TCP let me down as wild dogs were running towards me

[Shuz]

I always make sure anything I carry will work when needed....except when it didn't![smilie=b:
Yesterday I was working on the place, and was on my 4 wheeler when 2 wild dogs (no collars)came from over the hill and were running towards me barking and growling. I grabbed my "trusty" TCP that was loaded with Lee 102gHP's from my saddle bags. I had the first one in my sights and "click". I quickly racked the slide and chambered another round. This one fired and I hit him, but it must not have been lethal immediately as he turned tail and ran over the hill with the other right behind him. I got one more shot off before another "click". I immediately went into the house and strapped on my never failed me S&W 329PD to finnish working the rest of the day. Never saw the dogs again. Funny..... the plastic ammo box in the saddle bags says "functions in the TCP". And to think I often carry a KelTec .380ACP as a concealed carry gun.
You can bet that I'm gonna fire a lot of rounds thru that TCP that I carry in the saddle bags before I trust it again. Same with my KelTec. Meantime I have to admit my wife is right(for once) You can't trust a semi-auto and that's why she uses a Ruger LCR.:killingpc

[stubshaft]

The saddest sound known to man is a click when you expect a boom! I had a similar situation many years ago with a .22 automatic. I was attempting to put a dog that had been struck by a car down and the firing pin spring had taken a set and did not have enough force to ignite the primer. Luckily it was not a critical incident and I was able to disassemble the pistol enough to stretch the firing pin spring and put the animal down.

I do carry an automatic periodically, but, still prefer wheelies.

[BigAlofPa.]

That sure can be a scary moment. Glad it turned out in your favor. I always carry a back up in the woods. Usually my 10mm 1911 and my 357 wheel gun. During hunting season i carry my 44 mag.

[FergusonTO35]

Shuz, did you check the ammo for light strikes? Some lots of primers are hard, especially if they are from the many panics of the last decade when makers were running full tilt trying to get product out the door. I honestly believe some small rifle primers were mixed in at times to keep production up. My small handguns always get Federal primers.

[gon2shoot]

Listen to your wife

[Mtnfolk75]

Listen to your wife

/\/\/\/\ ..... This [smilie=s:[smilie=s:

[USSR]

Had to Google it to see what the heck a TCP is. Bad, semi-auto. Double bad, .380. I tell my buddy who has a .380, "You shoot somebody with that and you're gonna piss them off". Get yourself a decent .38 Special or .357 revolver and stoke it with the FBI Load.

Don

[Earlwb]

Sounds like light primer strikes. So it may be sensitive to certain brands of ammo. Some brands have more sensitive primers than others do. A gunsmith might be able to alleviate that though.

[Lefty Red]

I’m the first to pour out praises for my pocket pistols, but if I was out and about doing ranch/farm work and getting down with the elements; a small 380 would be THE LAST THING I would carry.

Glad you are ok, but get a sturdier pistol (preferably one that is NATO approved or has won at least two world wars!) or a revolver.

This thread has also got me thinking about my pocket pistols I use for EDC. Been slacking on my weekly checks. Going to get back to doing those and then some.

Glad you are ok. Wild dogs are nothing to mess with. I love south of Tazman and wild dogs are bad here too. They do no fear people, and are vicious.

Lefty

[shooting on a shoestring]

There’s a big difference in reliability between a pet range gun and a hard traveled carry gun. I have pets that have gone tens of thousands of rounds without a “click”. I have had “clicks” on: S&W mod 60, 36 and Bodyguard 380, Glocks 42 and 43, Kahr, Kimber and LCP 380s, Springfield XDMs 40 and 10, and today a Single Six in 32. The common denominator of my “clicks” is none happened to my pet range guns. A bit of grime, a few days of vibration, a rinse of sweat, repeat daily for a few weeks or months and you to can have a “click”.

It’s no wonder that Wild Bill Hickok fired, cleaned and loaded his 36s daily.

I used to think my guns were 100% reliable. That was before did much shooting of guns that had been carried a lot.

[fatelk]

Had to Google it to see what the heck a TCP is. Bad, semi-auto. Double bad, .380. I tell my buddy who has a .380, "You shoot somebody with that and you're gonna piss them off". Get yourself a decent .38 Special or .357 revolver and stoke it with the FBI Load.

