View Full Version : Carry guns: How often do you strip and re-lube?
I'm talking civilian concealed carry, NOT L.E.O. or security guard or military.
My Glock 19? Like once or twice a year whether it needs it or not. (I don't shoot it more than 1-2x a year, so I just clean it after I shoot it.)
My Glock 19? Like once or twice a year whether it needs it or not. (I don't shoot it more than 1-2x a year, so I just clean it after I shoot it.)
Wow, you CC and only go to the range 2x a year? or you have a different G19 you use at the range? because if its the first answer, that is nowhere near often enough to stay proficient.
For the OP: At least monthly more often depending on the situation.
I do a monthly clean, but I lube it up before and after each range trip. YMMV I'm just anal about lubrication in my firearms.
Wow, you CC and only go to the range 2x a year? or you have a different G19 you use at the range? because if its the first answer, that is nowhere near often enough to stay proficient.
For the OP: At least monthly more often depending on the situation.
I shoot like 1-2x a week with my duty gun, but rarely with my off duty gun. I average like 12-15k rounds downrange a year in training, practice, and competition.
Depends on the gun - a 9mm Glock is very low maintenance, while a 1911 tend to run better with more lube.
Glocks and ARs don't have to be cleaned! Don't you read the torture tests?
I clean and lube mine once a week or after shooting it which ever comes 1st. Guns that are in the shooter safe once a month they get looked over and lubed if they need it. Guns in the Collector safe get looked over every 3 months and wiped down if they need it.
My concealed carry is my Glock 34 which is also my range gun. After all range sessions I clean the barrel. To extend part life rather than for functional reasons.
So basically I never clean it.
i clean whatever gun i'm carrying regularly once a week. bore snake, wipe and relube. just gets all the dust and crap out. Usually i shoot one a week also, so clean after shooting-takes care of both.
this is with a g19 and a j-frame.
Glocks and ARs don't have to be cleaned! Don't you read the torture tests?
Are you kidding? Please tell me that was sarcasm.
If by "strip and re-lube" you mean clean, I usually clean my glock about every 1k-2k rounds. Mostly just because I enjoy doing it.
As for lube, probably after every 4-5 hundred rounds.
Now, if by "strip and re-lube" you mean strip the old yet clean lube and put on new lube. As in you have not shot your gun in so long that the oil dried up. Then I think you should hit the range more often if you intend to use that gun in a life or death situation, should the need arise.
Just my 2 Pecos...
I will occasionally (every two - four months) wipe off my Glock 19 and add a few new drops of Breakfree.
Mostly just to mess with the gun and get the dust bunnies out of it.
For some reason they love to build up on the front sight.
Guns-up.50
01-13-12, 21:00
If Im not shooting it MAYBE once a month I will check the lube on my g19 if it needs more it gets it, I might swab the bore with a patch to remove dust then, then I may use an oil rag to wipe the slide down.
Its always godd pratice to clean ones weapons but I dont see a real need for a riggerous cleaning, unless you are in the sand box. It sould'nt get that dirty with normal carry.
If I shoot them, I clean and re-lube them.
DeltaSierra
01-13-12, 21:05
Every now and then, usually just as I am heading out the door (and running late for an appointment) I'll remember that I haven't lubed my Glock lately, so I'll hose it down with Ballistol....:D
Amazingly, it runs fine...
My carry gun get's cleaned and lubed after every other range trip usually. If if it was a high round count (300+ rounds) trip I'll usually hit it after each trip. I hit the range at least every other week, so that's about as long as they go. Other pistols that get cleaned before they're stored, and relubed before they hit the range.
-Jenrick
blasternank
01-13-12, 22:11
With my revolver hardly ever, with my semi auto I try to at least lube every month and strip at least every 2 months depending on outside conditions. Sometimes you have to do it every week.
mkmckinley
01-13-12, 22:15
I'll do my CCW piece maybe once a month or if I shoot it a lot. I carry an M&P9. It's more to inspect it and do a function check than to get every last bit of crud out of there. I did the 2000 round torture test or whatever you want to call it when I first got the gun and it didn't have any complaints about being run dirty.
