Over Cleaning?!?

HiCap

I have recently heard people talk about "over cleaning" a weapon and all the problems it can cuase.

Call me old fashioned, but I clean all my weapons every time I put a round through them. Whether I just dump a quick clip at a lunch time range session to break up a stressful day, or if I run several hundred rounds through them at a serious training session. Either way I break them down and do a thorough cleaning.

Corosion is corosion, right? Why wait for it to happen?

Anybody ever heard a legitimate argument against cleaning every time?

SSG ZAG

As a military shooting instructor, the weapons I work with get cleaned, scrubbed and generally gone over, way,way more than the average privatly owned firearm. No adverse affects yet have come from cleaning these weapons, however, I have seen some trouble from certain cleaning 'practices'. Vigorous bore brushing actually leaving some of the brass from the brush in the barrel, too much lube can always cause probs, mostly from the dirt that the extra lube attracts. All in all, does a firearm HAVE to be cleaned every time it's fired? No, should you? Maybe. Do I? Yes

mrmike08075

as a rule of thumb i always clean a gun after i have fired it. i think that certain high priced target/match grade arms may suffer if over cleaned in a vigorous fashion. some of the new highpowered/ high energy rifles have an extremely limited barrel life and this may lead owners to be concerned about damage/wear caused by over cleaning. another area of concern is the crown on the end of the barrel. the average owner may not own a bore guide/crown protecter or realize that excessive wear/damage to the crown may affect accuray.

certain cheaper/older guns may suffer from frequent dissasembley. taking it apart and putting it back together frequently may stress cheap/worn parts. many target/match shooters will not clean the barrel of there rifle over the course of a weekends shooting beacause it may affect the point of impact or group size.

just a few thoughts that were rattling around in my head.

What other dungeon is so dark as ones own heart, what jailer so inexorable as ones own mind.

Nighthawk

I know what you mean I do the same thing.I dont do my 22 rimefires like that because they say not to.I do know they recommend good cleaning rods so you dont damage the crown of your rifle.Its harder on semi automatic rifles and lever/pump. Because you have to clean from the end of the barrel.I just take time and clean at a slow easy pace.Rust is a bad enemy but so is damaging the crown of your weapon.


Good Luck.

Rugster

idsman75

Why are .22 rimfires more sensitive?

will270win

Using to many solvents when you clean can be bad at times. Scrubbing with stuff like brake parts cleaner and carb cleaner removes the teflon buildup from shooters weapons who use CLP. I don't see how there could be such a thing as over-cleaning unless maybe using the wrong cleaning solutions. Some will disagree but I trust my experience as a former armorer.


~Secret Select Society Of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets~

mballai

I was told that Glocks should only be cleaned once in awhile, but disassembled and cleaned out once a year. There's probably some sense to that sort of thinking.

My worst experience with any gun was a 1911 range gun rental. The gun was obviously well past filthy and needed cleaning and oiling. If I needed that gun for self defense in that condition, I would have used it as a club.

Three Precious Metals: Gold, silver and lead

nmyers

My experience has been that the most destructive and widespread practice is cleaning guns from the muzzle end without a muzzle guide. The cleaning rod, especially an aluminum rod, will pick up bits of grit that will quickly wear away the bore, and destroy the accuracy of the gun.

Clean guns from the breech whenever possible; otherwise, use a muzzle guide.

Neal

doomsknight62

I don't know about the rest of you Glock owners, but I clean my Glock 21 after every usage. Sometimes, under heavy usage at the range, I will even run a bore brush through the barrel after every 50 rounds, just to be safe. Cleaning and lubricating, though, are two different things. You just don't want so much lubricant that it collects dirt.

airborne

My rule of thumb is if it's a firearm that I shoot on a regular/weekly basis I may not clean, just wipe down after a shooting session. If it's one I take out of the vault to shoot, and know I probably will not shoot again for some time, I will thoroughly clean after firing.

B - BreatheR - RelaxA - AimS - SightS - Squeeze

HiCap

Hey Airborne; How did you get three rules of thumb with only two thumbs?!? Just kidding!

I do appreciate all the responses, though. As usual, some very good advice.

I feel better that I'm doing the right thing. Clean is good!

Thanks agian.

airborne

My secret, seriously really do not know, for some reason appeared that it did not take my response so I reentered. Believe me it was not intentional.

Yes, agree with you HiCap there is alot of useful information to be found here. Be careful it can become habit forming.

B - BreatheR - RelaxA - AimS - SightS - Squeeze