Overcleaning?

[b4uqzme]

I've been doing a little experiment. Been shooting the snot out of my k40 without cleaning it. Is it possible that cleaning is overrated? I keep my mk9 pristine and it doesn't run this well -- even though I follow the lube sticky faithfully.

[rnbtexas]

How many rounds in are you? I've wondered the same thing.

[b4uqzme]

About 600

[muggsy]

Sounds like a man on a fool's errand.

[Alfonse]

I tried that with my apartment once when I was young. It impaired the function of my social life somewhat. I caused failures to feed of coeds into the bedroom.

[b4uqzme]

Sounds like a man on a fool's errand.

No argument here...

[Gringo Pistolero]

IMO...if it runs that well dirty, it will do even better clean!

I don't keep any of my firearms "pristine" anymore - 20 years in the Army gave me my fill of that - but I do believe in keeping everything "functionally clean."

Chuck

[CB3]

Generally, a dirty barrel will not impair function. However a dirty action will compromise function at some point. The problem is you don't know at what point the dirty action will cause a function problem.

Most well-made handguns can go hundreds of rounds without cleaning and without function problems. For range shooting this is okay. However if this gun is used for self-defense purposes having it functionally clean is a much better idea.

[jocko]

I've been doing a little experiment. Been shooting the snot out of my k40 without cleaning it. Is it possible that cleaning is overrated? I keep my mk9 pristine and it doesn't run this well -- even though I follow the lube sticky faithfully.

bayth one a day, every uter day, once a week. ??? U really don'thave to u know, and trust me it will effect funtionality, just like a dirty gun can..

I have no doubt kahrs and most every semi out thre willgo many hundreds of rounds, CJB covers this best IMO.

My carry gun is always clean, but never the leass it can malfunction on that first trigger pull to. There are no guarantees in life:Amflag2:

Also cleaning ur weapon is now giving u a chance to review the guns internals after some range time. U just never know..

[b4uqzme]

Truth is I'm a bit of a clean gun nut -- to the point of obsession. It's normal for me to strip, clean and lube each gun after every range session. However after an aggressive cleaning it seems to take a few rounds for the gun to run smooth again. Seems you have to let the new lube work in somewhat. The experiment wasn't even intended. It just sort of happened and then I got curious. And then curious to see what you all would think. Thanks for the input. I think the lesson is everything in moderation. While there's no need to detail strip your weapon every week, it is good practice to keep it "functionally clean".

[b4uqzme]

P.S. will one of you guys explain to the wife why the whole house smells like Ballistol?

[Bawanna]

Dear Mrs. b4uqzme

This is Jocko, I'm a certified expert on all things that go bang.

Ballistol once you become accustomed to it has a very pleasant aroma and as an added benefit it is an aphrodisiac. A win/win situation in any book.

I hope you make every attempt to acclimate your self and acquire a taste if you will for the aroma of Ballistol. I've only recently acquired a supply for myself and find it quite satisfactory.

Live to Ride


Jocko

[AIRret]

Normally all guns are cleaned after every trip to the range. However, occasionally a gun may only have 20 or 30 rounds through it so I'll wait until the next range day and more rounds before cleaning.

Sometime I may not shoot my carry gun(s) for a couple of weeks and when that happens I still switch out my magazines, and take the gun apart to check out the lube and sometime I use compressed air if there is any lint in the slide etc. A weekly check on my life saving gun seems to be a good investment of my time!!

[texjack]

I dont clean my Kahrs too often, but I do keep them oiled. But, then again, neither have ever had a malfunction, ever.

[b4uqzme]

I dont clean my Kahrs too often, but I do keep them oiled. But, then again, neither have ever had a malfunction, ever.

That's what I was finding. Thanks texjack. I was stripping away all the lube and having to start over each time. Now I simply wipe them out and clean the bore. Once in awhile I flush the striker channel too. Re-lube and away I go with no malfunctions since I started this routine. I only shot revolvers until recently and was used to scrubbing and polishing them after every range trip. Pistol actions are too delicate/intricate for that...

Anyone have any tips on cleaning a Ruger Mark I?

[Barth]

I clean all my weapons after every shooting.
Regardless of how few rounds fired.
Not a detailed strip.
But a quick clean and lube.
Really takes just a few moments to do.

Although my Glock, with self lubricating Fail Zero nickel boron, can run dry.
I've found my stainless Kahr MK40 like to be well lubed to run like butter.
With my life potentially on the line?
I like it to run like butter.

[Glock23]

I have all my handguns double treated with the frog lube paste (full application with heat, cure time, etc).