Don

I've always been inclined to agree with that, but the odd thing is the various studies I've seen in recent years that show in actual shootings the little 380 is surprisingly effective. It's also interesting that .380 and .32acp used to be common police issue in Europe.

I still wouldn't trade a .357 for a .380, but the statistics are interesting. They seem to indicate that in our quest for "the best", we might tend to forget that "good enough" can still be effective too.

[JBinMN]

Glad to hear/read that you are OK!
:)

IMO, you now need to decide just what you may need to do to prevent the "hesitation" in your firearm, if there "is" a "next time. I hope it never happens that way again. I would be glad to know that it happened the way it did & it was not a bit more dangerous a situation where that "click" meant your life or limb was in jeopardy in a more urgent way, if ya know what I mean....
;)

I am sure you will make things to better suit ya & likely pretty soon.
;)

G'Luck!
:)

[bmortell]

aye, most likely problem people will encounter is when carry to working ratio gets too high. I seen people carry a gun in a holster for a year straight without even taking it out of the holster the whole time, definitely wouldn't trust it after. my carry gun if Im carrying it regularly, apart from target shooting, about every 2 weeks I take the ammo out clean dust buildup off work the action dryfire reload it, should increase chance of function a lot.

[lar45]

I'm glad that you are okay.

I was helping a friend load some ammo for his S&W 40. We ran into lots of very light primer strikes with clicks. Tore his gun down and hosed it out with brake parts cleaner especially the firing pin channel.
Put it all back together and it ran fine.

[RED BEAR]

Glad your ok. Your wife sounds just like mine. She absolutely refused to carry an auto. Had a charter arms 32 hr that she liked a lot but two ftf and she said buy me something different went with a sw 442. And now she is happy. As with the keltec i have never had a single malfunction with it. A 380 is a good round for self defense has been for more than 100 years. It has also went to war. As long ad you do your part it will do its part.

[T_McD]

aye, most likely problem people will encounter is when carry to working ratio gets too high. I seen people carry a gun in a holster for a year straight without even taking it out of the holster the whole time, definitely wouldn't trust it after. my carry gun if Im carrying it regularly, apart from target shooting, about every 2 weeks I take the ammo out clean dust buildup off work the action dryfire reload it, should increase chance of function a lot.

Yup I like firing my carry weapons at least a couple times a month. Can’t trust what you don’t shoot regularly.

[rintinglen]

I suspect the issue here is not that the TCP is a ***, but rather, that any gun can malfunction if not getting regular attention. One outfit I worked for went to weekly firearms inspections after a Detective's snubby went click instead of bang. The story goes, when asked when he had last cleaned the gun, He replied, "Not since I qualified with it a few years back." Now granted, this was nearly 40 years ago, when the practice of carrying one gun on duty and qualifying with another was still quite common, but dust, dirt and lint don't care what you qualified with. It's what is in your holster when times get interesting that matters.
If you don't keep it clean and functional, it might not be your friend when you really need it.

[DougGuy]

In hindsight, that was clearly a job for a 1911!

[waksupi]

Sounds like you need a Hi Point for carrying in saddlebags. They always go bang, just not a high style gun! I've found they are great beater pistols though, that you don't need to worry about.

[JBinMN]

Sounds like you need a Hi Point for carrying in saddlebags. They always go bang, just not a high style gun! I've found they are great beater pistols though, that you don't need to worry about.

I agree. For plinking fun & also as a tool for repelling critters of more than one kind, at a low cost, but a pretty good, "bang for the buck.". Pun intended.
;)

[Conditor22]

+1 on HiPoint
Look into a Tokarev or Makarov these are "bulletproof" ( in my experience and from what I've read and seen) IF you have good ammo, they'll always go bang.

[FergusonTO35]

Yep. Commies don't mess around when it comes to weapons!

[BigAlofPa.]

Hi points new design on the 9mm looks interesting. It's still not available though.

[fatelk]

A friend was showing me a couple pistols he had inherited a few years back. On the phone he had told me that one was a U.S. military revolver, and the other was an automatic of some kind. It turned out that the revolver was marked "US" on the grips, because it was made by "US Revolver Co", a pre-WWI, very low quality, cheap gun. The Automatic was a cheap .25acp of some kind. He said it didn't seem like it functioned right. It turned out it just had decades of grime and dried oil gumming up the works. He told me later that his wife threw them away because she didn't think he should have guns. :(

Maybe I missed it, but do you know exactly what the malfunction was with the TCP? I have one that has worked well for me, but I don't carry it.

