How often do you need to clean your guns? It's a question whose answer depends on many factors. Your gun's purpose, how often you use it, the type of ammo it uses, and many other variables all influence when you should clean it. Irrespective of the type of gun you use, ensuring its proper and frequent cleaning is essential.
Keep reading as we explain in detail how frequently you should clean your guns so they serve you reliably.
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How Often Do You Need to Clean Your Guns?
If you use your gun regularly or every day, you should clean it after every use. This is especially true if you have used strong corrosive ammunition. Neglecting the cleaning will corrode the barrel of the gun and hinder its smooth functioning.
In addition, keep the following factors in mind when it comes to the frequency of cleaning a pistol.
1. Frequency of Use
If you have a defensive gun and don't use it often, clean it after every one to two weeks. This is because such guns are not exposed to harsh conditions nor are they prone to rust and corrosion.
Similarly, users of hunting firearms should clean their weapons after every hunt. It will prevent the buildup of moisture from your hands and dirt while you carry it through the hunting ground.
On the other hand, if you hit the range regularly, clean your guns after every 3000 to 4000 rounds. After this much shooting, the gun accumulates a lot of dirt on its rails, feed ramp, and breach face, which needs to be cleaned.
Lastly, firearms in storage should be cleaned and lubricated twice a year.
2. Purpose of Use - Hunting, Target Practice, Competition Shooting, Everyday Carry
As mentioned before, a hunting firearm gets exposed to dirt from bushes and the surrounding areas on every trip. So, you should clean them after every hunting session. The barrel of a hunting gun particularly needs a thorough cleaning.
How often do you need to clean your guns for target practice? Target practice demands cleaning after every 250 to 300 rounds. Since you shoot way more frequently at the range, it is critical to prevent the barrel from accumulating carbon particles.
After you've fired 3000 rounds, it becomes essential to disassemble the gun for deep cleaning completely. This ensures the accuracy and safety of the gun.
Competition shooters should also clean their guns after every use to make sure they are in perfect condition. You should have a competition shooting kit with you to clean the gun in between matches.
If you carry a gun every day and also use it daily, clean it every day. Set a cleaning schedule for every two weeks if the gun does not have much usage.
3. Type of Ammunition
The type of ammo used, i.e., corrosive or non-corrosive, also determines how often you should clean your guns. If the ammo is corrosive or uses a primer with potassium chlorate, clean the gun after every use. Note that most modern ammunitions are corrosive.
Non-corrosive ammo is boxer-primed. If your gun uses this type of ammo, you should clean it after a few uses.
4. Firearm Coating
Firearm coating enables a gun to hold up against the impact of nature and the wear and tear it undergoes. Black oxide finishing or blueing is resistant to corrosion. Similarly, a hard-coated or anodized gun is also resistant to corrosion and so are phosphate-coated guns.
Additionally, DuraCoat and Nickel-Boron coatings are resistant to corrosion. Guns with these coatings need to be cleaned less frequently than those with stainless steel coatings.
5. Weather Condition
If the weather is rainy or humid, you should pay particular attention to cleaning. Moisture creates an environment conducive for iron, oxygen, and water to react and form iron oxide. Iron oxide, which is known as rust, increases the wear between the contact points of the guns and degrades their moving parts.
NOTE - Owners of concealed carry guns should pay special attention to this point because the moisture from sweat makes the gun's surface more prone to rust. Based on how much you sweat, the holster you use, and various other environmental factors, your concealed carry gun can be at increased risk for accumulating rust. So, clean it regularly after every use.
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What Happens If You Don't Clean Your Gun Regularly?
If you don't clean your gun regularly, it will damage its interiors and prevent it from firing properly. Neglecting regular gun cleaning causes corrosion because of the salts left behind by primers in the gun's ammunition when it is fired.
Even if your gun is rust-proof, like a polymer-framed pistol, its inner mechanisms are not fully safe from rusting. Thus, cleaning becomes essential. The following points highlight the need for cleaning a gun regularly:
- Regular cleaning prevents the buildup of residual fouls in the gun's barrel, affecting its reliability.
- Dirt and debris build up in the moving parts of your gun like the slide, barrel, springs, and ejection port. If not cleaned, it causes malfunctions like failure to eject (FTE).
- The more regularly you clean the gun, the better you learn about its different parts. Thus, you will treat it safely and are less likely to encounter events like internal explosions in your gun or misfiring.
- Grime and dirt buildup cause wear and affect the gun's performance. So, regular cleaning increases the weapon's lifespan.
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Can You Clean Your Guns Too Much?
Overcleaning is possible and leads to a reduction of the important lubricants in the gun. Overcleaning means not using the correct tools and methods to wipe away the debris on your gun.
So, even if you use a high-quality oil but clean the rings and springs in a way that damages them or removes their finish, it will cause irreparable harm to your weapon.
Overcleaning will remove necessary coatings and, in turn, will increase friction and wear. This will minimize the lifespan of your gun.
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How to Clean a Gun Properly?
Now you know how often you need to clean your guns. When you are ready to clean the gun, purchase a good quality cleaning oil. Also, make sure to have your pistol manufacturer's guide for finding the right instructions on cleaning your firearm.
- Use a clean and dry rag to wipe the gun.
- Remove loose particles in the slide, cylinder (revolvers), frame, and chamber with a utility brush.
- For carried handguns, inspect for the dirt inside frame parts. Heavy fouling (unwanted residue) can be removed by lightly applying a cleaner prior to brushing.
- To clean the barrel, use some bore cleaner on a cleaning patch. Use a cleaning rod with a jag, brush, or patch holder tip to run the patch through the gun's barrel.
- Now, it's time to lubricate the firearm. Lubricate the bearing surfaces like metal-on-metal, slide, rails and guides, barrel's exterior, rails, and springs. Do not lubricate the barrel's interior.
- After cleaning and lubricating the gun, wipe all its parts with a dry cloth.
- Now, store the gun in a protective case.
Summing Up
Cleaning the gun is as essential as using it regularly. It's better to make a schedule for cleaning and follow it diligently. The best course of action is to clean the gun after every use. However, ensure you do not overclean it or use more force than necessary. Also, keep your guns protected in a quality case or holster when not in use. Check our Wright Leather Works's range of holsters, or get one tailored to your gun and carry preferences.
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