Pistol Cleaning

Pistol Cleaning: This is an age old question that has no one correct answer, but I would like to get a feel for what my fellow bullseye shooters do to keep their guns up and running. I have two pistols that I treat somewhat differently:

1. S&W M41: I scrub the chamber with Gunzilla and a .22 caliber bronze bore brush with the threaded end bent at a 90 degree angle to make a handle, then put several patches soaked with Gunzilla through the bore, followed by several dry patches, then a final one with just a drop or two of Gunzilla to prevent rust. I then clean the bolt face, feed ramp, etc. with the small end of a nylon gun cleaning brush, and thoroughly swab with Q-Tips to get the dislodged gunk. Finally I lightly oil the slide with Gunzilla. I only take the pistol apart once a year to thoroughly clean it.

2. Kimber M1911: I field strip it to its basic components, to include removing the barrel and bushing. I then clean the barrel with Gunzilla and a bronze bore brush, followed by dry patches and one lightly oiled with Gunzilla to protect from rust. I scrub the feed ramp, top of the receiver, and the inside of the slide with a Gunzilla lubricated toothbrush followed by mopping up with Q-Tips. I lightly oil all parts with Gunzilla, put a very thin bead of TW-25B grease on the slide rails, then reassemble everything.

I clean both pistols this way after every match or practice session. I experience practically no malfunctions with either pistol. Can't remember the last time I had an alibi. I shoot approximately 3,000 rounds through my S&W M41 per year, and approximately 2,200 rounds per year through my M1911.

I just got a LSP barrel for my High Standard and was suprised that they recomend cleaning the barrel with nothing more that a Q-tip and some bore solvent. On my 41 I rarely clean the bore but I do as you and have a bronze brush bent in an "L" to clean the chamber every 500-700 rounds. I clean the 41 thoughly once a year and oil friction points before every match. In the 6 years I've owned this 41 I have never had an alibi.

It will be interesting to see how the Q-tip recomendation from LSP works out.


Virgil

I hardly ever disassemble my firearms for cleaning. I even shoot dirty bullseye. I might drag a boresnake through once in awhile. I just add a couple drops of oil to the barrel hood and round the barrel.

Years back when I shot in this sport I was told to shoot only a dirty gun, so after cleaning you were suppose to run 10 rounds through it before a match.

Last year I have was told that it is best to shoot a clean gun by the military guys at Camp Perry.

Some of the best shooters I shoot against in matches clean their guns only once a year.

Everyone has a different system or method that works fine for them.

Myself, I field strip and clean about every 500 rounds or so. I don't get carried away with it. Squirt some oil in the bore, run the brush through it about 10-20 times. Run patches through it till they are mostly clean & dry. Wipe off or brush the rest the parts till they are clean. A few drops of oil here and there and put it back together for competition. My and my guns (model 41 & clark long slide) shoot more master scores than expert scores so that is what I stick with.

When I left the sport back in 86, I put the guns away dirty. Didn't touch or clean them again till a few years ago when I started shooting again.

Chris

I used to ransom HS a lot. Experience has told me I don't need to do so anymore. However I did see that a clean 22 barrel took maybe 20 shots to settle back in to previous grouping.

Ive found cleaning 22s is not the best thing to do, my hammeli 208s took at least 50-80 rounds to regain its accuracy back after cleaning.

I find that I have malfunctions with my Mark 111 if I don't keep up with a regular cleaning schedule. After each practice session I run a bore snake through it and clean out the chamber and feed ramp with a q tip soaked in Ballistol. I also clean the front of the bolt with same. Before a match I break it down and clean it even better. I also remove the firing pin and clean that area. I'll shoot 10 rounds before a match but that's for me not my gun. Between each string I clean the feed ramp and ejector area with a q tip soaked in Ballistol. I was discharged in '76. They certainly drummed in a clean firearm is a safe one. No way I'm shooting a dirty gun. Safety is of more concern to me than accuracy. To each his own. Yiogo

Just an FYI.
I used to avoid cleaning my 22 bores, ever. I'd read in precision shooting magazine (1980's era) about how Eley didn't clean their bores because it took too long to recondition the bore. I took that to heart and never cleaned a 22 bore. The action and chamber area, Yes.

About 2 years ago, while recuperating from right shoulder surgery, I was sitting at the bench and shooting my Ruger MKII 2 handed from the bench at 50' with CCI SV. The 10 shot group was 2 7/16" @ 50'. This gun normally shot 1 1/2" @ 50 yards. I was astonished. So I went back to the work room and proceeded to clean the bore for the first time in 100-125,000 rounds. I then went back to the same bench with the same box of ammo and shot a 10 shot 1/2'' group. While not being the best group the gun should normally, I write that off as not being in the best shooting condition.

If I hadn't done it myself, I would have a very hard time believing the results. Perhaps it was due to changing types of ammo (I shot PMC, Eley, Winchester Dynapoints, Federal, CCI SV, CCI Blazer, Lapua, Remington SV) and all the different lubes and lead mixtures.

While I still don't clean 22 bores as much as the 45, I do brush them out every 5000 rds or so. That includes both my LSP barrels for my Hi Standards. I know they don't recommend anything but the q-tip but with that minimal amount of brushing, they'll outlive me by far.

Here's the link to photo's of the targets.
http://s838.beta.photobucket.com/user/stork_BE/library/clean%20vs%20fouled/?fromLegacy=true#/user/stork_BE/library/clean%20vs%20fouled?fromLegacy=true&_suid=1361205918367021778988242390523

the .22 gets cotton swabs and Marvelous Mystery oil, and the chamber gets reamed every once in a while with a .243 brush thats been bent at a 90 so the brush won't reach into the rifling.

patch worm works good on 22s, google it.