[lar45]

I have an East German Makarov and absolutely love it. It is very well finished and has a smooth action. I liked it so much that I got rid of my Walther PP in 32acp.

[JBinMN]

I would just like to mention, since I did not earlier, but while I also liked the HiPoint idea, I would certainly not want anyone to think I meant to get rid of the TCP.

On the contrary, I think the TCP should be checked for what caused the issues, be it the pistol or the ammo & STILL get a HiPoint, if nothing else, just to have one for some fun shooting & even as a tool..

;)

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Not to say this was the case, but this thread is a good opportunity to mention re installing factory springs in a carry gun if you have previously swapped them out for range use.

[RJM52]

High Point....stake your life on...don't think so... Had two students with them... First day with one the slide broke in half and lunched itself down range...

The second student's gun ran fine for the first session...about 100+ rounds or so... Halfway through the second session it started FTF and would never run right again...

Both got better guns....

If you can afford a 4-wheeler and a S&W 329 get a Glock for your saddle bag... a good LE trade-in in 9mm or 40 S&W will last a lifetime and "should" go bang every time....

Bob

[BigAlofPa.]

I had my 380's out today. I had 2 click no bangs with 2 different guns. CCI primers. Tried a restrike on both no go.

[rfd]

the OP has exhibited a classic reason for a civilian carrying a revolver, preferably a snubby, too. ;)

[Markopolo]

My lady is completely the opposite.. she loves her slide guns and has them in 25acp and her Sig 9mm and doesn’t leave home without both of them. I take my 44 wheeler.

[Shuz]

It's been raining pretty steadily out here since I wrote this, but you can bet, as soon as I can, I'm gonna put that TCP thru it's paces with that "ammo that functions in the TCP" and see what happens.

[Finster101]

My Kel-Tec P32 looks pretty rough. It's hot in Florida and I sweat a lot even in shorts. It hasn't always been cleaned as often as it should and when it goes to the range it goes before being cleaned. I use the ammo and mag that were in it for carry. It has never failed, even though cleaning it afterward I discover enough pocket lint that it should have caught fire.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

It's been raining pretty steadily out here since I wrote this, but you can bet, as soon as I can, I'm gonna put that TCP thru it's paces with that "ammo that functions in the TCP" and see what happens.

if it was me and my gun failed when I needed it I would never trust it unless it was my fault my reloads or not clean full of pocket lint
my carry guns get cleaned and lubed once a month if it needs it or not

[FergusonTO35]

I had my 380's out today. I had 2 click no bangs with 2 different guns. CCI primers. Tried a restrike on both no go.

I DO NOT trust CCI or Remington pistol primers for ammo that I may use to protect myself. Too many hard ones encountered in firearms that run perfectly with Winchester and Federal primers or factory ammo. They are relegated to practice use only and I won't buy anymore of them if possible.

[tazman]

I had a close encounter with a pack of wild dogs around 40 years ago. I was fortunate that they never caught wind of me and I didn't need to shoot.
There were eight of the dirtiest, mangiest looking dogs you ever saw. I climbed a tree and the dogs never knew I was there.
It could have been a problem since I was out alone and only had five bullets with me.
At that time, there were many reports of dog packs running wild in the area. Many of the farmers were having problems with them.
I never saw them again so I expect they got cleaned out by an irate farmer.

I have never had an issue with any American made primers as far as going bang. That said, I never lighten the springs that drive the firing mechanism in my handguns. I like reliability.

[BigAlofPa.]

I DO NOT trust CCI or Remington pistol primers for ammo that I may use to protect myself. Too many hard ones encountered in firearms that run perfectly with Winchester and Federal primers or factory ammo. They are relegated to practice use only and I won't buy anymore of them if possible.
I have used winchester primers and they all fired. Going to go back to them. Thanks.

[35remington]

Remington 1 1/2 pistol primers have extremely soft material and are the easiest to indent of any small pistol primer. That said, due to their softness they are not appropriate for loads exceeding much over 25-30,000 psi as they will pierce. If your gun cannot indent 1 1/2s there is something seriously wrong with it.

