How to..and how not to clean guns

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted By: gman2304
Originally Posted By: gman2304
One of several videos on youtube from an experienced gun guy. His videos are long and slow but he seems to make a lot of sense.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQuNgXqWPEo sorry I forgot to post the link

That video is not very good. I would not consider him an expert, or even knowledgeable, on gun lubrication. Almost everything he says is based on 1950's era thinking. Also, he makes no mention whatsoever of grease. Grease is superior to oil on certain platforms. It takes years of experience to find out which gun prefers oil and which gun prefers grease. As an example, the M1 Garand and Sig P226 series of guns are way better suited with a grease lubricant.

In one of his other videos, he says that Glock hand guns are not good defensive handguns. Ludicrous. Idiotic. Nonsense.

 

[newbe46]

I tried to avoid CLP or Hoppe's 9 cleaner drip into the striker channel when I clean my Walther PPQ. I have heard more than once on YouTube that no lubricant and solvent should enter the striker channel on striker fired. It could be irrelevant but that's how I do it. On my Beretta 92 I just clean anywhere that has carbon build up.

I clean the barrel 700-1000 rounds, the slide and interior almost every time after the range.

 

[SZR48207]

Originally Posted By: newbe46
I tried to avoid CLP or Hoppe's 9 cleaner drip into the striker channel when I clean my Walther PPQ. I have heard more than once on YouTube that no lubricant and solvent should enter the striker channel on striker fired. It could be irrelevant but that's how I do it. On my Beretta 92 I just clean anywhere that has carbon build up.

I clean the barrel 700-1000 rounds, the slide and interior almost every time after the range.


CLP should be fairly benign and can go into most places. It's basically a light oil with some cleaners in it.

But Hoppes #9 has no place in my tool box any more. I used it on the very first AR15 I owned and some of it seeped underneath my optic, and some months later when I took the optic off, the Hoppes had eaten away at the aluminum anodizing.

I'm curious if the advice you saw about keeping the striker channel clean was because oils can attract dust, making the striker not function, or because some strikers have a polymer shroud that could potentially melt with the wrong solvent.

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
That video is not very good. I would not consider him an expert, or even knowledgeable, on gun lubrication. Almost everything he says is based on 1950's era thinking. Also, he makes no mention whatsoever of grease. Grease is superior to oil on certain platforms. It takes years of experience to find out which gun prefers oil and which gun prefers grease. As an example, the M1 Garand and Sig P226 series of guns are way better suited with a grease lubricant.

In one of his other videos, he says that Glock hand guns are not good defensive handguns. Ludicrous. Idiotic. Nonsense.


Agree 100%. The thing you have to remember with You Tube, is it makes EVERYONE a firearms "expert".

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted By: newbe46


I clean the barrel 700-1000 rounds, the slide and interior almost every time after the range.


Do you wash your vehicle once a year too?

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted By: Reddy45
Originally Posted By: newbe46
I tried to avoid CLP or Hoppe's 9 cleaner drip into the striker channel when I clean my Walther PPQ. I have heard more than once on YouTube that no lubricant and solvent should enter the striker channel on striker fired. It could be irrelevant but that's how I do it. On my Beretta 92 I just clean anywhere that has carbon build up.

I clean the barrel 700-1000 rounds, the slide and interior almost every time after the range.


CLP should be fairly benign and can go into most places. It's basically a light oil with some cleaners in it.

But Hoppes #9 has no place in my tool box any more. I used it on the very first AR15 I owned and some of it seeped underneath my optic, and some months later when I took the optic off, the Hoppes had eaten away at the aluminum anodizing.

I'm curious if the advice you saw about keeping the striker channel clean was because oils can attract dust, making the striker not function, or because some strikers have a polymer shroud that could potentially melt with the wrong solvent.


Pretty simple! Don't use homemade cleaners. The stuff to properly use costs less than a month of the internet. Figure out what's more important in your life...... security or internet? More important to eat n a restaurant instead of a cheaper home-cooked meal to save enough money to buy Hoppe's #9?.... hmmm...... tough call?

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
Originally Posted By: newbe46


I clean the barrel 700-1000 rounds, the slide and interior almost every time after the range.


Do you wash your vehicle once a year too?


Does washing your vehicle affect it's performance ?

