My wife is the same way, she won't stop till the patch comes out clean.

I use these gloves.

You have mail.

Buy stainless, use the dishwasher.

Every 1000 rnds or so I clean the bores and chambers and drop into ultrasonic cleaner while field stripped.

Old habits die hard. I used to be OCD about cleaning as well. It took owning 3 Glocks that cured that tendency. I still keep my guns clean, but have come to the realization that sitting there in the safe after firing a couple hundred rounds at the range won't hurt them one single bit. They still function just fine. Think of it like instead of coming home from the range, you fired 15 more rounds... Would the gun malfunction... Doubtful. So now I don't hurry to clean after shooting, and for guns I shoot often I don't get them white glove clean. Just functional clean and lubed. Carry and at-the-ready home defense guns get a little priority, but I've stuffed a range shot gun in my holster and never felt I was in compromised.

When I was a soldier, I would take my M16 to the motor pool and clean it in the parts washer. I use brake cleaner now.

One word: EEZOX

Used to clean after every range session, now it's occasionally, since I shoot the Glocks more often it's generally spray, wipe, oil, safe.

Perhaps setting up a check list of things to do when you come back from the range that limits what you perform might help, that way you've completed the task to full.

Otherwise, screw it, if it works for you clean all you like, it's not going to hurt anything, and like other say Nitrile gloves are cheap, Harbor Freight has them in stock in multiple sizes.

I clean after every shoot. No so much a cleaning as inspection of the gun.
Swab bore with Hoppes.
Clean and relube other areas,
Check and wipe down (not lube) magazines.
Done. Runs about 10 minutes.
2 Q-tips and a couple of patches.

Thanks to everyone for input. Especially David Green for emailing his directions.

I had a meticulous SGM in charge of teaching us AROTC cadets white glove exactitude when cleaning firearms. Close to OCD on cleaning, as others noted, very hard to get past it.

Ironically, barrels are easy. Its the bolts and slides. I need to move away from Hoppes for cleaning, except for barrels and really grimy portions of the bolt/slide. RIght?

CLP ballistol, or what for "easy" spray and wipe downs. Getting the gloves.

quote:

Originally posted by Batty67:
Thanks to everyone for input. Especially David Green for emailing his directions.

I had a meticulous SGM in charge of teaching us AROTC cadets white glove exactitude when cleaning firearms. Close to OCD on cleaning, as others noted, very hard to get past it.

Ironically, barrels are easy. Its the bolts and slides. I need to move away from Hoppes for cleaning, except for barrels and really grimy portions of the bolt/slide. RIght?

CLP ballistol, or what for "easy" spray and wipe downs. Getting the gloves.

I use Break Free CLP for everything. Barrels may get Hoppes once in awhile if I've shot a whole lot.

And if you want to make quicker work, use compressed air to spray out lint and fuzz instead of fooling with qtips.

quote:

Originally posted by Batty67:

I had a meticulous SGM in charge of teaching us AROTC cadets white glove exactitude when cleaning firearms. Close to OCD on cleaning, as others noted, very hard to get past it.

was in the Army and we did that kind of nonsense from time-to-time. Not necessary of course but used as a tool to teach attention to detail in a training environment. Obviously weapons do not need anywhere near that level of cleanliness to function properly.

i don't neglect my guns but obsessive cleaning is silly.

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

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:
I use Break Free CLP for everything.

I tried that--once. No, twice. Second time I got to wondering and did a wipe-down with patch wetted with Hoppe's No. 9. A lot more grime came off.

Now my process is to hit the worst areas with Hoppe's No. 9, then follow-up over those areas and everywhere else with CLP. Then I remove the CLP from the areas I want to specifically oil or grease (e.g.: barrel, barrel lugs, barrel bushing [where applicable], slide rails, etc.), then oil and grease.

The barrel usually just gets a bore snake.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:
I use Break Free CLP for everything.

I tried that--once. No, twice. Second time I got to wondering and did a wipe-down with patch wetted with Hoppe's No. 9. A lot more grime came off.

Now my process is to hit the worst areas with Hoppe's No. 9, then follow-up over those areas and everywhere else with CLP. Then I remove the CLP from the areas I want to specifically oil or grease (e.g.: barrel, barrel lugs, barrel bushing [where applicable], slide rails, etc.), then oil and grease.

The barrel usually just gets a bore snake.

Oh I'm sure Hoppe's gets a lot more stuff off. I just don't think it matters.

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:
Oh I'm sure Hoppe's gets a lot more stuff off. I just don't think it matters.

You're probably right. The little extra the Hoppe's gets is probably right back on those areas after about the half-dozenth or so shot. But my thinking is rails, barrel bearing surfaces, and locking lugs are very high-wear areas, so I like to give 'em particular attention. The other area to which I pay extra attention is the bolt face, and particularly the area in and around the extractor.

Many answers.

My method is if I've shot more than 100 rounds, rimfire/centerfire, I field strip it, and run a brass brush with Hoppes through the barrel.

Then I either spray the slide, frame, small parts with gun degreaser, and or mineral spirits.
A quick brush with a paint brush on the frame slide, etc, then apply CLP.

After that, I run 4-5 patches through the barrel, lube the barrel and reassemble.

30 minutes.

Yowsers.

I used to be like that. Well, maybe 15 Qtips on a good cleaning.

Now it takes me about 5 minutes to satisfactorily clean and lube my duty gun after shooting it. Zero Qtips. Maybe 1, if I'm feeling froggy.

Same thing with my P365.

Cleaning a dirty AR takes longer, I'll give you that. That's a different beast.


As far as what I focus on with a quick clean of my handguns--cleaning any obvious debris from the barrel with a tight fitting dry patch/cut of cotton (wiping down the outside with an oiled cloth) and then an oiled patch down the barrel followed by a loose fitting dry patch. Using a pinch of my cleaning rag/shirt to slide down the groves on the slide to remove any obvious build up. Wipe any obvious build up from anywhere else and make sure the feed ramp is shiny clean.

Oiled rag to wipe down/clean the outside of the slide, leaving a very very light coating of oil.

Depending on the gun, some oil or grease on my finger and rubbed on the barrel, any other contact points, and a drop of oil or grease on the rails. Make sure there's no dust or dirt anywhere on the outside. Viola.

With my duty gun/backup I do this every couple of months if I haven't shot it and had to do it already. I visibly inspect both daily for lube/dirt/surface rust.

I used to be anal retentive about cleaning guns. Then I discovered bore snakes.

quote:

Originally posted by apprentice:
Buy stainless, use the dishwasher.

HA!!!

Boretech for cleaning.
Really does a much better job than Hoppes,Butches Bore shine, Sweets or any smelly , chemical cleaner.
Bore Tech Bore cleaner works. No gloves needed.
Have’t given up on Ezzox for post clean rust protection.
Cut my cleaning time way down - 10 minute process. The stuff works.