How often do you clean your guns?

[am44mag]

I'm not talking about the gun you just shot. I'm talking about the few you inevitably have in your safe that rarely get shot. How often do you clean them?

I clean mine annually if I haven't shot them. Mainly just to make sure there's no dust in the bore, and that everything is lubed up and good to go.

[Beagle333]

I live in a swamp, and this year, it appears to also be a rain forest. It has rained at some point every day that I can remember, for the last several weeks. Our humidity starts out at 98-100% in the morning and drops to maybe 80% on most days, with a rare sighting in the 60% range. I have a dehumidifier that runs at least 12 hours in my house, and my guns are in the safe with a small light bulb that keeps them warm enough to not attract moisture to the surface of them, but I still get them out and clean thoroughly at least once a month. Some, that are the home defense guns that live on the nightstand and headboard, even though they don't get handled or moved around, get cleaned at least weekly. It isn't always this rainy here in Alabama, but this is an odd time and I'm not going to have a single rough spot or pit because I didn't spend the time and oil on them. It isn't really a dreaded chore, as I just get out one or two at a time while I'm watching a baseball game and clean it to have something to do with my hands while watching the game. If I do shoot one, it gets cleaned immediately. I have been a black powder shooter for a long time and I got into the habit of a complete cleaning of those after shooting and that habit just naturally transferred to any gun I shoot.

[therealhitman]

I keep a fairly accurate range log and everything gets some oil and a boresnake pass after each session and a thorough cleaning every 1000 rounds or so. If I get weird malfunctions it gets cleaned before I try fixing something that may not actually need fixing.
I did abscond with my Dad's .243 Model 70 a while back, it is a well proven 1/2 moa tack driver. His advice for success was to run 70 gr Match Kings over 4350 and to not ever clean the bore. He swears the groups opened right up each time he did and cost himself a couple of matches way back when. So the bore hasn't seen a brush since the mid 90's!

[Rcmaveric]

I too live in the salt water swamps. All guns get inspected every few months and clean yearly. If i notice a touch of rust on one they all get cleaned in between that yearly cleaning. Most guns get shot though.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I only clean them after I shoot them Except my carry guns if for some reason they don't get shot in a month or i switch one out
it gets cleaned and lubed

[bedbugbilly]

I clean them if I've shot them - and I always make sure my carry guns get cleaned and lubed whether they reedit or not. The others - those that don't get used - I clean them once a year. Fortunately, I live in an area where the weather conditions are not as severe as some of you folks who have to fight high humidity or salt air.

[GhostHawk]

I am a believer in the steady state theory of barrel cleaning. As long as it is shooting accurately I leave it alone.

Outsides and actions get cleaned as needed, exposure to damp, finger prints etc.

I like to add 1-2% carnuba wax to my lube. Does awesome things for keeping bores smooth shiny and protected.

I learned my lesson the hard way when I scrubbed my Ruger 10/22 barrel the night before a big rabbit hunt.
Never connected a shot all day.

Took about 150 rounds total before it settled down and sights could be adjusted.

Never again.

The exception would be an old Military bore that is dark. That I would alternate shoot and clean until it is shiny.
At that point switch back to steady state.

May not work for you, seems to be working fine for me. YMMV.

[EMC45]

I clean when they are overly dirty or start exhibiting sluggish performance. If I see a spot or freckling of rust I also oil 'em up. They stay clean and oiled all the time, but sometimes humidity and handling will cause flash rust or light dusty rusting. 0000 steel wool and a wipe down with the Marsh brush and they are squared away again.

A long ago acquaintance who was a sniper for the local PD was cleaning his Remington 700PSS one day, and I asked him how he was cleaning it and what he was doing. He said in the USMC he was taught that for every trigger squeeze you made 5 passes one way and 5 passes the other way with a bore brush followed by drying and then oiling. I said "brother, you are cleaning that thing way too much!"

My theory lately in the past decade or so is to keep it oiled to prevent rust. Shoot it dirty and put it away moderately clean. Not inspection ready because I may shoot it again soon. If accuracy starts to fail and/or it runs poorly I will investigate. I would rather be out there making noise shooting then fastidiously cleaning my guns that will only get dirty all over again.

