Smyth Busters: How Often Do You Have To Clean a Gun (Really)?
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- Опубликовано: 4 окт 2021
- "You've gotta clean that gun after EVERY time you shoot it!" Your mother may not have said that, but chances are some trusted mentor in your early days as a shooter did. Sure, cleaning a really gunky gun is important, but in these days of smokeless powder, highly corrosion-resistant gun finishes, and climate-controlled homes, do you really have to clean a gun THAT often? Brownells Gun Techs™ Caleb and Steve say, in a nutshell..... no. Both admit to being typical gunsmiths with a bunch of dirty guns lurking in their gun safes! Steve wipes down the outside and checks for leading in the barrel, but as for a stem-to-stern, thorough bore cleaning? About once or twice a season, he says. Certain shooters DO have to clean their guns after every outing: duck / geese / pheasant hunters, black powder shooters, anybody operating in adversely wet conditions. Certain guns require attentive maintenance like the M1 Garand and M14 (M1A), whose roller systems need frequent cleaning and lubrication. If you get satisfaction from disassembling a gun and thoroughly cleaning it, go ahead - it won't hurt. But the myth is BUSTED: you typically do not have to clean a gun every time you shoot it.
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It's a Zen like thing. The smells, the sounds and the quiet concentration bring me back to a carefree time in my youth. The AR is fine, its the soul that needs the cleaning....
That deep...but you are absolutely right..
That's*
Came for the kiddy pool, got the infinite depths of the eternal existential void. 10/10, would ponder about life again.
Ahhhh. That was nicely said👍👌👏👊👊👊👊
Can't argue with you there.
Y'all have an incredibly kind community. It seems like most people here prefer to clean their guns every time, but they're not toxic about it, they just say what they prefer with a smile and a handshake and keep on a'watching! That's such a breath of fresh air on the internet.
Gotta say an assent to that! Most of us are damn internet keyboard fanatics anyway. We shouldn't take ourselves so seriously. Life is too brief.
Subbed, you right
As a new owner, it’s just another way for me to become for familiar and comfortable with my gun.
Agreed.
Fact. Its like a car. You dont really know it unless you have taken every bolt taken out and replaced.
@@neilaxelrod5872 American Cars have to be tinkered. Look at all the recalls. Deaths in GM vehicles. Hard to believe with all the technology available. Not right.USA
Exactly, you'll learn how to completely strip your gun, and put it back together, with confidence and almost memory, which will help you with other models of that gun and the gun/s you have. Thats the main reason they/family/friend tell you to clean after every use. You'll figure out you don't have to.
@@neilaxelrod5872 must own a sports car.. lol homie talking about bolts 🔩
At 77 years old, I still can't sleep well knowing I have a dirty firearm in the safe. Between my Dad, and the U.S. Army, I'm thoroughly indoctrinated on the rule "if you shoot it, you clean it". Plus, like Jeff Link below, cleaning my guns is a kind of "bonding" with each firearm. Its enjoyable.
Perfect.
As soon as I read your first line, "At 77 years old, I still can't sleep well knowing I have a dirty firearm in the safe". My first thought was, I bet you were in the service. I'm 72, and I'm still afraid my old Marine D.I. will reappear if I don't clean my guns after a day of shooting. 😂 I'm right there with you. Be well. Happy/safe shooting. And clean that rifle!!!🤠 Roger
75 here and always clean my weapons after firing. When I was a youngster and corrosive primers was in use prior to 1954 it was a must. Used hot water and soap. US Military in 1967 for 20 years. Was instilled in basic training clean and maintenance of the M-14, M-60, and 50 cal. Those where the big 3. From little on it was instilled in me so being in the military just fortified that early training as a youngin.
I just have to clean it or i'll be thinking about it all the time
Absolutely agreed!
As a man with ADHD and chronic procrastination, this is a huge win for me.
I was just thinking the EXACT same thing about myself. It drives my fud buddies crazy when they ask if I’ve cleaned my AR.
I was going to comment something similar. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.
Agreed , can definitely relate 🤣
High five!
Amen!
I feel like the "clean after every use" methodology was instilled in me more as a way to learn and respect my weapon than it was for ensuring cleanliness for function. I still enjoy cleaning as ritual and especially after significant round count or environment conditions.
I didn't exactly see this as "busted" either. I'll keep my ritual up as well
YES! I have the same exact feelings but didn’t know how to put it into words. Well said
Yep, as you say, discipline and the responsibility of ownership more so than the gun actually needing it every time--especially for youngsters first acquiring a firearm.
I think the fact that every owner's manual I've seen tells people to clean after every use has something to do with it.
Me 2 I think it’s a good lesson. Take care of what’s yours if it’s gonna take care of you
The Marine Corps instills in all of us that if you shoot it, you clean it. Laziness is untolerable. Cleaning isnt just to have a clean weapon, its the opportunity to inspect for problems to ensure a safe weapon that functions as designed.
Semper Fi
Letting go of the feeling that I had to clean my gun after every use really made gun ownership much more enjoyable to me. We recently moved to the country where I can shoot all my guns right in my back yard. Prior to that, going shooting was an "event" that took hours, was expensive and had to be planned for in advance. After hours of dealing with going to the range, I felt the need to come home and clean everything. So I started going less and less. There's nothing more enjoyable to me now than wrapping up work, grabbing one of my guns and heading out to the woods to shoot 100 rounds or so. When I'm done, the gun goes right back in the safe, and I go about my day. What used to feel like a 3 hour "chore" is now just a 30 minute fun activity. I'll eventually clean my guns when they need it, and it will take me a little longer since they're more dirty. But man... the 10 times I went shooting in between are much, much more enjoyable.