[bluelund79]

Glad it wasn’t worse. I won’t bash the gun brand, but always test a lot before trusting your life with it.

[35remington]

Worrying about such a thing when you take care of the gun, avoid doubtful things like light spring replacements and assemble good ammo with a good track record is pointless.

Just mind what matters, do what matters and get on with life. Learn from experience and endeavor not to repeat mistakes.

[Bigslug]

Meantime I have to admit my wife is right(for once) You can't trust a semi-auto and that's why she uses a Ruger LCR.:killingpc

Mmmmmm. . . .yeaaaaaahhhhhh. . .

As a wise armorer-instructor once told me "ALL guns are pieces of **** just waiting to fail on you". One thing I'm sure of is that revolvers are NOT infallible. Another is that a once-functional autoloader is usually A LOT easier to troubleshoot back into functionality than a once-functional wheelgun. There's a long string of consecutive engineering miracles that have to occur to keep that cylinder spinning and indexing true.

All that said, I've frequently seen CCW's dry as Egyptian mummies and so caked up with lint that if cartridge ignition WAS realized, the handgun could perform double-duty as a firestarter. Just because you haven't shot it doesn't mean you don't have to occasionally clean it, check all the crevices, and run some basic function checks. Put another way, would you jump out of an airplane with a musty-smelling parachute that has an inspection tag reading "Packed with pride in 1943"?

The flip side is I've seen guys go all "Oil Baron" on their guns - obsessively scrubbing with a river of solvent to render the surfaces they know how to access spotlessly clean. . .but forcing all manner of black sludge into extractor cuts and firing pin channels that the working parts begin to have trouble moving as intended.

And even if you are on the ball in those regards, NONE of that will keep the gremlins out of your ammunition, factory or otherwise.

One nice touch about the show Black Sails is that a lot of the circa-1720 pirates are shooting their flintlock pistols left-handed, presumably because they regarded them as a handy, but largely untrustworthy means of stacking the odds in their favor right before going to work with the much more reliable sharpened steel. It's good that technology has advanced to the point that some folks at times put absolute faith in it, but that doesn't mean doing so is particularly wise. Backup plans are GOOD!

[Groo]

Groo here
As Clint would say "Two is one, One is none, Three is better..."

[Idaho45guy]

the OP has exhibited a classic reason for a civilian carrying a revolver, preferably a snubby, too. ;)

Why? You are hampered with low capacity, increased recoil, and I have seen more problems with revolvers not going bang than with quality semi-auto pistols.

Revolvers are for women and old men. :mrgreen:

[jrayborn]

Just sharing my experience, but I have taught many folks to shoot handguns they purchased. The vast majority of them are not the type to alter their firearms in any way at all. What I have seen is that many striker fired automatics will have issues with "hard" primers. I have seen it in my firearms as well, mostly Glocks, Rugers, and Springfields. Because of this I have installed heavy (10%) striker springs in all my striker fired auto's.

A lot of the shooting I have done is in the winter and certainly this may have something to do with it, but for sure I would NEVER EVER install a lighter striker spring in any handgun I planned to depend on. Another thing I have learned is to keep the striker channel clean and completely free of ANY lubricant at all. By doing these two things I have had 100% dependability with all ammo I have run, including Sellior & Belloit which has some of the hardest primers I have seen.

Anyway, just my experience with a bunch of striker fired handguns...

[dverna]

There is no excuse for not being prepared. You are lucky you were only facing dogs and not something more serious. If your weapon will not fire 200 rounds without a hiccup, find ammunition that will work in it. If you cannot find ammunition that works, the gun is defective. Fix it or trade it.

Your tale indicates you do not practice with your carry weapon. Hopefully you have learned from the experience.

[jrayborn]

Well that's a little harsh...

[35remington]

In the FWIW department, I see far more firing related malfunctions of all types with autoloaders than revolvers.

Throw in that revolvers are somewhat more forgiving of neglect (not abuse) and do not suffer from user induced malfunctions that autoloaders do (limp wristing, thumb or fingers accidentally engaging slide stops, accidentally engaging safeties, accidentally ejecting magazines, fingers slowing down slides, etc), or the level of operational problems like inertial misfeeding due to weakened magazine springs, users deciding “plus one” magazines are da bomb, magazine latches failing to hold mags in place, failing to return to battery, failures to extract, failures to eject, not functioning correctly with some types of ammo...and on and on.

