How often do you clean your barrels, and how?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How often do you clean your barrels, and how?

Posted: 2/4/2018 8:20:31 AM EDT

Posted: 2/4/2018 9:05:24 AM EDT

[#1]

Since this is not the corrosive primer era and I am not in boot camp anymore, I usually go about 500 rounds between cleanings give or take. Field strip two passes of a dry brush to loose. Wet patch with hoppes or whatever cleaning solution I have around ( guns don’t care anything appropriate will do). Let soak a minute or two. Run a few dry patches through - of it looks clean enough done. If not repeat process.

Posted: 2/4/2018 10:36:35 AM EDT

[#2]

I do a complete cleaning a few times each year - and I use a bore snake after each trip to the range. YMMV

Posted: 2/4/2018 10:36:50 AM EDT

[#3]

I clean every 1000 rounds. I used to just do three passes with a boresnake. Now I spray the bore with Mpro7, let sit for 5 minutes, do several passes with a brush, do a pass with a wet patch, do two passes with dry patches, and do one pass with an oily patch.

Posted: 2/4/2018 1:19:20 PM EDT

[#4]

I pass a bore snake through a few times after a range trip and call it good.

Posted: 2/4/2018 1:56:36 PM EDT

[#5]

It depends, I’ve gotten lazy as I grow older. Normally ever couple 1000 rounds. Sometimes more often. I use Hoppes #9 with a brush then run a bore snake thru it. Pretty simple operation. That equates to about once a month or so.

Posted: 2/4/2018 7:53:01 PM EDT

[#6]

I hate carrying a dirty gun so I tend to clean every time I shoot. My cleaning regime is simple. Rags, boresnake, and FP10.

Posted: 2/4/2018 9:01:05 PM EDT

[#7]

Pretty much never as I only shoot copper jacketed bullets and have never seen any reason to clean it.

When I do I use Remington 40X and a cotton patch around a brush.

But this is like every 5-10K rounds on a day where I'm really bored.

Posted: 2/4/2018 9:28:44 PM EDT

[#8]

I just cleaned the barrel in my Baer today for the first time ( I was bored ) it has somewhere around 8k through it. Like samuse I only use FMJ or JHP bullets. I used some Mpro7 bore cleaner that I use for my rifle barrels and a .45 cal brush, took about 5 minutes. I generally wipe down the guts every 2k or so..

Posted: 2/4/2018 11:26:06 PM EDT

[#9]

chunk of Frontier Big 45 Metal cleaner on a brush

Posted: 2/5/2018 1:07:40 AM EDT

[#10]

Every time I shoot. It's the way I was taught to care for my guns as a kid. Plus I like tearing them down and putting them back together

Posted: 2/5/2018 1:23:43 AM EDT

[#11]

It depends.

Carbon steel gets cleaned every trip and every week when carried as I've pitted the bore on pistols before from sweat.

Stainless is less of an issue but I still wipe it out with a snake and visually look at it after a range trip.

Glocks...about the same...but not so worried as they are less likely to rust.

Once a year or if it gets uber dirty, I have a jar of carbon cutter and I'll soak the barrel in it for 2 days. Doing this, I can wipe out any and all remaining residue and the bore is back to bare metal.

Barnes CR 10 if I have copper issues.

But...I also tend to shoot a lot and often in wet weather. YMMV.

Posted: 2/5/2018 12:20:12 PM EDT

[#12]

When I shot a lot 6k a season I usually just dry patched the barrel.

Now I clean with oil every range session (about less than once a year).

Posted: 2/5/2018 1:30:11 PM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:
I do a complete cleaning a few times each year - and I use a bore snake after each trip to the range. YMMV

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Same but I have been putting oil on the barrel at the bushing and the hood. Also the disconnector.

Posted: 2/5/2018 1:34:50 PM EDT

[#14]

Swab out the chamber but never touch the bore. Atlas Gunworks has an interesting video about this on youtube.

Posted: 2/5/2018 4:49:45 PM EDT

[#15]

Carry gun barrels are cleaned every time I shoot them. Wilson barrel solvent and break free clp using patches/jag and nylon bore brush.

Non carry guns are 1k min between cleanings. Lube the hell out of them every time I shoot and clean a few times a year.

Posted: 2/5/2018 7:55:43 PM EDT

[#16]

I clean every time a firearm is fired, whether one shot or one thousand.

I let chemistry do the work, and don't brush unless I used lead bullets or I see copper fouling.

I run two patches soaked with bore solvent straight through, no "pumping" up and down, that does nothing.
I let the bore soak while I clean the rest of the gun, including the magazines.

After about a 30 minute soak I run one soaked patch straight through and inspect it for blue stains that indicate copper fouling.
If I find copper fouling I let soak another 30 and try again with a fresh soaked patch.
Once I get no fouling I run two clean patches to dry and one patch with a couple of drops of CLP Breakfree.

(Note: For safe soak times READ THE SOLVENT LABEL. Some strong solvents can damage a bore if left in too long).

Posted: 2/5/2018 8:38:18 PM EDT

[#17]

I don't know how it is in more dry places, but I have to treat my guns appropriately to last without corrosion even when just stored in our damp/wet PNW environment. Dirt + humidity = rust and malfunctions.

Posted: 2/6/2018 1:33:06 PM EDT

[#18]

1) Not anything like I used to, only after several hundred rounds do I clean it.
2) Hoppe's #9 to get the crud and copper then I follow it up with Breakfree CLP. Never had a problem with rust or corrosion.

Posted: 2/6/2018 10:32:12 PM EDT

[#19]

I clean all mine after I shoot.
I field strip it use foaming bore cleaner and let it work for about an hour. It removes the copper out of the barrel. Then I clean the rest of the sidearm with clothes or eezox.

Posted: 2/18/2018 12:09:24 AM EDT

[#20]

I clean my pistols after each range trip, whether I shot 50 rounds or 200. I swab out the bore with Hoppe’s No. 9 and hit everything up with Ballistol for general cleaning. I only use copper solvent once or twice a year. I will detail strip my carry 1911 a few times each year, or more if I’m bored. For lube I use Wilson Combat Ultima-Lube II grease or universal, depending on the season.

I’m sure most pistols will run fine with longer cleaning intervals, but why let it go? Clean the darn thing so that it’s at the top of its game if you ever need it.

Posted: 2/18/2018 7:19:48 AM EDT

[#21]

Why not clean it after each round at the range?

Posted: 2/18/2018 8:36:10 AM EDT

[#22]

I have when I am breaking in a new barrel

Posted: 2/18/2018 9:30:13 AM EDT

[#23]

Barrels get cleaned after every range trip, along with the rest of the firearm. Barrel gets a patch of Break Free CLP and some soak time, a couple of dry patches, a patch of Slip 2000, and then one dry patch.

The worst I ever saw was a M-16 whose barrel was so plugged with rust that you could not see daylight when looking down the barrel. After letting it soak for a bit, I tried to get a bore brush down the barrel and was applying so much pressure that the steel cleaning rod was flexing something fierce. After more time, pressure, and swearing, I finally broke the obstruction and cleaned out the barrel. That was one of my more memorable moments working in the armory, and probably why I'm almost OCD when it comes to cleaning weapons. How many people break out dental tools to go after the pockets of carbon build up?

Posted: 2/18/2018 9:38:42 AM EDT

[#24]

I don't believe they need to be cleaned after every range session unless you are shooting corrosive ammo.

It needs to be cleaned frequently but not every session.

Posted: 2/18/2018 9:45:31 AM EDT

[#25]

How often do competitors or trainers clean their guns?

Posted: 2/18/2018 11:13:47 AM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:
How often do competitors or trainers clean their guns?

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The PRS guys I know generally clean when accuracy drops off, which is usually well over 1K rounds, sometimes 2K.

Handgun and AR that I compete and train with usually ends up every 5K or so, but the barrel doesn't get much attention.

Posted: 2/18/2018 11:19:28 AM EDT

[#27]

Quote History

Quoted:
Barrels get cleaned after every range trip, along with the rest of the firearm. Barrel gets a patch of Break Free CLP and some soak time, a couple of dry patches, a patch of Slip 2000, and then one dry patch.

View Quote

A lot of people do something like this, and I usually run a patch of oil down the bore before I put a rifle up, but that is in no way cleaning a barrel. It'll wipe out a little powder fouling, but that's all.

The guys who really clean all the time aren't doing anything but wearing out their barrels faster and kicking accuracy right in the teeth.

Posted: 2/18/2018 11:20:37 AM EDT

[#28]

I rarely run anything down my pistol bores except rounds.
Same goes for my AR...

Posted: 2/18/2018 11:40:07 AM EDT

[#29]

@JMB501

That 9mm is kick-ass!

Posted: 2/18/2018 12:50:52 PM EDT

[#30]

After every range session. Hoppes and a Lewis lead remover every now and then

Posted: 2/18/2018 12:59:02 PM EDT

[#31]

Quote History

Quoted:
How often do competitors or trainers clean their guns?

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Depends. Some clean after every range trip and some clean only when they start having problems. I'm somewhere in the middle myself. Generally will clean after 2-3 matches or practice sessions, or right before a big match.

Even then I don't do anything drastic to the bore. I'll scrub the chamber to remove fouling but the bore seems to get to a certain point and then stops getting worse, so I generally don't do more than push a couple CLP patches through it.

Posted: 2/18/2018 1:15:07 PM EDT

[#32]

Quote History

Quoted:
How often do competitors or trainers clean their guns?

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I'm sure everyone has a different philosophy, but I know Frank Proctor and Ben Stoeger only clean their guns when they start running poorly. Both of those guys just wipe off the bulk of the carbon (not worrying with ever nook and cranny), maybe clean the chamber, lube, and get back to shooting.

Posted: 2/18/2018 2:00:08 PM EDT

[#33]

Quote History

Quoted:
@JMB501

That 9mm is kick-ass!

View Quote

Haha thanks! It runs like a raped ape.....almost 4K strong with no bore brush!

Posted: 2/19/2018 9:29:47 AM EDT

[#34]

If I shoot it, I clean it. And inspect it. And lube it. And then reload it. Then I know it's ready. Raised that way.

Hell, if I carry a handgun a week or two I'll do the same thing. Amazing how much dust/dirt/lint accumulates in the nooks/crannies while carrying/working. Let alone the sweat (mine is corrosive - got some pits under the right side grip panel on my Colt Combat Commander to prove it.)

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How often do you clean your barrels, and how?

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