This. Exactly this.
Hear, hear!!
OMG it's like you read my mind! This is exactly my experience and prevents me from going to the range. From packing up and locking everything to the clean up afterwards.
I hope one day to move out of NY and into a place where I can fire off some rounds after work and enjoy the rest of my night!
My story to a "t".
facts man
I would imagine "clean it after every time you shoot it" is a hold over piece of knowledge from the Black Powder days when you really did need to clean them after shooting because of the corrosion.
You may be right.
that was true until not all that long ago due to corrosive primers. combine that with so many people being taught to clean religiously in the military. I was a compulsive cleaner for years. I finally relented and have proven to myself that my match rifles do not lose accuracy and really only need the actions cleaned for reliability. Still there’s that voice in the back of my head calling me a lazy slob LOL.
Even after the black powder days, there was a lot of corrosive ammunition made with smokeless powder. I believe a lot of surplus 7.62x54R ammunition was corrosive. You really need to clean after shooting corrosive ammunition. But it's not necessary with current production ammunition.
In the black powder days it was actualy about fouling.
All the residues from black powder would otherwise block your gun in no time.
I think with mussle loaders one needed to clean the barrel every 20 rounds, to keep it open.
World wars. The military drives it home. Your life depends on it.
I actually enjoy cleaning my firearms. The one added benefit to cleaning on a regular basis is that it provides the opportunity for frequent inspection of parts to spot any issues while they are minor and before they grow into bigger problems .
Are you shooting quality ammunition and not abusing your gun? If so, your guns shouldn't be having premature wear in them.
@@coreyb.3127 Some gun manufacturers have poor QC. Improper heating treatment of metal parts. Tolerance stacking problems. Improper application of surface treatments. Improper headspacing. These issues don't reveal themselves until after use. It's not as simplistic as: "Use quality ammo and don't abuse your guns and you'll be fine"!
@@railfanningpoints2.045 For sure many gun manufacturers have poor quality control! That's why I don't buy those guns lol
@@railfanningpoints2.045 9
I find it quite satisfying which provides an element of fun, when I set aside the time to do it in a relaxed fashion. The worst is when I take other people shooting, invariably they want to try several firearms out, then I end up with 5 or 6 to clean, then it becomes more of a chore and more like a production line as I figure I may as well do them all while the cleaning gear is out.
I think for a lot of us veterans, cleaning your weapon after going to the range is something that's deeply ingrained in us. I can't come home after the range and not expect, even to this day, a mythical drill sergeant yelling over my shoulder to clean that weapon spotless. After serving in the military, even though it was a long time ago, I have to field strip whatever I shot and clean it to parade inspection standards. This means the cleaning patch comes out spotless after going down the barrel and there's no carbon anywhere. Love the video and keep 'em coming, but this is a habit I can't get away from. If it gets fired, it gets cleaned.
Same here. And break it down once a week whether I fire or not to make sure it’s in working condition. I wouldn’t want to pick up my weapon and all the sudden a surprise malfunction issue
And we eat every bite of food on our plate!
And some guys wear critical components out from over-cleaning. If you don’t shoot that much, I get it. But I shoot several times a week. My AR gets cleaned thoroughly about once a month. It’s often fired with a suppressor. When I get done, I pull the bcg while I’m still on the range, wipe it down with disposable shop towels, and re-lube with 5w30 Mobil One. No issues ever. My hunting rifles get cleaned at the end of the season or if there shot and then being put up for awhile. Never any issues. Also, a PSA for AR shooters…don’t be using abrasive tools like steel scrappers to remove carbon from your bolt. Great way to ruin it.
Law enforcement is the same way. Clean your gun after each shooting session regardless of how much you shoot. You want to be able to pass inspection but also there may come a time when your life or the life of a fellow officer might depend on that weapon firing. For me it was like Zen in the art of gun cleaning.
Absolutely. The Marine Corps taught-us to clean our weapons for 3 consecutive days after firing
I do clean and lub my guns after every range day, not because it’s strictly necessary, but because I like to keep them in great condition, and I love the process to do it: it’s like a relaxing therapy for me!
I go more by round count and weather conditions than just because it was out.
Same, and it varies by gun. Some guns have to be cleaned every 50-100 rounds to run smoothly, others can go 1000+ without touching.
@Stringstriker oh I agree, especially since I do a lot of suppressed shooting, but it just doesn’t matter. The guns run fine dirty.
@@Super-Kuper Indeed. The really shocking difference is between an AK and an AR-15 and a bolt action. AR's get filthy around the bolt and receiver, AK's get filthy in piston tube and on the piston, bolt actions simply don't get dirty even with the same round count.
@Stringstriker The gas being directly directed into the action does make them get very dirty in seemingly few rounds compared to piston operated semi auto rifles I have using the same ammunition, so I find it really hard not to strip and clean my AR's after any shooting activity. After a 100 rounds through a piston operated gun the bolt and chamber still look pretty much like you just cleaned it. With the AR you just have to reprogram your thinking that this is how it operates and that it can tolerate that black coating over everything, being rather anal with maintenance, I find it hard to ignore.
My dad laughed at me one day when I was cleaning my first 1911 after a range day, noting that he had been through entire tours of Vietnam, in the water, tunnels, etc., and never recalled cleaning his.
