Gun cleaning question

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Wil Ferch

Interesting.... my mantra/learnings was---> if any fouling was left in the "corners" of the lands/grooves....it was said the metal "underneath" the fouling was then subject to corrosion, resulting in a "pitted" barrel. Or is "pitted" barrel syndrome only for the old ammo that uses corrosive primers?

Yup, it's pretty much confined to the old corrosively primed ammo, or even older black powder ammo. Modern, non-corrosive, smokeless ammo will never corrode a firearm's bore. As a matter of fact, it's one of the better "protectants" out there.

Originally Posted by Wil Ferch

Meaning?---> if we now follow the "do not over-clean" idea....would that smidgen of junk left behind on the sharp corners of the groove/land area...be a problem or not.

Nope, not at all.

Originally Posted by Wil Ferch

BTW.....just to add complexity to the problem, my Gov't 45 has been totally treated with an "Armoloy" surface....the entire gun including the inner surface of the barrel. An "industrial chrome" plating service that is extremely thin ( less than 0.0001 " thick) and is used by industry for cutting machines and such. Supposed to limit wear and corrosion. Been applied over 25 years ago and still looks good. Don't know if this process or company is still in vogue or in business..

Just found this moments ago as part of a quick web search--- > Who We Are | The Armoloy Corporation

Still not a problem, even with the Armoly coating. As a matter of fact, probably even less of a problem.

Originally Posted by Wil Ferch

PS - ---I have a nice, vintage Colt Woodsman mag that even allows the bottom-plate to be removed for proper cleaning. Years ago I tried ( not very hard) to make this fit the Challenger, the grip angles are identical and the build-architecture is the same, but I can't remember why it didn't work...I think the hold-down button interfered or was on the wrong side?....can't recall.

Nice getting back in the saddle on this hobby again..... I thank you all for the comments so far.

Magazines were once made to be easily disassembled for cleaning, with that practice long outlasting any real need for this feature.

Some very tightly fitted semi autos can become unreliable if they get too much crud in the action or magazine. No commercial guns will be fitted this tight, or at least they shouldn't be. This usually happens with custom guns (typically 1911's) from custom "gunsmiths" who have no idea what they are doing. If one of these guys tells you his exquisitely fitted guns must be clean to function, find another gunsmith...

[Wil Ferch]

Hey....since we're car guys....does stuff like carb cleaner work?...... other things?

[targa911S]

Brake cleaner works good. just do not get it on any plastic parts. It will turn them to goo.

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Wow...interesting what you learn and when. It seems I've been doing this the wrong way since my Grandfather showed me how to clean guns 45 years ago!

I never thought to questions his methods at all...my Dad was also in the clean after every use camp.

So is the US Military. With a few exceptions (pump shotguns and guns that are a total PITA to disassemble), I clean my gun even if i fire just 1 rd through it.

I keep my magazines clean too. Troops in A-stan have had a lot of reliability issues with M-9s and M-4/16's when they let the mags get cruddy.

[gtc]

So what's the consensus on bore snakes? I have actually gotten my P22's barrel dirty enough once or twice to mess with the accuracy.

[emcon5]

IMHP, horrible idea.

When you clean crap out of the bore with a patch, you throw it away. When you clean crap out the bore with a bore snake, it is still in the cord for the next time you drag it through the barrel.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by emcon5

IMHP, horrible idea.

When you clean crap out of the bore with a patch, you throw it away. When you clean crap out the bore with a bore snake, it is still in the cord for the next time you drag it through the barrel.

I don't re-use toilet paper, either.

Bore snakes are just a bad answer to a question that never should have been asked.

Originally Posted by m21sniper

So is the US Military. With a few exceptions (pump shotguns and guns that are a total PITA to disassemble), I clean my gun even if i fire just 1 rd through it.

I keep my magazines clean too. Troops in A-stan have had a lot of reliability issues with M-9s and M-4/16's when they let the mags get cruddy.