[country gent]

I clean all the guns once a year, for some its a simple wipe down and reapplication of preservative. others may be full disassembly and clean this depends on usage. I use spg or emmerts improved to preserve long term. wipe on a thin coat and buff. same in bores and chambers. This stays in place much better than oils. Wood gets a coat of wax usually birchwood caseys.

On frequently used firearms my cleaning is enough to get thru the next session. This helps lessen the clean bore settle in a lot of firearms have. It worked very well on my NRA High Power match rifles. I would clean enough to get thru the next day and zeros stayed more consistant. A fully clean barrel could take 3-4 shots to settle in and if removed from the stock that could become 10-15 shots on the M1A/M14 or Garand.

I also feel with modern components its not so much how often you clean but how you clean. Improperly cleaning can damage a good bore quicker than shooting them dirty will. Use of a good bore protector, good rod and accessories, along with some care and patience.

[toallmy]

The guns in the cabinet get the exterior wiped down with a oil rag every 3-6 months just for protection against rust , but the real cleaning is only done when groups are affected otherwise just a patch or two through the bore has taken care of them for years . I have a couple rifles that are about half way shot out but it's not from cleaning them .:wink:

[KCSO]

Every time I am done shooting them. The ones in storage are inspected once a month and wiped down if dusty. Gramps shot a short ring in his 22 once and after that it was heck on you if you failed to clean right after shooting.

[youngmman]

I built two custom rifles in the mid-1980's with Hart barrels. P.J. hart told me not to clean them at all until I was going to shoot them. Instead he said to swab the bore with Hoppe's #9 after shooting them and just leave them alone until the next shooting session. I Have done that with all my guns now and sense then and have never had any rust or fowling. The Hoppe's is great at preventing rust be the barrels stainless or not. I use Brownell's rust preventive #2 on the finishes and never had a problem regardless of the weather.

[dbmjr1]

I live in NOLA, so humidity is just a way of life, down here.

Still, I find that I rarely have to clean the guns I use, and hardly ever even wipe down the guns I don't use. No rust. Must be the AC.

[Texas by God]

When they need it is all for me. Wipe down the outside as needed. The ones in the barn get closer scrutiny as we can have high humidity here also. I subscribe to Ghosthawks method. I have a ten year old 25-06 that shoots tiny groups still and I ran a few patches through it ONCE. To me, a .22 rimfire bore gets seasoned like a frying pan as you shoot it so only the action parts get cleaned.
Lazy or whatever, my guns shoot very well.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[bangerjim]

Here in the desert SW, I can put salt on bare un-oiled shiny steel and it will not rust for weeks! And that is outside! Only rust I have ever seen in my wood and metal shops was from a plastic bottle of HCl sitting on a shelf near a jack plane. The fumes over a year, caused some very light surface rust that came off with a quick meeting with 1200 grit paper and some light oil for lube.

I shoot 100% PC in all my cal’s and only swab the barrels ever 5-7 shooting sessions. PC keeps the barrels spotless and perfectly clean. No leading. No grease smoke buildup.

Bangerjim

[HATCH]

They get cleaned after each range visit. Then once a year they get inventoried and wiped down.

[MT Gianni]

I clean guns as they need it. Carry guns get at least a monthly, others only get attention when accuracy goes south. My "cleaning" in several cases does not mean touching the barrel at all if accuracy is still there.

[robg]

Clean them if they don't look and feel as slick as they normally do.

[FISH4BUGS]

I typically clean handguns after a range trip or two or 3 - usually 200-400 rounds.
I have a Colt factory SBR that has not seen a cleaning in a few years.
The full auto stuff gets cleaned after every use.
Suppressors after every use also. Using Frog Lube helps keep the crud buildup to a minimum.
I shoot all pistol calibers with cast with WW 231, which has never been noted for cleanliness.
BUT, I have to say that there is something satisfying after disassembling and cleaning the gun, oiling it up and putting it away until the next range trip.

[Hick]

Once a year-- late fall, unless I suspect leading-- in which case I clean immediately. Otherwise, I just run through a dry bore snake after each range trip.

[rl69]

Your supposed to clean them ?