Ponder this....you buy boutique ammo at a buck plus a shot. I know I’m in good company here. Anybody run at least a few hundred rounds of that to ensure it works the gun? If you do you are in the minority I’ll wager. That sort of thing is not necessary to the same high round count with a revolver.

For the rounds in the gun already the revolver has undeniable advantages tied to the fact they lay there until struck by the firing pin and do not have to move forward and backward.

I use both types of guns. I do not have rose colored glasses on when evaluating their strengths and weaknesses. The revolver has disadvantages when trying to recharge it and capacity. The user decides what is important and goes with his choice.

[jrayborn]

Good point on the revolver for sure. Auto's have a lot going on before the cartridge gets to the point that the firing pin strikes the primer.

[FergusonTO35]

Remington 1 1/2 pistol primers have extremely soft material and are the easiest to indent of any small pistol primer. That said, due to their softness they are not appropriate for loads exceeding much over 25-30,000 psi as they will pierce. If your gun cannot indent 1 1/2s there is something seriously wrong with it.

Friend, I think this is the one time that you and I are just going to disagree and leave it at that!

Back on topic, when I am at home I always have one of my snub .38's plus a reload with me. If I'm going out in the woods, I also carry a rifle or one of my high cap autos which I shoot really well.

[35remington]

Ferg, the 1 1/2s are distinctly different than their other small pistol primers. Methinks you got some of those instead.

I mentioned the 1 1/2s because Remington makes a soft cup primer that is easy to indent, and these are those primers.

[FergusonTO35]

I have encountered plenty of hard primers in 1-1/2 boxes. I think Remington has used 5-1/2's and/or small rifle primers to get product out the door at times, especially during the many panics we've endured over the years.

[35remington]

I must say I never have, and I’ve been using them for decades.

A bit of scholarly information about the primer, for whatever it is worth and for those who may be interested in such a thing.

https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2018/5/15/remington-1-pistol-primers/

[FergusonTO35]

Good article, thanks. Experience is the best teacher, so I have to stay with that.

[35remington]

As do I.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

They will do it, embarrass you every time.

[BigAlofPa.]

The wife and i had our 9mm's out the other day. We ran through around 300 rounds loaded with the cci primers. No failure to fire. Variety of brands in guns. Was a good range session.

[curioushooter]

What is a TCP?

Taurus?

[onelight]

What is a TCP?

Taurus?
It is a Taurus TCP is for Tiny Cute Pistol similar to a Ruger LCP Little Cute Pistol :-P

[35 Whelen]

Around my place I never know what I'm going to see; stray dogs, coyotes, hogs, bobcats, deer or rattlesnakes. I wouldn't dream of carrying a two-piece firearm of any kind. For the last 15 years out here I've always had a revolver strapped to my side. 90% of the time it's a SA .44 Special, followed closely by a SA .357 and lately a 1917 S&W.

35W

[Shuz]

Well, I got down to the range yesterday and fired some rounds through the Taurus 738 TCP(Taurus Compact Pistol). I had 1 fail to fire outta 20 rounds fired. It was a light strike on the primer. On investigating the ammo, I noticed that the primers used were a brand named Privi-Partisan(PPU). Perhaps they are a harder primer to set off? I'm gonna thoroughly clean the pistol and try some different primers and see what happens. I'm also gonna fire some of the PPU primed ammo in my Kel-Tec K3AT's and see what happens.

[35remington]

I would try the Remington 1 1/2 if you can locate some. If these do not go off you may reasonably suspect a gun problem.

[Shuz]

I would try the Remington 1 1/2 if you can locate some. If these do not go off you may reasonably suspect a gun problem.

I do have some loaded up with the Rem 1-1/2, so I'll try these next trip to the range!:Fire:

[onelight]

I can tolerate a gun that’s picky on primers for a range toy but it would be my last choice to carry.
But I’m glad we all get make our own choices.

[35remington]

Agreed. Just suggesting the 1 1/2s as a diagnostic tool, not a desirable go to plan.