Don't over complicate it. The gun should free enough of fouling, and possessing enough lube, to ensure function on demand. I check my life support gear weekly, shot or not, and maintenance as needed.
Don't over complicate it. The gun should free enough of fouling, and possessing enough lube, to ensure function on demand. I check my life support gear weekly, shot or not, and maintenance as needed.
Exactly.
Some people need a schedule to tell them when to change this or clean that, others know their gear and know when things need addressing. Having one gun for shooting and an identical gun for carrying helps in this IMO. Unlike your typical competition shooter I don't go to the range and take the .38 out of my pocket and strap on my wunder gun, I take my carry G19/holster off and strap on my shooting G19/holster.
I check my carry gun from time to time. Unload it, work the slide, dryfire a few times, maybe pop off the slide and look for dust bunnies. If the slide feels funny, or the trigger feels funny, or the dust bunnies have been multiplying like... rabbits, then I clean or lube what is necessary.
I shoot my carry gun once a week in an action league so I clean and relube after that or other range sessions. My bug I clean and shoot once a month it gets alot more crud as its in my pocket.
my club shoots a ten week long "combat pistol league" loosely based on idpa- we shoot about 40 rounds each week for each ten week season so about 400 rounds plus whatever practice I do and I clean at the end of each season, so about every 500 rounds. If I am using a glock (my range requires the use of plain lead bullets if we shoot steel targets) I brush out the bore every 5 weeks to keep leading down and yes I use the factory barrel without any problems
sierra 223
01-14-12, 19:44
I used to be a little anal about my pistols in particular. Less so now, I know I can get by with doing a lot less than I used to. Though I still keep them pretty clean and check the lube.
I always clean it after shooting because while at work and present during an OIS the Detectives and command staff have a fit if your gun has been fired and you claim you didnt shoot. So its best to at least do a miminal cleaning if just a quick wipe down and bore snake then re-lube before leaving the range and hitting the streets. This could be something to consider in the civilian world also but probably not as likely an issue.
Don't over complicate it. The gun should free enough of fouling, and possessing enough lube, to ensure function on demand. I check my life support gear weekly, shot or not, and maintenance as needed.
Pretty well sums up what I run off of.
I clean and lube after range trips to keep it fresh but in between trips and actually shooting it I check up on it and make sure it doesn't have something messed up that requires attention even though the only thing that crops up is dust and lint around the muzzle. So really I only do anything to it after range trips though I will do the occasional wipe down of dust and lint.
Cleaning is also rather uninvolved where only so many thousand rounds is there a bore snake, bronze brush, or any kind of scrubbing down. Most the time all I find needed is to wipeoff old oils and lubes, patches with carbon solvent, and to apply new lube to friction spots and light oil to potential rust zones.
Glock 19 and S&W 340PD.
Checking up includes other equipment as well such as making sure the screws are not backing out of the holster as well as cracking. Blow threw carry ammo once every so many months as well.
Much time, energy, and money is wasted on cleaning regimens that serve no useful purpose.
Know the functional thresholds of your firearms. Know how many rounds your gun(s) will fire before your lube burns off and it stops running. Know how long it takes your lube to evap or run off in different weather conditions. Know how many dust bunnies and how much pocket lint they accumulate in an interval of time.
If you're still struggling, try this cleaning procedure:
1) Knock the chunks out.
2) Relube.
StrikerFired
01-14-12, 20:47
I agree, to a point. Know your firearm, and the conditions that you carry in. I prefer to field strip and inspect my EDC at least every other week. Apply lube as necessary, rotate out the last round I had chambered. Again, your routine may be different.
If I shoot them, I clean and re-lube them.
