Okay. I have a problem. I'm just far too picky about cleaning my firearms. I've tried to be better, but I shot my BHP and AR last Sunday and I had to split-up the cleaning across two nights, each taking 90 minutes and 100+ q-tips. It has gotten to the point I avoid shooting sometimes because it take so damn long to clean to my finicky standards and I take a pass.

I'm pretty good about getting barrels good quickly, but the slides and bolts taking effing ever. MY brother is of the "who cleans?" school. That's not for me. What is a good, reasonable approach?

For example, point me to a good website on exactly what to focus on? I'll listen. Thanks.

On that note, I really (really) need to wear gloves when I clean with all the Hoppes, etc. Please provide recommendations with a link or two.

quote:

I avoid shooting sometimes because it take so damn long to clean
Please provide recommendations

Maybe AA (Ammo Anonymous)

Get a glock and any AK. This may cure you of the desire to go crazy cleaning.

Google OCD and nitrile gloves.

quote:

Originally posted by Batty67:
Okay. I have a problem. I'm just far too picky about cleaning my firearms. I've tried to be better, but I shot my BHP and AR last Sunday and I had to split-up the cleaning across two nights, each taking 90 minutes and 100+ q-tips. It has gotten to the point I avoid shooting sometimes because it take so damn long to clean to my finicky standards and I take a pass.

I'm pretty good about getting barrels good quickly, but the slides and bolts taking effing ever. MY brother is of the "who cleans?" school. That's not for me. What is a good, reasonable approach?

For example, point me to a good website on exactly what to focus on? I'll listen. Thanks.

On that note, I really (really) need to wear gloves when I clean with all the Hoppes, etc. Please provide recommendations with a link or two.

this will sound snarky, however it is not really meant to be,


focus on the front sight,
enjoy yourself shooting, whether it is for training, practice or fun,

unless you are shooting a milsurp w/ 100yr old corrosive ammo, there is nothing wrong with giving a firearm a good wipe down (shop rag or similar and the favorite lube of your choice, I use either breakfree or lately Ballistol) and putting it in the safe


there is clean,, there is dirty, and then there is really really, lets wear the gun out cleaning it clean,


just my opinion, etc etc,



fwiw, my carry guns,

range time,
wipe off at the range usually, and back in the range bag,

at home a simple field strip, clean and lube,
takes maybe 10-15 minutes,


my Service rifle, when I shot at least one match a month, and practiced a couple times a month,, got a detailed strip and clean once a year, otherwise maybe pull the bolt and wipe down every now and then,
punch a patch thru the bore if I felt it needed it,
I was using moly then, so a detailed bore scrubbing upset the zero,



I've met some older small bore guys that refused to clean a gun until after the season ended, and then shot a box of ammo thru them to 'season' the barrel / verify zero before the next season,.

The perfect is the enemy of the good.

I have to work to keep this in mind.

quote:

Originally posted by Batty67:
On that note, I really (really) need to wear gloves when I clean with all the Hoppes, etc. Please provide recommendations with a link or two.

Buy some nitrile gloves. (Basically like the old school disposable latex gloves, but newer, better, tougher, and more chemically-resistant.) There are dozens/hundreds of brands of nitrile gloves out there. They'll be available at any pharmacy, hardware store, auto parts store, medical supply store, etc. for $10-$20 per box of 100+ gloves.

Personally, I like Black Mamba gloves. They're a little thicker and tougher than most nitrile gloves, so they're good all-around general purpose disposable gloves for everything from first aid to food prep to cleaning to shop/garage use. (But you don't have to go that fancy; any nitrile gloves will do for gun cleaning use.)


https://www.amazon.com/Black-M...trile/dp/B01BRMGI1E/

They stretch, but you'll want to buy gloves that are the same size as your winter/work gloves, otherwise they're either a pain in the butt to squeeze into, or they'll be too loose and floppy.

Here’s what I do:
Spray with hoppes 9, or whatever is laying around,
Scrub with a toothbrush,
Punch the barrel,
Hose off with brake cleaner,
Hose everything with oil(literally Mobil 1 right now)
Put it all back together,
Done.

Takes 15 minutes.

Different with my blackpowder guns,
Take everything apart,
Wash everything with warm water and simple green,
Punch the bore with soapy water,
Rinse,
Wipe off,
Oil everything,
Stow it

I’m not sure if this is what you are asking but here goes. Non chlorinated brake cleaner or the more expensive and arguably about the same gun branded version. Find an outside area and spray clean the crap out of your slides and bolts. It dries and evaporates. Or vice versa. Removes everything including lube so the when it dries go back and lube. It’s easier than q tips.

I’m with your brother though. Lol

quote:

Originally posted by Batty67:
...each taking 90 minutes and 100+ q-tips.

This is a bit much. Kind of like taking an hour to scramble an egg.

