What’s Your Gun Cleaning Routine?

[Godfather]

I’m sure the responses to this prompt are going to be wide and varied, from old school to new fangled, from do nothing but pull the trigger to the complexity of a deep fake algorithm.

I can somewhat fondly recall the grumpy old dudes at the local range where my dad dropped me at twelve with my .22 and a box of ammo and a promise to be back in a handful of hours, and the range discipline, the shooting instruction, and of course what seemed like a lore-based running dialogue on cleaning protocols. For me, those stayed with me for a long time, and were then disrupted at long range school with some deeply differing views. That said, I’d never push my way on others, and I respect the differences.

Today, I live by the mantra of shoot a dirty rifle, store a clean one.

For me, a clean stored rifle has a layer of oil or Ballistol in the barrel. Before taking it to shoot/foul, I’ll run a swab with isopropyl alcohol through it. If it’s season and continued use, I keep the bolt and action appropriately lubricated, but leave the barrel dirty. When I go to put the weapon in the safe for awhile, I’ll run my protocol, which is:

- dry swab(s) to get loose particles
- isopropyl alcohol swab(s) to catch more
- swab with solvent, let soak for a moment
- vinyl brush with a tad more solvent
- aggressive brushing
- swab until clean on exit
(Depending on round count)
- swab with copper cleaner, let soak awhile
- vinyl brush aggressively
- swab until clean on exit
- isopropyl alcohol swab(s) to neutralize
- dry swab(s) to clean
- swab with oil or Ballistol
- oil /grease bolt and friction areas
- storage until next use

I’ve heard all myriad of views on nylon versus copper brushes, brushing one direction vs both, all in one cleaners/lubricant versus the alternative, etc etc etc.

What’s your gun cleaning routine?

 

[Ron Dan]

I’m sure the responses to this prompt are going to be wide and varied, from old school to new fangled, from do nothing but pull the trigger to the complexity of a deep fake algorithm.

I can somewhat fondly recall the grumpy old dudes at the local range where my dad dropped me at twelve with my .22 and a box of ammo and a promise to be back in a handful of hours, and the range discipline, the shooting instruction, and of course what seemed like a lore-based running dialogue on cleaning protocols. For me, those stayed with me for a long time, and were then disrupted at long range school with some deeply differing views. That said, I’d never push my way on others, and I respect the differences.

Today, I live by the mantra of shoot a dirty rifle, store a clean one.

For me, a clean stored rifle has a layer of oil or Ballistol in the barrel. Before taking it to shoot/foul, I’ll run a swab with isopropyl alcohol through it. If it’s season and continued use, I keep the bolt and action appropriately lubricated, but leave the barrel dirty. When I go to put the weapon in the safe for awhile, I’ll run my protocol, which is:

- dry swab(s) to get loose particles
- isopropyl alcohol swab(s) to catch more
- swab with solvent, let soak for a moment
- vinyl brush with a tad more solvent
- aggressive brushing
- swab until clean on exit
(Depending on round count)
- swab with copper cleaner, let soak awhile
- vinyl brush aggressively
- swab until clean on exit
- isopropyl alcohol swab(s) to neutralize
- dry swab(s) to clean
- swab with oil or Ballistol
- oil /grease bolt and friction areas
- storage until next use

I’ve heard all myriad of views on nylon versus copper brushes, brushing one direction vs both, all in one cleaners/lubricant versus the alternative, etc etc etc.

What’s your gun cleaning routine?

Wait, you guys clean your guns?

 

[Chris M]

Shoot it, wipe it down, maybe run a brush and patch through it (occasionally). A dirty gun is a good excuse to buy a new one. Following the one is none, two is one philosophy, this cleaning practice helps achieve the two gun goal.

For AR platforms, I had an instructor at The Site, who complained ARs were always too clean and admonished his students for cleaning them. He carried a big squirt jug of gun oil around and every 30 mins or so would squirt a couple pumps of oil into the actions. It was hard to argue with success.

 

[Godfather]

Ha ha ha ha ha!

Wait, you guys clean your guns?

 

[Godfather]

I love it!

Shoot it, wipe it down, maybe run a brush and patch through it (occasionally). A dirty gun is a good excuse to buy a new one. Following the one is none, two is one philosophy, this cleaning practice helps achieve the two gun goal.

For AR platforms, I had an instructor at The Site, who complained ARs were always too clean and admonished his students for cleaning them. He carried a big squirt jug of gun oil around and every 30 mins or so would squirt a couple pumps of oil into the actions. It was hard to argue with success.