😂
After being in the jungle for days, you wanted to clen yourself and your weapon. LOL
A day at the range isn’t complete until the smell of Hoppes is in the air.
Thirty years as a working cop it was drilled into us to clean after every range qualification. In retirement I’ve gotten lazy and put it off a few days after a range session, but it’s still done every time. Old habits are hard to break.
I do. It's ritual for me. Just how I was raised and later on trained, and then later trained others to do. I know full well, short of corrosive and environmental exposure it's not, as you lads said, strictly necessary: i enjoy it.
yes a very stable calming repetitive exercise
I’m the same way. I like to know that my guns are clean and ready no matter what. If they are 2/3 of the way to bring “too dirty”, then they may not be ready for what you need them for.
Yeah I know the feeling. I love machines and parts and how they all have their own unique patterns and feel. I love the click of ratchet when tightening something on my car or popping bubble wrap. It just feels good. Might even be in man's nature from long time ago when he first starting making tools and appreciating the craft of a well built spear or hut.
@@adamr9215 Exactly my thinking, having them ready for whatever comes. I even give firearms I haven't used in a while a once over and check the lubrication so there's no chance of corrosion, or a problem occurring should they be needed. It's also a good way to keep familiar with your firearms in terms of operation and dismantling etc. When you have quite a few guns, it's easy to pull a gun out of the safe that's been hiding there for a while and have to refamiliarize yourself with the controls etc.
I just can’t resist to get my guns clean after I shoot them, a clean gun is always a happy gun
Ditto
Yep
@@pennywisdom9435, with the cost of Ammo, I may have to try this.
Or is it a happy person?
Except in long range shooting you need to foul the barrel before the best accuracy occurs. My solution is clean the outside and mechanisms and use HBN without cleaning the bore. End of fouling shots
Glad to hear you guys mention Lubriplate. A MG owner clued me into this engine rebuild lube years ago and at around 7 dollars a tube, it's really slick and sticks. I typically use Kerosene, lamp oil or Stoddard's Solvent as a cleaning agent, as modern FMJ ammo is noncorrosive and pretty clean, epecially compared to the corrosive military ammo of the past-John in Texas
My father who was in the army in the late 50s and early 60s (he continued in the NG for 30 years) taught me to clean guns after every shooting trip so thanks for mentioning the M1 and M14. I am sure that is what he experienced.
I prefer to keep my guns clean. Generally though, I do a quick clean/lube after a range trip, and a more detailed clean after every 400 - 500 rounds. I used to be firmly in the camp of detail cleans after every range trip, but I'm trying to strike the balance between under/over cleaning.
Yeah I'll do a basic clean without solvents and stuff after I get home. Clean out the rails with Q-tips and what not, get any surface debris out. No brushes or anything like that, and then I'll oil so it runs good. After a few trips I'll do a real clean with Hoppe's and bore brushes and all that
I can tell a difference when you're shooting out there a ways after 200 rounds the patterns start moving around. Run a patch down the barrel couple times and your back on. I'm talking 500 yards and beyond.
@@mmk9kane36 🤣
This is the way.
Now I have a much higher number of firearms, one benefit to cleaning every time is you don't have to try and keep track of how many rounds you fired and when something was actually properly cleaned and lubricated. Times passes so quickly as I get older, that for some firearms it may quickly become a year, or more, particularly during times if ammo shortages and high prices, where I'm reluctant to diminish my ammo stock. So yes it can be tedious, it's likely unnecessary, but in the longer run I find it easier.
My dad taught me very young to always clean your weapon. Then as I got older I was taught take care of your gear and your gear will take care of you. It has been ingrained in me to clean your weapon after every use.
AMEN !
If my weapon leaves the house I clean it util It passes the white glove test. God rest my father's soul. Airborn ranget
Very good advice and procedure, usually shoot then it gets put away for awhile, don't take long for rust to start
Don't have any weapons but I clean my firearms after every range session.
Totally agree-from a 34 honorably retired LEO who has been carrying since 1972. Great video and advice as always!
I grew up in rural kentucky. We had a shotgun or 22 out all the time. Id spray them down with gun oil and wipe them off and put them away. Very rarely cleaned the barrel. 25 years later those old guns still work and shoot great 👍.
Grandpas hand me downs always get cleaned thoroughly, but the glocks and ARs run wet and dirty lol
Wetter the better haha. I have a .22lr m&p sport. That thing loves oil and hardly every jams for something that would their wise “jam a lot”
Grandpa's guns and today's engineering has made strides in better material and building.
@@dannymccorkle6213 I treat the hand-me-downs better simply because of the nostalgia factor. The stuff I bought gets used and abused.
Well, that blows away the white glove treatment in the Army after each time we used our rifles. I dreaded going out with the rifle because it took hours to clean it enough to pass inspection afterward.
I was Lucky! I was assigned to an Airborne Reconnaissance unit. Our NCOs believed that it took Three sessions, on different days to properly clean a weapon.
First Cleaning: we wiped off all mud, water, etc., ran three patches through the barrel, and used a rag on the the rest; then sprayed a bit of CLP on it, and left it in the Arms Room overnight.
Next Day was the major Cleaning, but only a cursory inspection. We would also be Cleaning our other gear too.
3rd Day we finished up, and had to pass inspection.
Yeah that was bullsh*t lol.. Pretty sure they knew it too. Just another one of the psychological games they play.