[sparkyv]

I clean after shooting them, except for my CZ P-09 which just gets three passes with a dry bore snake...doing a "torture test", and it's holding up well after some 550 rounds.

[RED BEAR]

keep mine in safe with dehumidifier and well oiled. i can't say i never clean them but there cleanings are few and far between. definitely not annually but they are never rusted or dusty for that matter. i will clean them when they are shot but i hate to admit that i have a few that haven't been shot in over 30 years.

[Biggin]

Don't really own any safe queens ,I'd rather be shooting than cleaning. Defensive stuff gets cleaned after every range session. I shoot often enough I don't worry about a schedule. Everything else gets cleaned as needed.

[jonp]

I was just thinking about this as I just installed a new safe. I generally take them out and re-lube ever 6mths or so with Ballistol or whatever. I generally buy what I shoot but at some point you take an interest in something else and some just sit for some time without being shot.

[Minerat]

Colorado is dry so with a little care they don't rust like high humidity areas. I clean after shooting or hunting unless I am working on loads. The finger prints get wiped off with a silicone rag before going in the safe. Even then if they are going to be sitting for more then a month then they get cleaned. Mine are in safes with golden rod dehumidifiers. BP get cleaned every time right after I get home from the range.

[Hannibal]

I used to not worry too much about cleaning barrels.

Then I got a bore scope and could see the corrosion damage in those bores that looked mirror smooth with the naked eye.

Gee, I wonder why I've had problems getting firearms to shoot consistently . . . . (?). It ain't the outside that matters.

I know now my previous activities were inadequate. You all are, of course, free to do as you see fit.

[Lloyd Smale]

they get wiped down after each use. Guns like my ar15s and glocks ect get hosed out with electrical or brake cleaner when they get pretty grungy. Might even clean the barrel of an AR that has 3 or 4k though it. I kind of chuckle at guys that clean there barrels everytime they shoot. Heck ive got one buddy who wipes down his 550 and star after each use. Even puts a coat of car wax on his dies so they don't rust.

[jonp]

they get wiped down after each use. Guns like my ar15s and glocks ect get hosed out with electrical or brake cleaner when they get pretty grungy. Might even clean the barrel of an AR that has 3 or 4k though it. I kind of chuckle at guys that clean there barrels everytime they shoot. Heck ive got one buddy who wipes down his 550 and star after each use. Even puts a coat of car wax on his dies so they don't rust.

I clean mine after every use although the AR's might take a week or two to get at but for me it's just a way to take a look at them, see if something is wrong, smell Hoppes or Ballitstol and generally fiddle with them. Doesn't hurt anything.

[lightman]

I clean the ones that get shot after I get home with them or soon after. If I don't have time to clean them right then, they get wiped off and put away until I do have time. The safe queens get wiped down once a year and I update my list of serial numbers at that time. I usually do this on New Years Day. I have a soft cloth, saturated with oil, that I keep in a ziplock bag in my safe and I wipe everything off that gets touched. The concealed carry guns het some attention monthly or close to it.

[jimlj]

I rarely clean them like most here mention.
My .22's get cleaned when they start to malfunction. My carry gun gets cleaned and lubed after a range trip, and wiped down with an oily cloth from time to time between. I have some in the safe that have not been cleaned for 20 or more years. They do get a oily cloth every 4-5 years. I live in a dry climate where rust is not (usually) a problem unless it is a car driven on salty roads in the winter.

[MyFlatline]

I got cornfused in the poll,,,you asked about cleaning UNused guns but had , you clean after using..

I have guns in my safe that haven't seen a rag in eons. Also have some in the front of one of those safes that gets wiped down after each outing, not so much the barrel tho. Maybe once a year there. Powder Coating has been a blessing. I shoot 98% cast.

[SeabeeMan]

I did abscond with my Dad's .243 Model 70 a while back, it is a well proven 1/2 moa tack driver. His advice for success was to run 70 gr Match Kings over 4350 and to not ever clean the bore. He swears the groups opened right up each time he did and cost himself a couple of matches way back when. So the bore hasn't seen a brush since the mid 90's!

