How frequently should I clean my pistol?

[darnskewered]

I've cleaned my XD Mod 2 pistol now several times, once before I shot it at all and between a couple of recent range trips. I was at the range last weekend but I didn't clean it this time around. As I understand it with modern compounds used in ammo you don't have to worry as much. So I'm planning to maybe shoot it one more time and then clean it again. Then again this is the pistol I'm hoping to keep as my self defense weapon: Should I try to clean it after every trip to the range?

[IV_Warrior]

You're going to get answers that range from "You absolutely have to clean it after every range trip" to "when it quits working".

I'll put this out there. If you clean it before a range trip, and everything works fine at the range, you pretty much know it's going to work if you need it. If you clean it after the range trip, can you be certain everything is back together right and it's going to work if you really need it? Ultimately, it's your gun, you have to decide what's right for you.

[donotknowme]

Are you talking wipe it down clean it or strip it clean it?

[JAKIII]

My hardware gets cleaned after every range trip... but I'm about half an OCD'r.

Seriously though, none of my guns have dirty barrels... ever.

[bripro]

As far as I'm concerned warrior hit it on the head. I would feel uncomfortable carrying a weapon that hasn't been shot since field stripped. Sure something simple like an XD shouldn't be put back together wrong but if it's running fine at the range I always feel better using it for HD or CC.

[bullzeye8]

Clean it when its dirty. If your range trip consists of 50 rounds it won't be dirty enough to bother cleaning it. If your one range session is 500 rounds then it most likely needs cleaning. I like keeping my guns clean but base their cleaning off of how dirty they are and not ever time I shoot them.

[Delkal]

Clean it when its dirty. If your range trip consists of 50 rounds it won't be dirty enough to bother cleaning it. If your one range session is 500 rounds then it most likely needs cleaning. I like keeping my guns clean but base their cleaning off of how dirty they are and not ever time I shoot them.

Pretty much sums it up for me. But I always wipe the exterior and the magazine with a lightly oiled cloth before putting it away (even if I just handled it)

[scruff]

Clean it when its dirty. If your range trip consists of 50 rounds it won't be dirty enough to bother cleaning it. If your one range session is 500 rounds then it most likely needs cleaning. I like keeping my guns clean but base their cleaning off of how dirty they are and not ever time I shoot them.

That sounds reasonable. I usually don't clean them after a range trip. I definitely clean them before a class, competition, or qualifier. If one gun is somewhat dirty, I'll wipe down the outside of the barrel and the rails, and then oil it. When I do clean them, I like to do a bunch at one time.

[chrmm22sr]

I will run a patch through barrel and wipe everything down with out a full field strip after every range trip. I field strip it and complete cleaning after its gotten a lot of use. I suggest snap caps to test function after a field strip that what I do.

[R L Suehr]

I usually clean stuff after a decent range trip. Carry guns, I wipe down and re-oil about once a month, just to keep dirt/lint from building up on them. If I just run a couple mags through one, I'll leave it until I wipe it down like normal.