@@tyquanwashington.8510 To be fair, your rifle is probably your most important piece of gear, if that malfunctions good chance you're dead. Also back in Vietnam they learned the hard way what happens if you can't keep them clean (even my great uncle had his M16 blow up catastrophically and injuries), so you really want it performing top shape. Now are they probably excessive? Yeah, probably. The only time you would clean it to white glove inspection is if you're doing gang drive by and for some insane reason wanted to leave the gun at the crime scene (remember to load your magazine wearing gloves, that really should be standard procedure in the US because the bad thing is self defense is not a valid excuse in some parts of the country, and cops are exceptionally bad at their jobs so if there are no witnesses, well... another option right?)
@@jakegarrett8109 I fully understand why they do it as well as all the other games they play. It all translates into something bigger.
I was a grunt for 6 years and despised this mentality. Although it did leave plenty of ammunition for the rest of us. Now that I’m a civilian I’m glad I took advantage of it when it was free.
I am glad to hear this. You can’t imagine how much guilt I carry around thinking I don’t clean my guns often enough or we’ll enough. Now in my older years, I finally have a shop/gun room in my basement where I’m much better about keeping them clean but years ago when I was in school I’m embarrassed to say how long between cleanings
Some people say I wash my car to much. I'm the same with my guns. Keep it clean. I love sitting alone and cleaning my gun after a day at the range. Thanks for all the great videos. I've learned a great deal.
The “truth” changed when we went from corrosive primers and corrosive ammunition to modern less corrosive or non corrosive ammunition and components. When we went from steel and wood to aluminum and plastic your maintenance load also went down.
The M1 advice is good for a pinker / shooter but not for a competitive gun because dissembling and reassembling the M1 can change POI at longer ranges. Many high power shooters dissemble the guns much less frequently than each shooting session. Caveat I’m not one of them so this is based on only what I’ve been told.
Corrosive _ammunition_ or corrosive _powder?_
@@RonJohn63 I’m no chemical engineer but I’m aware of corrosive primer compounds and corrosive powder. If your ammunition contains either or both you have corrosive ammunition. Salts released into the barrel and action when firing combine with atmospheric H2O and start oxidation very rapidly.
@@RonJohn63 Black powder is inherently corrosive but as far as I know, there's no such thing as corrosive smokeless powder. There IS such a thing as corrosive primers, though, especially if you are shooting old military surplus ammo. As recent as the 1990s some Russian ammo was using corrosive primers. The US military stopped using corrosive primers in the late 1950s. What makes it corrosive is the formation of potassium chloride from the potassium chlorate used in the primer. Potassium chloride absorbs some moisture from humidity in the air and the resulting potassium chloride solution is what eats steel.
@@sbreheny "Black powder is inherently corrosive but as far as I know, there's no such thing as corrosive smokeless powder."
Right, but OP explicitly wrote "corrosive *ammunition"* and "non corrosive *ammunition"*.
@@RonJohn63 Corrosive ammunition would be black powder cartridge and/or cartridges with corrosive primers. For example many people shoot old milsurp ammo out of Garands that has corrosive primers so you need to clean every time. And in my case I have an old Springfield in .50-70 that I shoot black powder cartridges out of(although with non-corrosive primers) so I have do do a thorough cleaning every time.
I’m glad you mentioned the muzzle loaders at the end! I was afraid I was going to have to come to the comment section and include them as a clean every time. Good work guys keep it up!
When I was in the Army, we cleaned our rifles constantly. Now I clean my privately owned rifles every 500 rounds or so. There is just no comparison. The excessive cleaning wore my Army rifles out and they were less accurate and reliable than my way less clean rifles today.
By my experience the issue with DOD rifles isn't the rifle but the operator, for I found it shocking how inaccurate the average solider is. 25yrs.
I clean after like... 5000 rnds...
cleaning it isn't going to cause it to wear out any faster...
@@jonuldrick it *could* if you’re using metallic brushes on certain rifles because if you’re pounding metal-metal it can leave minor scratches/marks, etc but it’s not very common
If you are talking about the m16, the weapon was the issue. It was never very accurate. It was made to be easily taken apart and cleaned. Unfortunately, this also meant that it was easier to become dirty.
Then you have many people constantly cleaning it improperly and/or with improper tools. You have to love parts grinding down due to improper cleaning and misuse.
Many issues with inaccuracies have little to nothing to do with the operator. It mostly has to do with the targets and improper instructions. One range that I was at had the knockdown silhouettes. The only thing that you could try and hit in my lane was the outer frame of the silhouettes or the small knockdown frames that they were attached to. They tried to force us to accept the results of the almost nonexistent targets.
cleaning my rifles after every use is just something I learned from my time in the marines, I know for a fact you do not have to do it after each range session but its just something that is instilled in me and i often find some of the most peace putting on some music and cleaning them
Thank you for your service
Sometimes I go through it twice till my wife comes in garage and tells me to " stop playing with damn thing".
Sempre Fi .
lol Same.
Now you do what they told ya
Persons in the military were taught to clean after each use, in my father's day. They often used corrosive primers. My father instructed me to clean after each use.
Mine to
Same here.
@Great White He made up his story. The US hasn't used corrosive primers since WW1.
Corrosive primers were phased out in the early 1950s. Even after the change, many millions of corrosively primed ammo remained in the inventory and used for training.
@@brinsonharris9816 I had some late 40's and early 50's 30-06 ammo that had corrosive primers and shot great in the 80's. And some foreign ammo continued to use corrosive primers after that. I still have some of the old GI bore cleaner that was for the corrosive primers.