[Ozark mike]

I'm sorry to those I might offend but I would not be caught dead with most of the slide guns that they offer today.
if carrying in these woods you wouldn't last long between the moose grizzly wolves and other furry demon's if you're gun was inaccurate Chinese junk but heck what do I know people that visit from the city think I'm crazy for carrying a 5 lb hunk of iron on my waist that could sprain someone's wrist if held wrong ask me how I know. btw its fired every Time I have shot it but I roll my own an keep it in working shape. Moa accuracy
sorry for the rant

[Shuz]

After giving the TCP a thorough cleaning, I took it out and tested it yesterday, and all seems well. Even the loads that were primed with the suspected PMC or Priv-Partisan primers all went bang, not only in the TCP, but in the 2/ea Keltec P3AT's that I own.

I suspect now that the TCP may have gotten some dirt, grime, lint or whatever in it as I had it in the ATV's saddle bags for who knows how long before calling upon it for service. Never again! I'm now gonna get those guns out more often and check their reliability.

[mjwcaster]

I tell my students the worse thing they can do to their gun is carry it.
So many people are obsessed with cleaning their guns after shooting them every time, but then carry them and don’t clean them for 6 months or more.
The worst thing I ever did to a gun was forgetting my coveralls were unzipped and then changing a tire, rolling around in fine Texas red dirt/sand, mostly sand.
By the time I realized it the slide would barely move.
It was a borrowed truck and borrowed gun.
Thankfully Uncle Ben was a rancher who had 2 boys of his own who tore up more stuff than we could ever dream of and understood things happen.

Just had a student in for Ccw renewal class a month ago, he brought an LC9 in with the slide stuck and a round in the chamber.
Thing was rusted shut, I beat it open, cleaned it the best I could and oiled it good.
It shot ok after that.
He claimed that one was just sitting in his house.
His son did his gun cleaning for him, he wouldn’t listen when I told him to get his own cleaning kit.
Some people do not need guns.

Speaking of all this my EDC LCP is overdue for a cleaning, probably been a month or two since I cleaned it.
Way overdue.

I really need to start keeping track of it on a calendar.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mjwcaster]

My TCP survived going for a swim while frogging one night.
Got back to the house dried it off and oiled it up.
Gun and ammo shot fine.
My phone was never the same again.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ozark mike]

I tell my students the worse thing they can do to their gun is carry it.
So many people are obsessed with cleaning their guns after shooting them every time, but then carry them and don’t clean them for 6 months or more.
The worst thing I ever did to a gun was forgetting my coveralls were unzipped and then changing a tire, rolling around in fine Texas red dirt/sand, mostly sand.
By the time I realized it the slide would barely move.
It was a borrowed truck and borrowed gun.
Thankfully Uncle Ben was a rancher who had 2 boys of his own who tore up more stuff than we could ever dream of and understood things happen.

Just had a student in for Ccw renewal class a month ago, he brought an LC9 in with the slide stuck and a round in the chamber.
Thing was rusted shut, I beat it open, cleaned it the best I could and oiled it good.
It shot ok after that.
He claimed that one was just sitting in his house.
His son did his gun cleaning for him, he wouldn’t listen when I told him to get his own cleaning kit.
Some people do not need guns.

Speaking of all this my EDC LCP is overdue for a cleaning, probably been a month or two since I cleaned it.
Way overdue.

I really need to start keeping track of it on a calendar.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I pull mine out and handle it evey day first thing in the morning. I'll proceed to remove the cylinder and check out the bore and look for any dust or grime if I'm carrying my bfr I look over the shells if it's my 1858 I'll check caps and make sure it's in the safety notch before I put it on. I also shoot the 58 once a week just to make sure my powder is good.if I need my guns to go bang they do

[Winger Ed.]

I'd switch to something else, or get a bayonet for it.

[Ozark mike]

A 14 in bayonet might look a little unorthodox on a pistol w a 5in bbl

[onelight]

I normally go to the range twice a week at least once a week will fire a minimum of 1 magazine through my cary gun clean it and back in the holster.

[JBinMN]

Speaking of all this my EDC LCP is overdue for a cleaning, probably been a month or two since I cleaned it.
Way overdue.

I really need to start keeping track of it on a calendar.




You have a birthday. Use that day of the month as your "cleaning day" the rest of the year.

Using that date is easy to remember, and if you don't clean your CC firearm, you may not get another B-day to celebrate, if it fails to fire/malfunctions when ya really really need it, since you did not clean it. Don't forget the magazine(s).
;)

Just a thought to help remember to clean it.
;)

G'Luck on whatever day ya pick.
:)