Will it screw up a rifle

[ohsmily]

If I went shooting a few months ago and never cleaned it at all? Just put it away?

This cult of cleaning needs to be eradicated. We don't shoot corrosive ammo anymore. Unless you live in a salt air or humid environment, your gun will be fine virtually indefinitely without cleaning/lubing. I haven't cleaned my primary carbine for more than a year with about 5000 rounds downrange. Runs perfectly. I'll probably clean it before my next class (run a bore snake a couple of times and clean BCG, then lube and go)

The military arms channel has run close to 9000 rounds through a BCM AR without cleaning or lubing. They have had no malfunctions and will continue to fire rounds through it at various intervals until the rifle stops or malfunctions excessively.

[BrokerB]

Havent cleaned the wasr/ak or ar barrel well over 1,000 rounds and over 1 year, no rust or malfunctions. Add a bit of oil to bolt with maybe a wiped down.

These are not surgical instruments.

If not shooting corrosive ammo you have no issues.

I do clean my carry gun after each practice session.

[Fastattack]

I have a revolver that spent the first 25 years of its life uncleaned. Thousands of rounds and nothing but a little oil added over the years. I also have a shotgun that saw its first cleaning after 35 years of use. Trust me they clean up fine. I shot corrosive ammo in a 45 Colt and did not realize it and put it away only to find it full of rust......worst mistake of my life but I saved the gun and won't do that again.

You are doing good if that is the worst mistake of your life. Consider yourself either blessed or lucky!

[Dan_Eastvale]

You hate cleaning as much as I do. I force myself.

[Rcjackrabbit]

A good thing about cleaning, you see internal components and can inspect them for repair / replacement.

[jarhead714]

As long as nobody is inspecting it, everything’s cool.

[Featureless]

If I went shooting a few months ago and never cleaned it at all? Just put it away?

I do that all the time. Except with anything that shoots .22 lr. Filthy. Have to clean to get it to function. Everything else? Meh. When I get around to it.

[M1A Rifleman]

It depends where you live. In a wet, humid environment even noncorrosive priming and gunpowder residue attracts moisture and will lead to corrosion and the oil from your hands is corrosive.

[Barang]

that's what i do, shoot, wipe outside and store. clean them only in winter before they go dormant.

[omega]

just for testing go out shooting again then clean it

to see if letting it sit for a long time has any effect on function / reliability

also check if magazines left loaded are still reliable.

[cgseanp1]

I rarely deep clean. Just wipe with oil to avoid rusty prints.

[highpower]

Just don't drop it on the carpet.

Darn it! You stole my line.

[Dan_Eastvale]

Keeping mags loaded doesn't weaken them. CCWers and home defensers don't unload their mags daily. That would stress them out more.

[K001]

Is this a real question after 4000+ posts since 2013...?

[ohsmily]

just for testing go out shooting again then clean it

to see if letting it sit for a long time has any effect on function / reliability

also check if magazines left loaded are still reliable.

Why would they be unreliable if left loaded? Why check? Leaving them loaded will have no effect on the springs. True, some mags can have feedlip issues when left loaded (some AR mags)