Author Topic: Gun cleaning questions  (Read 8021 times)

sanman513

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Gun cleaning questions
« on: December 18, 2011, 04:25:15 PM »
Hi, I have owned a CZ 75B that my father sold me about 6 months ago. It's my first firearm!! I was wondering how to properly clean this baby without damaging it. I've looked up so many vids/websites and they all sort of conflict.


I use hoppes elite and/or break free powder blast for to clean the whole gun down and rub it with a terry cloth.


I clean the bore with the same solvent and use the bore brush/cleaning patches.


After I get it as clean as I can can, I lightly lube everything with hoppes gun oil (except the bore inside and out).


Does this sound good enough, am I missing something or doing something wrong?  :huh:


How often does the gun need to be thoroughly cleaned by a gunsmith?


My grips have these spots that looks like maybe a chemical that shouldn't have touched it kind of ?melted/distorted? it. From what I've looked up, break free and hoppes shouldn't react to the plastic, so I'm not sure what's going on.


Thanks!

Offline sirgilligan

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Re: Gun cleaning questions
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2011, 05:16:04 PM »
I am no expert. I do what my Dad showed me to do when he would tell me to get out all the guns and clean them.

I clean after every outing, but I don't clean the same way for every cleaning.

Quick Clean:
One patch with solvent inside barrel.
Dry patch. Patch with oil. Dry patches. Patch with oil. Until patch is reasonably clean.
Tooth brush with a little bit of oil on it, scrub inside the slide, and all areas I can reach. There is so little oil on this brush that the oil is there more to have the gunk stick to the brush. Then I take patches and wrap the tooth brush or put around my little pinky finger and clean all those areas again.
Then I have an old rag for final wipe down that has years of oil in it. I wipe everything down.
Couple of drops of oil on/in rails, work it a few times, wipe off extra.
Reassemble.
Wipe off so no finger prints and put in safe.

After a few hundred rounds I use a bronze brush in the barrel cleaning process. Probably three times. Not much. Then those basic steps.

Of course each cleaning is situational. Some ammo is "dirtier". Some times it take a bit more.

I have never had a gun smith clean a gun of mine. They don't get that dirty if you stay on top of things.

I know I over oil the springs and such, growing up in Kentucky I learned that humidity is a gun's enemy and I have become overly paranoid of rust.

sanman513

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Re: Gun cleaning questions
« Reply #2 on: December 18, 2011, 05:32:44 PM »
Thanks for the reply!


I'm just worried that I'll mess the gun up by doing too little or too much. I usually shoot about 150 rds once a week of Independence Ammo. I would like to start getting into shooting for sport so do you think more attention to detail is necessary? I've read in numerous places that if you put gun oil in a barrel, it just gets singed up with your first discharge! What model do you have, how often do you shoot (rounds per month), and what cleaning agents do you like to use? Thanks again!


Offline sirgilligan

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Re: Gun cleaning questions
« Reply #3 on: December 18, 2011, 05:46:50 PM »
You are shooting more often than I do.

Solvent - Outers, Hoppes, MPro 7... it doesn't seem to matter.
Oil - Outers, Hoppes, Breakfree CLP... again it doesn't seem to matter.

Proper fitting bronze brush is something I do care about.
Bronze or aluminum cleaning rods, or the nice plastic one that came with my CZ 85B.

If I get solvent on anything other than what I intend, I wipe it off and then clean that spot with an oily rag.

I have used engine oil to clean the barrel as well. Worked fine.

When I clean the barrel if the last clean patch is completely dry I will put a drop or two of oil on it (only a drop or two) and run it back through one more time.

Cleaning is something that can get over board. My personality is such that I can over do it. My brother has guns that have never been cleaned and they are just fine. It has become mandatory to see how long this can go. Yes, it is wrong. The barrel on one is pitted with rust (a rifle) and it still shoots 1" groups at 100 yards. Go figure.

In my opinion there is too much hype about gun cleaning products in general. As sure as I say this there are surely some products that should be avoided.

Common, name brand stuff, that has been used for 100 years, tried and true, that is a safe path.

