How often do you detail strip the slide?

[Schrag4]

I have a Ruger SR9c that I shoot quite a bit. After I started shooting IDPA, I removed the magazine disconnect because you're required to drop the hammer/striker before holstering, and dry firing is a bad idea with the magazine disconnect in place. I noticed it was pretty dirty in the firing pin channel, and I cleaned it out as best I could.

That was a couple of years ago, and for giggles I decided to clean it out again yesterday. It was VERY dirty, and I suspect that's in part because there's room for grit to get in where the magazine disconnect used to be. I think I only average about 200 rounds a month through the gun. Some months I shoot a lot more (probably about double already this month) but some months I don't shoot at all.

So how often should I make it a point to remove the back-plate and clean out the firing pin and channel? More often that every 2 years? It was still working fine before I cleaned it, but this gun gets used for play as well as for nightstand duty. Thoughts?

[brtelec]

Well, I detail strip my semi-autos every time I shoot them now. I, however, happen to be one of those sick ******** that likes cleaning my firearms. Typically when I shoot my semi-autos I will put 200 to 300 rounds through it per day.

[jonp]

Detail maybe once a year. I read once that Rob Leatham cleaned his gun once a season. Im p retty sure I put far less rounds downrange than he does

[Bzcraig]

Only when I'm in the mood, that's not very often!

[Vann]

I clean them good everytime I shoot. Once a year I do a detailed cleaning, unless I'm changing parts then I'll do a full breakdown.

[junkpile]

Depends on the gun. For my 1911, not very often, but for my wife's 22, every 50 rounds or less.

My 1911 runs clean, but her 22 shaves brass and binds up. Other semi-auto's that I have are run hard and put away wet.

I think it's contingent on you - how much you shoot, what you shoot, and how clean is "clean".

[Catshooter]

It it's a toy, whenever. If the lives of those you love could depend on it? Every single time it gets shot.

My life is easily worth that much.


Cat

[Petrol & Powder]

I think you have to define "Detail Strip".
I don't think it's a good idea to disassemble and reassemble components that are not designed to be routinely disassembled. That doesn't mean you can't take them apart from time to time but I wouldn't make a habit of tearing down a slide every time I shot the gun.

[jakharath]

When I clean my 1911 the only thing that stays together is the mainspring housing.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

this is a question I have been trying to answer for myself recently , for years I would shoot maybe 300 a year in each gun and almost never detail stripped a slide

now that I am shooting 300-500 a month in one gun I am asking myself when I need to do this

my kids just got old enough I have the the time to get out and shoot action pistol regular ,in the gun I have been running for about a year I have around 1500 rounds since I replaced the striker spring and cleaned the channel out well it wasn't all that bad but probably only had 1500 rounds through it at that point

most manuals make a point to tell you not to lube the striker channel as it collects dirt more than lube is necessary

I just got a new gun for primarily action pistol league I started a little note book I am keeping in the case that I write down dates and round counts and what load, I figure I will break it down at 1k ,and clean it then see how it is at 2k and maybe I can wait to 4 k , then see what it is like then

my first 300 rounds are factory then I am working up my own load



I think every gun and load is going to be different

but I think an easy indicator will be when you field strip it turn the gun barrel down , press the striker safety plunger if your striker easily drops and gives that slight tink sound and when you pull back the striker with your thumb nail if it is smooth with then you have probably not become dirty enough to sweat about it

I think most people outside competition and practice for competition , don't typically run thousands of rounds a year in most autos some but not most

[gray wolf]

My Springfield 1911 gives me hours and hours of fun and dependable shooting, I trust my life to it.

It takes me 45 Minutes to completely take it apart and clean it while I check for worn parts.

IMHO there is no excuse for a dirty gun.

[rogerstg]

So how often should I make it a point to remove the back-plate and clean out the firing pin and channel? More often that every 2 years? It was still working fine before I cleaned it, but this gun gets used for play as well as for nightstand duty. Thoughts?

Since you had no problems prior to cleaning, it sounds like every two years is fine for you.

[Blackwater]

This is really a judgment call, and I don't think there's any real "rule" that applies, because our shooting can vary so widely from event to event. Just take a look at it, critically, and make your own assessment. If it looks a little "dirty," especially with built up lube, etc., clean it. If there's no real build up, you CAN just wipe it down good and I always wipe the feed ramps off, and it should be good to go.

[Char-Gar]

I guess we are talking about 1911 slides here right? I field strip the pistol and clean the frame, barrel and slide well, relubricate and reassemble after every range session. I don't take the slide down to parts but every 5K rounds or so. The fame, I never take down to parts.

This has worked well for me for over 50 years of shooting the 1911 pistol.

[TXGunNut]

Another long-term 1911 user, my first Colt is still with me after 33 years for better or worse. My slide comes apart only when it appears dirty or parts need replacing. Dirty is subjective and depends on the ammo used as well as prevailing atmospheric conditions. On this old gun I'd estimate the slide has probably been detail stripped maybe a dozen times, the frame about half that.

[gray wolf]

Are we talking fun guns or concealed carry guns ? My 1911 is both so it's always clean.
Extractor tunnel and firing pin tunnel, why ? cause stuff happens.

[Schrag4]

Thanks for all the responses. I shoot this gun really well so it gets used for pretty much everything. I do a field strip/cleaning after every range session but I'm thinking perhaps I should just make plans to do this more detailed cleaning once a year. As has been pointed out, I've already proven it can go 2 years between detailed cleanings without problems, so I feel confident that once a year should be more than sufficient.

[Char-Gar]

The US military used this pistol for generations and the serviceman to whom it was issued only did a field strip and clean. Anything else was done by an armorer when it was returned after issue. This proved more than adequate to keep the old warhorse doing it's thing under some pretty severe conditions.

50 years ago, I read an article in Gun Digest entitled "Love your gun, but not to death". The general jist was that over cleaning damaged more guns than normal routine cleaning. Some folks make a fetish out of of cleaning down to the last part, pin and screw.

[ole 5 hole group]

On a 1911, unless you installed an oversized firing pin stop, it just takes a minute or two with a pipe cleaner to strip and clean a slide - with an oversize FPS, it might take 5 minutes to juggle that little puppy back in correctly at times.

Shooting reloads, I see no problems stripping the slide as often as your little heart desires - as I think it's mainly done for peace of mind.

If you change to a heavier or lighter recoil spring, you'll probably want to change the firing pin spring as well, so if you do that, I see no good reason not to do a through cleaning at the same time.:smile:

[35remington]

My firing pin stops have far, far less than a thousandth's clearance. It is no trouble to remove. If difficulty exists in removing or reinstalling it.....it needs to be reexamined for correct fit, because something was missed somehow.

[Bigslug]

The main thing I've learned NOT to do is clean the slide wet. All the carbon and solvent turns to goo, works into interior mechanisms, and begins to sludge things down. I pretty much knock all the carbon loose with dry toothbrushes and patches, then lube when done. This cuts WAY down on the need to detail strip, which I'll do from a couple times a year to every couple years on the hard players.

[ole 5 hole group]

My firing pin stops have far, far less than a thousandth's clearance. It is no trouble to remove. If difficulty exists in removing or reinstalling it.....it needs to be reexamined for correct fit, because something was missed somehow.

Oh, it's a correct fit, just super tight. Never found a firing pin stop that was difficult to remove but I found this one to be a little difficult re-installing, which just could be my eye/hand coordination, as keeping the firing pin depressed and attempting to keep the FPS straight while gently easing it up - well, sometimes (for me anyway) it gets into a rather timely process compared to the factory FPS. Sometimes - although not often, it just slides right on up as if it had eyes.


I wouldn't doubt somewhere out there, a little specialty tool exists for guys like me.