How harmful is lint in a barrel?

April 18, 2017, 09:19 PM

I've been pocket carrying my LCP in a DeSantis Nemesis and I've noticed small amounts of lint at the crown. Could this cause a problem when firing? Is there a way to prevent the lint?

April 18, 2017, 09:24 PM

DaBigBR

I'd say not at all, especially in a gun meant to be shot at bad breath distance. I have pocket carried an LCP as an off-duty backup for years (10?) and never had a problem. A few times a year, I'll pull it out and clean it. There's usually lint everywhere. When I shoot it, I start out shooting it "cold" as it was carried in the pocket, and usually with quite a bit of lint.

So no issue that I have seen with reliability, and I can't imagine it causing damage.

April 18, 2017, 10:00 PM

cslinger

The only thing you need to worry about with lint is it getting gummed up in the rails or hammer and even that would be lots of lint.

If you have enough lint to clog a barrel enough to cause an issue there might be a hygiene issue at play.

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April 19, 2017, 06:04 AM

egregore

I wouldn't think you'd be able to get lint in your gun if you carry in a pocket holster. I've never noticed any in mine (Mika holster). That is, after all, one of the reasons for doing it. Does the holster have a closed bottom? That would let pocket debris in. Is it fabric? Is it possible little fibers are coming off it?

April 19, 2017, 08:09 AM

Sigmund

quote:
Originally posted by egregore:
I wouldn't think you'd be able to get lint in your gun if you carry in a pocket holster. I've never noticed any in mine (Mika holster). That is, after all, one of the reasons for doing it. Does the holster have a closed bottom? That would let pocket debris in. Is it fabric? Is it possible little fibers are coming off it?

Open bottom:

http://www.desantisholster.com/THE-NEMESIS

But the MagPacker has closed bottom:

http://www.desantisholster.com/MAG-PACKER

Thanks for the reassuring replies, I'll keep on carrying.

April 19, 2017, 05:47 PM

egregore

OK, I misstated my post, I should have said "does it have an open bottom." An open bottom is fine in a belt holster as it lets debris fall out and there is nothing below it to trap it, but with a pocket holster, any lint in the pocket itself could work its way in. I don't think this holster is designed very well.

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April 19, 2017, 08:45 PM

sigfreund

I wouldn’t shoot a gun with visible lint in the barrel just for practice because of the possibility of something else like hard grit that could cause scratching being there as well. I’ve seen accounts of “torture” testing that involved firing handguns that had been immersed in soupy mud, so if that didn’t do anything significant, I wouldn’t worry about lint or grit in a defensive situation. Any damage to the bore would be the least of my worries.

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April 19, 2017, 09:59 PM

hrcjon

I'm obviously a 'lint attractive person' because any carry gun I own is shortly covered in it. I always shoot my carry gun 'as is' when swapping ammo and after a single round you can't find any of it.
Its truly a non issue.

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April 20, 2017, 01:49 AM

mr228

Not to hijack your thread. But. I have carried owb for 30 years. I just can't stand owb. And every gun I have ever carried was a lint magnet. Usually every 2 weeks I delint whatever gun I happen to be carrying. Presently it's a H&k P30 9mm lem. And it's the most lint attracting gun I have ever carried.

April 20, 2017, 03:20 AM

kkina

Not to overlook a medical issue: lint attracts dust mites. Dust mite allergy is an extremely common ailment. While not generally serious, symptoms can be quite aggravating and may include:

Sneezing
Runny nose
Itchy, red or watery eyes
Stuffy nose
Itchy nose, mouth or throat
Postnasal drip (a flow of mucus from behind your nose into your throat)
Cough

Folks with asthma should also be aware that their condition may be triggered by an allergic reaction to dust mites.

Is it so much to ask that you take a quick swab of your bore before taking that first shot?

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April 20, 2017, 06:33 AM

V-Tail

quote:
Originally posted by kkina:
Not to overlook a medical issue: lint attracts dust mites. Dust mite allergy is an extremely common ailment. While not generally serious, symptoms can be quite aggravating and may include:

Sneezing

Runny nose

Itchy, red or watery eyes

Stuffy nose

Itchy nose, mouth or throat

Postnasal drip (a flow of mucus from behind your nose into your throat)

Cough
Folks with asthma should also be aware that their condition may be triggered by an allergic reaction to dust mites.

Is it so much to ask that you take a quick swab of your bore before taking that first shot?

Yup. If you have to shoot somebody, you definitely do not want to give them allergies!

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April 20, 2017, 10:57 AM

jaybirdaccountant

quote:
Originally posted by Sigmund:
I've been pocket carrying my LCP in a DeSantis Nemesis and I've noticed small amounts of lint at the crown. Could this cause a problem when firing? Is there a way to prevent the lint?

You could have someone weld a cap over the end of the barrel.

I wouldn't worry about the lint, but I do make an effort to clean my pocket guns ever so often just to remove excess lint, dust, etc.