Smyth Busters: How Often Do You Have To Clean a Gun (Really)?

"You've gotta clean that gun after EVERY time you shoot it!" Your mother may not have said that, but chances are some trusted mentor in your early days as a shooter did. Sure, cleaning a really gunky gun is important, but in these days of smokeless powder, highly corrosion-resistant gun finishes, and climate-controlled homes, do you really have to clean a gun THAT often? Brownells Gun Techs™ Caleb and Steve say, in a nutshell..... no. Both admit to being typical gunsmiths with a bunch of dirty guns lurking in their gun safes! Steve wipes down the outside and checks for leading in the barrel, but as for a stem-to-stern, thorough bore cleaning? About once or twice a season, he says. Certain shooters DO have to clean their guns after every outing: duck / geese / pheasant hunters, black powder shooters, anybody operating in adversely wet conditions. Certain guns require attentive maintenance like the M1 Garand and M14 (M1A), whose roller systems need frequent cleaning and lubrication. If you get satisfaction from disassembling a gun and thoroughly cleaning it, go ahead - it won't hurt. But the myth is BUSTED: you typically do not have to clean a gun every time you shoot it.

[clarkmarkey]

It's a Zen like thing. The smells, the sounds and the quiet concentration bring me back to a carefree time in my youth. The AR is fine, its the soul that needs the cleaning....

[slugfest]

At 77 years old, I still can't sleep well knowing I have a dirty firearm in the safe. Between my Dad, and the U.S. Army, I'm thoroughly indoctrinated on the rule "if you shoot it, you clean it". Plus, like Jeff Link below, cleaning my guns is a kind of "bonding" with each firearm. Its enjoyable.

[tw]

As a new owner, it’s just another way for me to become for familiar and comfortable with my gun.

[TheMidnightModder]

Y'all have an incredibly kind community. It seems like most people here prefer to clean their guns every time, but they're not toxic about it, they just say what they prefer with a smile and a handshake and keep on a'watching! That's such a breath of fresh air on the internet.

[derrickrr]

As a man with ADHD and chronic procrastination, this is a huge win for me.

[KillerKev]

The Marine Corps instills in all of us that if you shoot it, you clean it. Laziness is untolerable. Cleaning isnt just to have a clean weapon, its the opportunity to inspect for problems to ensure a safe weapon that functions as designed.

[McScott]

Letting go of the feeling that I had to clean my gun after every use really made gun ownership much more enjoyable to me. We recently moved to the country where I can shoot all my guns right in my back yard. Prior to that, going shooting was an "event" that took hours, was expensive and had to be planned for in advance. After hours of dealing with going to the range, I felt the need to come home and clean everything. So I started going less and less. There's nothing more enjoyable to me now than wrapping up work, grabbing one of my guns and heading out to the woods to shoot 100 rounds or so. When I'm done, the gun goes right back in the safe, and I go about my day. What used to feel like a 3 hour "chore" is now just a 30 minute fun activity. I'll eventually clean my guns when they need it, and it will take me a little longer since they're more dirty. But man... the 10 times I went shooting in between are much, much more enjoyable.

[JoeWojak]

I think for a lot of us veterans, cleaning your weapon after going to the range is something that's deeply ingrained in us. I can't come home after the range and not expect, even to this day, a mythical drill sergeant yelling over my shoulder to clean that weapon spotless. After serving in the military, even though it was a long time ago, I have to field strip whatever I shot and clean it to parade inspection standards. This means the cleaning patch comes out spotless after going down the barrel and there's no carbon anywhere. Love the video and keep 'em coming, but this is a habit I can't get away from. If it gets fired, it gets cleaned.

[ep]

I feel like the "clean after every use" methodology was instilled in me more as a way to learn and respect my weapon than it was for ensuring cleanliness for function. I still enjoy cleaning as ritual and especially after significant round count or environment conditions.

[watariovids]

I would imagine "clean it after every time you shoot it" is a hold over piece of knowledge from the Black Powder days when you really did need to clean them after shooting because of the corrosion.

[eduardovillalon]

I do clean and lub my guns after every range day, not because it’s strictly necessary, but because I like to keep them in great condition, and I love the process to do it: it’s like a relaxing therapy for me!

[Combat]

A day at the range isn’t complete until the smell of Hoppes is in the air.

[kevinshortell]

I actually enjoy cleaning my firearms. The one added benefit to cleaning on a regular basis is that it provides the opportunity for frequent inspection of parts to spot any issues while they are minor and before they grow into bigger problems .

[Super-Kuper]

I go more by round count and weather conditions than just because it was out.

[thefourbooks]

My dad laughed at me one day when I was cleaning my first 1911 after a range day, noting that he had been through entire tours of Vietnam, in the water, tunnels, etc., and never recalled cleaning his.

[oldcop]

Thirty years as a working cop it was drilled into us to clean after every range qualification. In retirement I’ve gotten lazy and put it off a few days after a range session, but it’s still done every time. Old habits are hard to break.

[mikehenrybell]

I just can’t resist to get my guns clean after I shoot them, a clean gun is always a happy gun

[ALAPINO]

I do. It's ritual for me. Just how I was raised and later on trained, and then later trained others to do. I know full well, short of corrosive and environmental exposure it's not, as you lads said, strictly necessary: i enjoy it.

[JohnnyRebKy]

I grew up in rural kentucky. We had a shotgun or 22 out all the time. Id spray them down with gun oil and wipe them off and put them away. Very rarely cleaned the barrel. 25 years later those old guns still work and shoot great 👍.

[Tee-Ess]

When I was in the Army, we cleaned our rifles constantly. Now I clean my privately owned rifles every 500 rounds or so. There is just no comparison. The excessive cleaning wore my Army rifles out and they were less accurate and reliable than my way less clean rifles today.