 

[robmcleod82]

Really depends on the caliber. My 7-375 gets cleaned every 20 rounds to make sure i am always ahead of the carbon ring (n570 carbon rings are a nightmare to get out and plays hell on my SDs and ES) most of my other guns i will clean every couple hundred rounds or so unless its a hunting rifle then it gets fouled and left dirty other than cleaning the action after each trip until season is over.
My regular regimine is a patch of wipeout accelerator, followed by wipout foaming or patchout cleaner, leave in for a couple hours then patch out until clean patches show then inspect with borescope and repeat as necessary. For very fouled bores i will do my initial wipeout treatment followed by iosso or jb bore paste and kroil. And continue until all heavy fouling is removed. On a side note the iosso brushes are by far the best i have ever used they are super stiff.

 

[camcarter33]

I only clean after I notice a drop in accuracy, start working up a new load for a different bullet, or after a long hunt in shitty conditions.

 

[Jake V]

I’m sure the responses to this prompt are going to be wide and varied, from old school to new fangled, from do nothing but pull the trigger to the complexity of a deep fake algorithm.

I can somewhat fondly recall the grumpy old dudes at the local range where my dad dropped me at twelve with my .22 and a box of ammo and a promise to be back in a handful of hours, and the range discipline, the shooting instruction, and of course what seemed like a lore-based running dialogue on cleaning protocols. For me, those stayed with me for a long time, and were then disrupted at long range school with some deeply differing views. That said, I’d never push my way on others, and I respect the differences.

Today, I live by the mantra of shoot a dirty rifle, store a clean one.

For me, a clean stored rifle has a layer of oil or Ballistol in the barrel. Before taking it to shoot/foul, I’ll run a swab with isopropyl alcohol through it. If it’s season and continued use, I keep the bolt and action appropriately lubricated, but leave the barrel dirty. When I go to put the weapon in the safe for awhile, I’ll run my protocol, which is:

- dry swab(s) to get loose particles
- isopropyl alcohol swab(s) to catch more
- swab with solvent, let soak for a moment
- vinyl brush with a tad more solvent
- aggressive brushing
- swab until clean on exit
(Depending on round count)
- swab with copper cleaner, let soak awhile
- vinyl brush aggressively
- swab until clean on exit
- isopropyl alcohol swab(s) to neutralize
- dry swab(s) to clean
- swab with oil or Ballistol
- oil /grease bolt and friction areas
- storage until next use

I’ve heard all myriad of views on nylon versus copper brushes, brushing one direction vs both, all in one cleaners/lubricant versus the alternative, etc etc etc.

What’s your gun cleaning routine?

In rifle, at range I only clean barrel when accuracy starts to diminish. I’ll generally clean after range day is finished. I spray sharp shooters wipe out, let sit, then run patches through on jag until clean. I run one patch with ballistol, kroil for corrosion resistance. I went from spraying action, and wiping exterior with rem oil, kroil, to exclusively using Ballistol, because it doesn’t damage the wood.

For 22s, basically do the same, but use a bore snake.

Pistols I remove slide and barrel. Clean barrel with short rod. Spray action, wear areas. Reassemble.

Shotguns, I remove barrel and clean receiver with ballistol, swabs and brushes. I remove bolt in inertia shotguns. Leave in, in pump. Haven’t owned or cleaned a gas gun in a while. I use bore snake on barrels and wipe exterior. When really dirty or sand in action, I use really hot water to flush action before cleaning. It’s hot enough it dissipates quickly.

I’m too tired to discuss muzzleloaders . I only shoot and clean them after 1 shot, 1 kill.

 

[Charlie Benton]

I, too, tend to wait for diminishing accuracy or a return from significantly inclement conditions before cleaning. Definitely not the most prudent approach, but that’s where I am.

 

[Godfather]

A lot of helpful input here, and importantly strait talk. @Charlie Benton put it well.

I like the theme of “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” that emerged. Folks probably read my regimen and thought “fuck, go see a Doc about some acronym defined disorder”. Well folks, I hear you, it’s hard wiring from many instructors over life, and included in that was downhill instructors and the necessity to keep your edges sharp and clean or get smacked, but I enjoy it.

I had some range time recently and so had what for me is cathartic time at the bench yesterday cleaning and maintaining guns. The .458 Lott got a solid going over, deep clean, and oil for a long nap, and my shoulder says it should be a really long nap. The FE Rogue .416 did as well, but I doubt that nap will be long. The 6.5CM Fix, same, as she’ll be back in use in the late summer. The FE/Fix in .308 was left dirty, with some grease and oil applied in certain areas as it breaks in and finds its center, I think that will be the bang stick of choice in the upcoming FE Cali Boar Safari led by @Dave Costarella the Outrider FE “Quartermaster” with some good dudes signed up for the event.

Some may see cleaning and maintenance as a task, or choir, and I see it as solace, a place to eliminate the noise, focus on something pure, devote to a principle based activity, and execute. While I’d like to think the Shepard, Archie, who usually joins me, does so for the same reasons, he likely stays for the occasional treat and the great play list.

