Cleaning Question

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StonewallRuger

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 11, 2008
Messages
231
Location
Arkansas
This is a stupid question, but how long is it okay to go before cleaning my stainless guns after I shoot 300+ rounds out of them? (For instance, GP100 has 400 rounds of magnum loads through it now) :shock:

I just didn't have time to clean it this weekend or last weekend, and I think it's been about a month since I've cleaned it. It seems like I've gone this long before, but I'm getting a little worried about it. I think next time I'll just make time to clean it when I get home from the range. :lol:
 

Bozack

Single-Sixer
Joined
Aug 15, 2007
Messages
107
Location
Commack, N.Y.
I like to clean my guns within a couple of days shooting them, if I can't do it the same day of shooting. A stainless gun can sit awhile but I don't wait too long. I fit worries you, clean them as soon as you can.
 

WESHOOT2

Hunter
Joined
Mar 19, 2005
Messages
2,124
Location
Duxbury, Vermont, USA
I own four stainless steel DA Rugers (two GPs, two Redhawks) and I must admit that they rarely get cleaned more than once per 5K (or 10K?).


"IF I'm cleaning them how can I be shooting them?"
 

WANT A LCR 22LR

Bearcat
Joined
Feb 1, 2010
Messages
89
It's a valid question. The local range rental guns get put away uncleaned, no idea how often they get cleaned. Some are SS, blued, auto. Non corrosive primers help the situation, but not all ammo lists what the primer is.

If I'm shooting over the weekend I wait till Sun PM. If time is a factor I'd at least give it a swab and quick external wipe down, saving a total clean for once a month or so. I'm more concerned about a gun sitting around that someone could claim as " recently been fired " rather than gun damage.

It's like a paint gun, there is a general cleaning after use then there is a full strip down every few months.
 

BeagleDog

Blackhawk
Joined
Sep 12, 2007
Messages
625
Location
Mesa, AZ
This is what I like about the Hoppes Bore Snake. Take it to the range and after you're finished, it takes 60 seconds to take two or three swipes down the barrel. If you have an extra 5 seconds, take a can of spray bore cleaner with you and spray before the two or three swipes. Can't be simpler.
 

Pinecone

Blackhawk
Joined
Jan 29, 2007
Messages
970
Location
Maine
StonewallRuger, +1 with BeagleDog & desertrat. As long as I have been owning and working on guns as a profession, I have always cleaned my or customers guns as soon as possible. Why? To prevent problems later! Simple deduction. A good 50% of the malfunctions I have "repaired" over the past 43 + years have been with simply "cleaning" the firearm thoroughly. A complete disassembly and reassembly! I can't think of a better "reason" for cleaning that gun as soon as is possible or feasible!.....................................Dick :idea:
 

Pal Val

Buckeye
Joined
May 30, 2006
Messages
1,553
Location
S.E. PA, USA
No need to worry. Just make sure you give the gun a cleaning before using it again. 300 rds of ammo should not make the gun so dirty that it needs cleaning in a hurry.
 

EarlFH

Single-Sixer
Joined
Dec 17, 2007
Messages
361
Location
Montana
I've read some notes by really knowledgable gun people, who say that there is more wear put on guns from over cleaning, than from shooting them. I tend to agree. :)
EarlFH
 

StonewallRuger

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 11, 2008
Messages
231
Location
Arkansas
I'm definitely going to clean it and my other guns this weekend. I'm not sure about a full dissassembly. I've never done that before...
 

Driftwood Johnson

Blackhawk
Joined
Sep 25, 2007
Messages
699
Location
Land of the Pilgrims
Howdy

It's Stainless! Don't worry about it!

I'm not saying that eventually stainless steel won't corrode, but you really have to mistreat a stainless gun for a little smokeless fouling to hurt it. Trust me on this, I have bunches of Stainless guns, I shoot both Smokeless and Black Powder in them, and even with Black Powder, sitting dirty for a while does not hurt the stainless guns. Once I eventually sit down to clean them they come out all shiny and new looking.