One of my most favorite times with my grandsons is shooting, and bench time afterward, cleaning, and inspecting is a quality aspect of our time together.
The U-Tube videos you guys do have given me a very good education. I am new to the gun world. But, I have to admit that I still follow my Dad’s advice to clean ones weapon after any serious to moderate gun outing. I clean my gun after any range outing of 100 rounds or more. That is an IWI Masada and could go comfortably a few times that cleaning interval but when your past away father is yelling at you to clean your gun, you clean your gun.
I typically clean after every firing session. I agree that it isn't required, but the fear of having my Marine Corps drill instructor from 40 years ago bursting through my bedroom door and dragging me out of my bed keeps me from going to sleep with a dirty weapon! I just can't take that chance!
Semper Fidelis!
Great advice, I am one of those crazy people that love to take their guns apart and clean them lol. After each trip to the range no matter how few or many rounds I fire when I get home I tear the guns down and clean them. My brother thinks I'm absolutely nuts ( lol ) , he cleans his maybe once or twice a year. And both my brother and you guys are right guns don't need to be clean after everytrip to the range. But for the crazy people like me that's just part of the fun of shooting guns is keeping them clean lol.
He'll I take mine apart not to clean it but to check things out for whare and tare and something to do. LOL!
Exactly, same here
Thank God my couple of times a season and safe full of "dirty" guns approach turned out to be FINE!
Goodonya Guys and thank you both from Kiwiland. : )
My dad never cleaned his guns. Ever. Just last weekend I fired a Browning.380 that he gave me before he passed. He bought this gun somewhere around 1980. It worked flawlessly and is very accurate.
Like washing your sox from a winning game it washes off the luck. I agree with your old man. Clean guns jam more in my experience.
@@scottleggejr " Clean guns jam more in my experience."
I had a Browning Buckmark .22 that worked perfectly - until i took it apart to give it a good cleaning. Ever since it tends to jam.
revolver man here. i clean it after each range session. looking at what comes off on the patches is what makes me certain this is a good thing.
Talking of what comes off on the patches, it also occurs to me that removing a light amount of soot etc. close to the time of use should be easier than than removing several layers down the road. In revolvers I always seem to get that ring at the end of the cylinder that's hard to remove, so I'd rather clean them the and there.
Carbon becomes a solid rock in 3 days on inner side of ar bolt head.
Yes, it's good that you do
I’ve become gun specific with my regimen. Long range precision bolt gun only wipe down exterior each use and clean action and powder clean barrel about every 2-300 rounds. Hunting bolt guns wipe down exterior each use and clean barrel once at end of season. Semi autos get gas and actions cleaned each use, barrels cleaned each 2-3 uses. I find the semis like clean gas systems and actions. As always, great show!
This info is great to hear. I’ve been cleaning my guns after every trip to the gun range sighting in hunting rifles due to new scope or just not trusting my shooting capabilities. I hate cleaning guns
50 yo here and I was taught by my dad to clean after every range visit. I agree with another commentator: it is very zen. And like everything else, repeating things keeps the knowledge fresh. Besides, a clean gun never hurts.
Good advice as always. I am guilty of cleaning to often, but for me its an enjoyable and relaxing time spent with my guns.
Buying guns is an investment. I want my guns to be in great condition after years of use, therefore I clean my gun after every use. Could I clean it less and it still work? Sure. But it’s an investment.
@@Henry-yf2np You're absolutely correct. With our 2nd Amendment under constant attack, I'd like to have my guns last as long as possible and potentially grandfather them to my kids (if I have any).
There is no such thing as cleaning a gun too often.
I learned from my dad to always clean after firing, this was later ingrained in the military to always clean after use. It was only during my police career, that I learned you don't have to clean after each firing. But to this day I still feel a little guilty about not cleaning after firing.
In a combat situation your life depends on your weapon working, and you do everything you can to make sure it does
When we carried blue steel revolvers for duty weapons I did, not so much with the Glocks.
I thought I was the only one who actually felt guilt about an unclean firearm. I think to clean, or not to clean depends on the purpose of the firearm, if my life is going to depend on it then I'd rather have it cleaned and at the same time inspected for any possible impending failure of components.
@@dontall71 In theory, a clean weapon should run for longer before it jams or fails in some way due to powder build up, or lack of lubrication, so yes I'd want to have that advantage in combat, where a lot of rounds might be fired.
To me, the question is actually this: Would you rather stake your life on a gun that has been recently maintained, inspected, and lubricated? Or, something that has been fired a number of rounds. If duty called, and I needed to grab a rifle or hand one to a friend; I’d always prefer one that is cleaned and ready for war. Sometimes Dad’s advice should be followed.
I feel it's good to do a cursory cleaning on basic parts (anything with excessive metal to metal movement) every time as it gets rid of the laziness that can set in when you tell yourself that you'll clean it next time
I was taught by my father to clean my heirloom 30'06 after shooting it every time when shooting surplus military or older ammunition. He explained that the primers - especially the old mercuric compound primers - chewed out the barrel big time and if I wanted to look after that weapon - clean after use each time. He also noted that modern primer compounds were a lot more barrel friendly and such rigorous cleaning wasn't necessary. Looking at the comments - a lot of the "Clean after shooting" advice came from our fathers and I wonder if it a hangover from this origin? Hi from NZ.
A gunsmith keeping dirty guns in a safe is like a plumber with leaking faucets and mechanics with engine oil drips😆
Classic!!!
