How soon to clean fired gun?

[DocTravis]

What is the time frame in which you should clean your BP gun after firing?

Ideally, I know it's right after shooting, but if you get tied up and can't clean that day how long before trouble starts?

Next day, a week?

I frequently get home late after a day at the range and can't usually clean that day and sometimes not even the next.

 

[AZbpBurner]

I can often go at least a day or two without any worries. But, where I live, humidity is often measured in the single digits.

If you can't do a proper clean-up same day, consider just running a few patches down the bore to remove most of the powder residue, then swabbing the bore with heavier viscosity GI bore cleaner or oil to coat any corrosive residue & keep it from readily absorbing moisture. This will buy you more time, of course, depending on your humidity.

 

[SteveFink]

I see you live in Louisiana - Ideally clean it the same day. If you have AC running at home next day probably ok. As mentioned, if you cant that same day at least get out most of the fouling, lube it, then finish in the morning wouldnt be too bad

 

[hanshi]

I'm also not always able to clean when I get home from the range/hunting. Normally, in such cases, a couple, three patches are run down the bore and WD40 is swabbed in. The lock is removed and doused with a little WD40 and it's all set aside. the next day all will be detail cleaned. Actually, one could wait two maybe three days to clean after this procedure.

 

[cynthialee]

If you are not likely to be able to do a proper cleaning immediately after getting home, take a couple minutes at the range to do a solid pre clean. It will only add a couple minutes and you only need to add a small bottle of soap water to the range box. Pour a couple tablespoons of the soapy liquid down the barrel, give it a good swab and dump do it again with a clean patch, then dump it and patch it dry. Spray some WD-40 then swab it out again.
This will only take a short amount of time and may save your gun if you get distracted and forget to get to it in a timely fashion.

 

[Zonie]

The important thing to remember is by itself the fouling won't do much except absorb any water vapor it can.
The higher the humidity is in an area, the faster the water vapor can be absorbed.

The water vapor combines with the fouling to create a bunch of things that will instantly start corroding the metal.

If you can't remove the fouling then keep the moisture in the air away from it.

If the fouling is saturated with oil it won't cause a problem but IMO, if the oil is one that tends to dry like WD40 or Barricade it may not protect the metal very well.

A good grade of gun oil like Remoil on the other hand will give a few days of protection.

Probably the biggest problem with using a delaying technique is that once it's done it is very easy to forget about it.

The old, "I've taken care of that problem." thinking can easily make a week or more pass before getting around to wondering, "How is my muzzleloading rifles barrel doing?".

Such delays can be very costly when the bore is found to be rusted all to hell.

 

[roundball]

IMO, its same day.
And for me specifically, its a simple regimen of 4-5 minutes to do a thorough bore cleaning, drying, lubing before ever leaving the range, or the woods...and a final more detailed regimen when I get back to the house.

For my range trips I keep plenty of wet / dry / lubed patches on hand for this purpose.
When hunting I carry a few ziploc bags I call 'cleaning kits' with everything needed to do the same thing after every shot while deer / squirrel / turkey hunting.

Others mileage may vary

 

[mooman76]

It also depends on the powder you are using. Some subs like Pyrodex will start to corrode quicker. I've seen it start in as little as 24hrs and that's in a fairly dry environment. If I can't get to my gun immediately, I leave it out. If I put it away there's a good chance I will forget it for quite awhile and have heard of some doing that for months.

 

[buzz]

Myself i live in the high desert if i cant clean by night time i remove lock plug the vent and fill my bore with murphys oil soap lock i coated in the soap as well

 

[Bon Sauvage]

I prefer to clean my firearms forthwith but if that is not possible then anon must do.

 

[Black Hand]

I've gone as long as a week with no ill effects.

 

[necchi]

I've gone overnight and had disastrous effects.

Zonie pointed it out best, it's all about the available moisture and that's a regional as well as seasonal variable.

 

[hawkeye2]

ASAP!! I have found some of the mini lubes I have tried over the years contain enough water to promote bore rusting over a few days while others will protect the bore. I tried a running a wet patch of Gun Saver through the bore after a day's shooting thinking it would help protect and make it easier to clean till I was able to clean the gun. It did protect but it combined with the fouling and actually made cleaning more difficult.

 

[gearheart]

As you can see from the other posts more sooner is more better. 5 minute job is not going to spoil yer beauty sleep.

 

[Many Klatch]

My beer fridge is in the basement next to my workbench. I get home from the range, grab a beer, clean the guns. No problems.

You can wait a day or two or three if red rust doesn't bother you.

Many Klatch

 

[Dphar]

What is the time frame in which you should clean your BP gun after firing?

Ideally, I know it's right after shooting, but if you get tied up and can't clean that day how long before trouble starts?

Next day, a week?

I frequently get home late after a day at the range and can't usually clean that day and sometimes not even the next.

BP fouling can be oiled and left for some time with little risk. But its better to clean it right away.
Fouling generated by powders with potassium perchlorate as an ingredient can cause damage that is not repairable short of freshing before you get home from the range.

Dan

 

[stinkyfeet]

During a match I swab every 3 shots. I clean the guns when I get home that night no exceptions.

 

[roundball]

Details on the Field Cleaning Kit(s) I mentioned.
I'm not a purist and to do my part helping keep the planet clean I follow the same approach backpackers follow:
"if I pack it in, I pack it out".
For hunting I carry a few of these with me all the time...take a shot, completely clean/dry/lube, and continue hunting for hours if need be without worrying about a fouled firearm...and carry the dirty smelly mess right back out.

5 damp cleaning patches
5 dry patches
1 lubed patch
1 Alcohol wipe
1 Pipe cleaner
1 Q-tip
1 Muzzle Mitt

 

[Billnpatti]

I have a long drive from the range to my home and the matches usually last until midafternoon so by the time I get home, I am usually too tired to start cleaning my gun(s). So, to be sure that my guns don't suffer, I swab my bore and nipple area with Goop hand cleaner and leave a heavy coat inside the bore. The next day, I clean my gun(s) in the usual manner of washing with soap and water and the rest of my cleaning protocol until they are spotlessly clean, oiled and put away. Leaving the gun sit for that long with the hand cleaner in the bore has not hurt them in any way.

 

[hanshi]

Where I clean and keep my pb guns is a finished basement. We have a large, electric dehumidifier there so I can afford to be occasionally lax.