I get home from the range late, I clean my carry gun. No exceptions on that gun.

I can't stand a dirty gun!!
 
I clean my guns everytime they are fired. The only exception is if I shoot one day and plan on going back the next, then I may let it go, but not usually.

You don't have much to worry about in terms of damaging your gun by cleaning. The brushes are weaker than the barrel; the solvent is designed to break up the crud, not the bore. Guns need to be cleaned to run best, so do it often.
 
Generally speaking, I clean after each shooting session. But if I've only fired a magazine or two through the weapon (doesn't happen very often), then I'll hold off until it gets more use.
 
I go to a public range when it rains...when the sun is out I shoot in my back yard. If I go to a public range then I clean it after each range trip, because I tend to shoot a lot when I have to pay range fees. If I'm in my backyard then sometimes I might only shoot a couple magazines. If that's the case then I just drag a bore snake through the barrel a couple of times. But generally I try to clean it after every 100 rounds.

I have a tip however. If you are married this may help out. I, like many other men, have been occasionally roped into watching chic movies with my wife. It goes down a lot easier if I clean those guns while I'm supposedly watching the movies. It's multitasking. And since my wife gets to hold the remote while I'm cleaning my guns, she doesn't mind. For some reason however, I can only clean the handguns...if I bring out the shotguns and rifles...she cries foul.
 
+1 to always cleaning guns.

I admit that I don't always clean guns the very second I get home from shooting. I do make it a point to get every thing cleaned before the next weekend rolls around. I clean while watching TV or playing my 360.

I do clean with the quickness when I shoot my Mauser or my Romak-3 because "semi corrosive" ammo is still corrosive.
 
I used a Hoppes Bore Cleaner and Break Free CLP after my trip to the range today. It cleaned the bore way quicker than a regular patch cleaning kit.
 
After shooting; I wipe down the weapons. I can-air spray any mechanical moving areas and to remove any powder/dirt residue. I spray lube on the mechanical parts. Wipe it down and put it away. Total time is less than 5 minutes. I clean the barrel of the guns 2 times a year and that's all. Just prior to hunting season before sighting in; (Rifles and handguns). And again in the spring. There's no need to clean the barrel of a gun just because you shot it. Guns don't need to be cleaned pristine after shooting them. They aren't going to lose their reliability or accuracy. Of course if you allow mechanical/moving parts to get full of gunk, you could have issues; but cleaning a gun just because you shot a couple of hundred rounds, isn't necessary.

Of course there will be those who believe that they are reducing the risk of malfunction if they need the gun for self defense. Well, I guess we should actually change the oil in our car every 3000 miles like Jiffy Lube and Grease Monkey recommends. Even though just about every owner's manual and manufacturer claim 5000 to 7500 miles (Depending on the vehicle) is recommended. I guess Jiffy lube knows better. Guns are no different. If you like to clean your guns after each shooting, then go for it. You're not hurting anything. But for those reading this thread and are new to guns, just know that you don't HAVE to clean your gun/barrel after each shooting for it to maintain it's reliability and accuracy.
 
All skill is in vain when an angel pisses in the flintlock of your musket.

Wouldn't is be awful to have spent the time and money to obtain a CHL, a gun, good leather, and have toted the shootin' iron around all over the dang place, and have it bind up on you because it was dirty?! It seems as though the ODDS of that happening are low, but the STAKES are rather high, in my estimation.

Those of you who pocket carry know what I mean - guns get really dirty! And that's just lint buildup. All the crud and lead and fouling from a range session simply is not the type of debris I would like to use as a lubricant for my gun.

I'll continue to detail strip every time I shoot...
 
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My daughter has the tooth fairy. Why can't there be a revolver cleaning fairy? I could just put my Model 64 under my pillow and in the morning it would be clean and sparkling.
 
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