Sounds like most plumbers I've met I was a plumbers assistant when I was 17-18. Your average mechanic does just enough to keep their car running. When you really understand what you're working with you really understand the limitations.
And a roofer with a leaky roof. Ask me how I know.
As a lawn guy...
well ask my neighbors, they have a lot to say!
🍻
Carpenter and mechanic here. Reno's half done and truck needs a few things, 'I know how long I can run it like that'...
@@mharrison1325 😂😂😂😂i share a similar story😂😂😂😂
Totally agree, unless you're going out hunting in weather, pulling all day sits in the rain and getting muddy ect. Or a gun that's just required to, then you can easily get by with around 500/1,000 rounds before cleaning. Again all depending on conditions and the type or firearm.
Never shot my Glock 48 how long do you think I can go without cleaning?
Cleaning my guns is like taking tranquilizers. Smooths me right out! It’s my quiet time.
you make me feel good, THANKS! I do competitive shooting (steel challenge, CAS/SASS, PPC, NRA hi power rifle) and i clean every 600-1000 rounds, sometimes more. Rarely if ever have an issue.
10000% agree. I've said this to my buddies over and over. Something like an AR is meant to be used in WAR in places like Vietnam. I am sure it will survive the 90 high end brass rounds I just put through it at the range on Saturday. 🤦♂️ run it!
Yup and my Stainless Mini 14 has 1000s thru it and all I do is thin oil on slide and moving parts regularly
I love my gun but it doesn't need pampering
@@drifter9425 As much as they don't need cleaned, one of the best things you can do is use it so it breaks in. I won't EDC a pistol I personally haven't put 500+ rounds through because I don't trust it. Like people who talk about diesel engines being broken in at 100k miles = rings seat, guns need cycled. I'd almost be willing to pay more for a used gun than new to not have to pay for ammo to break it in...
@@scottleggejr
Completely agree on the more rounds through the better they shoot it's especially noticable on my little SR22 and 10/22 To me putting the rounds through for break in is the fun and why i bought it in the first place....
Love these videos guys !!!
Thanks I always wondered about that. I didn’t think cleaning every time was necessary but I had to hear from people that know for sure.
I'm new to the world of AR-15s, and I took the Thunder Ranch Urban Rifle course last year in Vegas. We ran the living hell out of our guns without much chance to clean them unless you did it after school. Everyone's gun ran fine. I'd open mine up for a quick & dirty lube job & get back in the race. 1000 rounds in two days. When I got home I detail stripped my rifle & thoroughly cleaned it, but since last year I've shot it occasionally & just ran a bore snake down the barrel & lubed the BCG. Good to go!
Thanks for the helpful videos!
I’m the kind of guy to clean my guns every time, although keep in mind I only have two guns so it doesn’t take too long. I clean them as if I’m not going to touch them for 10 years.
Well said
Same here, and I've got guns that are from the early 1970s that still look like new!
I love taking them apart and cleaning them. Something I do even to the safe Queens at least once a year or more if I am just in the mood. I find it relaxing. Hell if I don't have any that I need to do, friends and family are more than happy to have me do theirs which I totally enjoy since I get a chance to take apart makes and models I may not have.
I agree ☝🏻 Unless you’ve been around a lot of dust, water or mud, then I don’t usually clean my guns every time, however I do like taking a gun apart just to check everything over from time to time.
Thanks, good advice. I clean after each range session, guess I will start every other. Find the cleaning very soothing.
I’ve always cleaned my tools after each range trip. Don’t matter if i shot 5rds or 500rds. I know that i don’t need to every time & that they will run just fine but I think it more if an ocd thing lol
For many of us "old school" shooters, we relied on the adage "The sun never sets on a dirty gun" (might have been Jeff Cooper who said this.) For a duty, CCW, or competition gun, I would say clean and inspect after every shooting session. For plinkers or "fun guns" you may defer for a few sessions.
Did you mean Sun? Because the gun never sets on a dirty gun makes no sense.
Definitely clean a carry gun often, even if you're mostly dry-firing it. It amazes me how much lint, dust, and dander can accumulate.
We didn't use oil on the M14 when I was in Korea in the winter. The oil would gum up and allow the M14 to slow to the point of stoppage. It got 20 below zero that winter.
Nice cup, Steve! I have a t-shirt same and it's funny how many times in a day that bit is so true.
Thanks for another great video.
It took me years to get over the shoot-then-clean habits I learned at Ft Benning back in the 80s. These days I go to the range once a month if I'm lucky and I'll clean my ARs twice a year. I'm still experimenting with one of my Glocks. I haven't cleaned it in a year and it is still running like a champ. Unfortunately I know my 1911s need more religious cleaning than that...
Cleaning after shooting is just what we always did when I was in the Marines. Now that I’m out, I still do the same thing. I’m sure it’s the same for lots of other former servicemen
As my collection grew, I took more guns to the range on a weekly basis. I keep a log of hoe many shots I’ve taken with each firearm. If I’m shooting a firearm 2 or 3 times in a month, I’ll give a good cleaning after the last range trip. If it’s a high value firearm, like a M1, I’ll clean the barrel after every range trip and clean it more frequently. I agree with the Smyth Busters and with those who been taught to clean every time. We all have our own routines. Great video BTW!
Great bustin'! Don't forget the old surplus ammo though - thorough cleaning after a range session is a must in that case also. And with something that will dissolve those nasty corrosive primer residues - can't beat warm soapy water for that purpose.
The only two times I clean my guns directly after shooting is when I fire Soviet era corrosive-primed ammunition or if its a carry gun.
