Pistol Cleaning: How Clean is "Clean Enough"?

[marks]

I've been cleaning my CZ after every trip to the range, whether I fire 100 rounds or 400. I find that I can pretty much clean, swap, and wipe (using patches, brushes, wooden stick Q-tips, and thin pipe cleaners) for nearly an hour to get to a "almost clean as new" state, but is that level of clean recommended or necessary?

As a side note: I've just switched up to Hoppes an Rem oil, so I may see better results in less time.

As always, thanks in advance!

[knight0334]

Ummm..... Its a gun.. ...not a heart transplant. There is no need to be so anal with it, well unless you carry it anally.

I have guns I've never cleaned any further than wiping the exterior down of fingerprints and oiling them. My Norc 1911, my P99 another, my Rossi 68, Marlin 60.. They all shoot just fine dirty, no rust(except the M60, but it was rusty when I got it).

[marks]

Ummm..... Its a gun.. ...not a heart transplant. There is no need to be so anal with it, well unless you carry it anally.

That's the best line I've read in awhile. Well said, and makes good sense. And no, anal concealment is definitely not what I'm looking for.

Thanks!

[mauser]

That's the best line I've read in awhile. Well said, and makes good sense. And no, anal concealment is definitely not what I'm looking for.

Thanks!

I guess I'm sort of in the same camp as knight0334, I have guns that I've never cleaned beyond a wipe down when they need it unless I see an obvious need to clean. If I've been shooting corrosive ammo the gun always gets prompt attention. If I've had it out in the rain or snow it gets a pretty good cleaning. If I'm restoring one or putting it away for a long time it'll get the full treatment. I have a few that I keep clean, but those are the ones that I rarely shoot, I don't want to store them dirty. Others, will get a more thorough cleaning when I start to see a buildup in front of the cylinder or around the muzzle. It depends on the circumstances, if it's more valuable than the run of the mill gun or if it's one with a lot of sentimental value to me it's kept real clean.

ETA: I know this question was asked about pistols specifically and some people will tell me that a pistol doesn't have a cylinder. I'm answering in general terms, this the same way I treat my revolvers, rifles and carbines.

[marks]

Thanks mauser. Yeah, it seems I've been way overdoing it.

[Paradigm]

Ummm..... Its a gun.. ...not a heart transplant. There is no need to be so anal with it, well unless you carry it anally.

That is known as DEEP concealment...

Thanks mauser. Yeah, it seems I've been way overdoing it.

Nothing wrong with keeping your stuff clean. It's not like you'll hurt it if you're wiping it down after shooting it. It's not like you're using a sandblaster on it.

If you like your gun to appear "like new," then clean it as often as you like.

[RandomTask]

Just like teeth, a gun can't be too clean.
I find that shooting leaves these nasty ridges and grooves of hard residue in the barrel. So, I first smooth them down with an emery cloth wrapped around a dowel. Then I clean the gun with Hoopes #9.
I finish by running a patch of metal polish all over the gun and up & down the bore until it has a blinding mirror finish.

[Wiley-X]

Normally I just wipe down the outside to get gunk and fingerprints off of it. If I look inside and see a big buildup of crud, then I'll take it apart.

[Paradigm]

One thing I've noticed lately is how dirty my gun is getting by carrying it. I OC during the summer, but I've been CCing since the winter is now here. All of these sweaters and coats that I have been wearing have been leaving fuzz all over and inside my gun! It's kinda like the removable screen in the dryer.

Not to mention how dry the air is indoors...all of that dry, dead skin that falls off has to go somewhere! Ewww...

[Smalls]

I clean mine after every trip. Weather it would be one round or a thousand. It takes me, on average, about an hour also to clean it. I field strip in and get everything I can see/touch.

If I'm going to depend on the thing to save my life I'm going to 110% positive it's not going to fail due to neglect on my part.

The mosin gets it too after every trip but she likes to rust after a trip to the range.