How often, if ever, do you detail strip your semi autos

[navyguy]

Have had my P226 for about 3 1/3 years, and guessing I've got about 4000 - 5000 rounds through it. So I bought a parts tune up kit, and stripped that baby down to the frame. Soaked all the parts in Hoppe's overnight, then wipped them down, and gave them a spritz of CLP, added a dab of TW25B to the sear and hammer matting surfaces and put it back together. Seems like the triggers even better than it was before. I didn't take the slide apart, because I didn't feel like fighting with the pressed roll pin, but now I'm thinking it might be a good idea to replace the firing pin and spring.

What do you guys do?

 

[Shorts]

I don't detail strip but once early on in owning the gun. And its normally in order to replace a a part like the trigger.

But I think for sure once a year on a detail strip on the 1911 (if I'm not building on it, then it's more often, like monthly). On the Ruger 22/45, its more like ever 5 years!


And I can't read your posts without picturing you talk See what happens when we put faces to names? You should hear me read MadMo's posts!

 

[claymore504]

I don't get super detailed, but once a month I go through my Glock 27 that I carry every day. I do not strip the lower completly, but I do go complete on the slid. My 1911, gets it maybe once every year, unless I carry it more. They just seem to get nasty after carrying in this heat!

 

[navyguy]

I don't detail strip but once early on in owning the gun. And its normally in order to replace a a part like the trigger.

But I think for sure once a year on a detail strip on the 1911 (if I'm not building on it, then it's more often, like monthly). On the Ruger 22/45, its more like ever 5 years!


And I can't read your posts without picturing you talk See what happens when we put faces to names? You should hear me read MadMo's posts!

I agree with you on the 1911, but they are way easier to detail strip than a Sig or HK. Glocks are a breeze, and the Rugers are a PIA until you've done it a few times.

You saying I talk funny?

You need to get a tag line under your screen name. How about "I'm into leather"

 

[Army 1911]

I detail my 1911s based more on my perception of round count. About every 5 or six months for some. Less for others. And always if there is a problem but I don't have many problems becasue I maintain them and don't do any mods that affect the running. Sure I will do a trigger job if needed or maybe tune the extractor. But basically if it works and has low round counts, I just clean it normally.

 

[Stag]

I detail strip my Glock17 every 3 months or so. Mostly the upper slide portion. I spray Prolix throughout the lower and scrub all the crud out. Other than that,..thats it.

I haven't plunged into the 1911s, don't know much about maintaining those bad boys...one day though. I plan on saving up for one.

 

[jasont]

Cleaned my Beretta 92FS Vertec for the first time ever a couple of months ago. Had it 2 1/2 years and about 25k rounds through it. Monthly I would take off the slide, wipe off the rails, and oil it, but hadn't ever done more than that. I got a half dozen stove pipes after 25k completely jam free rounds so I decided it was time to actually clean the thing. The groove the extractor fit in was completely packed with crap. Scraped out several large chunks of gunk from there, I was surprised it was still extracting at all. Sprayed gun scrubber and blew out everywhere else but didn't actually take it all apart. Cleaned out the barrel, realized there was no rifling left in the first 3/4" past the chamber and the next inch was just a very faint etching. Put it all back together and it works as good as ever now. I'll be replacing the first part ever on it this weekend, I broke off my aftermarket front sight this afternoon.

 

[robocop10mm]

Duty guns get detailed out once a year regardless of round count. SWAT guns get it more often because of their high round count.

You can flush out the lower with gun scrubber but the slide has to be detailed. You WILL get gunk and brass shavings in the firing pin/striker channel that will eventually cause light indent misfires. I have seen a few that were so gunked up I was surprised they even fired. Mr. Murphy will show up as the gun fight starts and give you the dreaded "click" that may be one of the last sounds you ever hear.

 

[MadMo44Mag]

Owning only 1 auto pistol right now I have to say it gets stripped and cleaned after each outing. I don't strip down the firing pin and extractor pawl but everything else come apart.
As for my revolvers, they get detail stripped about every 6 months or so unless I am using powdered graphite and then I don't strip them till they start showing signs of the "nasties"where graphite is getting on your hands.
I'll touch on this graphite thing here.
Powdered graphite is a lubricant. When you dust down the trigger and hammer assembly real good it fills the voids or tooling marks. This gives you a smoother action and over time those marks become hard packed and very smooth and slick.
This is also know as a poor mans trigger job.
After about 1000 rounds or so you can clean the assembly's up but the tooling marks stay packed with graphite.
Each time you clean the gun re-apply the graphite. The graphite will remain until you scrub is out with a brush.
As time goes on depending on how much you shoot the need for the graphite goes away due to normal wear.
It works very well. What I have found is that around the 2000 round range on a normal action the need for the graphite goes away.
My Rossi 44spl had a very ratchety action but now it has smoothed out considerably and I only apply a very light dusting of graphite.
Just a little info some may find useful

 

[texas_teacher]

not any time soon but if there was anyone that would be every so kind as to show my fiance and I how to detail the slides on our 1911's and also on my XD we would be ever so grateful... we can cook lunch or buy out somewhere (although she swear I should go to culinary school instead of being a teacher)... after reading this article and the number of rounds that we put through our pieces I have begun to worry and wonder... Thanks to any help that can be offered... We are in the Georgetown, Round Rock, Pflugerville area...