Yes exactly. I don't own any corrosive ammo, so I can't speak on that, but if I did, it would get cleaned. A carry gun, absolutely. I have a fair amount of dirty guns in my safe too.
I do the opposite… my carry gun never gets used clean. After cleaning it, I always cycle a couple magazines through it.
@@The_SmorgMan nothing wrong with that; that's actually very smart. I've done that before. I also like to take it straight to the range from how it was being carried. Lets you know if it would have worked when you needed it or if you would have been SOL.
As always, you bring good information to the table. That being said, a firearm is a tool and I don’t readily put dirty tools back in the drawer just like I don’t put dirty firearms in the safe for storage.
For me, the barrel always gets cleaned and oiled, BCG always gets a disassembly, cleaning/inspection/oiling and reassembly, trigger mechanisms and recoil systems see less cleaning, usually every three months or so.
Does all it happen the second I get home from the field, rarely do I feel so spry after driving back and forth to the shooting hole, but within a day or two that all gets sorted.
Nice video, first time seeing this and you both seem knowledgeable when it comes to firearms. Me personally, I do clean my guns every time I shoot but I think it's because of the things that I was taught growing up from my father but even more so when I served in the military. During inspections and things of that nature everything had to be clean, folded properly and dress right dress as they used to say. Fast forward to now where I have been out of the military for 30 years ago last month to be precise and my wife picks on me because I am a neat freak as they say. She says I am OCD but I am okay with that. I also take my weapons apart so that I can get used to field stripping them, it makes me get to know my firearms better so to speak. Anyway you got yourselves a new subscriber!
Thank you. You've taken away my paranoia about keeping my stuff clean. Thank's for that.
I like cleaning my guns. It's as much a part of my range trip as critiquing my targets. Since I'm at the range at least every 2 weeks, I clean them a lot, but there's a certain RUclipsr who puts out a video every Sunday, and with him in the background it's a very pleasant way to spend an hour or so.
I know that guy🙄
Ok, I'll bite...who's that youtuber?
Edit: Thanks guys
@@rembrandthpc Sunday upload schedule makes me think Garand Thumb.
@@rembrandthpc Hickok 45
@@rembrandthpc Hickok45 He posts about an hour long video every Sunday of him shooting a little bit and talking a lot. I find it to be very good accompaniment to gun cleaning.
I’m one of those that was raised and trained to clean and oil my firearms after every use. And personally I like the habit or routine. It only takes a few minutes to run a brush and a couple rags or a snake through the barrel and wipe it all down for a quick, basic cleaning. I only break them completely down and do a thorough cleaning once or twice a season unless I’m instructing someone else. To me it’s all part of the entire firearm experience and its rather meditative to me as well.
I've always done a field strip and clean on every firearm I've owned, after every visit to the range, and thought I was doing good. Then within the last year I had an alarming experience with both my Glocks. Now I do a full detailed clean once a month, regardless of use. I have a G30 and G23, both Gen 4's. I alternate between the two as my EDC's. Both firearms are relatively new, had less than 1.5k (maybe even less than 1k) rounds through them, and had worked flawlessly during every range visit. It was many months between my last range visit and the more recent visit where I would discover that neither firearm worked anymore. At sometime, between visits to the range, both firearms stopped functioning. I was alternating in carrying non functioning firearms and had no clue. During a full detail clean of both firearms, I found in both firearms, a "build up" in the firing pin chamber and the firing pin safety chamber. After the cleaning both work again as they should. Lesson learned.
My father, a soldier, taught my brother and I marksmanship and weapon maintenance. In JROTC I was taught weapon maintenance and in the Army I was taught weapon maintenance PLUS I was also a Unit Armorer. All of my instructors stressed cleaning your weapons after using it and I inspected the weapons before securing them. If it was dirty I gave it back and told them to clean it. I never failed an inspection.
Unless I’m shooting corrosive primed ammo I usually clean my weapons every 2nd or 3rd range trip, or if the barrel and chamber look like they might have excess carbon build up. A fine layer of carbon does actually help abnormal wear from occurring
Almost all my shooting nowadays is load development, which means i clean after every trip because i want each new loading to start with an even playing field, a clean barrel. The bolt assembly, meh. Every couple trips for that. Usually its just a wipe down and re-grease the lugs. My M70 Super Grade Stainless gets the royal treatment tho. She’s a looker and deserves the tlc.
I evidently didn't clean my Mosin after shooting some corrosive ammo and after 5 years of being in my safe the bore had soo much built up rust could barely get a rod through it. I've learned my lesson.
Keep up the good work fellas… And the synchronized coffee sips at the end! Lol
Where is the Ballistol on the table. lol
In the trash where it belongs. Anti corrosion tests I have seen on YT shows it performs poorly compared to military spec CLP.
Ballistol for me is for blackpowder only. CLP for the rest.
Cleaning is about more than cleaning. I clean AND inspect my firearms after each use. When I put my guns in the safe they are clean, inspected, and ready for the next trip to the range or (God forbid) to defend myself and my family.
Agree, different circumstances require the cleaning immediately. But usually I will hunt the whole season before a good cleaning is in order. All my shotguns get a cleaning after a hunt though.
Woah woah, bring it down a notch Steven
The purpose of my "cleaning" regimen is mainly just to get a fresh coat of oil on the insides to prevent corrosion in case some time goes by before I shoot the gun again. You're right that most guns don't need to be cleaned very often at all. A lot of the scrubbing and abrading that most people do is likely shortening the life of the gun. I'll shoot 1000 rounds and be happy just pulling an oily bore snake through a few times and then brushing the bolt carrier and receiver with an oily toothbrush. You don't need to do anything else. Maybe check the firing pin channel for grime every now and then.