 

[Triple_Se7en]

I know not cleaning my guns affects it's performance and looks..... maybe even decrease the safety of my home's occupants.

Don't be lazy and keep clean what's most important in your life. Use the few minutes to clean, instead of clicking on Bob the Oil Guy.

 

[Al]

I have never washed the glock frame in the dishwasher (or water). Any thoughts. I know its recommended on Youtube

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted By: Al
I have never washed the glock frame in the dishwasher (or water). Any thoughts. I know its recommended on Youtube

7 Glock's, and none of them will EVER see a dishwasher. It's silly and completely unnecessary. If they get that dirty a simple Kerosene wash, and compressed air blow dry will get them back to new, out of the box clean. And not leave any residual moisture inside the frame to promote rust and corrosion of metal parts and springs.

With the exception of a few You Tube channels that are occupied by individuals who have actual firearms knowledge and experience, I take everything I see there regarding firearms with a grain of salt. Bottom line..... If it sounds crazy, dopey, and unnecessary, it probably is.

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
Originally Posted By: newbe46


I clean the barrel 700-1000 rounds, the slide and interior almost every time after the range.


Do you wash your vehicle once a year too?


I do - whether it needs it or not!

 

[spasm3]

I break down and clean/lube my guns every trip to the range. I usually take my carry gun apart every 4 weeks as it does get dust stuff in there from carry. I don't run brushes in my barrels, i have not noticed that i need to really clean them other than a spray and maybe a thin cotton cloth pulled through them. I'm just not sure that brushes are good for the barrel. I only shoot jacketed ammo.

 

[newbe46]

Originally Posted By: Reddy45

I'm curious if the advice you saw about keeping the striker channel clean was because oils can attract dust, making the striker not function, or because some strikers have a polymer shroud that could potentially melt with the wrong solvent.


One video I saw is from James Yeager and it was one of his older videos showing how to clean a Glock. Maybe he did mention avoiding lubrication in the striker channel but I can't reference it since his channel was banned by YouTube.

The other video is from MrgunsNgear, I can't remember what striker fired gun he was cleaning but he said something similar: avoid dripping the solvent or oil into the striker channel.

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en

Do you wash your vehicle once a year too?


Am I supposed to brush the barrel every time after use?

 

[gman2304]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
I break down and clean/lube my guns every trip to the range. I usually take my carry gun apart every 4 weeks as it does get dust stuff in there from carry. I don't run brushes in my barrels, i have not noticed that i need to really clean them other than a spray and maybe a thin cotton cloth pulled through them. I'm just not sure that brushes are good for the barrel. I only shoot jacketed ammo.
This is roughly what I do but I do run a bore snake with a few drops of Remoil on the bore snake brushes. Then I run a clean patch through the barrel.

 

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted By: Al
I have never washed the glock frame in the dishwasher (or water). Any thoughts. I know its recommended on Youtube

When I get a new, used Glock, I completely disassemble it. I then dunk the entire thing in warm soapy water. It comes out perfectly clean. Blow it dry with compressed air and then lubricate it.

Its unnecessary in the grand scheme of things, but it gives me piece of mind to clean out old oil (could be Froglube, yuck), plus I get to inspect all the parts/springs and make sure they are in spec and serviceable.

I wouldn't recommend the dishwasher because those are pretty harsh chemicals, plus your getting lead and carbon contaminants all over the inside of the dishwasher. Id rather not be eating gun powder and lead from my clean dishes.

 

[bsmithwins]

Originally Posted By: gman2304
Originally Posted By: spasm3
I break down and clean/lube my guns every trip to the range. I usually take my carry gun apart every 4 weeks as it does get dust stuff in there from carry. I don't run brushes in my barrels, i have not noticed that i need to really clean them other than a spray and maybe a thin cotton cloth pulled through them. I'm just not sure that brushes are good for the barrel. I only shoot jacketed ammo.
This is roughly what I do but I do run a bore snake with a few drops of Remoil on the bore snake brushes. Then I run a clean patch through the barrel.


I don’t get too wrapped up in cleaning the bore. A few passes with a plastic bristle brush, then wipe clean with patches (I get the barrel wet 1st, then finish it last to let the solvent work), then lightly oil. Every 1000 rounds or yearly I run some decoppering solvent.

I do run a dry patch through the bore before shooting. I grew up in a desert and dust gets everywhere.

BSW