Call me crazy, I have never used a single Q-tip on a gun. Like all of my tools, my guns will never look squeaky clean as they were when NIB, and I mostly clean each piece after a range trip. Pretty much all of my semi-auto pistols take 10 minutes max to strip, clean, and lube. The only exception are my 1911s because taking them apart and re-assembly takes a little more time. As far as rifles, my AR15s and 10/22s take me about 15 minutes. I don't use Hoppes every single time, just a CLP will be adequate. There are times when I know a certain gun is going to be shot again a few days or a week later, I won't clean it.

To dread shooting because of the cleanup is a mindset that needs changing.

quote:

Originally posted by Batty67:
Okay. I have a problem. I'm just far too picky about cleaning my firearms.

I used to be that way.

quote:

Originally posted by Batty67:
It has gotten to the point I avoid shooting sometimes because it take so damn long to clean to my finicky standards and I take a pass.

BTDT.

You may find the poll I ran, just about a year ago, interesting for the results and responses: Firearms Cleaning: How Picky Are You?

I still clean after every range trip, unless it's very few rounds and I know I'm going with that gun again soon, and I'm more in the "80/20" rule group.

I enjoy shooting much more now

ETA: Exception to the above, for me: I clean exceedingly thoroughly a new firearm after its first two or three range trips.

A reasonable approach that you could still bet your life on..

Would be a pass or two with a bore snake, wipe it down plus a half dozen Q-tips, re-lube. 5 minutes max.

Or for a true minimalist; just re-lube after every session and clean every thousand or 2 rounds.

I'm career infantry, so I grew up with the clean it white glove inspection perfect mentality...but it is a waste of time and could even result in premature wear depending on how far you take it (*cough, Marines...I've seen M16A4 receivers looking like most of the anodizing was stripped from what I assume is over-cleaning.)

If a firearm is to be put in the safe and not used for a season then it gets special treatment. My EDC gets fired at least monthly, inspected for cooties and lightly oiled if needed. After a few sessions with one of the varmint rigs a light bore inspection for crud and lube as needed.

My competition guns are cleaned and lubed following each match and takes just minutes. Zero failures during a match that wasn't ammo related.

supplies needed:

box nitrile gloves
1 can RemOil
1 can CLP
old toothbrush
appropriate size Bore Snake type bore cleaner
several old cotton T shirts cut into rags
old newspapers / old towel to soak up overspray
optional : copper bore brush

upon return from the range dis-assemble firearms into 'field strip' components

spray pieces / bores liberally with Break Free CLP - leave dripping wet on newspapers

go eat a snack / watch the game / take a nap / whatever

return 45 mins later and wipe pieces clean / tooth brush scrub breech faces / etc concentrating on removing obvious fouling / large particulate matter

several passes down barrel with bore snake type device

reassemble firearms while wiping down items with rag sprayed damp with RemOil. Will also spray light coat onto AR bolts during re-assembly

wipe down metal magazines

done -- takes about 30-40 mins for 4-5 guns

-- that is the usual -- if you have exposed them to unusually foul conditions like rain, submersion, salt air, etc I would be inclined to do more

if you were firing specialty guns i would understand a more detailed / meticulous regimen

this has worked for me 30+ years

-----------------------------------

90 minutes to clean a BHP????? You should be able to clean that in 15-20 minutes. Just get it clean without going crazy and well lubed. It doesn't have to be assembly line clean. If you have to pick one of the 2, well lubed is much better than clean.

I used to spend way to much time cleaning, took me more than 40 years to get over my USMC training. That level of clean is just not needed. I even do not clean every gun I shoot the same day anymore, with the sole exception being my carry piece, that gets cleaned every time it gets shot.

I had a friend who was a Master class bullseye shooter. One night he couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with his .45. He asked me to take a look at his pistol. I disassembled it and looked down the bore, the rifling was gone.

I asked him what the hell did he do. He replied, I just clean it everytime he shot it. I then asked HOW he cleaned it. He explained, I wrap steel wool around a cleaning brush and put the cleaning rod in a drill, then just run it through the barrel a few times.

Guess it's time for a new barrel!

I used to clean every gun every time it was shot. Then I started shooting a lot more. There is simply no need for surgically clean firearms.

I went 10K rounds on a Ruger MKIII 22/45 without a detailed cleaning or swabbing the bore. I would pull the bolt and wipe it down and oil it when it got embarrassingly dirty like every 3K rounds or so, but the pistol was still running perfectly and accurately when I finally cleaned it. THAT took an hour or two.

I rarely swab the bores on my pistols or rifles now (though I don’t shoot a lot of rifle, and I understand the need to remove serious copper fouling). I wipe off any fingerprints after handling or shooting and keep them properly lubed, and if I start feeling guilty about the grunge around the chambers or on feed ramps I wipe them down. I clean more if I shoot lead pills. If I start seeing malfunctions I clean them for sure.

YMMV

Many do more DAMAGE than good cleaning their firearms.

Unless it's a duty or carry gun, less is generally better than more.

quote:

Originally posted by FN in MT:
Unless it's a duty or carry gun, less is generally better than more.

Even if it's a duty or carry gun, it's doesn't have to constantly be "white glove inspection" clean. Swab the bore and wipe it out after shooting. Wipe down the outside regularly. Relube regularly. Only deep clean when it needs it.