You forgot to mention corrosive primers. My mosins get cleaned every range day, (black powder guns also) but all of my other guns are seldom cleaned.
I have heard the same story about cleaning the barrels after use. I really think it is important before putting back the firearm in the safe without cleaning the barrel is to at least run a patch with oil, at least you will not get any rust forming inside the barrel.
I LOVE to clean my rooty-tooty's after a range day. It's part of the fun for me.
Normally I clean after each use unless I know that I am using it the next week or two.
The main problem with people who do not clean their toys after every use is that they all-too often let it go too long. Then they wonder why their toys malfunction.
I enjoy the entire range process, but the cleaning process is the most enjoyable part. The sound, recoil, striving for accuracy, all that is put to rest at that point. I finish satisfied, close and shelve the case, like I did my Naval service.
I don’t clean my guns every time. I started that way but it didn’t make sense when I realized by the looks and operation of my guns that I was overdoing it, and somewhere along the way I read about a Remington 1100 that went for a record number of years not being cleaned at all and it still worked perfectly. I decided to slow down on my cleaning based on my experience, but it’s good to hear this perspective from some experts. 👍
I wonder if some of these folks change their oil and rotate their tired every drive 🤣🤣
I run my guns really wet, and clean them every time I shoot. When you do it this way, they wipe clean with absolutely no effort. Re-apply lube, and you’re good to go! I know modern guns can go thousands of rounds without cleaning, but once it dries and cakes up, cleaning is much harder, and I enjoy cleaning my guns, knowing how they work, checking on wear, and just plain taking care of my expensive stuff… they’ll last 100yrs if abused, who knows how long they’ll last with good treatment.
The only rifle that I run wet is my lr308. Everything else just gets taken out of the safe and shot. 🍻
this
Running wet is just as bad as running dry.
@@Cerus98 it’s worked for me for over a decade now. I think that myth might make sense in the desert, but everywhere else on earth moisture and rust are more threatening than talc and grit
@@Cerus98 - Wrong !
I feel not cleaning a gun, like an AR is a good test for it. To see how far it'll run until you start having issues, then you'll know your limits with said gun. That being said you will have maximum reliability with a squeaky clean and lubed gun, but in the case where you may not have the opportunity to clean for a while (or lazy) its nice to know the limits. I just bought a Taurus tx .22 and shot it straight out of the box 500+ rounds all suppressed before I had cycling issues. Now I know to clean it before that 500 mark.
I always run a bore snake through with lube 1 to 2 times. And break down the bcg and wipe it off. The cryptic coatings mystic coating makes that so easy. Takes 3 mins.
The 1911 loves a basic tear down and cleaning right after every range session, the AR just asks for a bore snake with a dab of oil down the barrel every once in a while, and a thorough clean, lube and function check after every 10-12 trips to the range. Never have had an issue with either one.
The Marine Corps instilled in me the habit to clean my rifle regularly. I still do it to this day. No harm no foul in doing it 💁
If you clean to no-foul, then no harm to your tool.
😜
I was in the Army, same thing you shoot it, you clean it😊
The Marine Corps instilled in me a positive distaste for cleaning guns.
Those guns weren’t meant to last 5 years either
Gentlemen, I absolute love, enjoy and learn from this series . . . Thank you and keep ‘en coming.
I truly don’t know whether to be ecstatic or disappointed by this busted myth. I was raised - I’m 75 and I have been shooting for a LONG time - by my FBI firearms instructor father that a thorough field strip, cleaning and lubrication was MANDATORY ever time a round was fired. But, based on this video, I’ll feel comfortable in being somewhat more lax, although my beloved dad will roll over in his grave.
You should clean your guns every time that you shoot them... You were taught well! The so called "myth" A. Is *NOT* a "myth". B. Is not busted.
@@jimd9339 Not even close to true. A modern gun that "MUST" be cleaned every time it is fired, is a poorly made gun.
@@J.B.90 You have your opinions and I have my facts... Enjoy!
@@jimd9339 No, I have facts and you have your delusions.
A gun that requirea cleaning no matter how many rounds you use, or how bad conditions are, is either: Obsolete design, Using Dirty Ammo, Poorly Designed, or Malfunctioned.
@@J.B.90 Again, you have opinions. My point, before you started with your silly insults, was that *IF* you are a responsible gun owner, and *IF* you have discipline, you *WILL* clean your guns *EVERY* time that you use them.
The SKS, AK platform, AR platform, 1911 platform etc.... are *NOT* "obsolete, bad designs.
Using Dirty Ammo is silly... Any person using dirty ammo obviously has to clean their gun.
Malfunctioning guns/rifles etc...are the reason *OF* not cleaning your guns. There are "lemons" out there that are just bad guns... But even a "bad gun" can be taken care of properly and the malfunctions will be less, fewer and farther between uses... But if you are having malfunctions all the time, it may be time to get a better gun.
Good character = cleaning your gear after *EVERY* use.
Laziness & bad character = not cleaning your gear after every use.
You choose...
Just happened upon this video. Within the first 30 seconds and especially the community in the comments... instant subscribe! Yall are fantastic!
I agree with you guys and it also depends in the environmental factors.
Cleaning a gun after every use doesn’t make it operate better… it builds discipline.
I clean after each use.