Entirely different problem stemming from entirely different circumstances. Their guns and mags are getting dirty from the environment, not from shooting. I think any of us who use our guns under dirty, dusty, grimy, wet, muddy, freezing, snowy, or any other adverse environmental circumstances would clean them as well. When I hunt in the rain or snow, I clean them even if they have not been fired. Totally different than what we have been discussing.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Entirely different problem stemming from entirely different circumstances. Their guns and mags are getting dirty from the environment, not from shooting. I think any of us who use our guns under dirty, dusty, grimy, wet, muddy, freezing, snowy, or any other adverse environmental circumstances would clean them as well. When I hunt in the rain or snow, I clean them even if they have not been fired. Totally different than what we have been discussing.

This may be it. They were both (GF and Dad) military, both avid hunters.

Again, interesting.

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by gtc

So what's the consensus on bore snakes? I have actually gotten my P22's barrel dirty enough once or twice to mess with the accuracy.

I like bore snakes. I use one all the time it seems to work fine. I also have a conventional rod cleaning kit too though, which i use at times.

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Entirely different problem stemming from entirely different circumstances. Their guns and mags are getting dirty from the environment, not from shooting. I think any of us who use our guns under dirty, dusty, grimy, wet, muddy, freezing, snowy, or any other adverse environmental circumstances would clean them as well. When I hunt in the rain or snow, I clean them even if they have not been fired. Totally different than what we have been discussing.

I'd certainly agree that mag cleaning is environment related. I have seen pocket pistols and magazines that were all jammed up from oil saturated pocket lint before too though.

My brother runs a gun range, so i see all kinds of weird stuff that people come in off the street with.

[targa911S]

OK so what about breaking in a new gun? You know the drill, shoot clean, shoot shoot shoot, clean, shoot shoot shoot shoot shoot clean. Is that a load of carp too. And what about bore guides for rifles?

Oh ...and bore snakes are bad.

[emcon5]

Originally Posted by targa911S

OK so what about breaking in a new gun? You know the drill, shoot clean, shoot shoot shoot, clean, shoot shoot shoot shoot shoot clean. Is that a load of carp too. And what about bore guides for rifles?

How to Break-in a Barrel

I remember Gale McMillan posting about this on the rec.guns usenet group back in the mid 90s.

I can't see why anyone would think a bore guide isn't a good idea.

[azasadny]

I use bore snakes and they seem to do a good job for me. I clean my guns properly after each time at the range. I don't go to bed until the guns are clean, lubed and in the safe...just my way.

[targa911S]

Originally Posted by emcon5

How to Break-in a Barrel

I remember Gale McMillan posting about this on the rec.guns usenet group back in the mid 90s.

I can't see why anyone would think a bore guide isn't a good idea.

Excellent article, thanks!

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by azasadny

I use bore snakes and they seem to do a good job for me. I clean my guns properly after each time at the range. I don't go to bed until the guns are clean, lubed and in the safe...just my way.

Same. To me, the cleaning of the guns is an integral part of the shooting experience/ritual.

[Tim Hancock]

If I cleaned handguns every time I shot during the summer, I would be doing it daily (sometimes 2-3 times a day on weekends).

I have a couple 10+ year old Marlin .22 rifles in the shop and house that are used for occassional varmint dispatching that have never been completely torn down for cleaning and only an occasional blast of guncleaner and air when they get gritty from the dirty .22lr ammo...... both still group within a couple of inches at 100 yards shooting cheap Walmart ammo off a benchrest.

I grew up in a rural setting and have owned/used guns since I was a little boy... I still have some of those guns and they all still function fine.

"Most" of my guns are daily tools to me and only get cleaned when they actually need it (if they get wet/dirty or the actions/triggers become gritty). That said..... I do have a couple of "pretty" guns that I keep spotless and oiled, but they live their lives in a case and are rarely used.

[m21sniper]

I have a hard time sleeping at night if i know one of my guns is dirty.

It's the old soldier in me i guess.

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

I have a hard time sleeping at night if i know one of my guns is dirty.

It's the old soldier in me i guess.

As weekend warrior soldier only, I got to spend many a hour killing time re-cleaning weapons that had not been fired in a long time.

Standard mid 80's drill weekend:

Mornings.... check over old 2 1/2 and 5 ton trucks that had not been driven since the last time they were checked over.... Afternoon... go to armory to clean Vietnam era M16's that had not been fired since last cleaning.