Same here. I'll give the day's carry gun a quick visual inspection before holstering and heading out the door, but I shoot them too often for them to collect dust bunnies.
Much time, energy, and money is wasted on cleaning regimens that serve no useful purpose.
Know the functional thresholds of your firearms. Know how many rounds your gun(s) will fire before your lube burns off and it stops running. Know how long it takes your lube to evap or run off in different weather conditions. Know how many dust bunnies and how much pocket lint they accumulate in an interval of time.
If you're still struggling, try this cleaning procedure:
1) Knock the chunks out.
2) Relube.
Once upon a time I would break out the bronze brushes, bore snakes, heavier solvents, do a bunch of patches, etc after any range trip and would brush out and do general cleaning every so many months of none use. Eventually saw the pointlessness and futility of it and now just run fine making sure rust areas are protected on none used firearms once in a while, almost no cleaning on low round counts, re lubing and wiping down more thoroughly in the hundreds to low thousands range and reserve the heavy shit for if things take a bad turn and their ends up being build up after tens of thousands.
Depends on exact gun of course, some do need more frequent and thorough cleaning although its still not that frequent and usually not all that thorough.
Beat Trash
01-15-12, 20:28
My carry guns have a tendency of collecting lint, dust, ect. Any gun carried in a pocket or an ankle holster is even more prone to collect pocket link and various crap.
I like to check my carry guns at least every other week. Field strip and brush the dust off. Lube if necessary. If the gun hasn't been shot, it's only a couple of minutes worth of work.
Magic_Salad0892
01-15-12, 20:36
I examine parts, measure springs, relube, and function test every 3 months.
My carry pistol (Gen4 G19, with modifications) passed the 2k round test, and now doesn't get shot. I have 2 duplicates. I have an identical dedicated training ''copy''.
I plan to perform the 2k round test again this year in June to confirm that the gun can still do it. I will do this once per year, in June.
Why? Because it's my birthday that month, and family always buys me 147 gr. 9x19mm FMJ for as a gift.
I easily get like 5k round of it per year, for the birthday, when you count all the ammo I get from family.
NitroDave08
01-16-12, 01:40
Here isn the wonderful state of Windoming opps Wyoming, anything outside a plastic bag gets dust. Plus with the average humidity of <20% things tend to dry up. My carry holsters are open ended.
Weekly wipedown then monthly takedown/lube/function check. Safety, internal lock, slide lock, lock on empty magazine etc. During the winter months no range to go shoot at, I will do a couple of dry fires to "remember" the trigger pull and get the sight picture.
IF you carry IWB there's going to be an accumulation of lint on and in the gun. I check mine weekly with a field strip and clean as necessary.
hotrodder636
01-16-12, 08:04
My CCW guns get a visual daily and if necessary then wipedown/lube/etc is performed. I don't feel the need to clean and lube just because x-days have gone by. After range time, usually just a wipedown/relube unless I find the gun to be excessivley dirty, then a full cleaning and lube commence. The guns in my safe get a monthly visual and perform maintenance as necessary.
i carry My HK 45C in my waistband in a leather thumb break So I always come in and take it out and lay it next to were I sit,
mostly on Saturdays when watching the TV I will wipe her down and lightly Lube it.
fun story I have to tell ya'll about I was at the grocery story the other day and the Guy in front of me smells Like break free and I look and you can see it soaking though his jeans .
I was Like "Damn dude I like your perfume ":sarcastic: I thought he was going to punch me. but then it dawned on him I was smelling the Break free, I told him I could see it on his pants .
He told me "I had to lube it up good it was under my seat and somehow a half empty bottle of coke spilled on it in my truck .I couldn't even get the slide back"
After checking out he came up to me out side and we talked guns the sad part of the story he showed me his weapon a Old Colt 1911 and it looked like hell the finish was eat off buy the coke and was starting to pit he told me it was his truck gun and it had been under his seat for months before he discovered it was in rough shape:blink:
sad to see it how could you leave your weapon under your seat for months :confused:
Carry it on you it will never do you any good under the seat
I'm talking civilian concealed carry, NOT L.E.O. or security guard or military.
A second question, which relates to this thread, how often should a gun be detail stripped? I have about 2000 rounds through my G26 so far but I haven't detail stripped and cleaned it. I'm also using my Advantage Arms 22 conversion kit and I am wondering if that should factor in to how often it's detail stripped.
GTM
i detail strip my glocks every thousand rounds. i do that so that i can inspect every part for any problems that might show up from the heavy practice sessions they go thru. if i'm not shooting my carry guns much then i follow what most have already posted as needed.
I use two identical G19's--the training gun gets a 3 min wipe off and lube every 5000 rounds or so. The carry gun gets shot less frequently; it gets a visual check daily, dust and lint blown off every so often, and lube as needed--usually once or twice a year. They are Glocks, they don't need to be babied...
Blue Thunder
01-16-12, 16:46
I also have twin G-19's. One is carry, the other is to test and play with. In the last 20 months I have been to 4 Gun Fighting Classes and have shot more than 2000 rounds thru my carry G-19. It has not been detail stripped in more than 2 years. I have done the lube points in the gun maybe 2 times in the period of time but have not taken it all the way down. I shoot clean ammo and clean the mags after each class outdoors. I have 25 mags for the Twins and all have been used multiple times across the range and classes. The only issues I have had is two bad rounds from WWB ammo. I also chamber check every round that I intend to shoot. Those two bad rounds would have taken my gun down with some really hard work to get them back out of the chamber. I reload also and check every round. Stuff can and will happen to ammo.
Steve
I will usually clean mine after each range session. I like them clean.
I clean my Glk 19 after every range session but do not detail strip it. The cleaning ritual is simple and short: clean chamber, wipe barrel down, and remove crud from breech-face. Any other visible junk is brushed away. I hit the lube points with a lube wet Q-tip and reassemble.
When I used to carry my old Glock 23 daily I would unload and wipe it down each day with a silicone cloth before putting it into my safe for the night.
I have very acidic skin and rust everything I touch. At the time I lived in AZ so sweat was an issue. Doing the above kept the pistol from getting any rust on it.
As far a detailed cleaning I would clean it at least once a week and after shooting it.
As far a detailed cleaning I would clean it at least once a week...
This is not meant to be a smart assed comment. To what purpose do you clean an unfired gun every week?
If its simply because you like to clean your guns then great. But it really isn't doing anything beneficial to the firearms themselves. If I cleaned all my guns every week then I'd just be finishing up the
previous week when it was time to start cleaning for the next week. :laugh:
This is not meant to be a smart assed comment. To what purpose do you clean an unfired gun every week?
If its simply because you like to clean your guns then great. But it really isn't doing anything beneficial to the firearms themselves. If I cleaned all my guns every week then I'd just be finishing up the
previous week when it was time to start cleaning for the next week. :laugh:
I'm not him, but I would clean any gun that I carried at least on a weekly basis just like one active duty. If its out in the elements with you you should be checking it regularly. Maybe not detail clean it but at least a field strip and a whip down relube.
Also I don't think he ment every gun he has once a week.
I'm not him, but I would clean any gun that I carried at least on a weekly basis just like one active duty. If its out in the elements with you you should be checking it regularly. Maybe not detail clean it but at least a field strip and a whip down relube.
Also I don't think he ment every gun he has once a week.
In fairness I do do that with a 1911 I carry. If my Glocks took that kind of care there would be a problem.
In fairness I do do that with a 1911 I carry. If my Glocks took that kind of care there would be a problem.
Yea I agree, I'm just saying just because a gun can go without cleaning doesn't mean you shouldn't clean it. Some more than others obviously.
A lot of people say they don't clean their ARs... That's cool that it still works but I'll never believe it runs better dirty. Your car runs with old oil too...
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