And you don't have to do a full strip and completely take the gun down. Just get some good cleaning solvent like old Hoppes #9 and a good bronze bore brush and bristle brush. Remove the cylinder, scrub every surface with the bore brush and bronze brush, same with the rest of the gun, inside and out. The fouling will melt away. Then wipe it down with a silicone cloth and put it away.

No big deal.

And yes, compulsive cleaning can easily put more wear and tear on guns than actually shooting them or leaving them dirty for a while.
 

Pinecone

Blackhawk
Joined
Jan 29, 2007
Messages
970
Location
Maine
Nonsense, pure unadulterated nonsense! I am still amazed that some of the people on this forum are still buying in to the "myths" that have been circulating in the gun world for many, many years. I have yet to see the firearm that was ever hurt or damaged by "CLEANING" it! As long as you use the proper materials it just "ain't" going to happen folks! Nor are you going to generate "more" heat and friction with that cleaning rod than that "bullet" does when it goes down that barrel at 1400 fps. Who has "ever" generated more recoil with a "cleaning" rod than a .357 Mag cartridge being fired! What I have just said is not just "opinion", it's fact in the knowledgeable gun world..............................Dick :wink:
 

Driftwood Johnson

Blackhawk
Joined
Sep 25, 2007
Messages
699
Location
Land of the Pilgrims
Howdy

Who said anything about generating more heat and friction with a cleaning rod than with a bullet? I certainly never did. However I have seen plenty of ruined crowns from misuse of a cleaning rod through simple abrasion.

I have also seen plenty buggered up screw slots from folks taking guns apart who did not know what they were doing. And I have seen a fair number of screws and threads stripped too. It only stands to reason, the more times you take a gun apart, the more likely something may happen, like cross threading a screw or damaging something. Taking old guns apart to clean out old hardened oil is fine, I always do that when I buy an old gun. I have cleaned out plenty of 70, 80, 90 year old hardened oil. But once I have cleaned out the old oil, and relubricated the gun, I don't take it completely apart again unless it really needs it. Taking a gun down completely every time you clean it is just unnecessary.
 

Rodfac

Blackhawk
Joined
Mar 11, 2009
Messages
691
Location
Kentucky
plus one on the damaged muzzle crown...arguably the #1 cause for rifle and hand gun loss of accuracy. Rodfac
 

Pinecone

Blackhawk
Joined
Jan 29, 2007
Messages
970
Location
Maine
DJ, I mentioned the fact of firing cartridges because this is what leads to "broken guns". The "use" of them not the cleaning. Sure any "shadetree" mechanic can mess up anything if given enough chance! People doing the job of "cleaning" a firearm the way it should be done will not mess up their guns. As far as "bugging" up a muzzle with a brass or aluminum cleaning rod (note my passage above: Using the proper materials) it's not going to happen, you know that as well as I do if you know anything about hard and soft metals! Go check out Iowegan's posts on this subject and see what he has to say. The same thing I'm telling you. If you note my first post, I am talking about a complete disassembly only in the context of my previous statement of working guns as a professional. That was and still is "my" practice when working on guns that have been "neglected" for a moderate period of time. Obviously, everyone does not have to do that after firing a handful of rounds. Experience is a great "teacher". It separates the facts from the myths! ...........................Dick :wink:
 

DGW1949

Hunter
Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Messages
3,916
Location
Texas
I tend to take very good care of the bore on my guns. I'm also real fond of keeping the chambers clean. One doesn't need to disassemble anything off a gun to do them two things.

Dirt, carbon and crud can/will do more damage to a bore than will solvent, a patch, or a wet brass brush...particulary when it's allowed to accumilate and then get pushed through the bore by the next bullet(s) that gets fired.
Stainless alloys are just that, an alloy. Sooner or later, they'll still develop a certain amount of rust if left uncared for. Far as that goes, dirt and carbon will sctratch and/or wear stainless just as fast as non-stainless.
If you damage your bore by allowing a rod to rub around inside it, or damage something while un-nessesarily disassembling stuff....well, ya need to learn them lessons anyway.

That perty-much sums up my thoughts on the matter. You can take 'em for what they're worth, or ignore 'em completely. Your gun, your choice.

DGW
 
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