Cleaning and Maintenance Question

[ajl2121]

Hello all and Happy New Year!

I have two USP's (.45F and .40F)...They were manufactured in 2006 (AG). The .45 has about 300 rounds through it and the .40 has about 100 rounds. I've always field stripped cleaned them after every range trip, but after my last trip about 7 months ago, I wasn't able to clean them. During that trip, I put approximately 150 rounds of various ammunition (JHP & FMJ) through each pistol. Unfortunately, they were stored without cleaning, and I anticipate that I will have them back in my posession in a few weeks. I am very eagar to visit the range, but I am worried that there might have been some adverse affects due to the negligence. Couple questions:

1. Should I field strip clean them PRIOR to visiting the range? OR is it ok to shoot them again, and field strip clean afterwards?

2. Is there any special consideration (ex. deep cleaning) I should give to the pistols due to the fact that they were used and stored for 7 months without cleaning?

3. I generally use nitro solvent and gun oil to clean and store my weapons. Recently, I purchased a large can of CLP...Will the CLP suffice in cleaning and storing?

[686Plus]

I imagine some will disagree but I would do a quick wipe down and run a cloth through the barrel. I like using solvent and CLP but a lot of folks say the CLP is gud all around. I doubt you have much to worry about with only 150 rounds but why not run a cloth through the barrel and clean it after your next session.

I don't clean my Les Baer unless I put 150-200 rounds through it. I guess I would add that it most importantly depends on what you are shooting through it. Some ammo is a lot dirtier then others.

Having said that, if you plan on putting them back into hibernation after the next trip to the range, you should take the time to clean them and give them a good lubing up.

I'm sure others will chime in here soon.

Have fun shooting.

[sammy]

Check the barrel for any obstruction, lightly lube the rails and go shooting!!! No worries, happy new year!!

[ajl2121]

So, detailed cleaning seems not to be the right choice...Does it do more harm than good if done too often? At this point, I'm not learned enough to even perform a cleaning that goes more into detail than a field strip clean.

[TannerBoyl]

At the bare minimum, I would do a basic field strip on each pistol. I would check the barrel and maybe run a few patches or a boresnake through it. I would also check the feed ramp and give that a nice wipedown with some solvent. I would also give the rails a quick wipe. Finish with a little lube here and there and you're good to go. HKs are pretty robust pistols. Seven months of storage after shooting quality ammo shouldn't be an issue as long as you didn't use corrosive or non-jacketed ammo. My worries would be mainly cosmetic in nature. Good luck and tell us how they turn out!

[NiteQwill]

For me, I do a detailed strip + cleaning once (or twice, if I'm up to it) a year for all my pistols.

Everything else is field strip + cleaning.

I don't use any corrosive rounds so anything more is just overkill.

Hell, I had my P6 sit in my safe for 11 months without cleaning from the last range trip. I wiped it down, lubed the rails, and ran a boresnake through it. Afterwards, the P6 saw the desert for 4 days, about 500 rounds, and no issues.

Tens of thousands of rounds later, no hiccups.

[mindwip]

Cleaning for me involves running a bore snake through the barrel every time out. Other then that nothing.

You will ruin guns faster buy over cleaning them then you will to under cleaning. Assuming you are shooting non-corrosive ammo.


My BHP which gets shoot the most is cleaned about every 1,000 rounds. A bit beyond field striped. After 1,000 it starts to not have perfect reliability. I thinks its important to know how well yours guns can run inbetween cleaning. To me that lets me know which ones are better designed.

[JMB1911]

Can't hurt to field strip and clean before your range trip. Heck, it can't hurt not to either. When you go shooting and have failures the first few rounds, you'll know that it needs cleaning.