I, too, tend to wait for diminishing accuracy or a return from significantly inclement conditions before cleaning. Definitely not the most prudent approach, but that’s where I am.

 

[Jake V]

A lot of helpful input here, and importantly strait talk. @Charlie Benton put it well.

I like the theme of “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” that emerged. Folks probably read my regimen and thought “fuck, go see a Doc about some acronym defined disorder”. Well folks, I hear you, it’s hard wiring from many instructors over life, and included in that was downhill instructors and the necessity to keep your edges sharp and clean or get smacked, but I enjoy it.

I had some range time recently and so had what for me is cathartic time at the bench yesterday cleaning and maintaining guns. The .458 Lott got a solid going over, deep clean, and oil for a long nap, and my shoulder says it should be a really long nap. The FE Rogue .416 did as well, but I doubt that nap will be long. The 6.5CM Fix, same, as she’ll be back in use in the late summer. The FE/Fix in .308 was left dirty, with some grease and oil applied in certain areas as it breaks in and finds its center, I think that will be the bang stick of choice in the upcoming FE Cali Boar Safari led by @Dave Costarella the Outrider FE “Quartermaster” with some good dudes signed up for the event.

Some may see cleaning and maintenance as a task, or choir, and I see it as solace, a place to eliminate the noise, focus on something pure, devote to a principle based activity, and execute. While I’d like to think the Shepard, Archie, who usually joins me, does so for the same reasons, he likely stays for the occasional treat and the great play list.

I too, thoroughly enjoy taking guns apart and cleaning them at a bench. Sometimes I will drink whiskey while I clean. I used to volunteer to clean everyone’s guns after a hunt as a kid.

 

[Charlie Benton]

A lot of helpful input here, and importantly strait talk. @Charlie Benton put it well.

I like the theme of “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” that emerged. Folks probably read my regimen and thought “fuck, go see a Doc about some acronym defined disorder”. Well folks, I hear you, it’s hard wiring from many instructors over life, and included in that was downhill instructors and the necessity to keep your edges sharp and clean or get smacked, but I enjoy it.

I had some range time recently and so had what for me is cathartic time at the bench yesterday cleaning and maintaining guns. The .458 Lott got a solid going over, deep clean, and oil for a long nap, and my shoulder says it should be a really long nap. The FE Rogue .416 did as well, but I doubt that nap will be long. The 6.5CM Fix, same, as she’ll be back in use in the late summer. The FE/Fix in .308 was left dirty, with some grease and oil applied in certain areas as it breaks in and finds its center, I think that will be the bang stick of choice in the upcoming FE Cali Boar Safari led by @Dave Costarella the Outrider FE “Quartermaster” with some good dudes signed up for the event.

Some may see cleaning and maintenance as a task, or choir, and I see it as solace, a place to eliminate the noise, focus on something pure, devote to a principle based activity, and execute. While I’d like to think the Shepard, Archie, who usually joins me, does so for the same reasons, he likely stays for the occasional treat and the great play list.

I don't think there's a diagnosis, I just think you're a better steward of your guns. In fact, you actually don't have a diagnosis because of the therapy it sounds like gun maintenance provides.

 

[Jeff Forrester]

Wait, you guys clean your guns?

haha! I was going to say the same thing.

 

[David Simerly]

Cleaning guns? You mean scrubbing surface rust off?

 

[Jake V]

Cleaning guns? You mean scrubbing surface rust off?

Not always easy to find the time, but easier to maintain than correct.

 

[Keith Wood]

Most of my guns simply get wiped-down after I use them. Plastic guns don’t deserve that.

If I’m cleaning a rifle after putting a lot of rounds down the bore, I basically follow this technique (Speedy is a big deal in the benchrest/F-Class world and knows his stuff):

 

[Michael Teague]

Oh boy, uh, well my handguns get cleaned whenever I feel like it. Which is once in a blue moon. My revolvers get cleaned every other range trip.

As far as rifles go my hunting rifles get cleaned at the end of the season. The rifles I shoot most often are lever guns and they don’t get dirty enough to need frequent cleaning.

Shotguns? Never. But I don’t have gas operated semi autos anymore.

 

[First_Focal_Plane]

I used to be an absolute fanatic about keeping my guns clean after every use.

Now, after having several experienced people highlight clean rifles as groups widen out, I’ve begrudgingly adopted that approach. At this point, I cycle through my rifles so that most have seen some frequency of use. No safe queens!

Duck guns still get cleaned after use and being in the elements.

And I clean my carry/duty gun just enough to be comfortable that lack of cleaning won’t be a point of failure but also not too clean as to get oil residue on clothes from carry.

TLDR: yes, sometimes, but not always.

