BarnSide Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 I’m relatively new to pistol shooting, but have a high end 1911 & 2011 and was wondering what would be the essentials for cleaning such high end pistols. I’ve never cleaned them before, but will need to shortly after a marksmanship course I’m doing. I’m guessing I’ll need a nylon cleaning brush, slide glide, a nylon coated one piece cleaning rod & patches. I hoping I could have others with more experience tell me what I need and what the best brands are? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blairmckenzie1 Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Don't get too crazy. 90% of my pistol cleaning is done with a rag or q-tips. I clean the bore maybe 3 times a year with a pro shot stainless rod and some wipe-out. Run em wet and you'll be fine, high end or not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kneelingatlas Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Wipe it down and apply more motor oil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaunk Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 The advice I've been given is no brass brushes down the barrel. I clean with weaponshield and patches and then use hops gun oil on the rails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erttactics Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Wipe it down and apply more motor oil This✅✅✅ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD45 Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 (edited) Wipe it down and apply more motor oil This✅✅✅ You gotta love USPSA competitors. They actually shoot their guns. Lol Seriously, if I paid a lot for gun, it better work with motor oil and slide glide for 1000 rds. Edited March 5, 2016 by JD45 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N3WWN Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 You don't say if they are new guns, but if they are (or dirty used ones), you should clean them before you ever shoot them. If new, there is usually rust preventative everywhere that needs to be removed. If used, there's no better way to inspect the gun than a good cleaning. Also don't forget the lube before putting lead down range. Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Wipe it down and apply more motor oil This✅✅✅ You gotta love USPSA competitors. They actually shoot their guns. LolSeriously, if I paid a lot for gun, it better work with motor oil and slide glide for 1000 rds. Tight fitted light sprung custom guns are not like Glocks. They WILL quit running if they get too dirty. I used to clean my Glock twice a season but my 2011 opens start acting up if I don't clean them before 1000 rounds. If I try to run a 7lb recoil spring I have to clean them mid way through a 2 day major match. Hence, I run an 8. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Same as low end guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianKr Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 (edited) I clean all of my handguns with ProLix now. It's not inexpensive, but it's used as a bath in a lidded container and is reused over and over. A brief soak, then they basically wipe clean, I use a toothbrush and q-tips, and are rinsed in the bath. A few swipes with a brush in the bore, then another quick rinse. Do NOT wipe dry. Just set the parts up so that they dry. It dries to a dry lube. Very minimal wear on the gun. If the bore ever does need better cleaning they suggest a non-embedding paste cleaner on a tight fitting patch. Dang, I can't remember the name. It's on the ProLix website. Edited March 6, 2016 by BrianKr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Rod Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 Same as low end guns. +1. Whether it's my Kimbers or Springers, Baer, Dads Wilson, or my full custom they all get cleaned the same. With round counts between 10k and 60k they all shoot accurately and function reliably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RippinSVT Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 (edited) Go on Amazon and order 1000 of the 6" wooden Q-tips for like $15. Thank me later. I can't live without them. I clean/lube all my guns and reloading presses with them. The are strong enough to "dig in" and thin enough to get into lug recesses and frame rails. I will say that I clean/lube my 1911's very often, and I pretty much never clean my polymer guns. I once threw a Glock 34 angrily into a muddy field, left it there a few days, then pretty much hosed it off and shot another 2000 rounds. It was plate rack induced. Edited March 6, 2016 by RippinSVT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 Wipe it down and apply more motor oil This✅✅✅ Exactly ... Spend your time shooting them not cleaning them. This is a slippery slope ... Next you'll be doing those 12 step brass cleaning reloading protocols I read about on the reloading sub forum ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDA Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 The advice I've been given is no brass brushes down the barrel. Does that mean no jacketed bullets either? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericjhuber Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 I use Frog Lube CLP liquid for my primary cleaning agent and Slide Glide (lite or standard depending on the season) for my SVI 1911. For the G34, it's Frog Lube CLP and Mobile 1. I leave the barrels of both of them mostly alone other than to run a bore snake through them about every 1,000 rounds or so. I like cleaning guns I generally won't shoot them more than a couple hundred rounds before I clean them again. The Q-tip idea is a good one. I need to try that. I've been using tooth picks to get patches in the hard to reach areas and I think the long Q-Tip idea is probably a better way of doing that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