I have a Marlin 30-06 that shoots 3/4 MOA or better any day...unless it's been cleaned. Then with the exact same loads it shoots 3-4 MOA groups until you get 20 rounds through it. Drives me nuts but I'm tempted to take your Dad's advice on that one.

[Thin Man]

When I shoot any of my firearms I clean it (them) as soon as it is cooled and time allows. As for those in storage, they were clean when put in storage. They get a yearly wipe-down, but not a complete cleaning. Cleaning is a firearm's reward for giving me the fun of exercising it.

[Lloyd Smale]

many guns are like that. John Linebaugh allways recommended you test loads for group size with at least 50 rounds down the pipe.
I have a Marlin 30-06 that shoots 3/4 MOA or better any day...unless it's been cleaned. Then with the exact same loads it shoots 3-4 MOA groups until you get 20 rounds through it. Drives me nuts but I'm tempted to take your Dad's advice on that one.

[Lloyd Smale]

almost embarrassed (almost:wink:) to admit theres a 9mm ar15 out in the truck that ive been shooting for a couple weeks about every day. Its got AT LEAST 2000 rounds through it since its seen even a wipe down and like the energizer bunny it just keeps going and going. Mix of coated and lube sized lead bullets with 3 or 4 different powders. I do keep a chamber brush in the shooting box for when I get anal. When it has its first miss feed ill probably run it through the chamber a couple times and procede to shoot a couple more thousand. By the way I oiled it when I took it out the first day and it hasn't even seen more oil since then. bores as shinny and clean as a new babys bottom. Pc coating does give me a lot more latitude. Used to have to pull the bolt out about every 1000 rounds to clean the bullet lube deposits. Now its no more dirty then if I was shooting factory jacketed ammo. Personaly Id think some of you would want to know how TRUELY reliable your gun is. My test for new 1911s (cant afford to buy them anymore) used to be 500 cast bullets then without cleaning and just oiling it 500 more. If it didn't pass id give it a second try and if it failed twice it went on the used gun rack at the local gun shop. Surprisingly most do pass. I do usually clean the barrel on my bolt guns at the end of crop damage deer season. Those are about the only barrels that EVER see a brush. I don't think ive brushed out a revolver barrel in 20 years. I do once in a great while mop out the barrels on semi auto guns to at least clean the chamber. Ive got handguns that probably have over 10k of rounds down the barrel that ive never brushed out. Why would I? never seen the inside of a barrel rust (other then a black powder gun) and if they still shoot as well or better then they did clean it seems kind of silly to put something abrasive in the barrel.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

How often do you clean your guns?
I'm not talking about the gun you just shot. I'm talking about the few you inevitably have in your safe that rarely get shot. How often do you clean them?
I clean those as needed.

[avogunner]

There's nothing like cracking a beer and cleaning the guns I shot that day -- add listening to 'old time radio' too, and now that's living!!!

[Tripplebeards]

Before and after shooting...and some times after a few years the safe queens get oiled when I feel guilty or paranoid that mr. Rust is comming to town.

[greenwart]

Once a year whether I have shot it or not.

[Tom W.]

I live a few miles SE of Beagle333 a block from the Chattahoochee river. Humidity is always horrible here. I inspect my firearms at least monthly, and those that make the trip to the range and get fired get a good cleaning in the shed, starting with a boresnake. My 9mm pistols get taken apart and thoroughly cleaned, my revolver is a SRH that I don't disassemble but do thoroughly clean, and my rifles get some Outers Bore Foam after a boresnake has been through them, then after a wait they get the treatment with Hoppes #9, Kroil, and a final squirt of RemOil. It' the best rust preventative I've found, even better than CLP or Ballistol.

[Hannibal]

Based upon the contents of this thread, I'd have to say that the overwhelming response falls into the 'not nearly often enough' category.

WoW.

[Brassduck]

to each his own

[reloader28]

We're very dry here so rust aint really a problem. Most of mine are not shot so no reason to clean them.
The hunting guns get checked out before and after season.
My carry guns get cleaned AT LEAST once a week. Sometimes I'm in the dirt or woodshop and they get very dirty even under my shirt. I carry a wheel gun at those times.

The guns that are shot usually only get cleaned when they need it and by that I mean not every time I shoot