 

[Steven Donovan]

There is a lot more to this than people realize. An understanding of what actually affects "shooting ability" is also important. Additionally, the actual solvents/cleaners you use matter. Cleaning the barrel, cleaning the mechanisms of the gun, and maintaining the outer surface are all separate cleaning - maintenance - lanes. Frequency of cleaning also depends on conditions. Also depends on the firearm.

I do a general clean after every shoot/range day.

Barrel-
Bolt action:
A couple barrel cleans with a soft plastic/bendable non-metal rod with cleaning patches (patches only) - with all metal parts of the rod being only copper, so as to be softer than the barrel itself. In the initial push-through I put a few drops of Hoppes classic number 9 cleaner (not oil) on the patch. Hoppes 9 (the classic) cleaner because it removes excessive carbon/gunk but leaves the copper that inherently fills the imperfections in the barrel. After the initial swab through with the patch with Hoppes 9 cleaner, every follow-on swab is with a patch with no cleaner. Once the carbon has been wiped out, I run the last swab with a drop or two of the Hoppes classic number 9 oil (not the cleaner) to apply a very light preservative layer.

People often confuse or don't understand the difference between carbon and copper build up. Some cleaners clean carbon, and some clean carbon and copper. Copper is "placed" by the bullets themselves as they travel down the barrel. Carbon residue is the result of the propellant being burnt during firing. In regard to copper - as good as any barrel is, there will be microscopic imperfections. A manageable amount of copper build-up inherently fills those imperfections and "smoothens" the barrel (making it potentially more consistent). However, an excessive amount of copper build-up can negatively affect barrel performance as well. In bolt action rifles, it can take a very long time for copper to build up excessively, so a "copper clean" is usually only needed after a significant amount of bullets have been fired. In regard to carbon - carbon does not inherently affect barrel performance in a positive way - it is only a negative when it becomes excessive, and keeping a barrel clear of it just keeps the barrel in "good order" and allows you to have the highest level of consistency. For bolt action rifle barrels, keeping carbon build-up minimized and allowing a slight level of copper to fill-in imperfections (while not allowing it to become excessive) is usually going to be the best strategy to achieve the highest level of barrel consistency.

****Barrel temperature and ballistic performance based off temperature is a separate factor/variable in accuracy/precision.

Semi-auto/combat:
For close combat firearms like assault rifles, battle rifles, and semi-auto handguns, the copper build-up can be much much higher in a shorter amount of time as compared to bolt-action rifles - due to round count (with carbon build up being proportional as well). This is why cleaners such as the Hoppes "elite" were created - they were designed to clear the excess copper and carbon build up caused by high round count "rapid firing". As a general rule, it's best to keep close combat barrels consistently clean of both excess carbon and copper.

Mechanisms-
Bolt action:
This isn't very hard. A light wipe with some very light cloth or patches to remove carbon (what little there may be) is generally all that is needed. Very light layer of oil after.

Semi-auto/combat:
This can very much depend on firearm, but a good disassembly with cleaning to remove carbon/dirt/dust debris is ideal - when conditions realistically allow. At this point, you are maintaining the mechanisms of a machine and not just a "firearm." A light even medium layer of lubricant goes a long way after cleaning (though as a note, appropriate lubricant levels can vary highly based on region/weather/conditions). For battle/combat/intense training situations, a couple drops/spray of lubricant can keep "the machine" going. The goal is to keep the mechanisms as reliable as possible, as consistently as possible. You don't want the mechanisms to fail when you need them most.

Exterior-
Bolt action:
I use a light layer of Hoppes 9 oil on all the metal as a natural protectant. Less is more. I also put a layer of Parker & Bailey Lemon Oil Polish on the wood. Lemon oil is a very good renewer for wood (usage takes into account any finish you have had on the wood).

Semi-auto/combat:
A light layer of oil to keep the metal preserved.

-------------------------------------
It's important to remember that cleaning/maintenance does have a purpose - and everything you do should be linked to a practical effect/outcome.

If someone cleans/maintains with the practical purpose of maximizing reliability, consistency, accuracy, and precision, I think they are generally on the right path. I would advise caution doing anything without actually knowing the "why."

Also, I think a lot of this, like anything else, develops through education and learning.

EDIT-
Final note... this might sound overly simple, but this conversation also intersects with a further discussion on the proper identification of what actually leads to precision/accuracy issues in the first place. In other words, it's surprisingly easy to sometimes believe a firearm is accurate/inaccurate due to one supposed reason when, in reality, the actual true reason for precision/accuracy is an all-together yet-to-be identified factor. Accuracy/precision is often a sequence of many factors/variables that all have to align in a very specific order. (Apologies for sounding like the Ft. Sill gunnery instructor...)

 

[gelhaargerald]

I need to work on my storage more so than the cleaning. Pretty good at wiping them down and then putting a little oil on them.

My guns are stored in a concrete room in the basement. We build a saferoom into the house. It gets really cold and clammy down there. My guns tend to rust a little.