practical_man Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 Im relatively new to pistol shooting, but have a high end 1911 & 2011 and was wondering what would be the essentials for cleaning such high end pistols. Ive never cleaned them before, but will need to shortly after a marksmanship course Im doing. Im guessing Ill need a nylon cleaning brush, slide glide, a nylon coated one piece cleaning rod & patches. I hoping I could have others with more experience tell me what I need and what the best brands are? Everyone has their special approach on this. Most all will work well enough. I use non chlorinated brake cleaner to get old oils and powder residue off. Quick, easy, and cheap. You MUST lube after doing this or you will get serious rust. Mobil 1 synthetic 30W is what I use on all my 1911 pattern pistols. It works and generally stays where it belongs. I have found it works better than greases. 1911s run better wet and relatively clean. I use a brass oversize brush to clean the chamber. That's important to good function. Use the solvent of your choice. I like a 50/50 mix of Dexteon AUtomatic Transmission Fliud and Mineral Spirits. Cheap and effective. Bore cleaning is generally just a nylon brush using the above solvent. If there is metallic fouling the no use a snug fitting brass brush to remove it. Wipe off the outside and re-lube to prevent rust. I use the same routine with Glocks or spendy small shop built pistols. It's just a machine. Cleaning is just part of the maintenance process. No need to over think it or go crazy with special products. You probably have all the lube and cleaners you need in your garage right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris iliff Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 (edited) Cleaning guns, right,...surely you jest, hahaha. Unload, lock back that slide, insert pinky finger in the opening and clean the feed ramp with said finger. Then apply that black stuff on the end of your pinky finger to your face like war paint. Go shoot. Oh, almost forgot, couple drops of oil from the leftover oil that you used when you did your own oil change. Easy peasy, done. High end, middle end and low end handgun cleaning 101. Edited March 6, 2016 by Chris iliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 Wipe it down and apply more motor oil This✅✅✅ Exactly ... Spend your time shooting them not cleaning them. This is a slippery slope ... Next you'll be doing those 12 step brass cleaning reloading protocols I read about on the reloading sub forum ... I love it when logic prevails...long time shooters (high volume) get to this point pretty quick, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajaholic Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 Same here on the cleaning, however my lube oil has a bit of a twist. I use full synthetic boat drive oil. (Bravo Shop, NEO Synthetic) It has the higher viscosity to run in extreme heat and water repellent qualities should the gun get in a moisture situation when shooting. https://bravoshop.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=932 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan1985 Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 No matter how or when you clean, make sure to properly lube your pistol. High quality, hand fitted guns need to be lubed and/or greased. It's not like a polymer gun that can run fairly dry. Pay particular attention to slide rails and a couple drops of oil toward the muzzle end and breach end of the barrel. Personally, about every 500 rounds I field strip and wipe down with CLP, then a couple drops on the areas I mentioned and Tetra grease on the slide rails. Takes me a couple minutes to do but keeps my STI running flawlessly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvc4you Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 (edited) Mobil 1, nothing but bullets down the barrel , it applies to all my guns from Infinity or AKAI custom to inexpensive Tupperware. For cleaning, acetone. Edited March 7, 2016 by dvc4you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RippinSVT Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 I suppose it warrants adding that I clean my USPSA/Steel/other guns only as necessary to keep functioning reliable. I'm certain I've gone many many thousands of rounds without cleaning many of them. However, on my Bianchi/Bullseye guns I'm like benchrest shooter with getting fairly meticulous into the lug recesses, rails, chamber, etc. As Brian Enos says in his book, you need only be as accurate as you need to be. It doesn't take a perfectly clean pistol to put two in an A-zone at 15 yards, but it may need to be to put 6-12 shots into an inch or two at 50 yards consistently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunBugBit Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 I've been using a cheap automatic transmission fluid for years to clean and run rifles and pistols. I keep Mobil 1 handy but hardly ever use it any more. Sometimes during a practice session I'll use the Mobil 1 I keep in my range bag for a field cleaning along with a bore snake and microfiber towel. I don't do anything differently based on the gun's price tag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickb45 Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) I add weapon shield or fp-10 or Mobil1 (whatever is closest on my bench or in the top of my bag) before I shoot them, wipe then down every 1,000 rounds or so. Pull them all the way apart and put in a new recoil spring every 3000 rounds or so. These are hand fit 1911s and 2011s. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Edited March 9, 2016 by Nickb45 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Ryder Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 Glock = dry and dirty 2011 = wet and dirty Clean when malfunctions occur. That is all. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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