After a trip to the range, I'll hit it with a few light sprays of gun scrubber and wipe it down, hitting tough to reach spots with a q-tip or acid brush, with a patch/brush through the barrel.

Then I put a few drops of the frog lube liquid on a patch and wipe everything down with a light coating, again with a patch/brush through the barrel, then follow up with the microfiber rag to wipe it dry.

Takes me about 5 minutes per gun this way... figure I'll do another "full treatment" of frog lube paste every 500 rounds or so.

[7shot]

maybe overrated after every range shoot. but i've gone a month without cleaning my pistols after a trip to the range. but then i only go maybe 3 times a month tops. of course with the ammo shortage it's only once a month now.

[ripley16]

You too can go a year without a bath.
Your climbing rope can be left in the sun for years.
Your tires will run till bald.
Your mower oil will last years.
Your gun will funtion when dirty.

But why would you treat your stuff this way? Cleanliness is next to reliabilty, (apolgies to B. Franklin).

[OldLincoln]

Or if you can find it, get a bucket of "Panther Piss" and just store your gun it that. Fish it out blow it dry and go shoot it as if you had stolen it. Of course it may dissolve so beware.

[Sage]

If you keep at it let us know how it goes. Maybe we should start a pool on the round count it fails on. I say 825. l

[b4uqzme]

Just passed 700. Anyone else want in the pool? :33:

[b4uqzme]

Update: broke down and cleaned it. Final round count 750.

Conclusion: while it is reassuring that this firearm will handle (what this OC user deems) abuse, I do not recommend it. Some pistols might be more sensitive to regular cleaning and I wouldn't want anyone to make a mistake on my account. Plus it's more fun and responsible to keep it clean, lubed and ready.

[jpshaw]

Just don't try this with your EDC piece. Function aside, if you happened to be somewhere that a shot was fired by someone else I personally would want a clean, non fired gun on me.

[b4uqzme]

Just don't try this with your EDC piece. Function aside, if you happened to be somewhere that a shot was fired by someone else I personally would want a clean, non fired gun on me.

Agreed. It was an experiment. What I really learned is that some guns are reliable under most any circumstances - even dirty and neglected. That's the gun I want for EDC. This K40 has proved itself.

[b4uqzme]

I also recommend shooting your EDC candidate a lot. Not sure why people complain about a 200 round break in. I've got >1000 rounds thru this one and can truly say I trust it.

[Fodder]

I also recommend shooting your EDC candidate a lot

Agree 100%.

IMHO, a fowling shot after cleaning is always a good idea for your carry weapon system. You never know what can happen during disassembly.



RB

[ReManG]

I did this kind of test on a S&W 4006 I carried, I did not have much experience with S&W pistols at the time, so after a couple of break in sessions and post range cleaning, I went over 800 rounds between cleanings. No problems what so ever and it definitely increased my confidence in the platform. Carbon can act like a lube to a certain point, and only the buildup that interferes with function would be a problem, finding that level is past 800 rounds gave me confidence in the design. I have gone this route on new pistols and run over 400 rounds without cleaning. It helps with the bogey man that whispers "will it function" in your ear after life gets in the way post range time....

[berettabone]

I clean all my weapons after every shooting.
Regardless of how few rounds fired.
Not a detailed strip.
But a quick clean and lube.
Really takes just a few moments to do.

Although my Glock, with self lubricating Fail Zero nickel boron, can run dry.
I've found my stainless Kahr MK40 like to be well lubed to run like butter.
With my life potentially on the line?
I like it to run like butter.
You are correct sir............................................... sure wish I had all his free timehttp://kahrtalk.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[jocko]

over cleaning, IMO once you get that striker channel good and clean and thencontinue to use that clean out hole, , leave that area alone. After that any cleaning of ur kahr is now basic and u won't have all those little parts flying all around. IMO a clean gun is a happy gun, but I agreewith one poster here that after a cleaning a few rounds downrange tomake sure allis well id good practice and I must say I probalby don't do that near asmuch as I should for it means goin back tothe rang eto maybe shoot a mag full. LAZY is my middle name to.

[Bawanna]

I just function test after any cleaning or break down. I do the pencil drop, trigger reset, the whole smear, takes very little time.

I could see maybe a fouling shot on a sniper rifle but not on handguns.

[b4uqzme]

Since this post, I've experimented a lot with how much to clean then how much to lube. Bottom line: the K40 is a brute and I can do whatever I darn well please. The MK9 is a little tighter and a little finickier. I can clean it as much as I want but it doesn't like too much lube. It's the only semi I own that doesn't get grease on the rails. Just my experience. YMMV. Maybe I'm foolish but I don't test fire before I carry. I've been thru enough to have confidence in both pistols.