 

[Big country]

All I ever do is field strip and clean my CZ 75. I've thought about doing more but the owners manual says that anything past a field strip should be left to a "competent gunsmith". Should I be doing more than the field strip on a regular basis? And if so then were do I go to get my gun cleaned past the regular field strip? And it is the gun I carry on armed sites when I have to work them, so I would really like to keep murphy out of the equation so I don't have that last memory of "click" "BOOM".

 

[navyguy]

All I ever do is field strip and clean my CZ 75. I've thought about doing more but the owners manual says that anything past a field strip should be left to a "competent gunsmith". Should I be doing more than the field strip on a regular basis? And if so then were do I go to get my gun cleaned past the regular field strip? And it is the gun I carry on armed sites when I have to work them, so I would really like to keep murphy out of the equation so I don't have that last memory of "click" "BOOM".

I'm not familiar with CZ's, so can't help there. But any auto that sees a lot of rounds, needs a detail strip now and again. The Sip P226 I mentioned in the original post is a range only gun at this point. It sees a lot of rounds, but I don't depend on it for defense. If I did, I'd have done the detail strip and clean long ago. You might check with CZ and see what they recommend, and if they offer such a service. Sig for example will do this for about $150, which includes installation of new night sights, and all new springs and such. That's a hell of a deal, except of course there is the shipping issue.

 

[Big country]

Well the manual for the gun says to take it to a "competent gunsmith".

 

[navyguy]

Well the manual for the gun says to take it to a "competent gunsmith".

They all say that. CYA you know.

 

[Big country]

Right! LOL! I'm thinking there is some kind of tool for taking the firing pin out, like an armorers tool or something but I'm not sure. I'm hoping to have an XD 40 for duty before to long and then it'll be another 6 months until I need to worry about it.

 

[wrtanker]

I take the slide apart on my 1911 after each range session (firing pin, firing pin spring, extractor). It's easy and helps get the thing cleaner. As for the frame, I haven't taken that apart in awhile. It just doesn't get as dirty down there as the slide does. I can usually get it clean with a generous application of solvent and a good brush.

Texas Teacher - slide disassembly (on a Colt MkIV Series 70 or Govt model 1911) is quick and easy. If someone else hasn't already shown you PM me. I think I'll be in your area next week. And you don't even have to feed me!

 

[texas_teacher]

I take the slide apart on my 1911 after each range session (firing pin, firing pin spring, extractor). It's easy and helps get the thing cleaner. As for the frame, I haven't taken that apart in awhile. It just doesn't get as dirty down there as the slide does. I can usually get it clean with a generous application of solvent and a good brush.

Texas Teacher - slide disassembly (on a Colt MkIV Series 70 or Govt model 1911) is quick and easy. If someone else hasn't already shown you PM me. I think I'll be in your area next week. And you don't even have to feed me!

I won't poison you wrtanker...

 

[DRod]

I did last month because I never had before and the previous owners idea of cleaning was a WD40 squirt.

When I got it the barrel was built up pretty bad. But came clean after a good soak.

When I tore it down, there was about seven pounds of carbon in the fire control group. lol.

Got it all clean, greased it up and threw all the little bit together. Like a new gun. Threw a Wolf 10lb hammer spring in it and now its butta.



Ill probably do it next month if I get alot of shooting in.

Havent tore down my LCP yet though. Little aprehensive about it, so small and all.

I feild strip and clean it every time I shoot.

 

[wrtanker]

I won't poison you wrtanker...

LOL! Okay, Teach! I trust ya. It just seems like a steep price for something that takes 10 seconds to show you! However, good conversation over some good grub is always a pleasure!

 

[M. Sage]

I never detail strip for normal service. I just use a spray cleaner like Gun Scrubber or brake cleaner to get the hard to reach stuff, then drizzle oil in (but not to the firing pin), and even that is pretty rarely done. Field stripping is all I've ever needed and IMO all I ever need.

If/when something breaks, I'll do a detail strip to fix it.

In fact.. I don't even clean my guns after every range session unless I'm using corrosive ammo. It's a waste of time.