What does your pistol's manual say to use?

Offline DeeDubya

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Re: Gun cleaning questions
« Reply #4 on: December 19, 2011, 09:04:22 AM »
If your 75B is stainless you would want to check the bore cleaners instructions. Some rifle bore cleaners are not to be used on stainless. I think the Shooter's Choice I have says not on stainless.
DW
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b5.5dan

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Re: Gun cleaning questions
« Reply #5 on: December 23, 2011, 02:08:12 PM »
I generally shoot 200 rounds twice a month, and I use the method described above by SirGillian. Well, I did. I got a BoreSnake and that thing is amazing! I love it. Now I use it (and it alone) on the barrel every other outing. Apart from that, Gillian gave a great method. I would try not to get too much oil down into the hammer workings, but really, if you use too much, most of it will just blow out once you start shooting.

Welcome to the CZ Forum, by the way! This is a great place and everyone here is someone I would be proud to call friend. Ask (and answer) questions, post around, and get involved! You're going to love your CZ, and you will soon discover that your biggest problem will be finding a way to pay for all the other CZs you will decide you need to have. Mark my words...  :grin:

Offline GhostWarrior

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Re: Gun cleaning questions
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2011, 03:15:19 PM »
           Check to see if the break free says anything about whether it's synethic or not. If is not Synethic then put it away for other things. Only use Synethic cleaners on your CZ's. For some reason the non-synthetic cleaners, really don't play nice with the plastic they make in the Czech Republic.I have used Hoppe's on every weapon I own for 40 plus years and never had it harm my weapon. Until recently I used nothing but Hoppes and gunoil to clean my weapon. Someone recommended that I give a gun scrubber spray a try. But if I did then make sure it was Synthetic or I could damage the plastic and not just on CZ's either. Thefolks that told me that had just received and fitted 5k worth of longgun and scope together and it rocked! So I go with their recommendation.

         Everyone I know grew up learning to clean their weapons differently than anyone else did, Just how it is. I know people that cleaned  their weapons once a month wether they needed to be or not. I have seen others not bother until they start getting flyer's, and everything in between. If you are an operator or military, or both, then it's pretty much a given you are stripping and cleaning your weapon daily especially when in the field and or when it's safe to have it down that long. The difference is that city folks work in a totally different environment than the military or operators do, so what works in one Environment does not necessarily work in the other. Keep it oiled, wiped down, and all functions checked regularly and you should be good for a couple or three months depending. Oh I forgot to lump Competition shooters in with the operators and military same reasons.

      No offense was meant by any of the above.
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sanman513

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Re: Gun cleaning questions
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2012, 05:58:36 PM »
I'm a little late on getting back, but I really appreciate you guys answering my question! You guys rock! I find that a combination of Hoppes Elite Solvent and Oil AND Breakfree Powder Blast (made specifically for firearms) is doing the job. I was kinda paranoid with the cleaning for awhile. Nowadays I clean every 3 sessions, sometimes once a month. So far I've got over 2800rds in the thing and it kicks so much ass :tongue: ! I like it over my Springfield XDM 3.8 45acp, it feels much more natural! Another question you guys might be able to answer though, lol. When should you change the barrel? I know I'm far away from wearing it out, but just wondering!

Offline DeeDubya

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Re: Gun cleaning questions
« Reply #8 on: March 19, 2012, 07:46:20 AM »
I've heard this question a thousand times. There are as many variables leading to barrel wear as there are with cleaning techniques. The rule of thumb is "Change the barrel whan accuracy starts to drop off". This might not be so easy to determine with a handgun excepting that you might shoot extremely accruate off the bench or you have a Ransom Rest. I don't think it would be a concern for at least 10,000 rounds.
DW
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"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him."
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sanman513

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Re: Gun cleaning questions
« Reply #9 on: March 19, 2012, 08:05:39 AM »
Thanks DW, just wanted a general estimation. I was watching hickock45 vids last night. The guy is shooting an original 1911, hitting a gong what I think might be over 100 yards! Insane! You guys are great answering my questions, i'm glad I was able to find this forum!  :grin: